Novice camper - how to survive with a 2 year old!

[Bumperlicioso]

Hello

I never thought I'd be posting on this board...anyway, I'm a novice camper, been a couple of times, and while I quite enjoy it and don't mind roughing it I have a bordering on clinical phobia of spiders and daddy long legs (irrational I know, but that's the nature of phobias ). Anyway, somehow I seemed to think it was a good idea to join my dad and younger brothers camping this weekend (hopefully too early for daddy long legs!). I'm just looking for any tips on surviving the weekend with a nearly two year old DD?

We have a 4 man tent and having just constructed it in our living room have satisfied ourselves we can fit a travel cot and blow up bed in the sleeping compartment.

Oh and an added complication is that DD appears to have a morbid fear or insects. Now, I know I said I don't like spiders or daddy long legs but to my recollection I have never come into contact with either while she has been around, and though I don't particularly love insects I have made a big effort to be cool around them and try and interest DD in them. Doesn't work though, she freaks out if even a tiny fly comes near her. It's obviously genetic remind me again why I agreed to this? And please give me some life saving tips!

Wine.......(as soon as she's asleep), say no more.

Don't forget the camping lantern/led torches/press lights, as when she wakes screaming at 2am you'll need them.

I'm scared of spiders too- but find that I can keep them out of the sleeping bit as long as I'm extremely strict about keeping the mesh bit closed.

Our dd loved camping at that age. Take things to do if it's raining - Charlie and Lola magazine was great on a particularly rainy weekend in Anglesey.

Our last camping trip in September 2005 (prime daddy long legs season) involved a marathon sprint into the enclosed bit and zipping it up before any of the buggers could get in. We had some cintronella candles - they just attracted the bloody things!

Good tip pootle!

We have a couple of wind up torches, DH just smashed our lamp .

It'll be ok right?

Take many, many more clothes than you think you need - they all seem to find the wettest/muddiest bit of a field and fall over in it about 4 times a day at that age.
As well as wellies, those all in one waterproof things (from muddy puddles etc)are really good. Lots of carrier bags for all the wet ditry clothes you will collect - not trying to be a gloom merchant, speaking from experience!

Squeezy yogs and fruit - cooking facilities are going to be meagre but at least if you give her an apple and yogourt a couple of times a day you dont have to worry too much about scurvy Food that does not need prepping, peeling or cutlery to eat is always good on a campsite.

I love camping and did a lot with toddlers - but lots of wine and a cavalier attitude to cleanliness are essential - have fun!

Ditto keeping the mesh closed to keep the spidesr out. Avoid pitching tent near walls/hedges if poss.

Took my ds when 2 and he loved it and slept very well with all the fresh air despite the noises outside.

Citronella good but DON'T do what we did and burn the candles INSIDE the tent. Ended up with a layer of grease on everything. Ds's booster seat has never been the same since...

Oh yeah and lots of warm layers. Its suprising how cold tents get even in the middle of summer. We camped in May once and I got into my winter tog sleeping bag fully clothed including my fleece and was just warm enough...

Have fun!

Those fleecey all-in-ones you can get from Mothercare and similar places are really good for keeping them warm. Or double-bag them in two grobags.

All in one waterproof suit from Muddy Puddles (never found better) and wellies are essential!!
My two year old never leaves the tent without them on!!!! He stays nice and dry and snug underneath and he only wears one pair of trousers per day instead of five!!!!!

Plastci bags and pegs to keep things like matches/knives up high.

Bag of cheapy toys for indoors and outdoors, we got some playdough from wilcos, comic, pack of felts, paper book, fold up pushchair, bow up ball etc to take with us.

A plastic door mat at the door keeps and awful lot of dirt outside the tent.

Hot water bottles and loads of bedding to make a snuggly bed. Ds camped for the first time at 2.9yrs last summer and slept really well once we'd got the hang of keeping him warm enough.

Put your DD into her pjs quite early, by about 6pm at latest, then put other warm layers on over these so she can continue playing outside. It's surprising how quickly the temperature drops and it's easier to get LOs changed while they are still quite warm, rather than making them strip off once it's turned chilly.

I also tend to get my sleeping clothes on before it gets really cold, then layer up over these. Then when it's midnight and I'm drunk I don't have to get changed, just take a few layers off

Tights and/or leggings are really good for keeping warm at night and during the day if it's quite windy. Take them for both of you.

yep definately take waterproofs and wellies and sandals/flip flops/crocs

Thanks for all the tips, it hadn't occurred to me how cold it might be.

I also take some cheap balloons as can play balloon tennis/chase in the tent if wet and bubbles as seem to always work for amusement...ditto w/proof trousers-I found dungarees type best except if just potty trained, found it too difficult to get child into all in one ....also a windbreak or something to fence off cooking gear as gas stove was a magnet for my ds....

We have camped a fair bit with our 1.5 year old DS, and I would second the hot water bottle thing, plus sleeping bag and Duvet........we do live in Scotland tho