How cold is too cold - 1st camp for 3yr old

[Tangle]

We're all very excited after we went and bought our first tent (Outwell Nevada M last weekend. Its currently sitting in the garden (OK - filling the garden ), trying to tempt us into spending in the night.

DD is 3. She's also very excited and has spent the last two nights sleeping next to her normal bed on her new pink bed in her new pink sleepingbag. She's never slept under canvas and is desperate to try.

We're just a bit worried about the temperature. Round here the forecasts are still getting down to freezing most nights. Is that just going to be so cold we put her off for life? What do you reckon? Do we just go for it (tomorrow night works logistically but is still meant to be cold), or do we pack it all away for now and try again in a few weeks?

We're going this weekend and I'm a bit nervous. DS is 3.5, and it will be his first camp. The forecast is quite cold and lots of rain including heavy rain all night and it will be windy too where we're going (south coast).

I'm planning on the layers from the ground up to be: footprint, sewn-in groundsheet, reflective foil emergency blankets, then picnic blanket, self-inflating mattresses, sleeping bags, with a blanket on top. I'll be taking warm hat and fleece for DS to sleep in, and packing hot water bottles, hot chocolate, and those self-heating handwarmer packs. And waterproof trousers and jacket for DS.

Will we be okay?

You can only try it and see. The wetter weather means at least no more clear frosty nights. We have decided to go on Saturday morning so hopefully we dont have a wet night on Friday night.

I don't know about yours but my kids tend to sleep "hot" - they're in fleece pyjamas and they usually wriggle half out of their (not very thick) sleeping bags, but are still toasty warm to touch

I think the selfinflating mat should be enough insulation below you - why not try removing the extra blankets? If you are going to use a foil sheet and a fleece put them on top of the mat, under you, so your body heat gets reflected straight back.

We decided not to go away this weekend due to the weather. Fingers crossed for next weekend!

We have been taking DD camping since she was 11 months old and have camped from Feb - late Oct. she loves it - some nights when it is really chilly she ends up in between me and hubby but normally is in her own bag. Tends to sleep in PJs, wooly socks and fleece dressing gown inside sleeping bag with a quilted blanket over top.
We are "moving up" in the world this year and prgoressing to a vintage caravan my hubby is currently restoring - I've got to an age I can't do inflatable matresses anymore especially not now I am pregnant again! We normally camp about 10 times in the year - from South West up to Lake District.
Happy camping one and all!
Mrs S