Children age 2 and 5, Closed cell foam mat OK for sleeping?

[poppyboo]

...or would they be better off on self inflating mats? As we write the list of all the camping stuff we need, it's getting expensive!

I'm thinking about getting them closed cell foam mats this year for £4.99 each and next year possibly getting them self inflating mats.

Will they be OK on closed cell mats or will it be uncomfy for them?

Me and DH are sleeping on folding futon mattress which we will cram into car (After I couldn't decide what self inflating mat to get! LOL, we've decided to wait until next year to get one!)

Personally i;d go witjh kids versions of self inflating mats (Outwell do some with dinosaurs and faries on, ebay usually have them fairly cheaply). We have both as ds2 needs closed cell ones for cub camping but the self inflating mats are far warmer and better insulating IME.

Thank you for youe advice I will have a look on e.bay

They will be fine on mats, really, I camped extensively all through my childhood and twenties and only ever slept on a mat.

Only at the grand age of 32 did I finally buy an air bed .

Have been camping twice this year with 2 and 3 yr old - foam mats are just fine. They get so tired they just crash out all night and don't care what they sleep on. Infact the first time a couple of months ago the site was on a slope and they both rolled off their mats anyway so were happily sleeping on the groundsheet.

For the first 6 years of his camping life my DS just slept in a sleeping bag direct on the ground of the tent. Anything else is just a luxurious extra, don't feel you have to buy all the equipent...

See I hated sleeping on mats; camped since I was a kid (started with the usual guides and St johns) and really never slept until I had a decent air bed and then mat.

Each to tehir own I guess.

ds2 rolled all round the tent in the night and settled happily with his head on the foot of my sleeping bag. He never woke up. My brother used to roll off his camp bed and under mine in the night without waking up either.
Fresh air in a wonderful sleeping drug.

Mine just have foam mats but I do stick a blanket underneath.