We are new to camping holidays and I have ony done one night at a time in a tent before having the kids. We now have 7month old twins and a 3year old. We have booked 5 nights next month with electric hook up. We are waiting for our family sized tent to arive (e-bay) and still have a huge amount of stuff to buy. Any advice/tips on things to take would be great. There is so much to think about. also can you get a folding picnic table which has bench style seats rater than 4 individual?
We use a pop up cot (only 2.5kg in weight, suitable upto 2 1/2 to 3years old)) and a cold water steriliser (holds 4 bottles). Milton sterilising tablets work in 15 minutes.
A plastic backed picnic rug comes in handy to let the little play on.
I used disposable sterilising bags when Little Scamp was a baby - they hang up, so take up no valuable table-top space. She slept in a travel cot that doubled as a play-pen for those times when I needed her to be contained (pitching, packing away, cooking, etc!). When it was cold at night (not usually a problem at this time of year, but you never know ...!), I used to put a cellular baby blanket over the top of the cot - keeps the air in it warm, but allows plenty of ventilation. Little Scamp camped from being 4 weeks old, and I never worried about bathing her while we were away - all the important little places were washed regularly (every nappy-change), but the rest waited till we got home - a bit of muck is good for their immune systems!
Most important piece of advice - relax and enjoy yourselves. It doesn't matter if they don't go to bed at their normal time, it doesn't matter if their meals at not at the normal times, it doesn't matter .....!!
We took our 1yr and 3 yr old in our TT last week and we were apprehensive about how it was going to be, in the end they both had a wonderful time. Both girls went to bed much later than usual, but as Scampi said, it doesn't matter. They both loved being able to tun/crawl around. If your campsite has not got washing machine facilities, I would find out where the nearest launderette is.
As for equipment i would get the following:
An Electric heater - we found this an absolute must have, A fridge - another must have (for beer too), Grobags for the babies together with additional blankets - we found Amy got cold at night without them, a decent sleeping bag for the 3 yr old, a porta loo - another must have. Something to bathe the babies in as some sites don't have that type of facilities - I had to bath Amy in the washing up bowl...she did look sweet, some lights for your tent that run from your hook-up.
That's all I can think of so far. I know this seems a lot, but you'll be glad you've got them - you only need to buy them once.
we take our 21 week old son camping with us and he loves it!!!!
He first went in april this year age 17 weeks on a UKCS meet in Wellsbourne. We take most items that we use in the house really, the steam sterilizer, his bouncy chair, baby gym etc. We also have a pop up light weight Samsonite travel cot from Boots very light weight and packs small. A Grow Bag (zip up foot moof with tog rating) is a good recomendation and lots of heaters.
GO camping had lots of those picnic tables for about £20 last week. (There's one in Coventry and they're online too)
I'm reading these posts too because we have spent just 2 night so far with our 4 (now 5) month and 3 yr old!
Something for them to do while you're pitching the tent is a good idea (Tom likes playing in the TT cabin) and I echo the comment about the three wheeler - with a decent sunshade!
I took all my babies camping from weeks old without benefit of EHU or other mod cons. I breastfed and kept them in beside me for warmth, washed them in the sinks at the ladies and used a lightweight lie-back stroller that I could tie to the roofrack of the car. Later they had a travel cot to sleep and play in, but by age of 18 mouths the two younger ones were in a pod with older sibling(s).
I took my youngest to France for a month when she was eight months old and the sum total of baby equipment I took was the travel cot and pushchair. I boiled her cups and plates to keep them clean and she got bathed in the kitchen carry box. She loved all the company and attention...standing in the travel cot yelling at passers by to come and say hello to her kept her busy for hours. She started learning to walk by cruising round the car because it was the only thing around to hold on to and she went to all the music sessions in the campsite bar, fell asleep on my lap.
The biggest problem was when we got home. She freaked out at the ceiling of the house and wouldn`t let me out of sight for weeks. She was bored stiff without all her admirers and playmates.
Babies are a lot tougher than you think and as long as you have clean food/milk, warm clothing and a safe place to park them asleep or awake. You don`t need to take the contents of the house and the thing they most like to play with is you. Relax and have fun, and don`t try to do everything the same way as at home. Doesn`t work that well anyway, and just gets everyone stressed.
Hear hear Val! All my babies have bathed in the boxes that I bring all our camping equipment in. Relax and enjoy - is the name of the game. Don't bother with the 'childrens size' sleeping bags either - just get an adult one and perhaps tie a rope around it part way down to prevent the child from slipping down it. Believe me! you'll blink and they'll have grown out of a junior bag. Also, the mini thermarest mats... Why bother? once they get to being 7 or 8 they'll be too big for them and you'll have to buy another. Why not start of with adult size? - so what if they only use half of it?
I have to say, we had a pop up samsonite cot like the one posted by steer 2001 at the start of this thread and loved it. Had a sheet of bubble wrap underneath for additional insulation but baby loved the feeling of its own space with own toys within. My babies would take themselves off and get into their 'pod' when tired. Grobags are also a godsend especially when you have babies that like to throw off their covers!
I have to add, if anyone reading this is pregnant and swithering about trying breastfeeding....breastfeeding is the absolute convenience food on campsites. No fuss, no equipment needed and you get to sit down and do it while Dad gets on with the chores.
Plus, a little later....potty training. Wait till after the camping trip to discard night nappies. Daytime accidents you can probably take in your stride but washing a sleeping bag every day might get a bit wearing.
We have camped with our 5yr old since he was tiny and had great times. I am a lazy mum and the breast feeding was a real breeze. I didn't do anything except boil the baby stuff in water on the stove and he never came to any harm. We also potty trained one summer which made life really easy as he just went nappyless most of the time. He has a full size sleeping bag with a really good rating which has been tied and released as he has grown and he is still a happy little camper. we don't have telly but we do take a tape machine that plays audio books for him.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: tips on taking babies and toddler camping
