Hi Dools70, I often camp with my young daughter and am now accomplished at carrying and putting up bell tent alone and lighting fires.
One thing I always do is to make sure the tent,poles,mallet and pegs are the most accessible things, ie don't pack everything else on top. If it rains then you can grab your tent, set it up, leaving the kids in the car.
Kids can then help making the beds once set up whilst you set everything else up.
Also, freezing bottles of pop/milk/water and then putting them in the cool box keeps other stuff cold and constant cool drinks.
I also do things like wrapping treats up in tin foil, hiding them and then the kids use the torch to find them (perhaps when yours are a little older.)
Even on a freezing Feb night in the rain, I couldn't get the kids back inside until they had found all of them!!
Enjoy, and if you are struggling for help getting you tent up, don't be a proud male, ask for help. It also means you won't be trying to manage a huge windsail whilst chasing your kids around the site!
------------- 2011-
Dec/Jan -Cornwall nr Padstow (cottage)
Feb - our garden (tent)
March - Llangollen (cottage)
March -Town Farm, Bucks.
April - garden..again..need to get out more...
May - Acoustic Festival of Britain Uttoxeter
Just thought as I'd had so much great advice I'd share my experience of our trip....
in no particular order...
1) The kids LOVED it... freedom, football, new friends, so much laughing... Good times
2) I got the tent up on my tod in the wind (with a bit of help from the kids 'til they lost interest)... so much for loads of offers of help though - even had a guy in the caravan next to us make himself a tea and settle in by his window to watch me battle it (cheeky sod!)
3) Glow sticks were a great idea - night lights & fun.
4) kampa khazi - needed and used, but BLIMEY it's big!
5) EHU = just enough comfort (in form of cooler & fan heater for chilly nights) =
6) Cooking stove with butane... not great - ok to warm things but didn't seem to be able to heat enough in the slightest of wind. Fine for heating things like beans (nb - not related to wind comment)
7) Clothes - packed WAY too many!
8) Airbeds with foam mat underneath - v warm, quite comfy and very tempting as trampolines - no matter how many times I told the boys they weren't!
9) Next time will bring a clothes line or airer to help dry swimming things etc.
10) Everything's TWICE the size when you come to pack it away (weird!)...
11) Who needs a TV?!... books & colouring stuff when raining!
12) The tent's a base - the kids loved exploring - the site, the beach, crabbing by the harbour... anything - every day was different!.
13) Fold-up table and chairs were great for eating and activities when the weather was poor
14) I had EHU but bought a kettle for the stove... DUH! - poor weather = no tea...
That about does it...
Was it fantastic? - yes...
Were the kids unhappy when it came to pack up? - yes
Will we be doing it again?... definitely!
Thanks again for all your tips - it really helped!
Quote: Originally posted by kyoto49 on 10/7/2010
As a single camper the worst part for me is arriving and finding everybody watching me trying to get the tent up!
I used to feel a complete idiot putting up the Aruba on my own trying to remember what pole goes where and with it all flappping around in the wind but so many people have expressed admiration at my getting a largish tent up quickly on my own that I quite enjoy it: I don't enjoy getting the thing sown in the rain on my own tho'!
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: single parent AND first time camping...
