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Hello.  We have just bought our first family tent and hoping to start going away soon!  I've not been camping since I was 10 years old (nearly a 1/4 century ago eek!) with the Girl Guides and it was just a horrific experience. My H used to go regularly with his family and loves it however, he has been on at me for years to give it a shot and now we have a little person as well I decided it would be nice to be able to take him away on camping trips.  My H has reassured me that it won't be as horrible as the time I was in the Guides.  We bought the tent as even if I don't enjoy it then my H will definitely take the wee one away when he is bigger. 

We are off at the end of the month but going to (weather dependent) go away somewhere just overnight just to get into the swing of it at first.  We have a tent and a stove, an airbed and sleeping bags have borrowed a picnic table and bench set and a lamp. We don't have electricity is that essential?  Is there anything important we have forgotten?  We have a 1 year old, are we mad?  I just thought it'd be easier to get into the way of it when he's still in nappies rather than dealing with the whole new experience of camping AND a toddler who has to get up for the toilet.

Anyway just thought I'd say hi and if anyone has any tips for a camping virgin esp one with a toddler I'd be grateful!

Thanks

Amanda

hi Amanda and welcome to the site. first you will need some insulation between you and the airbeds we use a fleece blanket held down with a fitted sheet and fleece blankets inside the bags too. you also need more than one light . we have a few(not saying you have to have )but if one runs out you always have back up. (glow sticks are good fun and last longer than you think)bucket with a lid in case of night time loo.you will not want to go across the field in the dark/cold/wet.anti bac baby wipes and nappy sacks for bits of tissue. a note pad and pen for ideas and what you think you will need for next time.and your own bed pillows

ps my son is now ten and still loves it as much now as he did when he was a toddler.

Hello  amanda 

Take  fleecy blankets  to   put  on top  of airbeds then  sleeping bag  on  top  ,even  better  some   foil  insular  mats to  go underneath ,   you cant have too many  torches  either . and a  picnic  rug or  two  are  dead  handy  as an   outside  sitting area  or internal  carpet  for tent .   Baby wipes  are also  usefull for  allsorts  but  you  will have   loads of them .

I reckon if you are  bottlefeeding  you  could  take a  large  thermos  and  fill it with   boiling water ,which   you could   use  when  heating bottles  up   instead of  having to  faff  on  each time  boiling stove .

( I am  now  wondering if  one year  olds use bottles   ,lol  my  child is 6  how can  i forget  that ?)

hope the weathers  nice for you as  being a  camping  virgin  first trip  can make all the difference   ,bit of sun  and you will  love it

leccy isnt essential  at all ,,  once you  take  the  thing though  you get stuck  with it though.

Thanks everyone

Little one is on cow's milk at the moment but we were just going to use cartons of formula for his milk - he only has 2 milk drinks a day now as he is 13 months, we don't need to sterilise his bottles anymore either which is fab.

He has a rotten cough at the moment so if it doesn't heal up we won't be going I don't think   I am a paranoid mum. 

Good advice re the lights, thank you.  I will go out and get another one.  Asda were selling them I think.

My advice would be to enjoy yourself and don't worry you will be fine. If there is anything you forget there is always a shop, it is hard at first to remember anything and a note pad is a good idea.

Just have fun happy camping

Hello Amanda I am sure you will enjoy camping with a young one, I would recommend a cheap blow up sofa because a little comfort goes a long way and these are great for cuddles.

Is there a newbie checklist for first time campers?

Mads

xx

Her is the checklist

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/articles/view.asp?id=7

You decide which items you need then make your own list

eg  I don,t take a guitar but I WILL NOT leave the house without a hot water bottle

Thanks for the checklist - that's handy.  Mr Amanda_D has been camping and often goes hillwalking and camping himself so hopefully we'll muddle by!  Thanks for the tip about the lamp I bought another one and a couple of spare gas cannisters as well.  I thought this camping game was meant to be cheap  I am sure it will be once we have bought everything and we'll have it for years to come! 

Not so sure about the bucket with a lid thing (blugh) I don't usually need the loo in the night (unless I am pregnant which I'm not at the moment!) so will take my chances I think...will be handy when the little one is toilet trained though.

Amanda, I'd really recommend a wind break, it can make all the difference to comfort if the wind direction changes, helps keep toddlers from wandering and stops the gas blowing out on your stove too!!

Kay

There are ways to cut corners at first by using kitchen kit from home, though in the long run it is handy to have a specific camping set so it is always boxed up and ready to go - pots, pans, spatula, knives, bottle opener and tin opener are the obvious bits. Something for holding a supply of water is necessary too.

Also you can get super bargains for melamine plates , bowls and cups from Poundland, Lidl, Netto and other such places. These shops oftern have cheap outdoor gear too, so you can find chairs, tables etc at good prices.

The tip about keeping warm is essential- once you have let yourself get cold it is difficult to warm up again, so plenty of layers is the way to go. I recommend (very sexy!) thermal longjohns and long sleeved top. I put these on under my clothes in the evening then just take outer clothes off and have the thermals as me jimjams when i get into bed. A warm hat for the evenings to good too as you lose a lot of heat through your head.

We've just done our first trip (I hated camping with the guides too!) and it was great.  Heed all the advice on blankets under and over mats or airbeds and get decent sleeping bags, it made such a difference!  We all found the self inflating mats more than comfortable, we may invest in an airbed at some point, but I wouldn't say it was essential.

I would recommend you get waterproof trousers for the littleun so you don't have to worry about soggy trousers from exploring and falling if it's wet, the fluresent tube lanterns were more than adequate and they don't get hot (bonus with children). Ditto  above for the thermals, and we took ski socks too.  You can get the toddler into PJ's and bung waterproofs or other clothes on top before bedtime and that way they are warm when they go to sleep.  I would take hot water bottles next time unless it is really very warm weather. 

I'm saying all this, we were not cold or miserable (even in the rain), but I was so glad we were prepared!

I'm sure you'll have loads of fun,