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I have always put my toddler to bed in sleeping bag but have tucked it a little way under the air bed so she cant wriggle her way down into it during the night, but my auntie uses a ready bed for her little one.  We have problems getting her to sleep when we are camping because she wants to be up with us so we take her for a walk in the pushchair to get her to sleep then put her into bed when we get back. Works a treat everytime.

Hope this helps

Have Fun

Well my toddler has had his first experience of camping now!

He really enjoyed it, the campsite was great, very child friendly and he enjoyed the novelty of having his breakfast in the tent.

Sleeping was another matter however and this didnt go too well. He wouldnt lie down in the travel cot we took and refused to sleep on our air bed despite being very tired.

I hadnt really considerd the noise from outside, ie other children still up and playing and perhaps we tried to put him down too early.

In the end after walking round the campsite at 10pm to no avail we took him out for a drive a couple of miles up the road and this worked a treat.

Transferred him straight in to the cot and bingo! He slept through the night apart from waking at 4am laughing in his sleep and nodding off again.

Looking forward to taking him again and hope he settles better next time.

our children love camping, the whole experience is one adventure after another. Their ages are 8 - 6 and almost 2. getting any of them to sleep is never a problem, just have to make sure you wear them out during the day, as for the travel cot, i wouldn't go with out it, i do accept that you need a tent large enough to accommodate it, ( we have a vango diablo 900) but it is useful at all times, daytime naps etc, and you have the peace of mind that little un isn't going to wander off.

We did try to tire out little one out, he had a full afternoon and part of the evening walking and playing at Carsington Water. The trouble was he was in a different place and environment and being a very sensitive child these things affect him a lot.

We have really only just a nice routine going at home where he will sleep in the daytime and fine throughout the night in his travel cot. ( His original cot got broken in a house move ) He used to be a terrible sleeper at home but is a lot better now.

I was concerned as how he would be in the tent and if it would then have repercussions at home. He hasnt been as quick to settle at home since we returned but I am sure that will rectify itself soon.

He has amazing energy and stamina, can walk 2/3 miles no trouble and for a just turned two year old thats pretty good but if he has made up his mind not to sleep then thats it unfortunately!

Maybe next time things will seem more familiar and it wont be all alien to him so he will settle down.

You can always live in hope!.......