Really need some help/advice again from the fountain of all knowledge....yes everyoe here on this fab website.
I have 3 girls aged 7,9 and 10 who love to play in the stream/rivers when we go camping. The only trouble is I am running out of clothes/space/time to cope with the amount of clothes they are going thru!!! I work f/t and with 5 of them ( the 2 boys are teenagers and 'don't do playing in water-which they do as got them men's wellies which they live in when we go camping!!) so anything that will reduce the laundry factory process when we get home as I have work the next day and also spare my poor washing machine...I will be truly grateful
Can anyone direct me to what to get/where to try/what's best in their experience???
Thanks in advance
Ann
------------- It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.
sorry, i think i might be missing something?? why not just use swimmers? my 5 (including the teenagers!) all love splashing about in the rain donning swimmers, anorak and wellies!
if they are going 'deeper' it will just be swimmers and the crock boots! otherwise you will be looking at wet suits!
------------- tina xx
mum to 5 kids
DD-20
DS-16
DD-14
DD-9
DS-3 and a half!
and a large, daft, black dog!!
Done the swimmng costume but they complain they're cold......as our British summers are not so hot! I saw som-ones profile pic with a child in an all-in-one and have tried to find oe but can only find toddler ones...and I'm not starting that again ...even with my new hubby! Thanks for the help tina and very jealous of your maryland xl!
------------- It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.
lol, just re-read your op and for some reason i read it first as wet gear rather then wetsuits, so was thinking wetsuits as a last option! sorry!! if mine complain that they are cold i just tell them to jump up and down faster lol! the wetsuits still arent cheap, and you know what its like, you will find some cheap ones and by the time you get to use them, they will be too small!! so works out expensive, and they dont fit for long! (btw we did have a hartford xxl but got sold the wrong model and didnt like the inner first pitching, so sent it back! this enabled me to find the maryland!!! and love it , even with the littls niggles that you tend to get with a new model!)
------------- tina xx
mum to 5 kids
DD-20
DS-16
DD-14
DD-9
DS-3 and a half!
and a large, daft, black dog!!
Hi mine are 8,10 and 13 and usually wear shorts and crocs. Try and get the swim shorts for the boys as they dry very quickly and for girls the 2 piece swim suits (with short bottoms) are great too. The biggest problem is finding fabric that drys quickly but a waterproof pac-a-mac will wipe dry so can be worn over swimming gear if just paddling! Base layer fabric drys quickly but the clothes can be expensive ...but will double up as extra warm pjs on a cold night!
If space is a problem for you (like it is for us) then take a couple of old t-shirts each and one good on for off site wear! Then they can wear the old stuff on site ,one on, one drying! keep the other for strictly off site visits!. Another option is to raid a local charity shop for old t-shirts etc when you get there and use these for swimming.
Also get yourself some micro fibre towels, they save loads of packing space and work really well and dry fast. Try your local pound shops or ebay as they can be picked up pretty cheaply.
Last year we could be found padding in the river , in the pouring rain wearing crocs/shorts/fleeces and waterproof coats!!
Love it! Microfibre towels.....never heard of em so will be looking for those now! I just make em wear the same gear again and keep the dry for out of water and bed! Will follow your lead there tina with the move round more to keep warm!lol. Our Hartford has bedrooms already in and it's just the outer so ...just slide poles in and have a very tall person in the middle to 'get-it-up' and voila! Much better the new Hartford ....so the reviews say. I went round the Maryland xl as i wanted that but then went in the xxl version and REALLY wanted that...but OH was strong so went for the hartford xxl and very happy! Just wish kids would stop giving me so much washing!!!!!!
------------- It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.
My kids aged 5 & 7 wear wet suits with a pac a mac on top and crocs. They look ridiculous but even wear that getup when playing in the field in the rain as it saves on washing (and packing space) If you have a big Sainsbury near you they had some wetsuits earlier in the season. Otherwise aldi or lidl do cheap and cheerful ones.
------------- 2011
37 nights in my tent
2012 booked
Swiss farm, henley (2)
La garangeoire (7)
Houlgate la vallee (2)
Dernwood farm (2)
Mellow farm (2)
Hole station (4 child free!)
Camping guyonierre (17 woohoo!)
Lidl do Kids wetsuits every now and again they sell them for around £15-20 a time and they are ideal for keeping young kids warm when playing in water.British summer time being what it is they are worth the small outlay imo.
Quote: Originally posted by johngilchrist on 28/7/2009
Lidl do Kids wetsuits every now and again they sell them for around £15-20 a time and they are ideal for keeping young kids warm when playing in water.British summer time being what it is they are worth the small outlay imo.
but that is still gonna be £75-£100 for the OP, with 5 kids, it doesnt work out as such a small outlay!!! especially when they grow out of them! not forgetting that they defo wont fit the following season!
------------- tina xx
mum to 5 kids
DD-20
DS-16
DD-14
DD-9
DS-3 and a half!
and a large, daft, black dog!!
here
is a picture of our kids mud sliding at our campsite.
There are no facilities on site, we even have to drive to the farmyard for water, and given that there is a river on site we just dress the kids in as few clothes as we can get away with without them getting hypothermia and just let them get wet. No socks or shoes, just crocs. washing clothes is just not an option. and changing clothes half way through the day is not available. It's just stay wet or get ready for bed and stay in the tent for the rest of the day. That stops them complaining.
But the best thing is that at the end of the day we wring the clothes out or rinse the mud off then rig up a washing line above the barbeque. we have the barbi going all evening for heat and cooking so there is enough heat to dry the clothes off and then we make them wear them again the next day, even if they are still muddy. Putting them in dry clothes is more important than clean clothes. As long as they have dry pj's to wear at the end of the day they will be fine.
Claud
true......tina your a wiz with budgeting.....you any good at financial advise!!! LOL.I'm not getting the boys all-in-1 gear as they tend to 'hang-out' with the adults and boss....i mean supervise the girls when they play in the stream with the numerous amount of new friends they make!! It's more the 7 and 9 yr old that keep the national grid going!
------------- It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent.
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Topic: Wetsuits or waders for campin kids?
