Going on our first 'proper' camping trip next week - can't wait! Just wondering what toys you took for your little ones? Obviously can't take too much, but what were / are winners with them? I have a 4yr old son and 2yr old daughter.
We have 8 grandchildren aged 6, 5,4 ,4, 3, 3, 2 and 5months.
we give ours a bowl of water, a pop bottle and the plastic jug, cups and bowls and they play happily for hours with them .outside the tent of course.
One of our granddaughters won't leave home without her "babies" and brings a very small dolls buggy as well.
The folding scooters are a favourite if you cant fit a bike in .
they all love the junior swingball,football, and the stick velcro bat things you cath a tennis ball with.
skittles and golf sets from poundland
Colouring pens and papers,sticker books , sellotape and scissors .
Playing cards and picture dominoes, jigsaws.
a pack of felt tip pens, a pack of computer paper, a plastic bucket and spade and a fishing net. We also keep a small games compendium in the caravan.
The favourite is the pens and paper. It wouldn't be a holiday for us if we didn't make and decorate paper boats then have a race down the nearest stream
What i have done in the past is gather things together over the year that the boys havent seen before and put it all in a bag and then give them the bag full of stuff when you get there. Over the years this did the trick, the kids loved their "surprise bag" and most of the stuff had come from the pound shop. Pens and paper were always the biggest hit tho!!
------------- Debbie
June 2010 - Ashfield Caravan Park, York
August 2010 - Thorpe Hall, Rudston
when we take the grandchildren, we only take a few toys such as
bubbles and big wands, they love chasing them around the field ( but we don't use them near the tents)
a small ball for the toddlers to roll around the grass, and a set of hoops with a floor based target
pens, paper and activities such as the spring watch big search, bug hunts, i spy sheets( which you can make up on a pc at home and print before you go)
we try to go to sites on working farms, all ours love watching the animals, and my 14th month old grandson, likes to make sure we all know that the sheep is really a dog and goes woof woof....
at one camp last summer my oldest grandauaghter ( 7.5) spent over 2 hours mesmerised watching the meanderings of a bumble bee that had taken a liking to our windbreaker
by far the most succesful thing we have when camping is the space and dryish weather, our grandchildren just love being outside and running around the play area or field
Magnetic drawing boards are great for the little ones...and they're flat so travel easier (ours slid down the side of the seats on the way home) they have them for £3.50 in Sainsburies and Morrisons ATM
At around that age I took something to kick around outside, paper and pens to draw ( + stickers), few books, some small toy cars and trains. I do have wheel obsessed boys though! That tended to be enough to keep them entertained on a wet evening or if they woke early in the morning.
If you have an MP3 and mini speakers it may be worth downloading a few story books.
depends what they play with at home? My daughter (aged 4) wont go anywhere without her baby and pram - good job the pram folds flat!
we also just take a ball and then usually a jigsaw and colouring books
sometimes we buy stuff there like a bat and ball - normally cheap one from pound shop or market
We have a child sized space hopper which is always popular. Packs small then inflates with our mattress pump. Football essential! We saw a family with a set of lightweight 'bowls' (Spelling for game of bowls/boulles???)
Anyway, they played all evening and other campers joined in too, I am keeping my eyes open for a set.
Sometimes I wonder if my kids are normal! If we gave them scissors, the tent would have 15 doors.
They have the Playmobil camper van which they love playing with (they're 6 & <4). You can't really go wrong with a toy camper van or caravan. Additional to the other stuff that's already been mentioned, of course!
My boys from the age of 1 were given a pencil case each (a large one) and told that was their toy bag and in that they would pack a small car or two and figures, id also pack colouring books and in reality toys and books are only used if it rains! We also have the normal beach stuff, a ball and Frisbee.
Moonmummy Ive seen those Boulles in Tesco I got some from there!
------------- Taffy
2012 Planned
Easter - Cornwall
July scout camp
August North Wales
Sometimes I wonder if my kids are normal! If we gave them scissors, the tent would have 15 doors.
They have the Playmobil camper van which they love playing with (they're 6 & <4). You can't really go wrong with a toy camper van or caravan. Additional to the other stuff that's already been mentioned, of course!
Our kids have always been allowed scissors under supervision from a very early age.
They learnt very early on NOT to cut each others hair , or anything else other than the paper and magazines that were provided for cutting up .they wouldn't DARE come near the tent with the intention of cutting it.
yes we did have the trainee hairdressers try their luck, but they soon found out it wasn't a good idea and never repeated that mistake.
There are loads of "outdoor" type toys in Poundland at the moment. The "indoor" stuff is harder to find. I used to have some small games as well as the usual colouring stuff, stickers etc. Things like Pairs, and a Shopping Cart game (for the littlies!) Great for younger children, and in small boxes. Think they were by Orchard Games, in our local toyshop.
Don't forget to take small plastic hammers to keep the little ones occupied whilst you put the tent up. Drive the pegs halfway in and get the kids to "finish them off" with their hammers. They will still be hammering away when you start packing to return home.
As they start to get a little older, ours had days of fun with "Pass the Pigs" game.
------------- Steve.
Aztec Galeria 4 - For weekend camping
Sunncamp Grange Cotton canvas frame tent - For the longer stays.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Suitable toys for camping
