Just wondering. We're looking at replacing our tent. Our older 2 children (boy, 11 and girl 10) really don't want to share any more either with each other or with their brother now nearly 4. Which means either we need a HUGE tent (which won't fit in the car - we struggle already!) or we get them a couple of really small PUP's and a smaller family tent for us and the smallest. Husband is worried about safety, and about sites charging more. Thoughts? Current tent is a vango diablo 600 which we love but it is huge, means all the children share, and takes half an age to put up and take down. Been staring for hours at tent web sites and no closer to any ideas!
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what about using pop up ones? then you can have them in the living area of a tent, but during the day throw the tent outside or put it away? if you got a family tent such as the colarado style that has loads of living area you should be ok with that idea
Some sites will charge you extra, usually a few pounds, for a pup tent. Though they may only allow you to have 1 rather than 2. I've been to sites where they wanted to charge us for another pitch for a pup tent! Some may charge nothing. There really are no set rules on how you will get charged, or if it will be allowed.
If the tents are right next to your that should ease safety worries a bit. Though you could always get some cheap walkie talkies to keep in touch. I know people hate windbreaks but you could put them around your pitch as a 'fence' so the whole pitch was enclosed. There by perhaps m easing safety worries a bit?
Just had another thought. Could you fit a couple of pop up tents in the bedroom pod? Would give some form of separate bedrooms then. Not ideal but big enough for kids. You could also have one in the living area, though obviously that would have to come down during the day. If you could fit 2 in a bedroom pod, you'd only need 1 pup tent outside then.
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We bought a double Sunncamp pop up inner for ourselves in the main living area, and put it in one of the tent bedrooms during the day. There is also a Vango with poles.
After having a scare involving a peeping tom on the Star campsite near to Alton Towers when my daughters were teenagers, l would not feel safe leaving any child, no matter what age to sleep in a separate unit alone.
This pervert removed the pegs along the back wall of our tent whilst myself and younger daughter were in bed at night, and stood looking down at us through the ventilation netting on our inner tent. At first l thought it was my eldest daughters boyfriend playing a prank on us, as he was on the next pitch with her, so l shouted at him to go away and used his name, which probabbly alerted the pervert to the fact we were not a group of vunerable young females camping alone, and so he legged it.
The inceident was reported to the police and the campsite warden the next day, and we were imformed that a similar inceident had happened previously. It wasnt until the following season though that he was caught and charged with several counts of indecent behaviour in a public place.
Sorry, but unless they are sleeping ajacent to you, then its simply not worth the risk, our grandchilden sometimes come and stay in our awning with us, but my husband always sleeps out on a campbed with them too.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
My kids have slept in pup tents since they were 9 and love it. Put a mini cow bell on the zip if you are anxious- though you can hear everything anyway!
I would get small pup tents for the kids - the 2 person Eurohike ones, or else Decathlon have some very good value ones at the moment , a medium sized tent for you and the youngest, but get a big awning for it so that you have a big shared living space. Something like an Icarus or Isis, the new model - which are quick and easy to pitch and very spacious.
11 year old scouts are in tents without adults.
The very nervous could pitch the pup tents in the awning, I suppose.
I am sorry the previous poster had such a horrible experience, but I have never encountered even petty crime on the family orientated, woodland sites we visit, an camping is about adventure and independence. They would be feet away (although mine go as far away in the woods as they can get away with) and all they have to do is yell 'Mum! Dad!'
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Topic: Older children in PUP`s
