Your guide to family camping
Tips from parents
"High-chairs stop toddlers from escaping"
"We've been camping a few times with our son when he was 13 months, 16
months and 28 months old. I think it's a great holiday with a toddler.
We had two weeks in France, where campsites are fantastic: swimming pools,
playgrounds, other kids and lots of open space.
"Things to take: some kind of high-chair device so they can't escape
at mealtimes (we had a Mothercare highchair that has two cubes that kind
of stack, so we just took the top bit with the actual chair in). This
keeps them away from hot camping stoves too.
"Food-wise, obviously in Europe you can get anything that you can get
at home. We still took a supply of pasta and jars of tomato sauce and
tins of carrots for instant meals after driving for a while. And his favourite
squash too.
"Also, a travel cot is good so they can't escape while you're half-asleep.
Despite being in a bed for the previous six months, we still took the
cot camping this August. That, a football, kite and bucket and spade,
and you're away!"
Clg
"Back carriers are essential for walking"
"Camping with babies is fine; it's such fun for them as it gives them
lots of new experiences. We took our first son when he was eight months
old, together with our retriever dog! We just used a grobag, and put him
in the sleeping bag with us at night. I'd recommend using a back carrier
for walking; it's a lot easier than a pushchair on the campsites, and
great for walking on the beach.
We didn't need many toys as our son was happy just exploring the tent
and all our belongings! We had a great time I recall, and I wished I had
done it sooner with him. "We also did motor-homing with him when he was
11 months in New Zealand. This is absolutely great too, and gives a lot
more freedom than using hotels but without the inconvenience of being
under canvas.
I'd highly recommend it. We are now about to embark on a four-month
trip in a motorhome with a six-week-old and a two-year-old!"
Michelle
"Ask for a pitch away from the main through road"
"Camping with young children is a great holiday - they love it and it
isn't as stressful as you might think. We first went when our daughter
was four months old. That was easy as she was still exclusively breastfeeding,
so I didn't have to worry about feeding her, although I would say to make
sure you take some sort of chair that you are comfortable feeding in.
We didn't as it was a just a weekend and we didn't take all our gear
along with us but I ended up feeding her lying down most of the time as
there is nothing to sit up against when you are in a tent! "My main tip
for camping with toddlers is to ask for a pitch away from the main road
through the campsite. That way they can run around as much as they want
without too many cars being driven past.
Campsites in this country seem to fill up incredibly fast at the weekend
but are much quieter midweek; going Monday to Friday was ideal as there
were loads of unused pitches so the children had lots of space to run
around and you could see them really well. The more crowded the site the
harder it is to keep an eye on them.
If you are able to choose your own pitch then look for one at the end
of a dead end - that way the only cars coming past your tent should be
your own. "One really useful piece of equipment with young children is
a portable potty - the type that uses a disposable liner. That way they
(and you, if you really don't fancy walking to the toilet block in the
middle of the night! ) can use it and not have to walk up to the toilets
with a fully potty to empty it: you just tie up the bag and dispose of
it like you would a nappy.
"The main tip though is to relax and go with the flow - live as much
of the time outdoors and enjoy a different way of life."
Suzy
"Sleep on a thin, foam camping mat"
"For something to sleep on, I'd suggest getting one of those thin foam
camping mats that roll up (Blacks sell them at £6.99 and call them Trekmats).
They are usually adult sized so if space in the tent is a problem, you
can always cut it down.
They are useful because they not only provide a bit of cushioning but
they also insulate against the cold of the ground."
Sue
"Don't forget the mosquito net!"
"We took our eight-week-old baby camping to Brittany last September
and had a brilliant time. One thing we couldn't have done without was
the mosquito net for his pram for when we were out during the evenings."
Chilton
"A large washing-up bowl is a great baby bath"
"We went camping in France when my sister was eight months old.
The tents are fully equipped with cooking facilities and you can buy SMA
from French chemists if necessary. The campsite where we spent most of
our holiday had a baby bath in the shower block. But there was also a
large washing-up bowl in the tent that proved useful as a baby bath (al
fresco, under the shady pine trees!).
A very enjoyable holiday was had by all. She even made her first friend
- a 20 month old Dutch girl who was staying in the next tent."
Emma
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