Camping with very young children

[Peter_5078704]

Coming from a caravaning background I am keen to continue with my own family. Boy aged 2, girl 3 months. I would appreciate any recommendations for sleeping arrangements and equipment, especially baby.We are currently looking at a Samsonite pop-up travel cot for the baby. Also a portable baby dan bed rail for our little boy. If anyone can recommend other equipment for any purpose that they found invaluable I would be very grateful. Also ideas for a good family friendly van 5 berth or 6. We currently have a 2 berth and under 85% rule can tow up to MTPLM 1450kg.

 

[Tina3]

Hi Peter

My youngest are two and three! I have a 6 berth lunar with fixed bunks at the back! (1300kg single axle)its brill as the little ones have the bunks,not having to make them up every night means they can go to bed when they are ready,the top has a guard which is fine for the three year old and the bottom I have a fold away bed guard(by tomy) which will effectively act as a "cot" for your littlest! have a look round,storage is invaluable so you can take all those familiar toys !!

good luck , kids will adapt to anything and they will LOVE it !!!

 

[Tina3]

Hi Peter

My youngest are two and three! I have a 6 berth lunar with fixed bunks at the back! (1300kg single axle)its brill as the little ones have the bunks,not having to make them up every night means they can go to bed when they are ready,the top has a guard which is fine for the three year old and the bottom I have a fold away bed guard(by tomy) which will effectively act as a "cot" for your littlest! have a look round,storage is invaluable so you can take all those familiar toys !!

good luck , kids will adapt to anything and they will LOVE it !!!

just to add an awning is invaluable to let the kids play and give you a bit of space inside !

 

[Tonus]

We use the portable babyden bed side very useful bit of kit.

We have a van with beds at either end which allows us to put the little ones to bed when they are ready, similar ages to yours.

Take a high chair we didn't the first time and regretted it.

Take a low voltage touch light because you'll need to get up in the night for feeding and you don't want to wake the whole van up.

But above all relax it's a lot slower and it won't stay clean.

We have a Swift challenger 490se, and we will be getting that awning soon,.

 

[Pelyma1]

Hi, We discounted the travel cot as we felt in our van (Abbey Adventura/Expression)it was a bit of a fire hazard to get out of the door. Our van is a 5 birth with the back being L shaped. We used a cot side to run along the shortest side that fixes on brackets either end so we have a proper cot for our 18 month old. The cot sides that pop under the mattress were too low and easy for her to escape from should she wake up and not wake us. We leave it up all the time and her brother has the top bunk across the back of the van (dogs are underneath him!!)

As mentioned in another thread a fire guard is proving elusive. I am amased that there are very few products out there. Ours love it though.

 

[Litespeed]

Hi, We discounted the travel cot as we felt in our van (Abbey Adventura/Expression)it was a bit of a fire hazard to get out of the door. Our van is a 5 birth with the back being L shaped. We used a cot side to run along the shortest side that fixes on brackets either end so we have a proper cot for our 18 month old. The cot sides that pop under the mattress were too low and easy for her to escape from should she wake up and not wake us. We leave it up all the time and her brother has the top bunk across the back of the van (dogs are underneath him!!)

As mentioned in another thread a fire guard is proving elusive. I am amased that there are very few products out there. Ours love it though.

As with Tina, We have gone for a 6 birth (Abbey Aventura 330) with fixed bunks at the back. we will never use the 5th and 6th birth beds but the bunks mean no beds to make up at night.

The rails on the top make it impossible to fall out and the raised edge on the bottom make it suitable for our youngest (2) but coupled with a Tomy edge gaurd would make a perfect cot and no fire or trip hazards blocking the exits.

 

[chrissie2]

We didn't camp or caravan when our children were very young, but once we started, when the youngest was about five, we wished that we had done it much sooner. So, I just want to say, welcome and I do hope you have many years of enjoyment with your family.

When our daughters were younger we had a double bed at the front of the van and four bunks at the end, which worked fine. Now, we sometimes take our two granchildren (18 months and 3, and ususally put them in the end double until our bed-time, when one is moved to the front double with granddad, while the other cuddles up to granny down at the other end. When we lend the van to our daughter and her husband, they find the end double is actually big enough to take all four of them. So - just go for whatever feels best to you.

As for the gas fire - we have always avoided using it when we have had the children around, preferring a small electric fan heater. But, of course, that only works if you have a hook-up!

It's good to know that families are taking up caravanning. There is so much anti-child talk on this and others forums, but I can honestly say that in twenty years, we have never had a problem with children on a campsite. When we go away now in low-season, there really is something missing if there are no children around.

 

[Peter_5078704]

Thanks to everyone for your comments they have been very helpful and much appreciated.