camping-what do I need?????

[ellasmum]

Hiya,

I have to girls 3 & 6 and I would like to take them camping......but I am clueless and have not been since I was a kid. I could do with some advice on a tent/camping gear that I need to buy/take with me for a weekend.

I was thinking of one of those pod tents with 2 small bedroom/areas either side???????

Any advice would be a great help

Sam :green:

 

[ValencianNails]

try Outdoorville, it's a site specifically about the outdoors.
hth's

 

[marie111]

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/

Try this site also, loads of information on this?

 

[Hard-as-Nailz]

:green: hiya im not an expert on camping but i would say get a 4 man tent so theres enough room, sleeping bags, dont keep food in the tent as animals will try and get in and eat it - when i went a squirrel bit a hole in the tent and ruined it! ummm, toilet rolls just in case, a lamp or light of some sort. if i think of anything else ill let you know!! hope you have a good time! x

 

[jellybelly06]

Hiya,

I have to girls 3 & 6 and I would like to take them camping......but I am clueless and have not been since I was a kid. I could do with some advice on a tent/camping gear that I need to buy/take with me for a weekend.

I was thinking of one of those pod tents with 2 small bedroom/areas either side???????

Any advice would be a great help

Sam :green:

I came back from camping today so I can tell you what I took and what I would have wanted...Firstly I have a daughter (7) and two sons (8&10).
Make sure your tent is big enough, separate bedrooms are a good idea from a living area. Make sure it is big enough so you can stay inside if it is poring hard and keep them occupied with a game or eat a meal. Obviously you need your bedding, clothes and toiletry products etc. A packet of washing tablets can help minimise packing if there is washing machine on site.
A small stove or BBQ for cooking with minimum utensils plus fuel- I took a frying pan and 2 small saucepans for my stove; picnic set; a cool box for food- most sites will hire out frozen blocks for a small deposit; A collapsible water container for drinking water- great for kid's squash or making a cup of coffee. To minimise cost with rip off site prices in shops you could take tea/ coffee/ box of cereal/ bottle of squash. Something to sit on is a good idea. Indoor and outdoor toys for kids... MONEY for when they want want want!
Oh and something for the kids to pee in at night when it is dark, cold and raining outside. Don't use same container for washing up though! tea towel and washing up liquid.
Crikey, believe me when I say I only had a small tent and a little metro. I'm sure I've missed something out but feel free to ask questions and I hope that helped:lol:

 

[jac extreme]

Water - BBQ - wet wipes - sense of humour and possibly raincoats

 

[jellybelly06]

Oh and a lamp plus torches for each of your children. Plus a hammer to knock your pegs in!:lol:

 

[cabinkel]

Im off camping with our two boys, (4+6) for 5 days soon! We have just got a tent from our local camping store. It is a Sunncamp tent, and it was recommended by the assistant after we told him what we wanted it for, ect. It has two bedrooms, a small living area in the middle of them, another small living area where you can put a table and chairs, then a small little canopy bit. It took my husband about 40 mins to put up, (he had never put a tent up before) and said it was actually ok to do. We got two double blow up beds, and two duvets, (i cant stand sleeping bags). All we need now is a cool box and small camping stove then off we trot!!
One thing we was told, if you get one with an integrated groundsheet, the condensation has nowhere to go and clothes etc may get damp! The plus side being no bugs or draughts! hth......

 

[pennijar]

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/

Try this site also, loads of information on this?

Yep this site is fantastic, we are members. If you want any info pm me and I will see what I can suggest.

Joan

 

[lynseyloo]

I went camping once a few years ago with our boys, it wasn;t for us as it turned out, but we did take blow up air beds to sleeps in out sleeping bags, but dont leave blowing them up until you need them, because depending on your pump they can take a while to inflate.... washing up bowl, liquid and t towel....if your taking a dog take a longer lead and a securing peg so you can let them roam free a bit whilst you put up the tent...we didn't and ... she was a pain in the bottom 'cause she wanted to help. Good Luck!

ooh another thing we found really helpfull was this little torch that can double up as a lamp, you can then hang it from the tent roof as a light... although I still have visions of people seeing through the tent at me trying to get in the sleeping bag.. :lol: it does tend to make the tent a little see through

 

[Sarita360]

Hi I don't know how different the situation is in the UK than here but I can at least share my experience I used to go camping in the GA mountains

If there is a source of running water nearby like a creek, you don't need to bring bottled water. We have always used small pumps that strain out all dangerous bacteria in the water or they also sell mineral tablets that will help that. We wash our dishes with water that's gone through the pump.

Bring a bit of toilet paper/paper towels to help clean up

Make sure you have a way to dispose of garbage, if there are no trash cans near the site then just bring some thick garbage bags to bring trash with you to throw away

Bring or dress in layers because it can get cold at night

Make sure you have extra matches and a lighter in case one doesn't work, a flash light, bandaids and alcohol for any accidents
Biodegradable soap such as Dr. Bronner's, good to wash cuts or wash your hands or dishes without harming the water

Sleeping bags
Weather-proof tent
Pot for cooking
Pocketknife

Canned and dried foods, plastic plates (washable or disposable) for eating

For fun of course your need marshmallows, it's fun to just grab a stick, clean it up with a knife blade and roast over a bon fire
We like to actually catch the marshmallows on fire, let them burn for a few minutes then blow them out
They're HOT but the outside is charred and the insides are gooey


IMO you really don't need that much to have a good time, part of the fun is roughing it, that's the point so as long as you have food, protection from rain and cold and a few emergency supplies in case someone gets hurt that's all you need

S

 

[ellasmum]

Thakyou so much for all the replies.......some great advice.
So many of you on the camping website too...(Home from home..LOL)
Off to buy a tent now....cant wait. I will be collating all your check list items and taking them all.

Thanks:green:

 

[becki x]

Camping,what do i need ???

If i were you hun,i would start with vallium :wink2:

Pmsl,only kidding,have a fab time and take some water proof's x

 

[dizzydupe]

Dont forget earplugs!!! You never know - the tent next to yours could have a serial snorer!! We came back from a few days camping last week and that's exactly wot happened to us. OMG could he snore! He needed hospitalisation to sort his problem out. Still a few bottles of wine before bed should help.

 

[*Marie*]

We (as in me, Rich, 7 yr old daughter and 3 yr old son) went camping this last wednesday til today and we bought all our stuff last weekend from argos...tent (was on offer a real bargain for £46!), 2 double airbeds, 4 sleeping bags, camping light, then I got a picnic set, foot pump, washing up bowl and bits from tesco. Here's tent we got and it did all four of us for those few days -

 

[ellasmum]

Nice tent Brookzi. Well spen yesterday going around camping showrooms....never knew there was sooooo much to it!! Bought a tent online last night at www.ukcampsite.co.uk...now £200.00 worse off!! Spent a bit more to get one that will last for years.....now got to get all the other bits. I am hoping that in the next 2 weeks or so we can do a 2 night trip somewhere near ish for a trial run. There are loads of offers around on tents etc as the season is comming to an end (Not for us!!).
Will keep you posted on the trip.........Valium sounds like a very good idea LOL.
Sam X

 

[carriebag]

Hi

I would recommend getting a tent with an integrated ground sheet - the condensation wont be as much of an issue as rain will be!

When it rains and you don't have an integrated ground sheet the floor gets soaked and you end up trampling it through into the sleeping area. Therefore get a tent that has a totally integrated ground sheet so that the wet stuff can be left in the small porch area at the front of the tent is much better - any wet bits that do make it past the porch are only then trampled in the communal middle are of the tent and not into the sleeping sections. Plus when you wake up in the morning after a hard nights rain your not going to have to fidget with shoes to stop you standing on the wet grass thats in your tent!

Plus anything that lives in the middle of the tent if you don't have an integrated ground sheet has to be kept off the floor so that it doesn't get wet - you end us spending hours trying to balance things on chairs or tables or trying to fit everything into the sleeping bits.

Flip flops are also good to take (plastic ones) to wear in the showers at the site (if your going to a site that is) no matter how posh or nice your site is I have never found a shower block that I haven't thought YUCK about - standing in other peoples hair and gunk freaks me out a bit so the flip flops are a must. An easy to carry toilet bag for your toiletries for that trek to the shower blocks/ toilets.

A washing up bowl - to carry all your dirty pots to the wash station in and then you can store them in the bowl until the next time you need them.

Large water holder (the drum type with the handle are good) - so you didnt have to keep running back and forwards to the water tap every time you want a drink or to put the kettle on.

Think thats it might be back later with more.
xx