Cheap Tent for 1st time Camper

chinagirl

BNU wrote:

My 2 sisters and I are taking my 6 yr old niece on her 1st camping trip for a weekend in the summer. Has anyone got any recommendations of how to keep her occupied on a campsite?

Send her with badminton rackets and shuttlecock. Ive just been camping this weekend, and out of all the games we played, badminton was most popular, as shuttlecocks don't go as far as tennis balls. We were 3 sets of adults with 7 children between us, and I think we had 5 rackets and a couple of shuttlecocks, and everyone joined in to try and keep a good volley going. Great fun.

Jay-Jay_4

What about swingball? The only drawback is the constant thud...thud ... thud...! which actually may drive other campers mad

A couple of colouring books, dot to dot books and coloured pencils are always handy in the event of rain. A walkman with a story tape in could be useful too.

BNU_2

Jay-Jay wrote:

What about swingball? The only drawback is the constant thud...thud ... thud...! which actually may drive other campers mad

Funny you should say swingball, my sister, back from her half-term holiday, suggested that on the phone last night and I stupidly said yes!

Oh no what have I agreed to? My sister, despite being 2 years younger than me, used to thrash me mercilessly at swingball as a child - often managing to hit me with the ball too!! _pale_

So now I have to get some advance practice in pretty sharpish - or else look like 'silly Auntie BNU' to my usually 'wide-eyed and adoring' Niece.

Things were going so well with her when it was biscuit-making and puppet-making days - I think those rose-tinted glasses are about to be smashed!

Wish me luck?! :eek:

Jay-Jay_4

BNU wrote:

Wish me luck?! :eek:

Good luck

I have swingball set up in the back garden...... you're welcome to pop around any time for some practice

BNU_2

Jay-Jay wrote:

Good luck

I have swingball set up in the back garden...... you're welcome to pop around any time for some practice

What - and have you thrash me too? No fear!! :mad:

Jay-Jay_4

BNU wrote:

What - and have you thrash me too? No fear!! :mad:

Nooooooo! not me........ my five year old

frizz_head

Just wanted to say a huge thankyou to everyone who posted on this thread. Just got back from our first camping weekend - and boy were we lucky with the weather - it was fantastic! All the tips and advice were invaluable.

Can't wait for the next one now in 2 weeks time.

Thanks again
Frizzo

Jay-Jay_4

frizz_head wrote:

Just wanted to say a huge thankyou to everyone who posted on this thread. Just got back from our first camping weekend - and boy were we lucky with the weather - it was fantastic! All the tips and advice were invaluable.

Can't wait for the next one now in 2 weeks time.

Thanks again
Frizzo

Wooohooooo!!!!! So come on...tell us all about it. Did you forget anything? Did you have to rush out and buy anything? What proved the most usefull thing that you took?

I'm off canping in a couple of weeks so now you can give ME some tips

frizz_head

Hi Jay-Jay,

Could have done with more sweatshirts - particularly at night, didn't appreciate how cold it would be. We were sitting up til gone 1am every night and getting into bed was freezing. Only took the 9.0 tog duvet - 15.0 would have been better. I was sleeping in Jim jams, fleece, socks and using Mr frizz as hot water bottle - and still was cold. Will take hot water bottles next time. Mr frizz just had boxers on and he said he was fine!

Took far too much food, and cos of the hot weather keeping it cool was tricky - so we had a massive barbie on the first night so it wouldn't go to waste.

Camp site was perfect - it backed onto the River Thames, just down the river from Henley. The field we were pitched in, was full of families with young children and they all played together. The Henley music festval was on, so last night we listened to the music and watched the fireworks. Just before the kids went to bed, a hot air ballon came down in the field next to ours (unintentionally) and the whole campsite descended on it - the kids thought it was amazing!

We were really spoiled with the weather - fingers crossed it stays like this for our next one - which is for 5 nights once the kids break up from school.

Have to admit though, am really looking forward to a long soak in the bath tonight!!! LOL.

Kantankrus_Mare

Pleased you enjoyed it Frizz!!

We are going down to Devon late August and decided to get a tent as its a good 8 hour journey from where we live to Devon....thought we could break the journey on the way down and again on the way back.

Went to a Millets tent show thinking we'd get a cheap tent........came back with a bleeding 3 bedroom detached state of the art effort!! lolol

But...im looking on it as an investment as we are looking at maybe taking it abroad next year. Loads cheaper than normal hols abroad and some fantastic looking sites in brochure we got.

Thinking of going to Holland if anyone has been and got any recommendations??