Confessions of a Novice Camper

Until this week, I hadn't really been camping for thirty years. A couple of nights in the garden which don't really count! My two younger children have been keen to try "proper camping" for well over a year but I've been a coward.

This year was when I finally took the plunge. I know that there are people who take babies camping or walk with their tent on their back. Don't get the impression that that is me. It took all my courage to take a five and seven year old camping. Anyway, here are my thoughts about taking the plunge.

• We took a little two man tent mainly because it was easier to put up. I wasn't even quite sure that I could manage this. I had needed my husband to help me put the tent up in the garden but despite the thunderstorm, the children and I managed. The children have been talking about saving up for a bigger tent but I suspect that a small tent was a wise decision.

• We found out quickly that wellies or crocs were the best footware. Walking boots took too long to take on and off.

• Only taking one torch and thinking that we could use the torch on my phone as a back up wasn't clever. The phone battery went down and in the middle of the night we couldn't find the torch! Walking to the toilet block in the moonlight was interesting!

• On the torch theme, read alouds with a wind-up torch are challenging.

• Cooking outside went well, even in the rain, 
  
   but we underestimated how long the gas canister would last. We had to take the last day's washing up home! 

• Being outside was great and running round all day meant that my little insomniac slept well. A major plus for camping.
  

Marbles outside

Do share your camping tips.

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