UKC

The Mrs and I are taking our son (16 months) camping in a few weeks and we are discussing the pro's and con's of sleeping bags for said chap, or whether we would be better taking a decent stash of duvets and blankets for him. He will be sleeping in his travel cot. Any ones personal experience greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Jim

In reply to Big Jim The Climber:

My daughter had a vango sleeping bag last year so she would have been around your son's age. She didn't really get on with it, probably due to it feeling so different to what she sleeps in at home. We ended up making her something similar to home in her travel cot and she was much better.

She loved the idea of the sleeping bag though, talked about it all day and liked looking at it, but just didn't feel comfortable going to sleep in. All kids are different though and I'm sure if we'd persisted it would have been fine. It just didn't seem worth it as it was so easy just to bring normal bed clothes.

That said, we still have the sleeping bag and she'd still fit so I might change my mind this year.

In reply to Big Jim The Climber:
We took our lad camping before he was one year old. First he went in a travel cot with blankets but not long after that we just used a roll-mat and put him in a sleeping back with the top doubled back far enough over so he couldn’t disappear too far inside.
Don’t expect much sleep on the first night. They sleep when it’s dark and wake at first light.

Have fun.

In reply to Big Jim The Climber: Acclimatise him to the sleeping bag before you go for a few weeks?

In reply to woolsack:

That would have been a good idea.

In reply to Big Jim The Climber:
Hi,
We took our eldest son camping for the 1st time at 5 months old. It was July but surprisingly cold. We had him in a little life travel cot/tent within our tent with normal bedding. He got his first tooth on the first night. I felt a bit sorry for the rest of the camp site.
We were still bottle feeding and were camping for a week (no electric of course) and this threw up a few problems.
At our bedtime we made preparations by filling one large thermos with boiling water. Another sterilised flask would be filled with once boiled water. A sterilised bottle would be filled with once boiled water and allowed to go cold. Boy would wake up for feed, mother would lift him over into our double sleeping bag. I would spring into action and mix milk powder with boiling water from flask in a sterilised bottle. This would then be brought quickly to correct temp by adding some cooled water and immediately administered to child, hopefully before he had reached a crescendo significant enough to rouse the whole site. The other thermos is then used to fill a hot water bottle and placed in child's bed (would not be put back into chilly bed). I would then change his nappy whilst he was distracted, then once fed and winded swap him for the hot water bottle in his toasty cot. Simple(!)
We got him a vango nite star sleeping bag when he was 18months, which he loved, which his brother now uses. Brother not keen on covers so not a great success. We usually end up covering him with a blanket after he has wriggled out of it. Eldest (4)now has a full size hand me down synthetic bag of mine.
I have noticed that some family tents come with blackout style compartments. These would be good as once the sun is up, so are the kids. Not a complaint, but an occasional lie in would be nice!
Have fun, we've just booked another week near Matlock for spring bank, can't wait.
Andy

In reply to Big Jim The Climber: our baby was about the same age. she slept in a baby sleeping bag at home ( sleeping suit for babies sealed at the bottom but with holes for arms and head ) so we just used that with fleecy pyjamas underneath and blankets. Worked a treat along with lots of cuddles.

In reply to Big Jim The Climber:
Took our twins camping from 3 months old, stared with sleep suits & blankets 7 duvets, they didn't have their own sleeping bags till they were about 3 years. they didn't get on with travel cots after a few months old

In reply to Big Jim The Climber:
In typical dosser fashion like her dad, my daughter first slept under canvas in an inflatable boat when she was 6 or 7 months old, one of those cheap kiddie play boats, worked really well. She progress to a fifi and the flower tots 'ready bed' insulated from the ground by having it on my bouldering pad. Made up beds with single bed size duvets, warmer and more versitile than sleeping bags for car camping. As per all kids, she loved it. Have fun! <don't forget marshmellows to melt on a stick over your stove>

In reply to david100:

Ditto

To the OP - enjoy, we've got fabulous memories of camping with our daughter. Kids love camping.

In reply to blanchie14c:

My daughter has a 'ready bed' now. They're pretty good.

In reply to Big Jim The Climber: Thanks guys, think we will stick with the travel cot/ blanket combo as he is used to sleeping like this and will upset the campsite the least!
Jim