Hi all
what I thought was such a fun idea camping down south over Easter with 4 other couples and kids is now seeming like not such a fab idea....argh the packing and unpacking and washing is going to suck big time ..hehe..
The weather is looking ok (thank goodness) wondering if anyone else has been mad enough to attempt this for 5 days...I'm taking two portacots for in the tent and have one of those octagon outdoor play pens that we are taking...any other tips would be welcomed...guessing we will have to shower with them??..can't let them go without a bath for 5 days!!... must go pack the vodka now
Becs

Those tiny little blow up baby pools for like $2 at the reject shop make the best baby baths.

Some way to feed them whilst restrained is IMO essential: we had those folding highchairs. Pram would work though.

Glow sticks to wrap around their arms for when it gets darker so you can see where they are.

Try not to stress too much about the washing factor: if you are camping just let them wear the same thing until totally filthy . At that age when camping we didn't do PJ's/daywear: we just put a tracksuit on them when it got cool in the afternoon and changed it into shorts the next day when it warmed up.

Good luck! It IS survivable.

wow - good luck to you!! Are they walking? Thats the first thing I thought of as my two are 13 months and not walking and would get absolutely filthing crawling around on the ground!!

sounds like fun!!!

Fab tips thanks catnap
michelle-no not walking yet, well Marley took 4 steps yday but can't see him mastering it too soon..hehe..as for them getting filthy I am taking all of jesse's (ds1) hand me down trackies so I'm not fussed if I have to toss them at the end of the trip
really procrastinating... Should be packing!!...

wow you are brave! it sounds fantastic. I haven't been camping with the twins yet but I wish u guys an awesome time!

Bec,

Have a great time.....my husband would love it if I was brave enough!!

Report back and let us know how you surviived!!

i would bring a lot of tissues, plastic bags, wet wipes and whole lot of luck..

have fun!

I'm so glad to read that you are going camping. We are avid campers, and are planning to continue this when the twins arrive (hopefully!! ).

The last week or so has marked the anniversary of the twins we lost last year. If they had still been with us, we would have been camping this Easter with two 7-8mths olds.

Can I ask - are there many EBers with multiples out there who go camping? If so, how old were the babies when you first went? Mind you, we have family trips to Hong Kong and then NZ planned when they are 6mths and 8mths, so there wont be much camping done initially.

Will be keen to hear how you went! We went for 3 nights in January when the twins were 19 months, and it was hard work (mostly because it rained the whole time and they wouldnt wear gumboots....), but fun. We just got back today from 4 nights in the Snowy Mountains and apart from being FREEZING and wet in the mornings, it was good. The boys still dont sleep (23 months), so I ended up sleeping with them, and DH slept with DD (4yrs old).

I pretty much packed every warm outfit they owned. They slept in thermals, flannel PJs, an all-in-one lined sleepsuit and a 2.5tog grobag, beanie and mittens and then I wrapped them in a blanket. In the mornings I put on tracksuits and kathmandu fleeces over there pjs, and as it warmed up I took layers off.

We all only had one shower in that time - They didnt really need it - just a quick top and tail was enough, and it was too cold anyway. Plus - the showering is such a massive effort its not really worth it.

We went with other people with young kids, and my parents and little bro and sis came for 2 nights, so there was plenty of adults to help out when we needed it.

All in all we had a good time, it was hard at times, but not that much harder than being at home. The kids had an absolute blast, so I guess thats what really matters!

We first went when our twins were about 10 months old. We had a kitchen tent thing that fully zipped down and I admit they spent a lot of time contained in that. Boiling water to heat bottles was probably the most frustrating thing and them trying to eat kangaroo poo can get annoying. We have been pretty regularly since and can say we have only had one disasterous trip when they were still crawling and we were in Halls Gap. It rained for most of it and everything was soggy. They went through pretty much every outfit in the first 2 days as every time they crawled they got wet and cold as they kept leaving every mat we'd put down.

How was it?

I waited until my twins were 5yo before we went camping , but then again we aren't regular campers. Without walls and fences I was sure my twins would get into everyone elses tents and belongings, they were wanderers and stickybeaks. Also having to deal with nappies, naps, bottles, while camping just seemed too hard to me.

We have been camping with our 2 a couple of times. Well, when I say camping, we do it in luxury in a caravan with all the essentials, so not really camping! We first took the boys for a 2 week holiday when they were 4 months and had them both in the one portacot in the caravan, then at Easter have managed to fit 2 portacots as they are now over 6months and don't fit in one. If you plan on camping in caravan parks then I think it is quite easily doable - if you have power and access to showers (or alot of caravan parks have family bathrooms with baths). When we went during summer we used a plastic tub next to the caravan for bathing, although when it is cold you don't really have that option. Keeping water in a thermos for heating overnight feeds (if bottle feeding) also makes things easier. I think the thing we found hardest was living in such close proximity to each other and trying to cook/dress/wash dishes etc when we were all living in one small space - but a tent with separate rooms might make that easier. We loved it and spent many hours walking the boys around the caravan park in the pram!

I don't belong in here as i dont have twins, but we went camping over easter with my 4, and i just take portacots, i have a big "moon chair" that my youngest loves sitting in and stays put mostly... and where we go we go for lots of bushwalks by the stream and creek. Its keeping my older ones occupied thats hard... so we take bikes, colouring in stuff and board games We survived 5 days bush...

Moon chair (its actually my mums, but she loses it to L when he's around. Sooo comfy


For bathing i either get the kids in the kitchen tent (my mum has a camper trailer) and wipe them down, and my youngest i usually just fill up a crate with water, put a kettle full of boilling water in and let him play for a bit. he loves it!

We first camped with our two when they were just over 2 and have been about 1/2 dozen times since then. We have a camper trailer (tent on top style) but it does have a built in kitchen so that does make it a little easier. I know this is a bit late for you, but some tips I learnt along the way...
* buy a blow up pool from a cheap shop as a bath (ours is about 50cm round and cost $4, takes 2 jugs of boiled water and some cold water).
* when they were little, we kept them contained by using the tent, car and two beach shelters (like 1/2 dome tents) to make 4 walls. Each of the beach shelters had toys which seemed to interest them more than excaping. Now we still use the beach tents as toy rooms which prevents toys etc being spread throughout the campsite.
* zip the tent from the bottom to the top. They can't reach to unzip and escape if you're worried about that.
* we've never taken portacots, just mattresses for the ground initially and now stretchers. It wasn't that much of a drama getting them asleep or staying there (even when they were in cots at home) because they were fairly tired and it was a novelty
* take food that doesn't need too much preparation if you're only going for a few days. Sandwiches, saos, crackers, popper size long life milk, breakfast cereal, fruit, eat raw veg, tinned food eg baked beans and tuna. If you're not in the bush, buy take out for a few dinners (there's usually great fish and chips stores). It's just less stressful when you don't have to worry about food.
* go with the flow, don't stress on the small stuff (usually routines etc are easy to get back when you go home) and have fun.

I have learnt to pack what clothing you need plus spares and then extra spares. Otherwise depending on where we go and how long for I usally have a bucket with lid that sits in the back of the boat full of water, in the back of the car depends on what we're doing for the day. Clothes go into the bucket that night get swished around for the day and hung out to dry in the afternoon. They don't exactly come out clean but they are wearable. Saves worrying about if you have enough clothes. Mind you though we go camping anywhere up to 2-3weeks at a time.
Also saves having to do a heap of washing when you get home because you don't have to take as many clothes.

But most of all relax and enjoy your holiday I sure your kids will to.

I am stealing this idea! Thanks! It drove us nuts last week having toy cars under our feet.

Sorry double post

Catnat, I just found photos. These beach tents wer $7 each from bunnings,

our set up with the kids tents out front...


and inside their 'play room'





I forgot, we always take their bikes too. WE can enjoy lots more walks, adventures with them on bikes and us walking (and the pic of them in my sig was taken on the same day as the pic of them in their play tent).