Packing for a first night with a toddler

Hello, campers,

Last Saturday a friend asked me what she needed for her first night out with a toddler. I started to answer and then I realised that my honest answer was three pages long. So here is the short version.

First, the box.^{Note 11}1 The box: a plastic box with the small essentials, kept packed so it can go in the car at a moment's notice. I keep one plastic box by the door that never gets unpacked: torch, matches, a first aid kit, a roll of tape, spare pegs and a tea towel. It is always ready. If everything else gets forgotten, the box means we can still have a night.

Second, the bag for the toddler.^{Note 22}2 Layer: a piece of warm clothing worn under or over others. Toddlers sleep without moving, so they get cold quickly. One warm layer more than you think, because they do not move when they sleep. A hat for the night. Two sets of spare clothes and one more for luck. A small light that she is allowed to hold, because a dark tent is a bigger worry for a two-year-old than the cold.

Third, the plan for the evening. Eat early, before the light goes. Walk to the toilet once before bed, with the torch. Then straight into the sleeping bag, with a book, in the tent while it is still a little bit light. Tired children do not need a long routine, they need a short one that they know.

What I would leave at home: the second pair of big shoes, the folding table and the idea that it has to be perfect. Our best first night was the one where dinner was bread and cheese, and nobody minded.

If you are planning a first trip, try the garden first.^{Note 33}3 Garden trial: a practice night in a tent at home, before going to a real campsite. Put the tent up, eat outside and sleep in it. If the children manage a night in the garden, they will manage one at a campsite.