Tiny Campers...

We love camping. At the moment it's our preferred way to holiday as a family and we expect it to stay that way for the next few years at least. We usually set off straight after work on a Friday afternoon and arrive at our site just as the sun is starting to go down, so it's really important that we get the tent up fast and get the electric hook up sorted so we have light to unpack the rest of our stuff. With this in mind, when we bought a new tent earlier this year, we made sure we practised pitching it before our holiday. This also served as an opportunity to sweep the sand and grass out of the tent left there by the previous owners!

Arriving well into the evening, it's also important to have a plan for the children while we pitch the tent. Honey takes her camera when we go camping, so she tends to potter round the pitch taking photos or playing the built in games, while Ace stays in the car and watches a film on an iPad or sits in the carrier on my back while we get things sorted.

We find it helpful to pack the car in reverse, making sure that the things we will need first are the easiest to access. Once the tent is up, we get the electric hook up plugged in so we can shed some light on the situation then set to work setting up the kids bedrooms just incase they start to flake and need to go to bed!

We got them both a blow up bed in an Aldi camping event and they are brilliant, they have bumpers so little ones don't roll out and pillows don't end up on the floor. We use Ace's old cot bed sheets over the mattresses and have also bought 3 season sleeping bags for them both. We now have a fancy new tent with semi-blackout bedrooms but previously, we used a Gro Anywhere blind to darken their bedrooms. We also take a familiar, favourite toy to help with bedtime, Ace brings Ewan the Dream Sheep which is also brilliant if he stirs in the night as he can press it to help himself drift off again.

In terms of clothing, when you're camping you can really feel the evening temperature drop, even if the day has been beautiful, so layers are essential. I pack seasonally appropriate daytime outfits for the kids, then add a few hoodies and extra leggings, plus some fleecy pyjamas and bed socks. Wet weather gear is a must, whatever the weather forecast or season, wellies and waterproofs don't take up much room if they're packed properly and may well save you from being stuck indoors if the British weather does it's thing!

When we're camping, bedtimes don't exist. The first night tends to be a really late one by the time we've finished pitching the tent and setting up home and while they do tend to be ready for bed earlier as the days go on, there's no point in trying for their usual 6:30pm bedtime, otherwise everyone will be awake at first light! I often find myself getting more sleep than I do at home because I'm so tired from all the fresh air that I'm in bed pretty soon after the kids!

As with all new things, it's a good idea to talk to your children in the run up to going camping, for example, you could read stories such as 'Maisy Goes Camping' or 'Camping Out' to help them understand some of the things that will be the same and different while they're away. You can also get fab, camping themed sticker and activity books which are fab for taking away with you, as well as for introducing the idea while you're at home. If you don't know where to start with finding good quality, camping or holiday themed books and activities, I highly recommend a look at Mimi's Bookshelf, Annabelle puts together gorgeous packs.

Whenever we have enough space in the car, we take a drying rack which saves having to find trees to hang a washing line between. If your tent is big enough, you can also bring it in of an evening to stop the dew making it all wet again in the morning!

Consider taking a mini fridge or electric cool box so you can take the essentials for everyone to have breakfast in the morning without having to find a shop. We also cook a bolognaise or chilli con carne at home, freeze it then take it down with us for our first evening meal away.

A camping stove is a must for heating up our frozen meal and also for my husband to make as many cups of tea as he fancies. We also use it to make hot chocolate for our flasks if we're heading out for a walk and the weather is a bit chilly!

We also take a small toaster and collapsable kitchen unit so we have shelves to store snacks and meal ingredients, in the long run, this saves us money as we don't have to eat out for every meal. It also means that everything can have a place, which helps to keep the tent tidy and stops things from getting lost.

Don't forget the little things:
- Sun cream. We ended up with a really expensive bottle from a gift shop last year as I left ours in the tent, it does the job but it takes forever to rub in which isn't great.

- Medication. We always take Calpol, Snuffle Babe, Sterimar nasal spray and Nelson's teetha granules with us, even if there's no hint of teething or illness. You never know when something may strike and there's nothing worse that trying to calm a poorly child with nothing to offer them!

- Spare batteries. Ewan the Dream Sheep doesn't run on fresh air!

Most of all, don't forget to have fun! Once you're all set up, head out into the world and have plenty of adventures, safe in the knowledge that your home from home is waiting to welcome you back at the end of the day.

Honey and Ace sit on... Fold up chairs by Asda

Keeping it Cosy...

Without a doubt, my favourite room in the house is Honey and Ace's bedroom. We went 

with yellow and white colour scheme, which is light, bright and makes their small space 

feel just a little bit bigger. We planned the layout of the room around their bespoke bunk 

bed, which naturally created the perfect little nook under their window. We filled it with 

bookshelves and a large beanbag and we all love it in there! If you like the sound of 

creating a nook for your child, why not have a read of this fab guest post by Leanne

Thompson. 

Leanne has recently become a freelance writer after discovering a passion for

it last year. Her favourite topic to write about is home and lifestyle and in her spare time, 

she loves reading blogs and magazines, as well as researching for and writing new 

content. When she's not busy writing, she enjoys baking, interior design and travelling.

5 Ideas for a Cosy Corner in your Child's Room
- A guest post by Leanne Thompson -

There is perhaps no more revered place for a child in their early years than their bedroom. It's an area where they will be spending the majority of their time and therefore a safe, warm and cosy space is of paramount importance. A perfect area to establish in a child’s room is a cosy corner. Not only can this prevent children from getting up to mischief in undisclosed locations, it can also help more reserved children find a quiet place to truly relax. The beauty of decorating a child’s bedroom is that imaginations can run wild. However, if you are looking for some tips, here are 5 ideas, which should enable you to create a truly cosy corner for your little one.

1. The Den

For some children, the holy grail of play areas is the den. Whether made from cardboard boxes, cushions or something more substantial, a place to explore, hide and play in can be heavenly for a child. Ideally, the den will be sturdy enough to take some hits from the inevitable escapades but conversely not be hard enough to pose a risk to your child’s wellbeing. Dedicate a corner of a room to a den and slowly start to build something that your child will feel safe in.  Unlike other cosy corner alternatives, a den will tend to have a roof, meaning that your child feels totally secure and calm in their own little space.

2. The Tent

Perhaps the simplest and yet most effective cosy corner idea would be to create a tent or tepee. Inexpensive to construct, sturdy, safe and extremely cosy, a linen tent offers children a small area that bursts with light in the day and retains a warmth during the evening. Much like a den, a tent cosy corner has a roof, adding to the effect. This can also be used to great effect with the addition of hanging decorations (in your little girl’s room fairy lights or stars would work perfectly) which will soon see your child fall in love with their new space. You may even find yourself retreating to their tent occasionally for a little R and R! 

3.The Desk

If your child is enjoying reading, drawing and writing or has a creative mind, a cosy corner with a desk is a perfectly suitable way of meeting their needs and transforming their space. Bundle plenty of blankets and cushions in the corner and perhaps consider a low desk, which your child can use even when sitting on the floor. You can even use the wall space in the corner area to put up some shelves to store stationary and the like. Pretty soon, your child’s cosy corner will become a creative corner too!

4. The Bed

If comfort is number one on your child’s list of demands for their cosy corner, then a makeshift bed is the way to go, especially if you have the budget and space to indulge. The key here is to make sure the cosy corner bed has a different feel to the bed that they sleep in. This is a space for relaxing and not necessarily sleeping only. It gives you a chance to offer your child all of the things that they may want with them in bed but shouldn’t really have. Fill the area with comfortable pillows, blankets and stuffed animals. Have plenty of books in reaching distance so that your child can curl up and lose themselves amongst the pages in comfort. Much like a tent, utilise fairy lights in the design and, if feasible, drape some blankets over the top to create a truly safe, cosy space. Just make sure that your child doesn’t get into the habit of crawling into the cosy corner during the night!

5. The Play Zone

While cosy corners should ideally be a place for your child to find some solace, it doesn’t mean that it should not also be an area for plenty of fun. Creating a cosy corner that acts as a play zone can be difficult in that you may require floor space that would usually be occupied by blankets or pillows. However, there are plenty of ways around this. Create ‘seating’ areas next to the two walls in the corner and utilise the space in front of this as an area of play. There are a myriad of play mats available, some of which are designed for specific interests (e.g. Road or town themed mats). Use these mats as part of the cosy corner – not only will your child have an area for quiet play, it will also prevent inevitable clutter from building up around the room as it contains the play to a specific area.