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Any help much appreciated with my quest.  We are going on our first camping weekend and now looking to buy our first family tent.  I want the children next to our compartment but hubby wants them on the other side of the tent...

My initial thoughts were the Nevada M 5 berth but now with the hubands input am looking at the Coleman Modulus 5.

My baby would be in a travel cot and 3 yr old in a sleeping bag.  Any seasoned campers out there that could give us pros and cons on each set up?

any help much appreciated!

I would say next to you as if the baby woke up in the night it would mean you getting up and going across the tent otherwise.

My daughter is almost 7 now but I would still want her near us, just so we can keep an eye on her more than anything else.

With the 3 yr old, it will be impartant to ensure that he doesn't sink into the sleeping bag and suffocate so you might have to fold the bag and clip it so he can't wriggle all the way in.

I would normally say have the kids on the other side of the tent as you can hear them anyway but with yours being so small as others have said it would be better not to have to get out of bed to see to them if they wake up.  Go for a tent with one bedroom that zips into 2 parts so you can get close to them if needed.  I would also suggest not spending a small fortune on a tent as if it were me, in a couple of years I would want the kids further away.

Thanks - all makes great sense.  good to know it isn't just me that wants them closer - I was thinking maybe being over cautious but the practicality of having them closer will certainly be easier to "sell" to the other half!

thanks again - will keep an eye out for a 2nd hand nevada 5 i think - they look good and need to have a good experience first time round to get us to go under canvas again!

We used to have one pod for me and the baby and one pod for dad  and big brother. This way the baby waking for a feed didn't disturb the other child, and toddlers needing to go toi the toilet didn't wake the baby. Everyone got an awful lot more sleep using this arrangement!

Oh, and if OH wants the kids on the other side of the tent so he can have some nookie, point out that having a wife who's anxiously listening for the kids all the time plus the kids only being two sheets of fabric out of earshot does not make for a relaxed love life!

Camping nookie just isn't appealing.... listening for the kids - let alone being aware of everyone else just a few feet away!!

On the point of sleeping bags etc our three (4,7 and 10) all have Readybeds which are great and in the Montana 6 we can divide the sleeping compartment up so that its adults one side kids the other whereas with the Orchy 500 it a game of sardines but very cosy during the typical British summer!!

To avoid the chill from the ground cooling the sleeping area we have bought some thin foil backed sleeping mats that we put on the floor under the airbeds and they seem to work a treat (it could all be psychological though).

Anyway enjoy your first outing.

Quote: Originally posted by fin36 on 27/5/2009

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Camping nookie just isn't appealing.... listening for the kids - let alone being aware of everyone else just a few feet away!!

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ha! can't use the search function - too busy - obviously everyone checking out the nookie in a tent thread!

have now purchased the nevada m from ebay - once i make my mind up - there's no stopping me and thanks for the tip on the kampa beds - I have been looking for a good blow up toddler bed anyway and this looks great - daughter will love the pink.

Ridiculously excited by our first long weekend away camping - or is it because anywhere away from a routine with 2 young children..!!  If this works out well I can see a few weekends away - hoorah!

Quote: Originally posted by fin36 on 28/5/2009

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Just realised was supposed to discuss with OH before purchasing - oops..

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Well you did, didn't you? You discussed it.......he didn't say he hated it or anything, did he?