What toys to take

[9775Andrew]

looking for all your experienced input here

How much / what do you take on an extended camping trip for your little ones to keep them amused.
We have a 18 month old girl.

look forward to the replies

[GOLDIE]

I would say there favorite ones. We take a small red coles bag,full with toys for all 3 of our kids. 3.5, 21months and 3 months. We always pack the portable DVD player as our middle child loves telly.

[DANBRI]

We used to take stacks of stuff for them and found that they'd rather play with sticks and things they find, and the clutter in the car drove me nuts.

Now just their sleeping cuddle toys and two magnetic drawing pad things. Ours little ones are 2 and 3 now but you need to have two of everything or it's screaming match fighting in the back seat.

[jk]

Lots of Tupperware   

[Gonewalkabouts]

I use to love watching my kids get sticky tape off their hands, that will keep them busy for hours

GWA's philosophy on parenting is considered dark and disturbing by some

regards

GWA

[9775Andrew]

We have Chloe in training. That is less is more.

She already loves sticks and collecting leaves and who can go past a good old cardboardbox for hours of fun.

[mark40]

Anything that she enjoys playing with. But also frequent stops when driving helps. Let them run around for a few minutes. Makes a big difference we found.

[coffs camping]

I agree with everyone else, dont take much cause they make their own fun.

But, that said, there are some trusty family faves I always take like a footy and the cricket bat, bikes (my son had a trailer bike for a while), matchbox cars for the dirt, buckets and spades for sand or the creek, a kite (I have a pocket one in the glove box) and something for the car - DVD, DSi or iPOD.

Hope this helps,

J

[McGirr]

Mate alot of this 

As mentioned basic favourite toys is enough.

Mark   

[Paul and Bern]

  As said fairly simple stuff, but the problem with sticks is they're good but can taste funny.  We took bucket/spade, duplo type lego (large), teddy/doll, 1 or 2 noise toys (phone, music box), colour pencils/crayons + paper/books (draw a picture of the camp), Matthew has a 'tag' reader.  Dice games (up snakes down ladders   etc), card games (uno, snap), bikes for both (stride to ride thing for bub).  Sand is good, sand can be your friend and our kids love water.
(Jumping Castle when I can find room   )
Paul
p.s. there was a post in Miscellaneous on The games you take camping...

[pajnmaj]

Hi,

We have a 4, 2.5 and 1.3 year old and love going camping with them.

They are allowed to take their sleeping toy and their camping torch.

I usually take one small box of craft stuff - well used esp if it rains. I do have a totum tennis kit too but used more by the adults although rather funny watching my 2.5 and 1.3 yr old children trying.

My 4 year old would rather fossick through the bush/ beach for things she treasures, returns to camp she likes to wash them and play with them. The two boys usually follow and try to join in. Also my husband's beer box makes a wonderful boat/ car/ train.

They also love to walk through the bush and my husband shows them things they don't see....insects, tracks....

Keep it simple at an age and they won't want much when they are older (I hope!)

[speewa158]

/quote]
Sorryto tell you ,     DREAMING 

[Tassie devils]

I just asked the wife what toys should we take when we go camping,she said don't be stupid we will wake the kids.

[Damo]

Classic....

[Chris-Vi]

A couple of kites and fishing rods. But then we don't have kids.  Thats for me. Kids seem to make there own fun with what ever they find. 

[Gonewalkabouts]

my kids expect somewhere in the shed I must have 50 - 100 kms of extension cord so we can go camping, they can play with everything thats plugged in while charging from home.

[SpoonyAU]

I'm with most others on here ... we have a 4 and 2 year old girls and we take a teddy each, a torch each, some drawing stuff for when it rains, some duplo for them to play with in the morning while the parents sleep a bit longer and then they make their own fun for the rest of the time. We also have the portable DVD players in the car that we can pull out if it's raining or we just need a bit of a break from them for a while.

I'm sure as they get older they will want to take the Nintendo and stuff like that but I'll try and keep that off the camping list for as long as possible.

[aazjodz]

The best thing I packed camping was some cheap paper patty pans.  This kept 6 kids amused in a sand heap with a couple of old saucepans / rusty billy cans (don't have new in the camper)  for about 2 hours.  Bit of water and they were "baking" - found themselves a pretend oven, and a heap of sticks as candles which we all had to blow out.
Party finished when we had to start cooking tea and confiscated the saucepan

In the car, colouring in is easy until half the lids are lost (I now have a Mum holds the lid and only one at a time policy), and a selection of kids songs to sing along to.  We tried cheap white boards & markers once and these were good too.

[maca76]

For extended stays at the beach we take fishing rods, body boards, a bucket and spade each for the kids, tonka trucks ( even the big kids will play with these). Cricket set and T ball set when this comes out all the kids in the neighbouring camp sites generally join in. Portable dvd player for night time set it up in the camper, so we can relax around the fire 

We take a bit of gear, but surprisingly it all get used

cheers Ryan

[GU Rich]

A frisbee and Totum Tennis, always keeps them busy

Rich

[9775Andrew]

thanks for all the replies, some good ideas / tips there.

we don't have any electronic games and keep the dvd's to a minimum. I'm sure that will all change as she gets older.

cheers

[Hairs]

Hi Guys,
A couple of her favorite DVD's in case it's wet, we purchased the double screen set that work on 12-240V (we've three to keep happy, 8,10,12) They have a DS Nintendo each which keeps them busy if again it's wet.You can get educational games for them, Spelling Numbers and things like that, you can also go to swap shops for games for them, A couple of her favorite books, Have you got room for her trike?
A bit late now, but a little brother or sister will help to keep her busy, they'll amuse themselves, just a thought  

[bullfrog]

I must be getting  old & cranky  as I'm always getting stuck into our lot about the amount of crap they take for a w/end ( 3x girls-15y, 12y & 9y). They are staring to cut back a bit, all have ipod ( or similar gadget ), there is a dvd that goes in for longer trips ( & sometimes short ones ), as well as some stardard type things like frizbee, ball etc. The older 2 are happy to sit around camp & read if things are quiet. It depends on where you go & what is planned. We are normally close to water, so that takes up a fair bit of the day.

[Hairs]

I must be getting  old & cranky  .

Mate, and your younger than me, LOL
A good mate calls my GOD.
Grumpy Old Dad.

We got hold of the electric card dealing version of UNO. UNO Attack.
Kept our lot entertained for the wet fortnight that we spent after New Years at Brooms Head.
Some times it will deal 1-2 cards, other times it will spit 10 out