I saw a photo on another forum a photo of a family going wild(?) camping with kids. They had 2 adults with huge backpacks plus two kids and a pretty big trailer. It struck me that there had to be an easier way- one of the things high on my agenda is some wild camping with my son when he's old enough, but in the back of my mind when I was savagely cutting weight was all the stuff that he's going to need. The less I need, the more room there is for kid stuff. Does anyone have any experience of this? I'm thinking a laser comp is an ideal size for one adult+one child- in fact the gatewood cape could be a goer without the bug net. Are 2 small tents lighter/easier to divide the weight than one big one? There would have to be good weather, but then I wouldn't fancy major downpours with a child even with a huge tent. What do you think?

Just from my experiences with my son, now aged five, a Laser Comp would be a good option. I'd really forget any tarp idea, because kids generally aren't at all stoical when it comes to midges or other insect life, and having to mess about in the middle of the night adjusting a tarp to take account of a change in the weather doesn't bear thinking about. I've kept any ventures into the wilds pretty short -- an hour or so from the road maybe. My son loves getting out into the mountains, but he wants to scramble around on rocks and splash in streams, not do a route march.
I carry a few extra jelly babies and chocolate, to cheer him up when things go a bit wrong. My food supplies also tend to be a bit more luxurious than normal when wild camping, because kids don't understand about the need to save every last gram.
The gf and I took our son car camping a fair few times, so he was quite used to sleeping in a tent, and making do without a few of the usual comforts.

Nice topic. This is a subject that interests me greatly. Not sure how compatible lightweight and kids are. Emily is now 23 months and we've got another on the way. I'm also trying to work out how we will carry on doing stuff with kids in tow. Not too much experience so far but it's come as a surprise to me how little you can do with young children. I've realy had to temper my ambition. Emily never realy took to the baby carrier and is now getting heavy for it anyway. We go on lots of small walks in the dunes close to home and I hope it gives her a taste for the outdoors. We never realy get anywhere, she likes to follow all the little rabit runs round in circles. I can see the point in using a trailer. You see lots of the in holland being used for the long walk through the dunes to the beach. Kids jump in and out of them as they please and you can actualy get to where you are going (i.e. kep moving when they don't want to anymore).

Emily will come and camp with me this summer but we'll do it locally cycling to a campsite in the neighbouring village just a couple of km away. We'll definately use a single large tent with an additional tarp to provide room to play under cover and we'll choose a fair weather weekend.

Haven't gone lightweight with kids in tow I'm afraid so I'll be curious to see how you get on. Just to say though that with some perseverance you can be out doing some proper walks from 4 years, and reasonable ones from say 3. Hang in there chaps.

The Gatewood cape is more like a single skin floorless tent rather than a tarp, but I take the point about being stoical with insects. my brother is 29 and is not at all stoical about insects:) I think the most important thing will be minimising MY gear-I've just got the littlelife explorer and with me and my wife i reckon we could get all the gear into that and steph with a 65litre. does anyone know where i could get a tiny sleeping bag?

"....it's come as a surprise to me how little you can do with young children..." ...Dave

Oh dear. At least I was under no illusions. Shall we tell John Manning yet?

I've been looking for possible campsites over the last year on each trip i've been on. Solomon seems to really like the carrier so we're lucky in that. I thought Llyn Idwal would be a good spot or possibly get the train to the top of Snowdon and then walk out towards Y Aran. In the lake district, Sprinkling or Angle tarn of course- how that will change when he's old enough to throw a strop about being in the carrrier rather than walking I don't know!

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"Not sure how compatible lightweight and kids are," said Dave.
When I told my son we were going wild camping above Haweswater he was very excited, but got a bit nervous when I told him we would be eating out of a pan. He wanted to take the enamel plates we use when we go car camping, and the folding table as well. This must weigh about 12kg on its own. He loved using a plastic spoon to eat out of a pan in the end, but he did take a lot of convincing. We had to take some of his Power Rangers as well. They're not very heavy, but I don't think they really qualify as lightweight kit.

I think it's great to start your kids outdoor fun as young as possible. I had both of mine on top of their first munro before they started school. And they walked the whole way. I often had to carry them down though. This was before child carriers!
They are now young adults and still like the outdoors.

Be careful with your storytelling though, or it might come back and bite you!
I took my son on his first wildcamp when he was around 4 or 5. During the day he loved being involved, and gathering wood for a campfire, water for the pot, etc.
Whilst gathering wood, he came back with a triangular piece of white quartz shaped like a tooth. He asked me what it was, and i told him it was a bears tooth. "Cool!" he said.
Later that night, we were sleeping and the wind really picked up and started slamming the tent. "What's that?" said my son. "It's just the wind", said i. "Maybe it's a bear!", said my son. "There are no bears in Scotland", says i. " But you said this was a bears tooth!", says my increasingly nervous son. "I was only joking" says i. "You're just saying that!" says he.
The wind kept slamming the tent and my son was getting more and more upset. In the end, i had to break camp and we went home at 2am to get away from the hungry bears!

Remember there are no bears in Scotland!!!! :)