Bundle Beds have been designed to offer a great night’s sleep wherever you unroll it, so we’ve teamed up with founder, Lucy Bartlett, to get her top tips for getting a dreamy night's sleep with the kids.
In addition to this, we've also launched a Facebook competition to win a Bundle Bed for yourself! Find out about this below once you've read Lucy's tips...
I know that camping with the kids can often conjure up images of children rampaging across the fields delirious with lack of sleep, but we actually find that our two (aged 6 & 4 yrs) sleep really well after a full day out in the fresh air! Here are my tips for helping to get them settled and to sleep so that adventures the next day are well fuelled...
- Create a familiar sleep space.
We’ve found that creating a familiar sleep space keeps kids feeling safe and secure at night. The beauty of a campervan is that it’s a mini home away from home. To add to the homely feel, try bringing a favourite pillowcase or blanket from home – or of course, Bundle Beds work brilliantly. Our two boys use their Bundle Beds whenever they are away from home, camping or not, and they really do settle so quickly in them.
- Keep them warm.
Keeping cosy whilst away camping is a number one priority, especially to ensure everyone has a great night’s sleep.
Although summer brings warmer days, evenings can be chilly. Kids seem to be able to go from happily playing to teeth chattering-ly chilled very fast, try to pre-empt the cold. Pop on their coat, or put them in a onesie, as soon as the sun begins to dip. For bed, I dress the boys in long-sleeved PJs with a onesie and a pair of socks over the top. If I can convince them to keep it on, I’ll also add a beanie hat.
- Try to stick to a similar bedtime routine.
Unfortunately, our kids don't yet understand the concept of a lie-in (!), so we still put them to bed reasonably early when camping. (They're usually in bed by 7 pm at home, and we usually get them into bed by 8 pm when camping). We try to stick to a similar routine to back home, so give them a wash in the campsite showers (they do usually have a bath, and we used to use a bucket when they were babies!), brush their teeth, get them into PJs, and then read them a bedtime story.
If this doesn’t work, or you end up having a late night, then factoring in an hour of downtime during the day helps to recharge and avoid a massive meltdown come 5 pm!
- Try using audiobooks.
We've found playing an audiobook whilst the kids go to sleep helps to block out the noises on the campsite, and helps them to relax and drift off.
Once we've read them their stories and given them a kiss goodnight, we pop an audiobook on the iPad (we use Winnie the Pooh, Paddington & The Tractor who wants to Fall Asleep, all downloaded before we leave) and leave it just outside their reach so that they can hear it, but aren't tempted to use it! A Bluetooth speaker to play it through would work well too.
- Look for a blackout solution.
Summer nights are long and bright, which I love, apart from when trying to get the kiddos to sleep! You can get covers for the campervan windows so that you can make the kids' "bedroom" darker, even when it's still light outside. There are lots of options available that mean that bedtime doesn’t have to wait until the sun goes down.
- A comfy bed.
And of course... Bundle Beds really do ensure a great night's sleep for the kiddos! With the pillow and duvet buttoned in top and bottom, there is no losing bedding during the night. The bottom of the bed can be zipped up slightly around the kids' feet, to stop their duvet slipping off them at night, and they really do feel like your own bed, away from home.
Happy Camping!
For more useful tips and trips for your adventures, be sure to check out posts from Lucy on the Bundle Beds Blog.
If a Bundle Bed sounds like the ideal solution for camping for you and your children, you can find these in the CamperKing Shop. Check out our Bundle Beds range to find out more and buy online.
Alternatively, we are offering you the chance to win a Bundle Bed for yourself via our Facebook competition!
