Sleeping arrangements with children

caliash · May 21, 2015

Hi

We're renting a camper the weekend after next (as a trial run with a view to a possible purchase

) and are currently trying to figure out sleeping arrangements in the van for our two children (3yrs & 1yr). I was wondering if anyone has any advice or experience?

We were hoping to put them together "downstairs" and so are looking at how we can keep them apart so they don't roll around too much or fall off or squash each other!

Does anyone know the dimensions of the lower bed so we can figure out how much space we've got to play with?

Any help or advice would be greatly welcome.

Thanks in advance

Ash

muttley · May 21, 2015

The bed in the SE is 45 inches wide (I assume you will be hiring this rather than a Beach - which has a wider bed). This makes a narrow double, but as it is fine for two adults, you will have plenty of room for two children. I would put some pillows down the middle to keep them apart, and when our boys were young we used to leave our squashy bags on the floor by the top of the bed so that they would fall off on something soft if they wriggled around too much (they never did). The standard beds can be quite firm, so I would take something soft (like a spare duvet or sleeping bag) for them to lie on.

They will love it!

Simon

caliash · May 21, 2015

Thanks for the info muttley. We were thinking some kind of divider between the two so sounds like there'll be plenty of room. Thanks for the heads-up on the firmness too. Will be sure to take along something extra.

John Richards · May 21, 2015

We have 2 boys, a 4 year old (Jack) and a 10 month old (Sam). Currenlty I sleep upstairs with Jack and my better half stays downstairs with Sam (who said romance is dead!). Our long term aim is to get both boys upstairs, but for now the current arrangement works well, as we can get Jack off to sleep upstairs, have a beer or 2 downstairs whilst getting the little one settled, then I scramble up top once we are all ready to turn in for the night.

caliash · May 21, 2015

Thanks John. Yes, this is what we'd been thinking of as a plan B. Hopefully we can get them sleeping in the same place but if all else fails then it'll be one up, one down.

tuono001 · May 21, 2015

We just put our two girls(2&5) upstairs together and let them get on with it. The first night youngest wriggled around and ended at the bottom, so I had to pull her back to the front. Since then they sleep well side by side. Just make sure you have the safety net up.

CityCali · May 21, 2015

John Richards said:
We have 2 boys, a 4 year old (Jack) and a 10 month old (Sam). Currenlty I sleep upstairs with Jack and my better half stays downstairs with Sam (who said romance is dead!). Our long term aim is to get both boys upstairs, but for now the current arrangement works well, as we can get Jack off to sleep upstairs, have a beer or 2 downstairs whilst getting the little one settled, then I scramble up top once we are all ready to turn in for the night

Very similar experience here. We used to split - me upstairs with 4 year old Joe and my partner downstairs with 2 year old Sam. At the beginning of this season we put the boys in the roof together and they love it. First night took a bit of settling but they now sleep really well - they have a single duvet and pillow each. Best bit is we get to sit downstairs like civilised adults once they have gone to sleep...

splitmike · May 21, 2015

There is always the option of a cab bed for the younger one. Then the older one can have the upstairs with the help of the safety net. That way you can all sleep amazingly well. I've used the cab bunk with my little one up until he was about 5 and he slept really well. No chance of falling out and right at the end if your bed if he needs you.
He now older and will challenge anybody that wants to sleep in his bed upstairs.. Ha ha.

Goldie · May 22, 2015

caliash said:
Hi

We're renting a camper the weekend after next (as a trial run with a view to a possible purchase ) and are currently trying to figure out sleeping arrangements in the van for our two children (3yrs & 1yr). I was wondering if anyone has any advice or experience?

We were hoping to put them together "downstairs" and so are looking at how we can keep them apart so they don't roll around too much or fall off or squash each other!

Does anyone know the dimensions of the lower bed so we can figure out how much space we've got to play with?

Any help or advice would be greatly welcome.

Thanks in advance

Ash

Make sure you get the 'upstairs net' in the rental van so you could also try upstairs or assess the viability of it for later.

Andy

motacyclist · May 22, 2015

caliash said:
We're renting a camper the weekend after next (as a trial run with a view to a possible purchase ) and are currently trying to figure out sleeping arrangements in the van for our two children

Leave them with the grandparents! That's what our offspring do

samp · May 23, 2015

We have a 1 year and a 3 year old and they sleep in the top, no divider but the safety net and hatch part closed. Works a treat. Although they have started to hang off it in the morning and dangle down which is amusing but you have to be ready to catch them!!

dannosail · May 23, 2015

Anybody know where to get a decent cab bunk?

HugoFar · May 24, 2015

In my searches I found these two Cab Bunk options.
http://www.vwcabbunks.com/storev2/store.php?page=thankyou and http://www.vanessa-mobilcamping.de/....html?XTCsid=2psb9ap7pl30inquuq4jfaid5p8pvpsh
I made up my own version of the Van Essa board from 19mm plywood and use a mattress we already had on top which our 6 year old loves.
Good luck.

jeff · May 24, 2015

We made our own up by swivelling front seats some ply on top and then mattress. Ply was in two halves so easy to fold away for day time use of seats.

dannosail · May 24, 2015

Vanessa looks great if a little big and dear!

Think I'll be making my own in due course but kids are small enough not to need it at the moment.

One in moses basket, the other on the rear shelf behind the double seat.

cleve · May 26, 2015

We've had a couple of cab bunks over the years before we had a pop top and recommend the ones by Mr Chris on the T4 forum. We sold ours though once we got the Cali as we found it made getting into the roof bed difficult. We now use the kids booster seats to support a short self inflating mattress (from mountain warehouse) which works much better. We can use it with both seats facing the same way or with just 1 front seat rotated as required. We have 3 children to fit in so put the 2 year old in the roof bed, 4 year old across front seats, 7 year old goes on multiflex and reads his kindle until the younger 2 are asleep and then joins my youngest up top. We've tried co sleeping but staggered bedtimes works best for us.