Staying Dry

As the weather warms up I start dreaming of the first camping trip of the year. As Small is still so small I like to be sure that spring is really here before we hit the canvas. I can put up with being cold, I can't put up with the moaning that comes from a cold child.

As bad as a cold child, of course, is a wet child. Whilst my kids are happy to get soaked running around in the rain they aren't happy to stay soaked, so unless we are on a campsite with a drying room we need head to toe waterproofing. Small looks cute in the yellow Rukka Raingear, as the pictures show, but the 7 year old (henceforth known as Loki after his spiritual ruler) looks a bit daft in waterproof dungarees. For him it's waterproof trousers and the worlds most hideous kagool.

Caught short on a camping trip in the Cairngorms we had to make a dash between the rainstorms to Avemore to find a waterproof that would fit him. He was too large for the all in one toddler waterproofs and too small for the waterproof jackets available, so it was a stuff mac in "medium". I'm not sure what size a "medium" child is but looking at this kagool I would estimate they are about 4' 2" and have a waist measurement of about 47". I suspect Loki will never grow in to this particular garment.

It's a little shamefull really - I run a children's outdoor clothing retailer and my son wears the most repulsive waterproofs ever produced. I've tried to tempt him into a better fitting and much more respectable blue anorak, but if you have boys you'll know that trying to get them not to wear something is a guarenteed way of making them want to wear it.

I wonder if reverse psychology will work......

We are still running our prize draw via Twitter. If you use Twitter follow us (@littlewideworld) and we will enter you into a prize drawer to win a child's Rukka Anorak. The first 100 followers will be entered into the draw - we're currently up to 53.

I am also collecting recommendations for family friendly campsites. I would like to add a directory page of family friendly sites to http://www.littlewideworld.co.uk/, so if there's a site you particularly like and think other families will enjoy please send details of the site - including the site name and location - and the reasons that you think it's a great family destination to us at campingkidz@littlewideworld.co.uk and we will add it to the directory.