Screen house or tent for next to pop up? Seasoned campers i need opinions!

[PixieDustLove]

after camping twice at fort wilderness with my father..our family has the camping bug! we just bought a large pop up camper and we are heading to disney this weekend!
my question is.. we have two small children (3 and 1) and want either a screen house or tent to put outside next to the camper as a place where they can play, but can also be contained (my 1 yr old son is stubborn and likes to wonder) my husband and i really can't make a decision..we keep going back between getting like a 10 x 10 or slightly bigger screen house or a tent that has a room area and then screened front where we can put chairs.
we've got an awning on our camper, but have decided against ordering a screen room attachment for it.. i figure a screen house or tent will give us the same amount of room and a place for the kids to play.. enough rambling though.. help me.. which is better? screen house or tent?

 

[CampingChristy]

When we go on extended trips I love to have a tent to have a "playhouse" for the kids. That way the camper doesn't get all cluttered up with toys and they have a "fun" place to go play without going in and out of the camper all the time. This also saves on heat/A/C.

 

[ORLCampers]

We have tried both on previous camping trips and I would vote for a 10x10 screen room. We have one of the First-Up canopies and bought the screen room kit for it. That way we can use it with or without the screen where needed. The tent was more work to put up and take down so the canopy was the best option for us. The one downside to the canopy is you don't have a floor so you'll have to deal with dirt, leaves, etc.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I agree with ORLCampers.....we bought a FirstUp(Actually, I think ours is called EZUp...whatever the WalMArt brand one is) and put the screen kit on, added a fan and spend a considerable amount of time in it instead of the pop-up. Camping is about being OUTDOORS, not crammed into a popup!!! We throw a tarp on the ground for flooring to avoid the dirt/leaves, run the rope-lights around the roof, add a radio/tv and a cooler filled with Smirnoffs and its our own little piece of serentity. We usually hang the damp towels from the roof for blocking the sun when its at an annoying level as well.

 

[PixieDustLove]

thanks for the replies! i think the screen house with a plastic type tarp (or plastic floor, i think i saw one at bass pro shops) will be the way we go. i was torn b/c i saw this awesome wenzel klondike tent that had a good size screen room on the front, but my luck.. it's sold out everywhere! (except ebay, of course, where they perform highway robbery)

 

[Ellen aka Snow White]

We use the screen room on our awning, with the privacy curtain down, and I set it up as our "kitchen". We put our dorm size fridge with the microwave on top of it. Then I have a place to put a shelf up and I put the crock pot and coffee maker on it. I have a slim aluminum table that I put across the other side to put all our dishes and stuff on. I hang a closet shoe organizer in one corner to hold items for the bathroom. Then we really only use the inside of the pop-up for sleeping and storing the food. I set-up the inside back of the surburban like a closet with all our clothes. Then we use an ez up to put the picnic table and chairs under. With this set-up, it really limits the reasons we have to go in and out of the popup and really just use it for sleeping! Works well for us!

Ellen

 

[IslandHtsCampers]

we use the First up canopy also. We purchased the screen and sloid panels to close it up incase of rain. We picked up a 12x12 turf rug to control the dirt/sand.

 

[YellowXterra]

If you buy the screen room that comes with 500 pole sections, you will only use it once. Been there!

 

[owensmama2007]

I'm going to have to look into getting a screen room...never really thought of using it as a play area but it makes good sense, especially with little ones.

 

[3gr8kids]

Camping is about being OUTDOORS, not crammed into a popup!!! We throw a tarp on the ground for flooring to avoid the dirt/leaves, run the rope-lights around the roof, add a radio/tv and a cooler filled with Smirnoffs and its our own little piece of serentity. We usually hang the damp towels from the roof for blocking the sun when its at an annoying level as well.

ITA, but....... What? No clothesline?????????????? Larry should be so proud, ILO.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Its ok...this is after Ive hacked all the bark off all of the trees, carved my name into them and shouted profanities at them!!!

 

[3gr8kids]

Attah boy!!

 

[mdoc]

I'd go for the screen room. I think it's more versatile, as you could use it as a dining tent or to set up your camp kitchen on other trips. Also, the ventilation will be much better for the kids playing in there. A screen room with rain panels would be ideal, but you could always binder clip a couple tarps to it if there was inclement weather and rain was getting in.

 

[PixieDustLove]

I agree with ORLCampers.....we bought a FirstUp(Actually, I think ours is called EZUp...whatever the WalMArt brand one is) and put the screen kit on, added a fan and spend a considerable amount of time in it instead of the pop-up. Camping is about being OUTDOORS, not crammed into a popup!!! We throw a tarp on the ground for flooring to avoid the dirt/leaves, run the rope-lights around the roof, add a radio/tv and a cooler filled with Smirnoffs and its our own little piece of serentity. We usually hang the damp towels from the roof for blocking the sun when its at an annoying level as well.

took your advice..just got back from walmart- bought the 10x10 first up canopy and the screen wall attachemnts. i couldn't find a tarp that was 10x10...either too small or way too big. i'm thinking maybe i can head to home depot later to see if they can cut tarp or heavy duty plastic to size. thanks again! looking forward to our little peace of heaven this weekend!

ps.. speaking of smirnoff..have you tried their vanilla vodka? with coke it's serenity

 

[Memph1s]

took your advice..just got back from walmart- bought the 10x10 first up canopy and the screen wall attachemnts. i couldn't find a tarp that was 10x10...either too small or way too big. i'm thinking maybe i can head to home depot later to see if they can cut tarp or heavy duty plastic to size. thanks again! looking forward to our little peace of heaven this weekend!

ps.. speaking of smirnoff..have you tried their vanilla vodka? with coke it's serenity

ooh sounds good only replace the coke with ice....

you would really be better off with a piece of some kind of outdoor carpet. The tarp will hold water and be very slippery when wet from rain or God forbid you should spill some vanilla vodka and coke.

 

[PixieDustLove]

ooh sounds good only replace the coke with ice....

you would really be better off with a piece of some kind of outdoor carpet. The tarp will hold water and be very slippery when wet from rain or God forbid you should spill some vanilla vodka and coke.

haha.. yes, and we all know how those accidental spills happen! i'm gonna see what i can find in the morning, but we leave tomorrow afternoon. it's only a 3 night trip.. if i can't get the carpet this time i'll definitely get one for our other trips. thank you!!