Camping as a family can create lifelong memories, encourage quality family time, offer the chance to try new activities in the great outdoors, and a provide wonderful sense of freedom and exploration. But the prospect of camping with young children can be a little daunting, especially if the adults are new to it too. So to get your family camping adventures off to the best possible start, here are some of our top tips for camping with children.
- Camping is a fantastic activity for the family that offers a host of opportunities and benefits.
- Until you’re used to it, the idea of camping with children can feel a little daunting and complicated.
- Some top tips for camping with children.
Before you even set off for your camping trip, in the days before, make a list that you can add to of what you want to take and what you need to do before you leave. Then you can tick each item off when it has been done.
It’s a good idea to have an easily accessible first aid kit so that a bang or a scrape can easily be dealt with even if it happens within seconds of arriving on site. (It’s probably worth keeping wet wipes handy too). And although camping should avoid the queues, one thing you might want to copy from the airlines is a few available sick bags just in case…
Pack light but be practical. You want this to be stress free so buy or borrow a tent that’s quick and easy to set up and make sure you’ve got a few spare throws or blankets because the nights can get cold even in summer – they’ll be great to huddle in around the campfire in the evenings as well as over the sleeping bag during the night.
If your children are very young and it’s a big new adventure, bringing a favourite toy maintains consistency and comfort if things feel unfamiliar or strange to start with, and when you think you’ve packed enough clothes for them – pack more.
Hopefully, the amenities on your campsite will be great, but for little children, a portable potty or even a bucket might just save everyone’s blushes and remember a torch for those night time trips…
Be flexible and willing to adapt. You might have a very clear view of what you want to do, but something as simple as an unexpected downpour can change things. It doesn’t mean your back-up plan won’t be just as good and you might simply have to swap your planned activities around a bit. Remember you’re on holiday- it doesn’t matter, and you’ll still be having fun.
Once you’re there, try activities that lend themselves to camping so beautifully like looking at the stars, telling stories round the camp fire, or devising a nature treasure hunt – things that no matter how much we might like to are really difficult to fit into daily life.
If you’re camping with small children you could go with friends who also have small children then the children have playmates, and many hands make light work.
Relax, be flexible, and don’t worry too much about dirty feet and grubby clothes!