10 Tips for Camping With Kids

22nd August 2018

We’re hopefully going to be going camping again soon and we can’t wait. I love getting out into the great outdoors and sleeping under canvas (plastic) under the stars, and even though I (really) love my home comforts, getting so much fresh air and getting away from everything really does me good for a couple of days, and Ava always hugely enjoys it too. I also really love how it gets us away from tech for a couple of days, which is always needed.

 

There is always so much to pack for camping and so much to think about, and it’s so easy to forget something really important or that you may not have thought of, especially for the kids, that could really affect your trip, so I thought I would share 10 tips for camping with kids.

 

10 Tips for Camping With Kids

Take enough warm bedding

Even if it’s warm during the day, it can get bloody nippy in a tent in the middle of the night. Last year when we went to Big Feastival the days were really hot but I was freezing for most of the night and so I slept terribly. Make sure you take plenty of extra blankets and bedding that can be easily added or removed, especially for kids because you do not want to give them any encouragement to wake up throughout the night.

If you’re looking for a great tent for families, have a look at this review from ‘Zena’s Suitcase’: Vango Beta 450XL Review.

Take the right shoes

Flip-flops or (dare I say it) Crocs for quick loo trips and to kick off easily before diving into the tent are a necessity, especially for kids who might leave it to the last minute to tell you they’re desperate for the loo, and you’re across the other side of the field to the loos.

Some sensible and hardy shoes are also a good idea for running about in or if you decide to go on a nice countryside trek, then some kids walking shoes are a must. They will protect their feet and keep them clean and dry, so they’re not complaining two minutes into an hour-long walk. Gola Shoes also make a great range of outdoor and active footwear for adults and children.

Prepare a home-cooked meal for the first night away

It’s a really good idea to cook a meal at home before you go away so that on that first evening when you have finished setting up the tent and are all starving, you have something that you can quickly reheat (if you are taking a stove with you). Something like chilli is perfect and will warm you up too if it’s chilly!

If you’re not taking things to cook with then make sure you check in advance where the nearest pub or fish and chip shop are, or what is available on site. Because hangry children (or husbands) do not a fun camping trip make. Having some tasty snacks on hand is always a good idea too – these cheap and easy flapjacks would be perfect for taking with you in a Tupperware.

Take enough chairs for you all to sit on

It’s just annoying if you all want to sit down at the same time, particularly if the grass is a bit damp, so make sure you take enough seating for everybody if possible. We only took two chairs camping with us last year, which meant that one of us usually ended up on the floor because Ava was constantly stealing my chair. That’s okay if it’s for a short time or if you’re twenty and supple, but it’s not fun for me to sit on the floor for ages anymore! Yikes, that makes me sound old.

We recently got Ava her own stool that she chose, and I also just got one of those blow-up seats after seeing them everywhere at festivals last year. I can’t wait to use it/try and get Ava off it. It’s even got a drinks holder in the side so I don’t have to go far for my beer. I got this one.

 

Try and be more relaxed about bedtimes and routines

Camping is a pretty slow way of life and should be relaxing and enjoyable and you need to be able to go with the flow a bit. You don’t know whether it will rain, if the kids will behave or what might go wrong, so the best way to be is chilled out, have a beer and just go with the flow. Sleeping outside can be so much fun for kids, so they are unlikely to want to go to bed, or even be able to get to sleep at their normal time with the noise from other campers or with daylight streaming through the tent. So it’s best to try and be relaxed about it and go with the flow. They’ll be knackered from all that fresh air so it’s likely that they’ll sleep well when they do actually go to bed, and it means you don’t have to be quiet from 7pm either.

Take plenty of activities with you

Yes, your kids may run off with the other kids on the campsite as soon as they get out of the car and you don’t see them for the entire weekend, but if you have younger kids or its quite a quiet campsite then it can be great to take some fun things to play with.

A ball to kick, a bat and ball and maybe even their bikes can be great to take, but don’t forget some indoor things to keep them entertained too in case it rains constantly. There’s something very lovely and soothing about lying in a tent with the rain pitter-pattering on the roof, so camping can still be enjoyable in bad weather (as long as you’re prepared!). Take a pack of cards, some board games (Dobble is brilliant for adults and kids; doesn’t take up much space and is great for whiling away the hours).

It’s so lovely to get away from all the tech in our lives for a couple of days so make the most of it and play with your kids more than you usually would, without having to stop to do some housework.

Take plenty of layers

Make sure you take plenty of layers and good waterproofs with you, as well as plenty of changes of clothes. You don’t know what the weather will be like or how filthy your kids will get, and whilst many campsites have washing facilities, you don’t want to be doing that whilst you’re away for a short time.

Take lots of layers with you to account for our ever-changing weather, and that can be easily removed when kids are running about and get hot.

Take lots of baby wipes and antibacterial wipes

Make sure you take loads of wipes with you because you won’t always have easy access to a sink or shower for mucky kids, and they’re good for cleaning dirty feet before getting into sleeping bags! I also like to take antibacterial hand gel to clean our hands – I hate feeling dirty so this helps me feel a bit better!

 

Wine!

I would advise taking screw-top bottles of wine in case you forget that all-important corkscrew, and if you fancy white wine then freeze the bag from a box of wine before you go so that it’s nice and cold when you get there! It also serves as an ice pack for inside the cool box!

Take lots of lighting

Make sure you take lots of lighting, both for in the tent and ones you can grab and carry with you on nighttime loo trips. We have a couple of battery operated lamps that have a hook on them so they can hang inside the tent but they are also easy to grab to take with you. Head-lamps are also great so that you can be hands-free whilst you wee!

Do you like camping? Do you have any more tips for family camping trips to share? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

This is a collaborative post.

3 responses to “10 Tips for Camping With Kids”

  1. Luna says:

    These tips are great. I think we should equip them with some essential skills like setting up the tent, dealing with insects… Camping with kids is fun and it’s a good way for them to learn about the nature.

  2. Kelly says:

    What a great idea for a post! Wish I had read it a couple of years ago before I went camping with my friends kids. Having back up entertainment is a MUST. I did them a scavenger hunt I thought would take hours and they tore through it in about 5 minutes haha.

  3. Mizan Rahman says:

    It’s a total guide for the campers who use to go camping with their kids. What about the first aid?

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