Key to camping cool

While it may not be sunny Spain or gorgeous Greece, if done right, a family camping holiday in the UK create some truly magical memories.

Young children love the novelty of sleeping under canvas, waking up to find themselves in the countryside, and the excitement of eating – and living – outdoors. It’s also a fantastic way for families to spend time together away from the stresses of everyday life and the lure of tech.

Being immersed within nature creates magical experiences for children to learn about the world around them first hand. For example, making marks in sand or mud with sticks, going on a hunt for insects or other wildlife, to experiencing a range of weathers.

But transferring your family life, even if it’s only briefly, from a house to a tent takes some planning.

Here are some things to bear in mind to ensure a happy time is had by all!

A happy holiday depends heavily on everyone having nice full tummies. For some families, outdoor cooking is one of the best bits, knocking up complicated casseroles and sizzling sausages as soon as the sun comes up.

Others don’t get much more adventurous than a bit of pasta and sauce or a trip to the fish and chip shop. As camping takes place in a rural setting look out for ‘pick your own’ sites for really fresh, healthy fruit and veg.

If the smell of frying bacon in the morning is one of the things that makes a camping trip special for you, then you need to plan ahead, either packing plenty of food and ice packs to keep it all cool while you travel, ensuring there are good refrigeration facilities at your campsite, or finding out how well stocked the campsite shop is at your destination.

Choosing to opt out of cooking entirely also takes planning, as you need to ensure there’s food available nearby! Whichever option you go for, you will need lots of healthy snacks; being outdoors all the time makes children VERY hungry.

And don’t forget plenty of water! Take a large water container to fill up on arrival, plus lots of empty water bottles to fill up for on-the-go.

You don’t always get an enormous choice, but it’s a good idea to go for a patch that’s not too sloping – or if it is, make sure your heads are at the top of the slope for sleeping purposes – and not too bumpy. A location close to loos and showers is also a good idea. Some campsites have pitches with electrical hook up, a good idea if you are a high-tech camper who likes to bring along a kettle!

If the weather is hot, look for a shady spot.

There is something magical about sitting around a campfire with young children, roasting marshmallows, and a great opportunity to teach children some key fire safety skills. It’s great, if you’re camping with other families, for the adults to be able to sit around the fire after the children have been tucked up in the tents; otherwise, it may a 9pm bedtime for everyone!

Many family campsites don’t allow fires, so if it appeals to you, it’s worth checking with the camp site before you book.

Just as important as full tummies is plenty of sleep for everyone, adults and children alike. But bear in mind that the sun doesn’t set until late in summer, so young children may find it difficult to settle while it’s light. A later-than-usual bedtime while camping is often one of the things that children particularly relish, creating a lovely chance to participate in some star gazing together, laying on your backs and talking about what shapes you can create with the stars in the sky, or about the size of the moon The sun rises early in summer, too, making tents hot and bright – in short: everyone will be tired. There’s just no getting around it. Your child can sleep all the way home in the car, which is unfortunately not an option for the driver!

No matter how sunny it is during the day, it can still get chilly at night. Shove as many blankets into the car as you can and keep one for each person at the foot of their sleeping bag, so you can pile on extra layers in the night if your little one wakes up shivering. Modern tents have lots of sleeping compartments, but with little children it’s worth considering sleeping with everyone piled in together to share warmth, and so that adults can add blankets or slide children back into sleeping bags in the night. This also creates a lovely opportunity to snuggle up share a book or story , you could try making up your own stories or read a book in torch light.

• Although the current warm weather is exciting, we are still in England and therefore things can still be unpredictable. It’s hard to get things dry in a tent, so take a portable washing line to take advantage when the sun shines, or a drying rail to hang things under canvas. Make sure you pack lots of layers – it can get chilly as soon as the sun sets – and plenty of waterproofs.

• Even if it’s wet, shorts are still the best option – with wellies – as trousers get wet trailing in the grass. Wellies protect against Ticks too.

• If it’s sunny, remember that you’ll be outdoors a lot more often than usual, so pack plenty of hats and sunscreen. Consider bringing large umbrellas or a lightweight portable gazebo, if you have room, to provide shade, especially key for keeping young children out of direct sunlight particularly between 12 and 3pm.

• A first aid kit for the inevitable cuts and bumps is a must!

• Camping lanterns

• Blankets and pillows

• Sleeping bags with roll mats, air beds or camp beds. Don’t forget a pump for your air bed

• Tent, pegs and mallet

• Battery-operated fairy lights

• Head torch and spare batteries/Little torches for the children

• Flashing/LED toys for nighttime

• Books for bedtime stories

• Bin bags for clearing up

• Water bottles

• Cooler bags

• Food and snacks!

• String or clothesline for drying wet clothes, swimwear etc

• Bar of soap

• Travel towels

• Flip flops or plastic shoes for the shower block if there is one