Ideas and tips for families to go camping.
Travel planning is one of my favourite things to do in the evening (other than watching The Mummy Diaries. I know. Kill me). Allllll the anticipation of looking at the best countries to visit when, top hotels, adventurous spots, looking for bargainous flights – the works. Many an hour has been lost to it. I have so many family travel ideas in my head, so I thought I’d write it all down.
As well as travel planning, my other top thing to do is thinking up cool responsible adventure ideas that I could attempt one day when the kids are older and don’t need me as much. These are a little more deering-do than those on my family adventure ideas list. I’m not sure where this love of adventure came from really. My mother despairs.
We tried glamping for the first time in Dorset at Featherdown glamping, and were very pleased we did. As its name suggests, it offers glamorous camping. If you like the idea of camping and getting closer to nature, but can’t face a whole week with kids, glamping is a great midway choice.
What a weekend. I feel like I’ve just come back from a week abroad. We took a spontaneous trip over to the Isle of Wight on Bank Holiday Saturday as the weather was so perfect. We found the perfect Isle of Wight campsite, went orienteering (aka ‘mountain climbing’ according to my son), splashed at the beach, ate ice cream, and went for a bike ride in the New Forest on the way home. I am now completely in love with the Isle of Wight. Why haven’t I been before?
Finding UK adventures and having a go at different challenges when you have young children is not just achievable, it’s great fun and a good bonding experience too.
Festival season is a-coming and there is plenty of choice for all ages. If you don’t fancy camping, many festivals offer day tickets, or try a midway option and go luxe in a yurt. Many large name festivals now cater for families, such as Camp Bestival and Latitude, and some smaller indie festivals have been set up solely to cater for families, such as the lovely Elderflower Fields. Here is our list of the best family-friendly festivals.
Camping can vary from glamping it up in a swanky rustic fairy-lit bell tent to roughing it on a Scottish beach with nothing but a sleeping bag, a fire and a bottle of plonk. Having kids shouldn’t prevent you from camping how you want to camp, though it might be wise to adapt a little to begin with if you prefer the wilder end of the scale. Here’s some tips to make camping with a baby and toddler enjoyable.
Camp in your garden or a local campsite for one night as a trial to see what works and what doesn’t. If it all goes horribly wrong (it won’t), you can retreat to your cosy bed no problem. Then branch out a bit. Try two or three nights, or go further afield.
If wild camping is your thing, there’s no reason why you still can’t do it. Take a car and hike in maybe only half a mile or so rather than 10. Children do get tired easily and walk slower so half a mile may well all you manage. And bear in mind you will need to carry all the extra kit that comes with children, particularly younger ones. And that’s fine. Make sure it’s still enjoyable for everyone. Alternatively, book one of the wilder campsites where you are much more likely to have a pitch all to yourself.
Things will be harder to do, as is everything in life once you have kids! The tent will take longer to put up. You will not be able to sit still for long. One night may be enough. You know your children. Go with what you think they will like and manage.
They are not mobile. They stay where they are put! Things get all the more tricky (but still fun) when they start to move around. Between 8 months and 2 years are the hardest as they are mobile yet you cannot reason with them like you can do with an older toddler. If you are worried about co-sleeping there are many things you can do such as bringing a moses basket or sleepyhead carrier with you.
An open field is going to be more practical than a wooded area or hill with a younger toddler or a crawling baby. Check too for any poisonous plants, nettles or thistles. Ideally you want a space where you would feel happy leaving your children to ferret around in without worrying every two seconds. For younger children a bumbo or bouncer is a great idea to bring to keep them in one place, particularly when a fire is lit or you need to feed them. This Isle of Wight campsite is ideal for camping with a baby.
They will love it. Putting up the tent, taking it down. Going on a bear hunt. Going on a firewood hunt. Fetching water. All part of the adventure for toddlers and gives them something to do. Teach them about fire and fire safety.
Probably what you would have brought anyway, but even more important with children.The weather can be so unpredictable and kids are going to attract ALL the mud. Prepare for rain even if the weather forecast doesn’t say it. Don’t get caught out. A wailing wet toddler is no good for anyone. Babies can overheat quickly so better to use layers and remove/put on, than tog up in a too-hot sleeping bag.
Namely a ball and bug hunt kit. Maybe one of your child’s favourite toys from home. Children of all ages love throwing and catching balls. They also are all fascinated by bugs and butterflies. Taking a kit, or just printing out a sheet of paper identifying the main creepy crawlies will provide tons of fun. Plus, you get to wear the smug wholesome parent badge.
Another key items to pack. Maybe some batteries too in case the nightlight decides to die on you. If your children don’t mind sleeping in the dark at home, they may find the tent is a bit scarier so want a bit of light to comfort them. Makes breast or bottle feeding at night a little easier too.
If you’re taking the more luxe route of camping, make it as cosy as possible. Bring duvets and pillows. There is honestly nothing better in this world than snuggling up as a family in a tent under a warm duvet, listening to the gentle breeze and hoot of an owl outside. Bliss.
Toddlers are just going to be too damn excited to go to sleep at 7pm – sorry. Just embrace it and let them stay up. You never know, they may sleep later too. Just bad luck if you have a younger baby who will still wake up at 5am whatever!
Good options include quick cook pasta ravioli, beans on toast, boiled eggs, pre cooked stew or ratatouille that just needs heating up. Plus breakfast cereal and croissants for breakfast. If your baby has formula milk and still needs to use sterilised bottles, you can get disposable ones, or just take a few sterilised bottles with you if you are only going for a short period of time. You’ll need more snacks than usual as the fresh air does something to children to make them ravenous. Breadsticks, raisins, fruit. All good.
Enjoy your environment. After all, that’s why you camp. Make the most of the wide open field, shady woodland or shallow ice-cold stream. Scramble over logs, go pooh sticking, jump in muddy puddles, run through swishy grass. Find a grasshopper, eat a gooey marshmellow, fly a kite, listen to the birds. Do all the things you normally do, just add a sprinkling of kids, a bit more mess, and a lot more fun.
