However, camping with kids is a whole different ball game than going away as a couple or on your own, and there are a whole host of things you need to consider. So, if you’ve never been camping with children before, or you want a few extra tips before your next trip, we’ve spoken to some fantastic family bloggers for their advice on camping with kids.

Let’s see what they had to say…

Lauren, Helpful Hiker

A keen outdoor adventurer and mum of two, Lauren and her husband Luke regularly take their two boys out on family camping trips and outdoor adventures. Here’s some of her top tips for camping with kids.

• Staying warm requires layers: to make sure that children stay warm at night, a few thin layers are warmer than one thick layer. Also, lots of cold air comes up from the ground, so ensure that there is a thick insulating layer underneath your child when sleeping. To stop a chill, try using an insulating roll mat and a quilt on the bottom.

Winfields top tip: find plenty of Sleeping Mats when you shop for family camping supplies at Winfields.

• Wet wipes are your best friend: however many you think you might need, double it.
• Get your kids involved: to get children involved and stop whinging, give them jobs to do around the campsite (obviously age appropriate), like picking up sticks for the fire.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: when you’re camping with kids, routine goes out the window, especially as it’s so light at night time. Try to go with the flow; there’s always time to catch up on sleep in the car or once back at home. Failing that, a quick power nap in the pushchair can work wonders.
• Accept the mess: children are always going to make a mess and get muddy. Instead, when you’re camping with kids you should just try to keep the tent as clean as possible. For example, having meals outside helps to prevent any messes in the tent – and no shoes keeps the worst of the mud outside.
• Bring snacks: running about in the fresh air is tiring; so keep a ready supply of snacks to hand, such as bananas, cereal bars, and nuts to keep energy levels up.

Learn more from The Helpful Hiker.

Leta, Attachment Mummy

With three energetic and outdoorsy girls, Leta from Attachment Mummy has plenty of advice to make camping with kids a lot easier.

• Plan well in advance: before your trip, make plenty of lists and check everything you need. 
• Take a few comforts from home: being away from home for the first time can be scary for kids. On a family camping trip, take some home comforts like favourite blankets, cushions or pillows and a cuddly toy or two to help.
• Let your kids have a say in their clothing choices: it’s not a runway; camping with kids is going to get messy. So, why not let your children choose their own clothes to take? You’ll need to remind them what the weather might be like, but letting your kids have a say will get them engaged in the camping trip.

Winfields top tip: stock up on kids camping essentials with Winfields. We have a great range of Kids Wellies and Kids Hiking Boots that will come in handy on your next family camping trip.

• Pack smart: when it comes to camp foods, you can get a little creative. For example, make a dish like chilli that you can freeze in advance, then take it with you frozen. Not only will it help keep the other things in your cool box cold, it’ll also be ready to heat up for dinner when you get there!
• Be strategic with toy choices: while you should pack some toys and games for your family camping trip, you don’t need loads. To get your kids involved, give them a bag each to fill with toys of their choice (but no more).

Find more activity ideas with Attachment Mummy.

Hayley, The Little Things

Not sure what to take camping with kids? Mum and writer of The Little Things blog, Hayley offers the top 5 essentials she suggests when it comes to a family camping trip.

• A light: always take a torch with you on a family camping trip. Once it’s dark you still need to be able to find things in bags, check on your children, navigate to the toilets, make bottles up, the list goes on…

Winfields top tip: explore our collection of Lighting and Torches to find a range of handheld and head torches, and tent lighting options.

• A flask with hot water: having a ready source of hot water is so useful when you’re camping with children. Keeping a hot water flask means you always have something to make warm bottles up with, or make warm drinks for older children and yourself.
• Bedding: even in the summer, kids will get cold easier than adults. So you should always make sure you have plenty of bedding options, especially for late nights and early mornings. Always take enough sleeping bags for everyone, but you should also consider squeezing in some additional blankets, cosy jumpers, and/or dressing gowns for the kids. 

Winfields top tip: camping with a baby? Make sure to monitor their temperature regularly. In cold weather, they will usually only need one more layer than you do. If you’re still unsure, check NHS guidance for dressing your baby.

• First aid supplies: accidents happen, so make sure you’re prepared with a first aid kit. Try to take anything you may need to treat grazed knees, mucky fingers, bumps, bruises, and anything a little more serious, just to be on the safe side. Plasters, wipes, tissues, hand sanitiser are all important.
• Facilities: While not quite something to bring with you when camping with children, you should pay attention to the facilities of your campsite when you’re booking your trip. For example, do they have toilets available, showers or at least sinks for those mucky washes, running water for washing, bins for dirty nappies etc?

Find other travel tips and day out ideas with The Little Things.

As you’ve read, camping with kids is a completely different experience than going as an adult – and there are a lot more things you need to consider. On top of the advice we’ve already given, you can keep reading to find some extra tips that can help you make your family camping trip a success.

Check the weather forecast

One of the biggest pieces of advice we can give you is to check the weather forecast before you head out. Even if it’s not entirely accurate, it should give you some valuable guidance on what to take camping with kids.

For example, in sunny weather you’ll need lighter layers, sun hats, and plenty of suncream. On wetter trips, you’ll need to make sure you pack everyone’s Waterproof Coat to keep them warm and dry.

Top tip: light rain shouldn’t pose a problem – your kids can play games in the tent, and listening to rain on tent walls is surprisingly peaceful. But, if it’s absolutely pouring down, don’t be afraid to pack up and head home early. 

Practice before you go

Pitching a tent for the first time when your kids are probably running around with pent-up energy is not a particularly fun experience. To make your arrival onsite smoother, we recommend practising how to put up your tent before you arrive. This could be in your garden, or a local park – whatever you choose, make sure there’s plenty of room for you to work.

First time campers, or recently bought a new tent? Learn How to Pitch a Tent Like a Pro with Winfields.

Top tip: for young children, or first-time campers, sleeping in a tent can feel scary. If you have the space, try to pitch up your tent in your garden to give your kids a chance to get used to sleeping in a tent before the family camping holiday.

Consider a group trip

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. So, if you have friends with children of a similar age to yours, why not go on a group family camping trip? Not only does this give your kids more people to play with, but it also increases the number of available adults to share the workload – and keep an eye on the children while they’re playing.

Top tip: at Winfields, we have a great range of tents for you to choose from. With larger groups, you could take one larger 7+ person tent, or a collection of 3 to 4-man tents – whatever works best for everyone.

Make it educational

Now, when we say you should make camping with kids educational, we don’t mean you should all sit down for lessons. 

But, your family camping trip is an excellent opportunity to teach your kids outdoor skills like starting a campfire, or learning to identify various plants and trees around the campsite. For example, you can teach your kids what nettles look like so that they know not to play near them.

You can also take this time to teach your children about fire safety, especially around a campfire or BBQ. This can easily be bundled into lessons about cooking outdoors – and you can reward them for listening with tasty treats like toasted marshmallows!

Want to make better campfire meals? Check out Cooking Like a Pro: A Guide to Outdoor Cooking.

Involve the kids throughout

Camping with kids is meant to be fun for the whole family – so why not involve the kids when you’re planning your trip? Asking them what activities they’d like to do, or where they’d like to go, keeps your children engaged with the trip, and helps to get them excited for their next holiday.

You can also set them small tasks to let your kids feel like they’re contributing to the trip. For example, older kids can look up things to do on the campsite, while younger ones can gather camping supplies from around the house when you’re packing.

Top tip: be flexible. Family camping trips rarely go exactly to plan, so don’t worry if the plan changes as the holiday goes on. The most important thing is that everyone has fun.

You can never predict the weather – the British summertime means that it could be beautiful sunshine some days and pouring with rain the next. So, make sure you have a range of activities you can do in and out of the tent when you’re camping with children.

• Board games: just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse (which, let’s face it, is likely in the UK), always have an emergency stock of board games to keep the whole family entertained. Even if the weather isn’t too bad, it can be fun to chill out in the evening with a game or pack of cards.
• Colouring books: another perfect solution to soggy weather, make sure to bring a selection of colouring books and crayons to keep the kids occupied while you wait out the weather.
• Cooking: cooking around the campfire is fantastic fun, especially if you get the kids involved. Sausages, marshmallows, jacket potatoes – whatever you’re cooking, it tastes so much better on the campfire! Of course, you should make sure children are supervised at all times.
• Nature I-Spy: grab your walking boots, and get your kids out and about to really take a look at what nature has to offer. Draw up a list of things they have to keep an eye out for and tick off when they see them – including certain types of trees, insects, flowers, and more. You could even turn it into a scavenger hunt, just without the insects!
• Stargazing: if you get a nice clear night, why not spend some time stargazing? And don’t worry if you don’t know your Big Dipper from your Great Bear, half the fun is coming up with your own pictures and patterns – the same with clouds during the day.

Camping with kids made easy with Winfields

Getting ready for your next family camping trip? Explore our fantastic array of Camping Supplies, including sleeping bags and airbeds for maximum comfort! And, don’t forget to explore the Winfields Outdoors blog for plenty of useful activities and family camping how-to guides…

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