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Camping

Sleeping under canvas is really exciting to most children. Getting close to nature, collecting water, building a bonfire, stories by torchlight…kids young and old love this sort of adventure. If you’re thinking about a camping holiday with the family this year, read our tenting guide below and surf the information from camping holiday experts in the left hand menu. Many campsites specialise in family camping holidays, where tents are erected, complete with fridges, tables and chairs and stoves.

Why parents choose camping holidays

+ Exploring the great outdoors
+ Something different & exciting
+ Inexpensive family holiday
+ Freedom to arrange own travel itinerary

Tenting Guide

Try before you buy: Modern materials and equipment make tent camping easy these days, but if you’ve never been before, start by borrowing a tent to see how you get on before buying your own.

Know your gear: Before you go on holiday, put the tent up at home and let the children use it as a play den for a few hours. Top tip: stock up on your own sturdy tent stakes and buy a nylon tent bag, because a new tent won’t fit back into the bag it came in!

Start small – plan a long weekend camping within a few hours drive from home. Then you can stretch your adventure by camping for the main family holiday.

Make a list: You’ll need a list covering clothes & toiletries, toys, camping equipment & menu. Keep for the next trip and add to it as you get more experienced.

Keeping dry & warm: By the most expensive tent you can afford and extra tarpaulin for groundsheets, to keep everything off the floor. Use insulated air mattresses for a warm comfortable night's sleep. For babies and toddlers, their bassinette or travel cot will work well.

Make a rain plan: Something you need to do for any holiday, but especially important with camping.

Avoid cooking: Try to keep the menus simple, for example, yoghurt and granola for breakfasts and sandwiches for lunch will limit the amount of cooking you need to do.

Have fun! Last but not least, avoid saying dont all the time and let the children get dirty and have fun. There's loads of information out there, search online, get special books and guides to help you plan your adventure.

Sharing Experiences

Please share your own ideas or advice about holidays with children, email us at: contributions@forparentsbyparents.co.uk

"When my friend suggested a camping holiday abroad I have to say that I wasn't convinced. When we looked at the resorts and accommodation however I decided that it was something we should try. One of the best aspects was being able to choose to travel on the days that suited us the best and at times that worked for the family. No getting up in the middle of the night for a 6.00am flight!!! Another fantastic bonus was being able to go abroad in the school holidays without spending a fortune - 2 adults and 3 children for 10 days in August for under £1000, brilliant!"

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