Planning your First Family Camping Trip

Planning for a family camping trip often feels more complicated than going on the trip itself. If it’s your first family camping trip, choose a campsite close to home and stay for just one or two nights. Looking for family-friendly campsites with facilities like bathrooms, water and power, will make all the difference, especially if it’s your first trip. This gives everyone a chance to get used to camping without too much pressure, and you’ll quickly learn what works best for your family. The main thing to remember is to focus on the basics rather than trying to pack everything. However, a few small home comforts like a cafetiere for a proper morning coffee can make the experience even better, depending on what your family enjoys.

Choosing the Right Tent

Choosing the right tent is very important. For family camping, space and practicality matter most. A tent with a small porch or living area is particularly useful, as it gives you somewhere to leave muddy shoes and wet gear without bringing the mess inside. It also provides a bit of extra room to sit if the weather changes, which is always a possibility in the UK.

The Sierra Air 500 is an excellent family tent, as it has a pre-attached canopy, which provides extra living space and a sheltered area for relaxing. It’s also easy to set up due to its AirBeam design. A great tip when setting up your tent is to get the kids involved, as it teaches them useful skills and helps them feel more included in the experience.

Sleeping Comfortably

A good sleeping setup is essential, especially for children. Warm sleeping bags suitable for UK weather, along with sleeping mats or air beds, help keep everyone comfortable. Bringing familiar items like pillows or a favourite blanket can also help children settle more easily, making bedtime much easier for everyone.

For extra comfort, the Shangri-La Lux 12 Double is a luxury double camping mattress that inflates and deflates in just one minute using its built-in rechargeable pump, making setup quick and easy and helping create that home from home feel. For children, the Stellar Junior sleeping bag is designed to keep them warm and cosy, using soft Polair® fabric to reduce cold spots and help keep kids warmer throughout the night.

Clothing for All Weather

Clothing should be packed in layers, including T-shirts, jumpers, and waterproof jackets. Even in summer, evenings can be cold, so extra warm clothes and spare socks are important. Sturdy shoes are best for walking around the campsite and flip-flops or sliders useful for campsite showers.

Simple Camping Food and Cooking

Keep food simple with a camping stove, the Inferno cooker is a solid option for outdoor cooking, with a stainless-steel burner that provides plenty of heat. Stick to easy meals like pasta or burgers that the kids will enjoy.

A cool box helps keep food and drink colder for longer. The Glacier 33L cool box combines durable construction and thick insulation to help keep food and drinks cold for longer. It also has built-in carry points and comfortable handles, making it easy to move around the campsite and ideal for camping trips and outdoor days out.

Essential Camping Gear

Essentials include torches, a first aid kit, bin bags, and toiletries like sun cream and wet wipes. Camping chairs, a picnic blanket, and games can make the trip more comfortable and enjoyable for the whole family.

Keeping Things Organised

Good organisation helps a lot. Try packing in a first in, first out order, so the items you need first are easiest to reach. It’s also a good idea to leave the tent until last in the car, so it can be set up straight away when you arrive. Try to set up before it gets dark, as this makes everything much easier, especially with children.

What to leave at home

Avoid bringing anything expensive or easily breakable, as things can get damaged quite easily when camping. Broken glass in a tent should be avoided at all costs. It’s also worth thinking about your neighbours as no one wants to be the noisy camper next door, so avoid anything too loud. For example, a football is a much better choice than a noisy recorder.

Be careful with food as well, as anything left uncovered or poorly stored can attract animals. Remember, you are outdoors after all. If you plan ahead and keep meals simple and well packed, it will make life easier and the whole trip more enjoyable.

Making the Trip Enjoyable

Most importantly, don’t worry about everything being perfect. Family camping is about spending time together and making memories outdoors. Once the essentials are sorted, everything else is optional. You may not get everything right the first time, but it’s useful to think about what you might do differently next time. With a bit of experience, camping becomes much easier. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy time together outside.