I used to believe you were either a camping person, or you weren’t. If you would have asked me two years ago if I would ever pass up a beach holiday and rough it in the UK instead, I’d have laughed in your face. However, given we are now squirrelling away money in a bid to buy our first home together, I’ve been forced to swap air conditioned villas for sleeping bags and ground sheets, and to be honest, we’ve had some really good times.

Aside from the beauty of seeing my children’s rosy cheeks illuminated by late-night campfires, and the hilarity of drinking too many ciders with Craig under the stars, the very fact these holidays haven’t involved the stress of a 3-5 hour flight with two over-excited urchins is a major bonus in itself.

But just what can you expect when you go camping with youngsters? Halfords have put together a cracking guide to camping packed full of recommended destinations, checklists and even campfire recipes, but is it really as simple as loading up your SUV with tents and kids, and then spilling forth out onto green pastures? I’ve asked a number of parent bloggers and family festival addicts for their top tips and have come up trumps with this - the ultimate guide on how to have a stress-free camping holiday with children!

Location, location, location

Although the dads of this world will inevitably stick a pin on the remotest part of a map, if you’re a first-timer consider opting for a family campsite with flushable toilets, showers and playgrounds instead. If you’ve ever attempted to usher a small child with a dicky tummy into a porta loo, you’ll know what I mean; kids like to touch things, especially disgusting things.

In fact, you could go one better and stay at a campsite with kids clubs and night time entertainment. No it’s not cheating, it’s compromising. Trust me, those few hours child-free might just spare you a divorce if you find yourself bickering with your OH whilst camping.

I’d also recommend plumping for sites near to a town. This way if the heavens open and cooking becomes tricky, you can do a sneaky run to Pizza Hut to feed your starving brood. Nothing turns a family camping trip sour quicker than rain, growling bellies and moody & frustrated parents.

Speaking of moody parents…

… take beer. Crates of the stuff.

There’s nothing worse than finally getting the kids to sleep, plonking yourself on a dirty picnic blanket beside your significant other, and realising you’re out of beer. Whatever your tipple, make sure you bring a bottle opener/corkscrew so you don’t have to resort to using the palm of your hand on a rock - this could go badly wrong when there’s limited visibility.

Get your notepad out!

If you’re a mother, you won’t be a stranger to lists, but never has there been a more appropriate time to make one - trust me, you don’t want to get to your campsite and discover you’ve forgotten the sleeping bags. I won’t bore you with all the essentials you’ll need here, but Rebecca from Munchies and Munchkins has some fab ideas over on her blog. Among her must-haves, she recommends going overboard on bedding, and taking back-up chargers galore to ensure mobiles are fired up in the event of an emergency.

It’s well worth investing in your own equipment too. You might be tempted to save yourself a few quid and borrow your pal’s tent, but it’s much safer to buy your own and have the instructions to hand. This needn’t cost the Earth either, I’ve spotted that Halfords have up to half price on their camping equipment at the moment.

Prepare your meals before you go

After a long hike (who am I kidding?) or stressful day placating two feuding siblings, quick and easy mealtimes are a must. Before you go, chop vegetables and make marinades then store in airtight jars and Tupperware, then you need simply add meat and you’re good to go.

If you’re planning on enlisting your kids to help at mealtimes, it’s well worth investing in some long-handled utensils to make things safer. If you want to cut down on washing up onsite, consider making some breakfast baps before you go and wrapping them in foil. Simply chuck them on a heat source in the morning, and you’ll all be tucking into bacon sarnies in no time. Do the same with pasties for hassle-free lunchtimes, and foil potatoes and corn-on-the-cob are also tried and tested favourites.

Finally, take cereal bars and crisps for refuelling throughout the day. They’re lightweight, non-perishable and there’s zero preparation if your kids are working on severing your last nerve. A couple of packets of fruit pastilles won’t go amiss either, particularly as you might not have access to the usual things you bribe the kidlets with. Speaking of bribes, mum of 3 Bryony Wood recommends glow sticks to help coax little ones to bed.

Safety first

The very first thing you should do upon dumping your backpacks, is to reccy the site. Walk around together and point out all the hazards that will earn your little darlings an early bedtime should they touch, throw or roll around in them.

It goes without saying you should pack a extensive first aid kit too - complete with Disney plasters, insect repellent and Dioralyte! If you’re planning on walking through long grass, tuck jeans into socks to avoid rashes and worse. I always equip the urchins with whistles too, so they can blow for help if they slip out of view.

Embrace the dirt

I found this really hard. The mere sight of a tomato sauce moustache on my two children drives me nuts, so seeing them with grubby faces and hands was a real killer. When camping though, the best you’ll manage is casual wipe down with a wet wipe and some gel hand sanitiser before bedtimes, with deodorant your only defence against the stench of campfire and sweat. Just tell yourself that it’s nothing a two hour soak in the bath when home won’t fix.

 

That’s your lot! Remember that camping is all about having a good time, reconvening with nature, and enjoying each other’s company. You might think that’s near impossible with small children, but family-time seems to mean just that little bit more when there are fewer distractions around.