Advice needed - Family camping for beginners!!! Post Reply

[KatherineHepburn]

Hi all,

I hope that NVN...the font of all knowledge.. can help me on some camping questions..

We have recently decided that it would be 'fun' to go camping with the kids (ages 8, 5 & 5) and to make this a regular thing that we can do either over holidays or at weekends during the Spring to Summer months. So I have gone a bit crazy in Decathlon and now have what I believe to be all the right gear.
However, promptly after buying the tent a friend said that buying a 5 man tent was a mistake and that I should have purchased an 8 man.
So, mistake number 1.....

If you have any top tips about camping with the family then please, please post and let me know. What should we take? What do we actually need? Is this going to be a hideous disaster? What wise lessons did you learn that you can pass on?

Also, we were hoping to go to Cornwall but the two preferred sites Gwithian and Treloan are full for the Summer holidays. Are there any other great ones we should be looking at you can recommend?

A million thank yous xxx

[twomonkeys]

We're fairly new to camping too, but I think the trick is to know what facilities your chosen camp site offers. It sounds obvious but we took so much stuff the first time that we didn't need eg. washing up bowl when there were set up facilities with running water and bowls, big water storage bottles when there was plenty nearby on tap etc. So if you can figure that out, you can leave lots at home.

Do bring:
- easy food to serve to the kids when you arrive and haven't set up yet
- crocs for kids to throw on easily whatever the time of day or night
- anti bac wet wipes are so useful!
- a proper ice box (not ice bag) with plenty of capacity for all your food and drinks
- good, safe (dimmable) lighting that can hang inside your tent for when the kids go to sleep
- more marshmallows and wine that you think!!

You'll have great fun and the kids will love the freedom. And ignore your friend, your tent will be just fine!

As to location, so far we have tried these two and both are brilliant.
http://www.seabarnfarm.co.uk/
http://www.wowo.co.uk/

You'll have a brilliant time, PM me if you have questions - happy to assist

[ngcbattersea1]

How about the New Forest? I can highly recommend this place for beginners. If your barbecue fails, they have restaurants on site. There also have a lot of terrific kid activities available.

http://www.sandyballs.co.uk

[supergirl]

Family camping lovers here.... well done. These are by the kids favourite holidays.

Firstly, i disagree with your friends. We have a 4 man tent and even now (after many camping) it is still about 40 min to set it up. Imagine how long it would be for an 8 man tent. The re-packing of the tent will take longer otherwise it wont fit back in the bag Make sure tge tent is dry.
Also they are so big that many campsite will ask you to book 2 spots. Check the dimensions and ask them at time of booking.

Secondly, we go to campsites with no pools or organised activities as we love the nature, peace and quiet. We love ones that allows campfires. Some campsites are really noisy.

thirdly, the trick to enjoying camping is to keep the tent tidy and have easy set up. Get a lot of nets for storage and keep everything up. Bit on the floor. Have a rope to dry towels and swim suits outside. If you are driving pack everything you think you ll need. Better to gave too much than not enough in my opinion.

Finally enjoy. My children's top fav are cooking on the stove, doing the wash up, buying the bread in the morning and of course fires inntge evening, watching the night sky.
Have fun!

[KatherineHepburn]

Oh thank you so much you lovely lot. What brilliant advice.

I am actually getting really, rather excited now. Sea Barn Farm looks wonderful..perhaps I'll put busy Cornwall on hold for now.

Another question if you don't mind?
Do you do an electric pitch or not? Does is make a massive difference? (other than in price!)

Feeling better about the tent now too as I imagine that I'll take the kids solo once I'm braver - I bought one of the Decathlon inflatable ones so I don't have to deal with tent poles

I like the sound of the quieter campsites. The sea should be enough for splashing in. I did find a lovely site that did arts and crafts for parents and children but it is already completely full...so next year for that perhaps.

[supergirl]

We never do electrics personally. We ask reception to plug our phones while in the shower. For us. What we love in camping is being close and doing things differently. So for us ut is dim lights, flash lights, walks in the dark, finding someone to jump start our car because we left the ohines to charge thinking as it is an hybrid it woukd be ok. For us we go camping for yhe adventure it provides. Really enjoy.