Planning a forest getaway for the whole family? How exciting! If you’re yet to decide where to stay, view our forest campsites, simply search by destination and the facilities your family needs.
We know taking the kids camping can throw up new challenges. Maybe this is your first time camping with the kids and you’re on the lookout for preparation advice. Perhaps this isn’t your first camping trip with youngsters and you’re used to the surprises camping with kids can create.
If it’s going to be your first time camping with the whole family, doing a test run isn’t a bad idea. Try camping in your back garden for a night or, if you’re near one of our campsites, try a 3 night trip before a longer stay. This practice run will give you an idea of any items you’re likely to forget and any situations which may arise on a longer camping trip. It’s also a great way to introduce children to a camping environment to gauge a reaction before you head off for a longer trip. The idea is that you’ll be near enough to home that you can pack up and go back to your safe haven if needed.
Very quickly, kids can get bored of watching fields and road signs slip by. Here are a few game ideas to keep the kids (and yourselves) entertained until you reach your destination.
We’re fond of a ‘family story’, in which one person kick-starts a narrative by saying the first line, then you get the rest of the family involved too! Each person takes turns to continue the tale, only ending when you agree it can’t get any better. Kids’ imaginations will make you laugh if they’re given enough of a prompt, making for some hilarious scenarios as you motor on.
Obviously, car standards like 20 Questions or I Spy can save the day, but there’s no harm in doing something a little more creative. Try the drawing game – fold a piece of paper into thirds or quarters, and have each passenger (minus the driver!) sketch part of a figure: the head, body, legs and feet without peeking at the previous body parts. You’ll get some real mixed characters. "We all went shopping" is a classic and really gets little minds working hard. Select a person to go first, they'll say the phrase "I went shopping and bought a ...". The second person then repeats the first persons phrase and adds their own item. It goes on like this until everyone forgets who bought what. The last person still going wins. We guarantee you'll hear "Are we nearly there yet?" a lot less from the back seats when playing some of these in-car games.
Catering for your children’s sense of security should be your number one priority when arriving on site after a long drive.
Make sure everyone in your camping group knows where the nearest facility block is when you arrive; our campsite managers will point this out to you on your way in. After everyone’s stretched their legs and had a little look around, it’s time to set up. You’ll find our camping checklist here; it’s a great overview of the essentials.
Here are a few extra items to take when camping with kids:
At the end of the day, no one knows your children like you do. If there are extras you think you may need to take- pack them. Being over prepared is better than the alternative. No matter what the weather, come rain or shine, you’re going to have a fantastic camping holiday, making memories to keep for years to come.
Keen to strap those walking boots on, heading for some of the most picturesque camping spots in the UK? Find the site that’s got your name on it, and make that escape happen!
Get the latest news & special offers delivered to your inbox
Type the code from the image