Camping & children's club - how necessary are they?

[Mercedes]

We're thinking of going camping for the first time to either Brittany or the Vendee. We've got 1 DD aged 4. She's very sociable and I like the idea of her making some friends while we're there and have someone to play with. If this happens I might get some reading time and doing nothing time.
What i don't know is whether the children's club is essential or are they too organised?

[Mercedes]

no camping fans out there to give me some advice?

[laurawaterford]

try " matthews holiday message board " . its a discussion board which covers family camping (and not just matthews ones!) good luck

[Blandmum]

It depends on your child TBH.

Mine don't like them much, and would rather make pals with other child at the playground.

We find that our kids like to go off on their own (within agreed boundaries and for limited periods of time)) on a camp site. That said, mine are a bit older than your dd.

Canvas and Keycamp but run kids clubs, be these are more your 'organised' games rather than the standard you get at Mark Warner et al. If your kids are unhappy, they bring them straight back to you!

I can recomend some good sites in the vendee if you are interested?

[Mercedes]

yes please. I've never been there before.

[Blandmum]

we are going to Domaine de la foret (keycamp go there), a nice small campsite

Garengeroire (sp?? Keycamp go there) a bigger campsite with excellent facilities, large piches and water park etc....too big for little ones to explore alone IMHO
Camping La Yole (keycamp and Canvas)....nice a bit dusty underfoor, superb water park , too big for littles to explore alone IMHO
Camping le bois Dormont (keycamp and canvas)....great facilities but very big. Better for people with active teens IMHO

All the above have kids clubs....don't know the minimum age offhand

If you are going as an independent traveler Camping Pong (I kid you not) is rather nice. Smaller but with good facilities. Donesn't have a kids club??

[crunchie]

We love going where there are kids camps, we have been to Le Clarys Plage in the Vendee and it was great (FAB pool area IMHO) The kids clubs were great.

We also find the kids (our are 6 and 4 now) make a few new friends that they then meet in the playgrounds etc. Our fave campsite is in the Loire called Chateau de Marais. hopefully we will be goiung again in the May half term. However the kids club was mixed ages which was not as good.

We usually try to get them 2 or 3 kids clubs in teh week.

Look for a site that has the different 'Fun stations' as the'fun station for all' has kids from 4 - 11 (ish) and wasn't as good.