What is essential camping gear?

[Oliviab]

OK have tent and am committed to giving camping a go with our 2yr old and 1yr old as often as possible next year. Seems like now is a good time to buy all the other gubbins cheap so what do people think is essential?
Beds: footpump airbed or self-inflating mat thingy?
Cooking: plan to do as little as poss (yay for campsites with pizza takeaways)but maybe tea, soup etc. What do I need?
Loo: Will a potty do between us all for emergencies? (plan to be nr proper loos)
Misc: thought a windbreak might be useful to set theoretical boundaries for the kids?
Any help greatly appreciated, thanks, Liv

Airbeds are much more comforatble than self inflating foam mats but are much heavier so if you are going by car I'd take the airbed (they're usually cheaper to and you can now get airbeds that inflate themselves through an using eletric pump, built in or seperate, which is much easier than using a foot pump. If you aren't doing lots of cooking you can now get single burned stoves that use aersol type gas these are much more stable than hiking type stoves and the gas is getting easier to find you can get big double burner stoves but mostly these need big gas canisters and take up half you boot space in the car.
Something else to consider is a baby rucsac especially if you plan to go walking as even the best trails aren't any use for a buggy (discovered this on holiday last year at Loch Ness). Also esential would be good waterproofs and warm clothes (tiso's do a really good range of little ones waterproofs if you are in Scotland, Newcastle or London) they also do little sizes in things like rucsacs, waterbottles and such things.
Most of the big outdoor stores tend to have sales after chirsitmas which is a good place to find cheap gear as long as you don't mind it being older colours.

I prefer self inflating mattresses but have never tried an air bed that self inflates- they sound good (can't be doing with a foot pump).

Def take a potty as you don't want to be running to the loo all the time for LO. A small paddling pool (i.e. tescos value one) is good as a 'bath', showers can be unpredictable in temp and a pain.

Fold up water bottles are useful, as is deckchairs and ground sheets. Dustpan brush? Also a bucket for washing up- easier to carry to the sinks and useful for other things. Perhaps a collasable table/bench set.

Definately take packet food which can be heated in 1 pan, i.e. soups, flavoured pasta, rice and noodles. These can be most welcoming if anyone is cold.

Light (check out a few different kinds and youll find one that suits you best)
Torch (for wandering round in the dark...There are some good one you can put on your head so as to keep both hands free....if you dont mind looking daft
Portable Radio/TV for nights in
Penknife/Multitool (Useful for all kinds of things)
First aid kit(I just make up my own tbh)
Sleeping bags (get the best you can afford. Its also worth getting small ones for the kids as they can get very cold in adult ones)
Waterproofs/wellies for the kids so they can still play out in the rain.
Cooker We have a small one ringed gas one and do all our cooking on it. Have a range of one saucepan meals we cook. the flat cookers with aersol cannisters are the best and Id avoid the camping gas ones as they knock over really easily esp with 2 kids around.

I've seen that quite a lot of campers set up a gazebo in front of the tent to give a cooking and sitting area.

Baby wipes.

Have just seen a load of camping stuff in Tescos today very cheap, collasable water carriers, stoves for one, small kettles etc.

the address of a nearby hotel, just in case....