Camping for beginners

[duckling84]

Ok so I have 4 children and would like to take them camping. Aside from our one experience at Glastonbury, we are complete newbies. so aside from tent and sleeping bags, what are the essentials to take? How do you cook food or store milk for breakfast?
I'm going to start with just 2 nights at our most local campsite I think.

If you're just starting out I would recommend not buying too much incase you discover its not for you!
For cooking I would get a couple of suitcase stoves, they're really cheap but will reheat a curry or fry bacon etc perfectly we.
You can buy a basic coolbox and check if your campsite has a freezer to refreeze ice packs, which should keep your milk cold for a couple of days.
If you really enjoy it you could think about buying something like an icey tek which will keep your stuff cold for around five days.

Something to sleep on: kids are fine in roll out foam mats. Heavier folk (adults) generally prefer an air bed or self-inflating mat.

Some folding chairs are useful, and a folding table.

Head torches for the kids at night, hanging lantern for the tent.

You can use stuff from your kitchen, there are packs of cheap plastic bowls, plates etc in Sainsbury’s picnic ranges.

A washing up bowl.

Bucket to wee in at night.

I am not a fan of cereal for camping breakfasts. Too much milk to manage, the kids spill it when using camp chairs and tables, the bowls with leftover milk are a pain to deal with. Packs of brioche rolls or individually wrapped croissants etc. Lidl is your friend!

The easiest way we've found to take milk is long life half litres. We use one for each morning (brews and cereal) and then it's gone. We just take one for each day. We take instant latte etc for the day, and hot choc sachets for night. Don't forget something to store water in or take some bottles with you.

It's hard to get the balance right, if you don't get enough stuff you're more likely to be miserable but there's no point buying loads of stuff before you know you like it. I would buy a couple of suitcase stoves as mentioned above and a small set of camping pans. (Sausages are always easier than bacon because they don't stick).

If you know someone who camps you could always borrow sims/air beds and take your own bedding rather than sleeping bags which will minimise the outlay.

Pop a couple of games in for the kids, uno is popular here and a cricket/rounders set.

I would take a washing up bowl, small amount of washing liquid, folding chairs, pegs to peg tea towels towels out with, warm pj’s, crocs for adults and kids are great for going across a dewy field for a wee. Try to borrow some equipment or camp somewhere near a pub and have a bar meal there.

Whatever you do, get a camping kettle. Even if it's raining and the kids are whining, everything's alright with a cup of tea or coffee! Plus, there's so much you can eat just by having a kettle alone. E.g. Couscous, instant porridge pots, cuppa soup, instant noodles etc....

For out first few trips we survived on a combination of food made with a camping kettle, packet food and eating out. No stove needed.

This is a link to a directory of uk campsites with pre-erected tents. www.pitchup.com/campsites/-/pre-erected-tents/

We didn't buy a camping stove. We used disposable barbecues. Wilko do a party sized one for £5 which might be preferable for a family of 6.