First time camping

[justaddwater]

Help after much pressure from the kids, we have caved and booked a camping holiday. None of us have been camping before, so have no idea what equipment we need. We have a tent and beds, bedding, chairs, torches, a stove, cooking + eating utensils and a loo. What else do we need?

I'd bin the loo. Campsites provide toilets.

I camp with my Guides with a “just in case” style of packing and also on my own at Jamborees where I go by train so much more limited in what I can take. Things I miss when I’m on my own are:

A folding table, to keep things off the ground especially for eating

A gazebo, or a tent with a porch big enough to sit in camping chairs in if it’s raining

A washing line (just some poles and rope and someone who knows how to put it up)

We also have a folding storage unit which packs down quite small and is very useful

Tea towels, pegs, washing up bowl and gear.

Lantern (as well as torches)

Sliders/crocs for loo run in the night.

Thermos cup to keep brews warm!

Bin bags for rubbish

Big Clear plastic boxes for storing stuff in and transporting

Electric hook up?

Fairy lights 😊

Collapsible water caddy

Pillows
Lots of Toilet roll and kitchen roll
Camping stove and a kettle
Citronella candles
Board games
Pack of cards

I wouldn't bin the loo. I've got one for camping as who wants to walk across the field in the middle of the night for a piss? No me! Trolls may be in the grass! Lol.
Tent, beds, utensils, cooker, table and chairs, heater just in case, electric hookup (more useful than you think if they offer it) plastic boxes for utensils and food, lanterns/torches, sleeping bags or duvet. You'll learn as you go on what you need x

Camping kettle!! Forgot that one 😂😂

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I'm not feeling quite so overwhelmed and clueless now. I'm pregnant and don't really feel like trekking to the loo every 5 minutes in the night so I'm definitely going to be keeping the loo 😁

It might be a bit late now but check out Eurocamp and other such companies. All you need to take is sheets and towels. We did this for the first few years and then last year invested in everything. (We bought a berghaus air tent and love it). Did a one stop online shop from Blacks. And bought a trailer

Have fun!

un scented wipes to clean grubby mitts and cutlery that has fallen on the floor .
tea bags/ coffee/ wine . salt & pepper , oil if you are going to be frying eggs etc put oil into a bottle with a good lid , not the type they come in or it will leak everywhere .
washing up liquid ( although we tended to use paper / plastic plates cutlery )
basic 1st aid kit for grazes/ bites / etc. sun cream

check to make sure the site allows BBQs if you are planing on using one .

glow in the dark or highly reflective stuff like a hi-vis jacket or even smooth tin foil to reflect your torch light so that you can see your tent in the dark . it is all very well carrying a torch to the loos but it can be hard to know in which direction to head back sometimes .

Pack of cards / dominoes or other simple games for when its raining, dont rely to much on games that need batteries or have pieces that can get lost easily .

Toothpaste / shampoo / comb etc
Battery bank / pack for your phones. .

Have fun

I'd prefer to walk across the field in the middle of the night to keeping a toilet full of wee in the tent all night, and having to empty it in the morning.

They are bulky too - will use up a lot of room in the car.

A she-wee funnel and a plastic bottle are an alternative to a camping toilet. Using the funnel takes a bit of getting used to, though!

You’ll definitely want a table. Proper camping tables have chairs/benches/stools that fold inside.

A couple of decent lanterns to light the tent.

I love having EHU when camping. We didn’t bother for the first year, then tried it last year and now I don’t think I’d want to do longer than one or, at a push, two nights without EHU. We take a toaster, electric travel kettle, heater and all our chargers and stuff.

A tent you can stand up in. A heater. A George Forman grill.

Pocket first aid kit. Please, pack anything you want but add a first aid kit. I will be eternally grateful to the neighbouring tent who had one when we didn't!!!