Camping

[Cautiontothewind]

Hi.
I really wanted to try camping this year as we've never been and I really feel my kids aged 4 and 6 will enjoy it. I've bought a tent second hand, an ullswater 6 man one just for us to give it a go before shelling out hundreds potentially!
My husband isn't quite so keen (actually not keen at all) so I was wondering what necessary things I should buy to make it as comfortable and nice as it can be please! We'd be looking at going April/May time so it's warm.

Oh I love camping , would chose that over a posh hotel any day

Go in the summer when it less likely to rain and more likely to be warm! That will take out lots of the worry!

A folding washing up bowl with pockets round the outside and handles. Life changing on a camping trip! Good for transporting dirty and clean dishes to a wash up area or doing a wash up in the tent if the weather is bad, but also for temporarily storing dirty dishes, washing hair/strip washes in the tent, ice bucket for drinks. Pockets hold washing up equipment and toiletries. Sounds bonkers but it was my best ever camping buy!

This thread has reminded me of all the excellent reasons why I gave up camping. I had some brilliant and terrible experiences, but I am definitely happy to leave that chapter of my life closed.

Camping loo to avoid middle of the night trips to the toilet block, ours is really basic, no chemicals required, just bin bags and cat litter

I think I'd save up for a second hand caravan or trailer tent rather than a nice tent actually, seeing as you've already got a cheap tent for now. Some of them aren't that much more than higher spec large tents.

So much more fun for family holidays than a tent and you don't have all the extra hidden costs of kit to sleep/live in a tent. By the time you've shelled out for all the stuff you need for camping it's not cheaper anymore.

Unless you want to be able to hike to your campsite or wild camp.

You don't really need all the stuff so many families take but it depends on what you are happy with. Some people love going minimal and others hate it. Never had a table or a toilet myself for example

First time just go to somewhere with more extensive facilities and a cafe/bar etc like a resort so that if its dreadful there will be a playground and a drink and maybe an indoor pool to keep the kids happy. If you can cope with camping there then you can branch out.

If you cant afford that then go very close to home so that you can be home in an hour if you cant face anymore.

We have camped several times over May Day weekend (1st bank holiday w/e). It has snowed several times and we’ve often woken up to a frost. We can cope with it as we are used to camping but if you are trying to convince your Dh that camping is a lovely choice, I’d leave it a bit later in the season. Even May half term is warmer and it’s never snowed on us then, which helps.

My best tip is to take a bucket for night time wees. As it’s so cold (and rains a lot) you probably won’t want to be trekking across a campsite to the toilet block at 2am and will be even more annoyed with yourself if you get back in to bed to hear the dc waking up and needing to go.

Booze.
And stuff to make the kids excited to go to bed, we take glow sticks and projector torches, fairy lights. Get a takeaway but take lots of nice snacks and a £5 stove with a pan from home is enough to make a cup of tea and bacon butty in the morning which is one of the best bits. Eye mask and ear plugs so you’re not woken too early. The thing that changed it for my OH was getting a proper camp bed and going somewhere with nice loos. If you work out what he hates about the idea and go from there!

And a she wee!

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My favourite purchase last year

@bravotango

To keep warm when it's v cold (this kit was essential for August bank holiday weekend in Snowdonia)

Raised camp beds (you can get these v cheap from go outdoors or second hand) with a foil mat underneath
3 season sleeping bag
Thermals for under pyjamas
Two burner hob for cooking breakfasts and heating hot chocolate for by the fire
Cheap fleecy blankets from Primark or similar for over knees when sitting by the fire

For entertaining kids of that age - camping in itself is an adventure! Choose somewhere where you can park your car nearby to charge iPad for movies at bedtime. Geocaching is fun too!

You have my packing list for car camping... although I am a bit nesh and add hot water bottles.

Campers must be a bit mad to camp in this country. LOL.

Good on you those who enjoy it. Plenty of good advice from similar mad camping people here. I really don't get it. Sorry now.

Thank you for all the replies!
So we're all total novices.. For me I want to do it as the kids will enjoy it and least we can do something this year! I'm not convinced my husband will massively enjoy it but he'd do it for the kids lol.
I am aware it'll be cold at night still even in the summer really so we have air beds, sleeping bags and we're also planning on taking duvets etc.
The toilet at night thing does concern me so I may actually look to get a shewee!

A caravan would actually be my preference too unfortunately it seems the pitch fees are extortionate everywhere and we wouldn't want it outside our house always. We'd also have no idea where to go to use it lol. But yes I completely agree that a caravan is much nicer than a tent.
However with what's going on this year I'll take what I can get in terms of doing fun things with the kids!

Does anyone have any campsite suggestions for the Hampshire area please?
Also what's an electric hook up and where would I buy one!

EHU... You buy the cables from any big camping store. It's like an extension cable. Then normal stuff plugs in. You just need to book campsites with the capability.

@Cautiontothewind do you have a GoOutdoors near you? We got most of our basic bits from there? Electric hook up for us is essential and isn't that much more (we find the campsites are nicer too). We use this for our chargers, blowing up the air bed, heater, kettle if I can't wait for the whistling one on the stove! 🙈

There are caravan lock ups that are cheaper than permanent site fees if you want to go that way

I love camping and love our tent! Seriously- do not expect it to be warm going camping in April or May though, unless you're going to a hot country! I went camping in Devon in the Easter holidays once. Beautiful sunny weather, but absolutely freezing at night, to the extent that I couldn't sleep (with good sleeping bag, blankets, hat and gloves on). I only camp in the summer holidays now!

It will be too cold for the kids then. Try June-Aug.

Air beds are like freezers, with no proper underlay. Make sure to put something warm underneath you.

It can be fun but it's a lot of hassle.

My husband hates being cold and I'm not a fan either so may rethink the month lol.
I'm trying to be sensible and not buy loads in case we hate it... But I also know we may like it more if we have a few of the comfort bits

Sticking with my earlier suggestion of going somewhere easy for the first time I would suggest Sandy Balls in the New Forest. Admittedly pricey and not really camping but useful to see if you can get the tent up and sleep and enjoy actually being under canvas before you strike out to a proper campsite with many less facilities.

Yes, it's easy to underestimate the temperature issue until you've tried camping - and if you have small children and a reluctant husband, one freezing camping trip may put them off for life!

Even in the summer, the trick is to layer up before you begin to get a bit chilly in the evening. We take hats and gloves camping even in August. Once you're cold it's very hard to get warm again. I prefer an air bed for comfort, but as a pp said, you need a layer under it too. I've only ever been too warm once while camping - and that was in the south of France!