Tips for living a more outdoorsy lifestyle with young children.

[Kittybluecat]

We are having a wonderful summer in Europe in our little car with a 6yr old and baby.

We leave our accommodation early to visit family, go on excursions etc and get back home at the kids bedtime. We take picnic foods with us for our lunch and evening meal and share/contribute so an not to impose on those we visit.

We are keen to continue living more outside of the house once we get back to the UK at weekends and school holidays. We want to try the same idea and visit family further afield. DH thinks its impossible as we head into autumn, wet weather and cooking food on the go. I want to at least explore the idea.

I'm wondering if anyone can share similar experiences, advise on camping stoves of some sort, one pot meals ideas and what utensils would be a good investment.
Also what sort of things could we do as a young family when not visiting/spending day with family. What if its raining? Does that stop you having an outdoorsy lifestyle or do you wear waterproofs.

You'll definitely need more kit for wet and cooler weather. Could you look into getting an awning that attaches to the car for cooking and shelter?

We like to plan trips around national trust sites so there's always somewhere indoors to go if needed, as well as a hot drink.

It would take planning and a cheerful acceptance of wet weather but if you want to do it you certainly could.

It's idyllic on good weather not so much in a howling gale. We are outdoorsy in that we have a dog so go on long walks every day whatever the weather but I'm not going to be packing up pic Nic's and waterproofs for fun.

We started with a trangia which is a cheap effective light one pan cooking stove. As time went on we also got a proper cooking gas two ring stove.

Trangias can make a lot of one pot stews - chilli etc. they're pretty good for breakfasts as well - fry sausages and eggs together.

Decent food flasks keep food hot for a good few hours if you just want a hot meal in the middle of the day. Great for things like bolognaise, chilli etc.

Great idea. Never occurred to me. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll have a look in decathlon.

Great idea thank you

I went to a talk once from a family who lived by 5-9. So they used this evening window to have micro outdoor adventures - maybe just going to the park with your camping stove and cooking your dinner. Or to somewhere safe to light a fire and cook sausages and marshmallows or build a shelter from a tarp or sticks. And if you are feeling brave sleep under it.

get what you need organised so you can pick up and go.

it doesn’t have to be fancy, it is just being outside.

During summer we spend most of our weekends on fells and mountains. Or visiting water falls and going for a swim. In winter we spend a lot of time at the beach or in local forests. I like the sho bottles for keeping water warm all day. I take cups and tea bags/coffee separately to make the drinks. I think they make flasks for soup/warm pasta now too. Get a decent water proof picnic blanket. And as baby grows, move up to a toddler/pre school carrier so you're not restricted by little legs. We like a fabric one as they fold down small. Long term we plan to get a camper. Not just for nights away but great for having somewhere to change/cook a meal/keep warm.

Waterproofs and get on with it in the UK.

Work with your local area and explore and you can find places to shelter & eat. Like around us there are bothies or old stone huts you can use, even had a picnic in a cave once (we took candles!).

Also plan walks with a cafe half way or at the end in winter so you can have a bit of a break from the elements!

My DPs did this with my DSis and me. A childhood of traipsing around outside created a huge dislike of anything outdoorsy in both of us. So just be careful what you wish for!

Decent waterproofs from actual outdoor suppliers.
Ditto warm clothing.

Folding chairs in the back of the car: sitting in the ground is less attractive in winter, you can find nice places to park and picnic near the car before or after a walk.

The little folding very light small mats in your rucksacks - warm for sitting on damp cold logs and walls in winter. Google sit mats for hiking

Different things each time: hot chic made in stove or carried in a good flask, and take squirty cream to add. Soup another time. V small pan and small stove and cook sausages for a hot dog.

NT membership is good, lots of properties have great walking trails, they have car parks in good places.

Plan shorter days as it gets dark early.

Being cold and wet will put the kids off so don’t be too ambitious.

Good weatherproof clothing and walking boots, flexibility about what you’re planning and not forgetting the simpler things like building a fire on the beach and toasting marshmallows, making a den in the woods or walking up a hill to watch the sunset.

We live near the beach, we often have picnic dinners. Cooking chilli and rice / stir fry / spaghetti bol as normal then putting it into food flasks and heading to the beach, eat in the car or on the beach then have a walk / play games when younger.

Once you are out it's easier to stay out. If you have dinner at home, then clear up, then you'll get busy doing X,Y,Z chores and then it's too late to go out.

Also it doesn't always have to be cooking on a stove and hard work, some times when it is hot we'll find a takeaway pizza and have that on the beach or somewhere nice.

Ours did the same and we all still do as much outside as possible!