When it comes to family holidays with kids, there’s nothing more ‘classic family holiday’ than the camping trip. A rite of passage for many families around the world, there’s nothing quite like setting up a temporary home under the stars whilst you explore somewhere new. Having camped more times than we can remember as kids, and taken the plunge with our own family of little ones, we’re here to share six reasons why your next holiday should be a family camping trip.
It’s really affordable
Family holiday prices seem to be going up and up every year. As a family of five, it costs us thousands to go on holidays that include planes and accommodation! Camping gives us an affordable family option, with campsites available at all sorts of price points dependent on facilities. Last year, we went to a wonderful site in South Devon that cost us just £35 a night to camp in… bargain! Of course, the better facilities, the more you’re likely to pay but it’s about finding what best suits you and your family.
Your biggest cost is likely to be your tent or motorhome, and even then, there are affordable options thanks to companies like Goboony which allows you to rent motorhomes for your trip direct from their owners (or if you take the plunge and buy one, to list your own on there to rent out when you’re not using it… win win!). Everything else? Just take your items from home, whether it’s bedding or plates, you CAN buy specific camping equipment but you don’t HAVE to. We’ve even seen people take their air-fryer (slightly jealous of that one!) so you don’t even need a camping stove!
You’ll find it SO wholesome
Our kids are no strangers to spending time outdoors, but they’ve never spent more time out there than when we’re on a camping trip. From dawn to dusk we’re outside, whether it’s cooking breakfast, playing games, reading books or just chilling out. Why? Well there’s just more space out there than in the tent or van! It’s also a chance for all of us to unplug for a bit; no tv and no wifi means that screen time is severely limited for all of us, something that we all enjoy. Honestly, even on trips we’ve been on where it’s rained, we’ve all come back kinda glowing with that feeling of doing something really *good* together.
It’s flexible so it fits your needs
Family life is never predictable, and you want a holiday that’s going to reflect that. We’ve found campsites to be a LOT more flexible than other accommodation. For starters, there’s rarely a set handover day, which means your trip can be one night, or many, depending on what suits your busy schedules. If you’re not too concerned about where you camp, you can often find spaces last minute, allowing you to move around or add on days as the mood takes you. So if you’re having a brilliant time and you’re not quite ready for it to end… stay longer! That said, we’d always recommend booking your site in advance if you’re travelling with younger kids so that you secure your plot, especially in peak times or areas with limited site options.
They’ll learn new skills
A family camping trip with kids is never going to be the most relaxing holiday that you go on, but it will help to teach your kids life skills. Maybe they’ll learn how to work as a team to put up a tent or get the motorhome set up, or how to light a fire and cook over it. Perhaps you’ll find it a great opportunity to give them extra freedom by sending them off to get water, or get them involved in the washing up. A camping trip as a group requires everyone to work together and pitch in at times, making it a fantastic opportunity for learning some new skills. Afterall, there’s nowhere for anyone to hide!
It’s not as weather dependent as you think
We all think camping holiday and automatically go to blue skies and glorious sunshine don’t we. But the reality is that often your camping trip will involve a bit of rain, especially if you’re in the UK. We’re here to reassure you that your camping trip isn’t weather dependent. Is it easier to set up and break down your pitch in the dry? Yes, always. Is it a little more limiting in the rain? Yep, less inside space means that if it’s raining you’re going to be inside more and you’re going to have to try and keep your wet coats and boots from making everything wet. But you know what? It’s all an adventure! Our last wet trip meant we got to spend loads of time playing games inside and the kids LOVED it. They all said it was one of the best bits of their holiday!
Out of the many many trips that we’ve been on, we can honestly say we’ve never had to abandon one due to wet weather… in fact, the hardest trip we’ve done was pre-children in raging sunshine. It was far too hot, and our only shade was inside, which was even hotter. I think we ended up sat in the car driving to places just to enjoy the aircon momentarily! So don’t be put off by weather, we promise, you’ll have a great time regardless.
You’ll create core memories that last a lifetime
Some of my favourite memories as a child are from camping trips. There’s something really magical about getting to spend that time together away from distractions. Whether it’s staying up late chatting around the table, or cooking breakfast together over a tiny stove, camping is a real bonding experience that always results in memories. For me, that’s things like playing ball games with my parents on the grass outside the tent, road-tripping from campsite to campsite across France watching lightening storms across the valley whilst snuggled in our campervan, or laughing about the time a lizard got into our tent and my (now) husband freaked out about it. So many memories of family and friends stem from camping trips. One of my favourites? The time we took our own little family camping and the storm was so wild that the people next door grabbed their stuff and abandoned their tent, leaving us alone in a field with a tent that was a good ten years past being waterproof. Was it funny at the time? No. Do we laugh about it now? You bet. Will all of us remember it forever? Absolutely.
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