Camping is a great way to enjoy a budget holiday, and there are so many wonderful sites across the UK to choose from. It also gives you the flexibility to visit lots of different attractions and have some wonderful family days out in places further from home, as you can often pitch up at a nearby campsite for a fraction of what it would cost to stay in a hotel. And the camping itself becomes part of the fun of the experience for kids, who'll love things like toasting marshmallows over an open fire or playing with other kids on the campsite. I've been on a few camping trips with my husband and two sons, Odhran, 9, and Reuben, 6, over the years - most recently at Camp Bestival in Dorset. But, aside from the tent itself, here are some of the camping essentials we find worth the investment - many of which you'll also find incredibly useful on other occasions too, such as at family festivals, days out, and trips to the beach. If you're an active and adventure led family, then here are a few things you'll want to get your hands on....
Trolley
This has been a game changer for us! I can't believe how difficult we were making life for ourselves by not having one until recently. On camping trips where it's not always possible to park right next to where you're pitching your tent, a trolley is brilliant for hauling your belongings from the boot of the car to the site. It'll save you doing several runs, while maybe having to drag the kids back and forth with you.
You could spend up to £200 on one of these, but we love our £65 Utility Folding Trolley from Wickes. For the price, we think it's very good value for money. It's got good sturdy wheels, a strong frame, and can carry up to 100kgs. It's easy to steer and it folds flat for easy storage in the boot of the car. We also love the two little mesh pockets at the front which are handy for holding a drink.
Aside from its camping benefits, a trolley is a family festival goers most coveted item. We took our Wickes' trolley to Camp Bestival and I can't imagine how different the experience would have been without it. At Camp Bestival campers are allowed to bring their own food and drink into the festival grounds. I popped my boxed wine into a cooler bag, along with soft drinks, water and snacks for the kids, and put the heavy cooler bag in the trolley, alongside camping chairs to later sit and watch the performances on stage, and jumpers for the boys if it got a bit chilly. The trolley meant we could move about in comfort, knowing we'd everything we might need, and not have to worry about the hassle of needing to head back to the campsite if we required something later in the day. At night, the trolley doubles up as a place for little ones to take a nap. Just pop a pair of ear defenders on your child and let them rest while you enjoy the late night festival performances.
At Camp Bestival, lots of families had pimped up trolleys, with cushions, fairy lights and coverings for any rain showers. Camp Bestival even has a competition for the best decorated trolley, and some are so imaginative. Festivals can involve a lot of walking, and Reuben spent so much time being pulled around in the trolley. If it hadn't been for this essential piece of equipment, he'd have spent a lot of time on my poor husband's shoulders, or dragging his feet and complaining or tired little legs. Other uses we've found for our trolley have been at a theme park (it saves having to rent one of their buggies when little legs get tired) and on a recent trip to the beach, where it carried our chairs, towels, picnic bag, and buckets and spades. It also helped to keep everything from getting covered in sand. A trolley is an incredibly useful piece of equipment for any young family.
Cooler box
It's less attractive and more industrial looking than other cooler boxes. But what we love about the 25.5 litre DEWALT DWST1-81333 DS404 TOUGHSYSTEM Cooler Box is that it's fitted with PU insulation that provides five day ice retention without any batteries or power - this is great when you're somewhere, such as at a festival, where you don't have access to power to use an electric cooler box.
For Camp Bestival, we put a few ice packs in the cooler and it kept our milk, beers, wine, soft drinks and food products like yoghurts and bacon at fridge temperature for a couple of days. It would have kept things cooler for a couple of days more but we were taking ice blocks from the cooler box and popping them into a cooler bag to take from the campsite into the festival grounds during the day, so they were melting.
We didn't think to purchase a bag of ice from the campsite shop to add to the cooler box, which would have kept drinks chilled for longer. We've loaned it to friends on a camping trip and they were impressed and said it kept their drinks completely chilled for the three days they were away.
Recently, we filled up our DEWALT Cooler Box with frozen COOK meals and popped it in the boot of the car to take on a long drive from London to a self-catering caravanning holiday site in Devon. After a six hour drive, everything in the cooler box was still frozen solid when we arrived and ready to pop into the freezer at our accommodation. So, the DEWALT cooler box is not only great for camping, but also if you want to keep food or drinks ice cold on a long journey. The only downside to the DEWALT cooler box is its size and weight, and it's a pricey £143 from Wickes. But it can't be beaten for its ability to keep things cold for days.
Cooler backpack
When we camp it's usually with the view to going out during the days and exploring the local area and attractions. There's little point in having a good cooler box in your tent if you then pack your drinks into a rucksack where they'll be all warmed up by the time you want a refreshment. This is why we love this Strawberries & Cream Insulated 4 Person Picnic Backpack Set from Dunelm. We love the cheery, summery design, and take this backpack with us on every family day out. Aside from the attractive design, it's really practical. We pop a couple of ice packs in the bottom of the bag and fill it with drinks and a picnic, and everything stays cool all day long.
We've carried this bag around on hot days out at Theme Parks and National Trust sites, and it's sat on a beach for hours in the height of summer, but still we've reached in to find a nice cold bottle of water. And when my son handed me a half eaten chocolate cookie to keep hold of, I was able to pop it in the cooler bag to keep the chocolate from melting. It's spacious and its padded straps make it comfortable to carry. Picnic perfect, it comes with a front compartment, holding four strawberry decorated plastic plates, four plastic wine glasses, and four sporks. The only downside is that for £65, I was disappointed when on our very first outing with this bag, the little clasps, which the buckles are attached to, fell off and got lost. It doesn't affect the function of the bag, as it's got zips so stays perfectly sealed. But it looks less attractive with the missing buckles. And it could do with a little side pocket to store your phone or purse. If you're particularly enamoured with the design, Dunelm sell a matching trolley and picnic blanket.
Available from here
Quality Air mattress
When it comes to affordable camping supplies, Aldi has got you covered. I'm in a few camping groups online, and people are always posting and recommending camping equipment and accessories they've picked up for a good price from Aldi. Every summer, Aldi releases middle aisle and special buys that are perfect for outdoor adventures, and prices usually start at just a few pounds - everything from tarp and tent pegs, to sleeping bags and string lights. This year, campers have been going wild for Aldi's full body sleepsuit - Aldi always seems to come up with products you don't realise you need until you see them! During our summer camping, we slept on a Bestway Queen Air Bed with Foot Pump in grey (also comes in navy) from Aldi.
This air mattress costs around £30, which we felt was very good value for the quality and comfort. The built in foot pump means it can inflated in about five minutes. It's sturdy and held its air for about 36 hours before needing a top up. And this was with my two young sons chasing each other round inside the tent and running and jumping on the mattress. I liked the height of the mattress and the velvety soft top made for a comfortable night's sleep. There's room for two adults and a young child to sleep on this mattress.
My husband and I slept on the queen-sized Bestway air bed. But Odhran and Reuben slept on the pricier Silentnight Camping Deluxe Airbed. This also has an integrated foot pump at the corner of the bed and is quick to inflate. It's designed with a double flock soft fabric surface, and a raised pillow for comfort. Like the Bestway, it's also handy for indoors use if you have guests and not enough bed space. The boys certainly enjoy a good night's sleep on the Silentnight airbed, but it does come with a pricier tag of £64.99 for the double (also available in single). Silentnight is a good place for other camping supplies too, such as sleeping bags for both adults and children, which are made from soft and fluffy softfill fibres, and cost between £25-£30.
Multi-purpose Air Pump
We were pleasantly surprised by the usefulness of the Witt Multi-Purpose Air Pump on our camping trip. We like to get outdoors and will regularly take the bikes with us on a trip. Having the air pump meant we did not have to worry about flat tyres on the bikes but also meant that we had an added layer of reassurance knowing that it can be used on car tyres too.
Integrated into the unit is a powerful flashlight and a couple of multi-use adapters. The flashlight was genuinely useful, and we used it every night when crossing the dark fields back to the tent. It definitely saved us a tumble a few times on some overly lengthy guy ropes, and it was super useful at Camp Bestival when you really don't want to be going into those portaloos in the dark!
The adapters work on general sports balls and other pin inflated items along with screw adapters for bicycle and car tyres. But the best thing about the pump is the extension unit, which doubles as another very powerful flashlight, with an in built SOS flash signal, and a power bank battery pack. Using the built in USB slot you can charge devices on the go, which was very handy as our pitch had no electricity feed.
It charges phones pretty swiftly and we found the capacity to be more than sufficient for a few days camping - especially if you arrive with a full phone battery to start with.
At Camp Bestival, you could rent a locker with a power socket to charge your phone. But this cost £30 for a small locker or £40 for a larger one, and availability was limited. So, I think it makes more sense to invest in a power pack like this Witt multi-purpose device. Finally, in true Scandi style, the unit is beautifully designed, sleek and attractive looking with a military and durable feel. I can imagine this lasting us a long time, which is good considering it is on the pricier side of similar offerings, costing £109. Though at the time of writing, it's currently on sale for £79. Considering the quality of the materials used I imagine it's prove worth its cost in the long run. Available to purchase from Witt's eBay store here
Boxed wine
This was the summer I discovered the convenience of boxed wine, which will now be my go-to bring along for camping trips, festivals, picnics, and barbecues with friends. The Great Wave Sauvignon Blanc Bag in a Box from Ocado has a lovely fresh taste that's not too sweet or too dry, and has zesty notes of lime and tropical fruit. I took this on a self-catering holiday and popped it in my cooler bag to take to the beach, where it was lovely to sip a chilled glass (using the plastic wine glasses from my cooler backpack featured above) as I sat and read a book in the sun. I love how easy it is to pour from the little spout that stays well sealed and doesn't leak whether the box is left upright or lying on its side. Red wine fans might enjoy When in Rome Red Wine Montepulciano d'Abruzzo DOC from Ocado - a medium-bodied red packed with cherry fruit and notes of crushed black pepper. One of the many benefits of wine in a box is that it stays fresh for longer, and this one claims to stay fresh for up to six weeks once opened. It's priced £29 for 2.25 litres. Ocado also do cardboard bottles of wine.
On a more budget-friendly end of the scale, Aldi do a selection of boxed wines for a value price of £13.99 for 2.25 litres. We took their Baron Amarillo Sauvignon Blanc to Camp Bestival. We popped it in a cooler bag in the trolley and it kept costs down, as I didn't have to then buy from the bar. This crisp dry wine has a lemony/grapefruit taste, which was nice on a summer's day.
Boxed wine is better value for money than bottled, and it's more environmentally friendly. It's also great for camping trips as it's more lightweight and you don't have to worry about glass smashing when bags are being tossed about. Aldi also this year launched its first ever paper bottle gin, which is perfect for taking to festivals where glass isn't allowed. Greyson's London Dry Gin is a smooth tipple with citrus and juniper flavours, complimented with botanical hints for a delicate finish. It costs £13.99 for a 70cl bottle. It was worried the bottle might rip but it was sturdy and stood up to being bash about. As we entered Camp Bestival, a member of security pointed to the bottle of gin in my trolley and said 'sorry, no glass'. I was pleased to inform her that it was in a fact made of cardboard.
Kids entertainment
Glitter, face paint, bubble guns/wands and light up toys, all help to add to a sense of fun and excitement on a family camping trip with kids, and if you're heading to a festival, they're an essential. We took a Face Paint Party Set from The Entertainer to Camp Bestival, and while my face printing skills might not be the best, Reuben was thrilled with how his pirate look turned out, which saved me the hefty cost of getting his face painted at a festival stall.
The box comes with a handy sheet including several looks, including a butterfly, tiger and rabbit, which you can use as a guide. At the time of writing, this set was in summer sale at The Entertainer for a great value price of £7, reduced from £14. Look out for summer sales on this kind of thing, as Tesco was also doing a sale with their bubble guns and bubble mixture down half price. Also, at the moment, Argos has a get summer sale on its camping supplies.
And don't forget to have a couple of games - card games such as UNO or a travel board game to keep kids occupied or to enjoy together as you sit outdoors on a summer evening, or as you huddle inside your tent, should the weather take a turn for the worst. Snake & Ladders On The Go, from The Entertainer, was great for keeping the boys occupied in the mornings, while I was cooking breakfast or packing up the trolley to take out for the day. It's got a lid and the pieces pin into the board so they don't get lost. This is super great value, down to £3.50 from £7 in the summer sale.