Camping can be a great way to give the whole family a really great vacation as long as you remember a few camping necessities and tips. Not only is it a lot cheaper than most other types of holidays, but you also have the great outdoors for you and the children to play around in, making it healthy as well as loads of fun.

When going on a camping trip with children it is important to get a few things right. Things like getting to your chosen campsite in plenty of time to set up camp and get everything organised. The last thing you want to do is have the kids hanging around getting cold and bored, while you're trying to pitch a tent in the dark. This way you won't be starting your campout by getting stressed.

Kids love to feel a bit independent so if you can take two tents, one large one for the adults to sleep in, that also serves for eating meals and for the whole family during the daytime. And also a smaller pup tent for the younger ones to sleep in and as a refuge for when they want a break from mum and dad. Make sure its close enough to keep an eye on them so they stay safe though.

Make sure you bring along plenty of things for the kids, like books and games, so that they have plenty to keep themselves occupied, as you can't guarantee fine weather all the time, and at least if it is cold and wet outside they can amuse themselves. There is nothing worse than sitting in a tent listening to the rain with nothing to do.

If you have smaller or younger children, don't expect them to be able to keep up on long day hikes as they just won't be able to do it. Try to break the day up into smaller outings, this way it makes it much more of an adventure and they will find it fun and not a chore. Also find out as much as you can about the area in which you will be staying, so that you can organize lots of different day trips to any places of interest.

Summary

- Arrive in plenty of time to set up camp.

- Give the kids their own space (pup-tent)

- Bring books and games for bad weather days.

- Find out about the area your staying in, for day trips.

- Make sure to pack food and drink in case stores are closed on arrival.

- Let the kids get involved in whole thing, like pitching their own tent and helping with the cooking etc.

And don't forget to ENJOY IT, camping is supposed to be fun, after all that's the whole idea of a camping trip. Things won go right 100% of the time and you will make mistakes and have miss-haps, but those are the things that you will later look back on and have a good laugh about.

Lastly when you get back home make sure that you wash and repair any gear that needs it and then repack it ready for next time. That way your all set for your next top family vacation. There is nothing better than to load up the car with your camping gear and surprise the kids with an unexpected camping trip.