Planning some camping with the kids? Or nephews, nieces, godsons, goddaughters… well you get the picture. This guest post from the good folk at Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park, will help you get to grips with finding the perfect tent, no matter many little pairs of feet there are!
Choose a tent for all seasons
Before you buy, consider where you’re going to be camping. How exposed is it? If it’s off-season, how harsh could the weather potentially get? Family tents come in all shapes and sizes (tunnel, dome, cabin and so on) each with their own pros and cons. Read reviews online and ask your camping supplier for assurances that the material is going to be waterproof from the ground up and wind proof enough for your needs, and that it’ll remain stable while still providing enough headroom and living space for you all to move around and hang out in comfort.
Get communal…
With the UK’s weather being such a capricious entity, a communal area with enough room for a table and foldaway chairs is a must-have for family camping holidays – especially during those unexpected downpours. Make sure you can stand up and move around comfortably too, as you’ll no doubt be grateful for the extra room when you’re feeding the kids, helping them change into their wellies and so on.
Camping families often end up trading up to ever largr tents year on year, so it’s worth investing in as big a tent as you can get away with first off. The Golden Rule? Trade car storage space for precious hanging-out-in-the-tent space, every time. Beware of going too crazy, though – during the peak months, space is at a premium on campsites, and the more citadel-like your tent is, the less likelihood there is of finding a pitch with enough level ground.
The best family tents have a large space for communal living
Additional top tip: make sure you have had a practice run pitching your tent before you go, to avoid high stress situations on campsite arrival. Failing that, you can check out online guides to putting your tent up, like this one on the North Face Mountain Manor.
Give everyone space
While adults sometimes forget the feeling of freedom that accompanies camping and remain focused on the logistics, for kids, especially youngsters experiencing staying outdoors for the first time, it’s an exciting time to explore and feel independent. Camping suppliers have wasted no time providing tents with separate compartments created by hanging dividers, and even dedicated kids’ rooms, decorated in attractive themes. Mini child-size tents are also something you might want to consider, to give the young ones a space to set up and call their own.
Make sure you’ve got games
It almost goes without saying – it’s not just you and the kids you’ll need tent space for, but all your activities, games and toys too. You’ll no doubt need to bring more of these than you’d think to keep everyone occupied back at base.
And space to store everything
So you’ll need to consider precisely how you’re going to tame your inevitable camping clutter. Family tents offer lofts and internal storage pockets to keep things as tidy as possible.
Mmm, the huge tents may seem like a great idea, until it comes to packing it down and popping it back in the car! (photo c/o efestivals.co.uk)
A large porch or awning area (sometimes available to buy as an extension) is a great way of providing somewhere for the kids to play It’s also a useful space to attempt to dry off waterproofs, store toys and other paraphernalia, and separate wet clothes from dry.
Consider the packing down size
Large family tents can be heavy when folded away, and along with all your other gear, can be tricky to move around. Some manufacturers make tents that pack down into storage cases with wheels, for ease of movement.
Mmm, the huge tents may seem like a great idea, until it comes to packing it down and popping it back in the car! photo courtesy of efestivals. <http://www.efestivals.co.uk/>
Choose the right stuff
Your tent should stand up to the weather conditions, but this doesn’t mean you need something that wouldn’t look out of place at Everest Base Camp! Polyester copes better with UV, but nylon is more lightweight; and you can choose between steel and lighter fibreglass poles to keep the weight down to a minimum. There are hi-tech breathable materials on the market too, for hotter nights.
High visibility is good
Family tents usually have plenty of windows for good reason – and it’s not just to do with soaking up the rays. While you’re outside cooking, relaxing and chatting, you can keep an eye on the family without having to be up and down like a jack-in-the-box.
Easy set-up is a godsend
Ironically, family tents most often end up being put up by one person, while the other looks after the kids. So every little design touch that makes setting up a quicker process – such as the provision of colour-coded poles and pegs, easy-to-pack all-in-one storage cases, and a simple-as-possible tent layout – is a welcome one.
This is a guest blog post from Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park , who provide family friendly camping in Devon with great access to beaches, coastal walks and new for 2011 – surfing lessons on some of the UKs best beach breaks!
(photo c/o flickr.com/wai.ti:)
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Hi and welcome. I'm a freelance travel and lifestyle copywriter and editor, with a passion for the great outdoors. This is my personal blog all about getting out in the fresh air and reconnecting with our green spaces and countryside.
