CAMPING with young children can be tricky, but a mum has praised a travel item that costs less than a tenner as being a must-have on her family holidays.
Breanne Lovatt started going on camping holidays as a child before spending several years working for European campsite chain, Key Camp.
Breanne and her husband have been to nearly 100 campsites, detailing their trips on website Family Camping Europe.
Speaking exclusively to Sun Travel, Breanne shared the seven items that make her camping getaways with young kids a whole lot easier.
She said: “One of the most useful items we’ve discovered is a portable fabric baby seat that straps onto standard chairs.
“We use it on camping chairs or when eating out – it’s super convenient.”
Portable fabric baby seats can be purchased for as little as £9.49 on Amazon, with other parents raving about the travel item.
One person wrote: “I purchased this to use on holiday with my 10-month-old son. It was just as described, easy to use and felt secure.
“It was also easy to wash and rolls up quite small for travelling.”
Another added: “It was perfect for the holiday“.
There are plenty of other items Breanne can’t camp without, including a baby carrier, white noise box and a trolley.
She added: “It packs down much smaller than a pushchair and is perfect for long walks.
“Campsites can be noisy, but our white noise box blocks out the sounds and helps all of us (adults included) sleep much better.
“While nature sounds are great, not all campsites are that peaceful.
“We often use our four-wheel trolley for bin runs, taking children and equipment to the beach, and just dragging anything and everything around”.
Camping breaks in the UK can often be hampered by the weather, which is why Breanne recommends packing activities for a rainy day.
She added: “We pack puzzles, stickers, notebooks, pens, paper, books, chalk, puddle suits, and wellies.
“While bubbles used to be a firm favorite, we recently learned they’re frowned upon on campsites because they can damage the waterproof lining on tents.
“All of these items are small and easy to pack (except for wellies, they’re kinda inconvenient but sometimes necessary).”
And sometimes it’s not just items for kids that make the world of difference on a family holiday, with parents needing something for themselves.
Breanne recommends forking out for a large tent, adding: “Long gone are the days where I’m trying to dress myself whilst lying on the floor of a tiny two-man tent.
“A large, stand-up family tent is non-negotiable – unless we’re staying in a mobile home or pre-erected tent when it’s already a given”.
The camping expert also recommends trying to rope in a grandparent, relative or friend who can watch your kids when you want to unwind.
She added: “This isn’t really a must-have, but it’s a nice bonus when you can get it.
“While I love holidays that are focused on the children’s enjoyment, it’s nice to sneak off to the spa with my husband for an hour and enjoy some relaxing couple time.
“Over the past few years, we’ve holidayed with family and friends, and it’s definitely made the experience more enjoyable.
“It’s nice to share the holiday with other people, with that community aspect being really important to us”.
Three camping tips from an expert
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
Meanwhile, there’s a beautiful campsite in the middle of a vineyard and it’s near one of Europe’s most underrated cities.
At the end of last year, a beachfront campsite in Europe revealed a huge £21million revamp.
