Camping With Kids

Getting kids to put down the console buttons, switch off the TV and head to somewhere without Wi-Fi is a challenge most parents or keepers of small people will understand.

kicks off by extolling the virtues of getting children outside; for most Trail readers this is simply stating the obvious. The more interesting stuff comes soon after, with 400 suggestions for keeping family camping trips fun and moan-free. These are broken down into chapters such as ‘Reconnecting With Nature’, ‘Games & Activities’ and ‘Night-Time Fun’, and interspersed with more detailed information on various topics. The vast majority of these tips are aimed at campsite camping (Simon McGrath is editor-in-chief of The Camping and Caravanning Club magazine); even the most dedicated wild camper is unlikely to want to lug a Monopoly set into the wild when there are many other things the family can fall out over. Other suggestions are far from new (involving the kids in setting up the tent, for example). However, there’s so much in here that you’re bound to find something you’d not considered, and as a compendium of camping ideas this book is wonderfully presented. For me, its best use would be this: hand it to your kids (it’s full of bright and colourful illustrations to keep young eyes interested) and get them to find a bunch of things they’d like to try. It’ll keep them quiet for a while as they browse, and keep them entertained on the trip. For that reason alone, it’s worth every camping family having a copy of this in their home.