A Guide to Glamping with Kids This Summer

The summer is winding down and you and your family are looking for one last fun adventure to set off on before school is in full swing. Glamping is an excellent way to dip your toes into camping, without sacrificing all of the modern comforts. You and your family can take a weekend to explore, inspire, and enjoy the final days of summer on a budget!

If you’ve never been camping, or glamping with your little ones, then don’t fret! Taking your children out of their element and into the elements can be a bit tricky but kids usually adjust much quicker than adults. This guide will take you through all the best tips to try out glamping with the kids this summer!

Planning Ahead

Planning ahead for your glamping trip is key to staying organized, keeping the kids busy, and really enjoying your time together, although if you don't mind winging it you can find last-minute availability at some places even during summer. If you do have the time it's worth breaking down your trip into the following categories:

Accommodation
Food
Sleeping
Screen-free Activites
Extras

These general categories will help you set the mood for a family break your kids won’t soon forget! Cover all of your necessities, all of your fun activities, and all of the things that will make your trip just a little extra.

Accommodation

Deciding on what kind of glamping accommodation you want to go for will massively impact your glamping experience as each is different & being aware of that is a fundamental step in planning this getaway. There are several options that can suit your whole family. Once you find the right tent, cabin, pods, treehouse and campsite, you can get started on the smaller details.

Tents.

Bell tents or Ready-Tents are great options for glamping. You can find something that can fit the whole family, is extremely sturdy, and won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Canvas bell tents usually sleep 4 people comfortably although biggers ones can go to 6. Ready Tents are normal tents that are all set up for you with camping beds (and usually sleeping bags too). There are plenty of great options out there just make sure you do a little research and find a site that offers ones in good condition that can fair bad weather!

Cabins or Pods.

Cabins or wooden pods are a great option. There are lots of campsites, national parks, and private grounds that offer cabin rentals for your family getaway! It’s still roughing it, but with a little more modern comforts than traditional camping as they usually have some sort of heating, either with small electric heaters or if off-grid a small log burner and are a bit more insulated - we stayed in a Pod in November and the temp dropped down to freezing and we stayed nice and cosy. There is usually a small space to prepare food and toilets and showers nearby. There are some really amazing high end Pods out there too that are very comfortable and take the idea of glamping to new levels such as West Hall Glamping which offers glamping holidays in the north east.

Yurts, houseboats & alternative accommodation

What I love about glamping is how creative some hosts and campsites are, we have stayed in a beautiful Yurt, a converted horsebox, a Military wagon and a traditional Teepee but if you head to booking sites such as Airbnb you can even find houseboats to spend a cosy weekend on, double-decker buses or even hobbit style homes. Of course, facilities will vary and you just have to weigh up what is most important to you. If it's your first glamping trip I would advise not to go too off-grid and have good basic facilities like showers, toilets and places to store food.


Finding the perfect site and the perfect shelter is KEY to planning your glamping holiday! Whether you’re setting off for a weekend in the Netherlands, or finding the best UK holiday destinations, you can find the best spot for your holiday away!

Food

Bringing along the right kind of food on your glamping holiday will make all the difference and keep those hangry moments at bay. If your going away for a weekend do check if the campsite has a shared fridge facility - if not taking a cooler bag with plenty of ice packs will keep things cold for 1-2 days - an extra tip is freezing a 2lt Milk which will naturally defrost over the weekend and help keep the cooler cold for longer. It's also good to note that you should check with the site if they have pots and pans or if you need to bring your own - many places have a shared kitchen or a small kitchenette with your pod or glamp spot but being aware of what that includes is important.

There are lots of options for making your getaway a little more glamorous. Sure, you can make sandwiches and crisps, but you can also have fresh veggies, salad, food to cook over a campfire and why not make your own dips to bring along! Whatever you and your family feel the most comfortable eating under the stars, and in the sun will be best for your holiday.

I would also stock up on some snacks that don't require a fridge such as plenty of fruit and things like olives and nuts, also I always bake either a big banana loaf or muffins as well as flapjack or cereal bars to keep your energy levels up. Don’t forget to try and make everything as eco-friendly as possible - bring refuse bags, try and recycle and use your reusable water bottles!

Your accommodation planned, your food at the ready, you’ll soon be a pro. You can even plan ahead to next summer and do something fun like the family-friendly Big Retreat Wales!

Sleeping

When it comes to glamping most places provide the basics such as camping beds and pillows but it's always good to check. The Pod we stayed in recently had a full-sized bed with mattress but we needed to bring our own linen and sleeping bags so don't always presume these things are included. Investing in good sleeping bags is essential, we have been using the same season 3 ones for years and they work well from spring right through to autumn.

Some places, however, are very basic and you will need to bring the same as you would if you were camping. Your tent/cabin will set the scale for how big or how many camping beds you can fit into your sleeping quarters. However, spending the night in nature doesn’t have to mean sleeping on the cold hard ground! Find some excellent camping bed options for you and your whole family!

Keeping Kids entertained

What we love most about camping and glamping is stepping away from screens altogether - in fact, we often choose places that have no reception for this reason. Keeping children entertained while glamping is in fact very easy and just the change in routine and staying somewhere new and more connected with nature is all you need.

Saying that there are a few things you could take along to help keep spirits high depending on your location. If you heading somewhere near the woods or countryside do make sure to pack wellies or things you need for hiking as well as binoculars or bug spotting kits. If you're near the beach take sand buckets and spades or if you're in a field then a football or frisbee are really good fun. Really take advantage of being outside and within nature.

Learning not only about the environment, but also about the great outdoors is extremely important. If you can instil a quality outdoor education for your kids to pass on to their children, then you’ve not only done something great for them but for the Earth as well!

Extras!

It wouldn’t be glamping without some extras that make go above and beyond a normal camping trip! Finding just the right touches to make your holiday experience memorable doesn’t have to be a challenge. Here are a few “extras” that can make take your campsite from camp to glamp!

Star String Lights
Portable Grill (although do check with the site first as they may have some already)
Portable Lanterns
Solar device charger
Camping chairs
Marshmallows for campfires
Some wine for the parents (or Gin)
A good book to sit back and read


The world is filled with gadgets and gizmos that will not only take your camping experience to the next level, but can also bring a little bit of luxury into your outdoor holiday! Soon you’ll be able to make your way to luxury campsites all over the world!

Glamping with Your Kids This Summer and Every Summer After!

This guide can help you plan your first summer glamping trip with your kids, after that, it’s all
up to you and your family! Find the perfect shelter, pack the best foods, plan family fun, and
make sure to include those little extras that make it magical. Soon you’ll be a glamping
professional and you’ll be busy making memories with your amazing family!