Have I got everything? Speed packing for camping trips

family camping tripHow to pack for a family camping trip in 5 minutes!

My husband and daughter set off yesterday for a camping trip with friends for the weekend. Due to feeling under the weather, my baby son and I are staying at home. To help out, I offered to pack the car with the camping gear while the children were napping so that they could get away as soon as my husband got home from work.

Due to excellent organisation of our camping gear this took less than 5 minutes. 1 adult sleeping bag, 1 single mattress, one child’s sleeping bag, 1 ready bed, our middle sized tent (we have 4) and THE BOX.

Read more…

Family Camping Know-How!

Campfile cooking
Campfire cooking

There are thousands of useful and not so useful lists and blogs all over the Internet about family camping, there are books and magazines.

There are even videos around telling you what to do and what not to do. It’s up to you if you want to read them or not, but good advice and some camping know-how can sometimes save your sanity and your holiday!

Read more…

Best camping guide for families…

coolcamping kidsCool Camping Kids

You may have worked out by now that I have a bit of a soft spot for CoolCamping books… and this one is no exception.  I loved the first edition.  I read it from cover to cover like a novel.  And guess what?… when this one arrived I did exactly the same thing!!

The photography is gorgeous – it just makes me want to pack the marshmallows and head for the nearest campfire with the kids…
Read more…

Tiny Campsites

tiny campsites 2 coverHere at Festival Kidz HQ we just lurve camping…

The freedom, the green space, the stars, the campfire…

When we go camping as a family we choose somewhere that the kids can run around, somewhere away from the crowds, and definitely somewhere as far away from places with laid-on ‘kid’s entertainers’ as we can possibly get!!!  For us, camping is about embracing the great outdoors and back to basics living.  It’s not about being a cheap holiday replacement so we don’t look for resort-type activities or facilities.

So when the guys and gals at Punk Publishing sent me a review copy of their latest book, the second edition of Tiny Campsites, I was delighted!

Read more…

How to choose the right festival for your family

and is a festival the right place for you?

There’s no denying that taking children to a music festival can be very hard work, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea – but for those uber cool, let’s have it, this is how we roll type of parent (that’s you) you might take the plunge and hopefully find the rewards are well worth the effort.  Accept that you won’t see everything you would see if you didn’t have children with you, get in the festival spirit of what will be will be, and let the adventures begin…

Read more…

Finding your tent

aerial view of glastonbury festival
Glastonbury – that’s a LOT of tents (photograph credit unknown)

At a big festival it’s not easy finding your tent!

Not because someone has nicked it, but because chances are lots of people will have the same tent and you. And it will be in a large field with thousands of other tents which can be very disorientating.

So if you find it hard finding your tent, then take a moment to think about how your kids might feel if they were looking for it?! Read more…

VW Camper Van Tent

VW Camper Van TentThe coolest tent at the festival?

If you love festivals and you love retro revival things like old VW’s, or if you just like to be a little different, then you will love this VW Camper Van Tent!  Your tent will be SO easy to find in a festival campsite…

This 4 man tent is a brilliant, full-size replica of the iconic 1965 Splitty, officially licensed by Volkswagen.  It was a huge hit on festival campsites this summer for the lucky few who managed to get hold of one!

Read more…

Create your own festival!

By Hannah, editor of the brilliant GoFestival Guide 2011

Like a good festival but a bit strapped for cash? Why not have your own?

Gather some friends, find a piece of land, back garden or corner of a campsite. Decorate with flags and bunting, borrow a bell tent, round up a bunch of musicians and your very own festie could be born.

10 easy steps to get your DIY festival off the ground….

Read more…

Green Man Staycation

Turn your trip to the Green Man Festival into a week-long family holiday in the Brecon Beacons National Park!

Green Man Festival 20th 21st 22nd August

ENOY THE ULTIMATE “STAYCATION” THIS SUMMER AND TURN GREEN MAN INTO A WEEK-LONG ADVENTURE YOU’LL NEVER FORGET!

Beat the recession and enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons National Park with Green Man’s UK exclusive Holiday Ticket offer!

Read more…

Glamping Getaways

Ooooh Squeeeeeeal!…

Yes, I admit it, I actually let out an audible squeak this morning as I opened up my review copy of this gorgeous new Cool Camping book, just published by Punk Publishing.  I couldn’t help myself… it is so sumptuously divine.

In true Cool Camping style the book is full of the most beautiful inviting photography that makes you feel like you are right there, like I could touch and feel those beautiful fabrics… I thought could even smell the smoky canvas of those stunning yurts.

What surprises me most is Read more…

Have I got everything? Speed packing for camping trips

family camping tripHow to pack for a family camping trip in 5 minutes!

My husband and daughter set off yesterday for a camping trip with friends for the weekend. Due to feeling under the weather, my baby son and I are staying at home. To help out, I offered to pack the car with the camping gear while the children were napping so that they could get away as soon as my husband got home from work.

Due to excellent organisation of our camping gear this took less than 5 minutes. 1 adult sleeping bag, 1 single mattress, one child’s sleeping bag, 1 ready bed, our middle sized tent (we have 4) and THE BOX.

Read more…

Best camping guide for families…

coolcamping kidsCool Camping Kids

You may have worked out by now that I have a bit of a soft spot for CoolCamping books… and this one is no exception.  I loved the first edition.  I read it from cover to cover like a novel.  And guess what?… when this one arrived I did exactly the same thing!!

The photography is gorgeous – it just makes me want to pack the marshmallows and head for the nearest campfire with the kids…
Read more…

How to choose the right festival for your family

and is a festival the right place for you?

There’s no denying that taking children to a music festival can be very hard work, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea – but for those uber cool, let’s have it, this is how we roll type of parent (that’s you) you might take the plunge and hopefully find the rewards are well worth the effort.  Accept that you won’t see everything you would see if you didn’t have children with you, get in the festival spirit of what will be will be, and let the adventures begin…

Read more…

VW Camper Van Tent

VW Camper Van TentThe coolest tent at the festival?

If you love festivals and you love retro revival things like old VW’s, or if you just like to be a little different, then you will love this VW Camper Van Tent!  Your tent will be SO easy to find in a festival campsite…

This 4 man tent is a brilliant, full-size replica of the iconic 1965 Splitty, officially licensed by Volkswagen.  It was a huge hit on festival campsites this summer for the lucky few who managed to get hold of one!

Read more…

Green Man Staycation

Turn your trip to the Green Man Festival into a week-long family holiday in the Brecon Beacons National Park!

Green Man Festival 20th 21st 22nd August

ENOY THE ULTIMATE “STAYCATION” THIS SUMMER AND TURN GREEN MAN INTO A WEEK-LONG ADVENTURE YOU’LL NEVER FORGET!

Beat the recession and enjoy the breathtaking natural beauty of the Brecon Beacons National Park with Green Man’s UK exclusive Holiday Ticket offer!

Read more…

Family Camping Know-How!

Campfile cooking
Campfire cooking

There are thousands of useful and not so useful lists and blogs all over the Internet about family camping, there are books and magazines.

There are even videos around telling you what to do and what not to do. It’s up to you if you want to read them or not, but good advice and some camping know-how can sometimes save your sanity and your holiday!

Read more…

Tiny Campsites

tiny campsites 2 coverHere at Festival Kidz HQ we just lurve camping…

The freedom, the green space, the stars, the campfire…

When we go camping as a family we choose somewhere that the kids can run around, somewhere away from the crowds, and definitely somewhere as far away from places with laid-on ‘kid’s entertainers’ as we can possibly get!!!  For us, camping is about embracing the great outdoors and back to basics living.  It’s not about being a cheap holiday replacement so we don’t look for resort-type activities or facilities.

So when the guys and gals at Punk Publishing sent me a review copy of their latest book, the second edition of Tiny Campsites, I was delighted!

Read more…

Finding your tent

aerial view of glastonbury festival
Glastonbury – that’s a LOT of tents (photograph credit unknown)

At a big festival it’s not easy finding your tent!

Not because someone has nicked it, but because chances are lots of people will have the same tent and you. And it will be in a large field with thousands of other tents which can be very disorientating.

So if you find it hard finding your tent, then take a moment to think about how your kids might feel if they were looking for it?! Read more…

Create your own festival!

By Hannah, editor of the brilliant GoFestival Guide 2011

Like a good festival but a bit strapped for cash? Why not have your own?

Gather some friends, find a piece of land, back garden or corner of a campsite. Decorate with flags and bunting, borrow a bell tent, round up a bunch of musicians and your very own festie could be born.

10 easy steps to get your DIY festival off the ground….

Read more…

Glamping Getaways

Ooooh Squeeeeeeal!…

Yes, I admit it, I actually let out an audible squeak this morning as I opened up my review copy of this gorgeous new Cool Camping book, just published by Punk Publishing.  I couldn’t help myself… it is so sumptuously divine.

In true Cool Camping style the book is full of the most beautiful inviting photography that makes you feel like you are right there, like I could touch and feel those beautiful fabrics… I thought could even smell the smoky canvas of those stunning yurts.

What surprises me most is Read more…