Why we like camping with the kids – not a sentence I ever expected to come out of my mouth!

The 6-week summer holidays are here. No stress from school mornings, after-school clubs, or homework. Freedom! But as wonderful as being routine-free is, 6 weeks for the kids to be home is a long time, so how can we fill the days?

Growing up in the 90s

My summers in the ‘90s were simple — Games of marbles, playing hide and seek until the streetlights came on and bulldog in the park. Today feels different. There’s more screen time, and fewer neighbourhoods where kids roam from dawn till dusk. That’s why I lean into memory-making holidays: camping trips, beach days, muddy trails, and bike rides. It’s my way of giving my kids a slice of freedom in a world that doesn’t always feel so free.

It’s not luxury

Let’s be honest – caravanning isn’t exactly relaxing, is it? You’re still cooking, still tidying up, and this week we even tackled a load of washing! There’s no queen-size bed with towel animals that’s for sure!

But… it is an escape. A break from the usual routine. It gives the kids a bit of freedom – a chance to explore without Mum and Dad hovering every second. They get a little independence, a little adventure, and they experience things they just don’t get in day-to-day life.

Why we like camping with the kids

We’ve just come back from a week at Newlands Caravan Park in Charmouth – and honestly, we had the best time. The caravan park itself is beautiful; it has an inside and outside pool and a large park. The toilets and a shower block are both very clean. It’s a short walk to the beach, which feels like something out of a prehistoric documentary, with its craggy cliffs and fossil-filled rock pools. You can almost imagine dinosaurs roaming the shoreline!

There are no arcades or noisy rides – just kids bodyboarding, crab spotting, and hunting for ancient treasures. The girls didn’t want to leave (a miracle, considering Isla claimed she was “bored” an hour into the school holidays!).

At the beach, they had a net for Rock pooling. They laughed at Mummy when I fell into the river and even had a swim in the river themselves. Next time we go, we have planned to take a dinghy. At the Caravan park, there was space for Kite Flying, handstands and freedom to explore.

Just 5 Miles from Charmouth is my favourite UK town. Lyme Regis. Cobblestone streets, winding pathways and beautiful beach and marina. Despite the Seagulls trying to steal your ice cream out of your hands, this place has my heart! We very much enjoyed watching the sun set and eating fish and chips on Lyme Regis Beach one of the evenings we were in the area.

If you’re thinking of a family break, camping or caravanning is well worth a try. It might not be luxury, but it’s full of little adventures and memory-making moments.

Quick Tips for a Smoother Camping Trip:

• Pack for all weather – yes, even sunshine and sideways rain in one day!
• Keep meals simple – one-pan dinners, take the air fryer or BBQ basics keep things stress-free
• Let the kids lead sometimes – spontaneous fun is often the best kind

Got a favourite camping spot or beach to recommend? Pop it in the comments – I’m always on the lookout for our next adventure.

See you soon!

Lisa 🙂