Pick a Pitch Close to the Essentials

Your first weekend under canvas with small children will go far more smoothly if you choose the site before you choose the tent. Look for a family-friendly campsite with a proper toilet block, hot showers, a washing-up area and a drinking water tap, and then pitch within a short walk of all of it. A two-minute stroll to the loos at 3am feels very different from a torch-lit expedition across a dark field.

That said, don't pitch directly beside the facilities. The same building that is wonderfully convenient at night is a source of slamming doors, hand dryers and chatter from dawn onwards. Aim for a spot perhaps 50 to 100 metres away, ideally on the quieter edge of the field, and away from the play area if you have toddlers who need an early night.

• Ask when booking whether the site has a family field or a quiet corner — many do.
• Check whether cars can park beside the pitch, which saves endless carrying of bags.
• Look for level ground. A gentle slope means everyone rolls to one end of the tent by morning.
• Confirm the site allows a small fire pit or barbecue if you fancy cooking outdoors.

Pack for Four Seasons in One Weekend

British weather rarely stays put, so the golden rule is layers rather than bulk. Each child needs a base layer, a fleece or jumper, a waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers, plus at least one full spare set of everything. Children get wet. It is not a question of if but when, usually within twenty minutes of arrival.

Think about warmth at both ends of the day. Even in July, a clear night in a field can drop to single figures, and children feel the cold faster than adults because they are often sitting still on the ground. A hat and a pair of thick socks for bedtime make an enormous difference to how well everyone sleeps.

Bring wellies and trainers, not just one pair of shoes. Bring a torch or head torch for every person old enough to hold one — head torches are far better because they leave hands free. A spare groundsheet or tarpaulin for outside the tent door gives you a clean, dry place to leave muddy boots.

• Pack clothes in separate bags per child so you aren't rummaging in the dark.
• Take a bin bag for wet, muddy clothing and another for rubbish.
• Add a small first-aid kit with plasters, insect bite cream and children's paracetamol.
• Don't forget a washing line and pegs; towels and swimsuits rarely dry on their own.

Keep the Food Simple and the Washing-Up Small

Cooking a proper family meal over a camping stove after a long day is the fastest route to tears. Plan one-pot meals that can be reheated or assembled quickly, and accept that this is a weekend for easy food rather than ambitious cooking.

A good pattern is a hot breakfast, a cold picnic lunch, and a simple supper. Bacon rolls or porridge in the morning set everyone up. Lunch is bread, cheese, ham, chopped vegetables, fruit and a flask of squash. Supper might be a pre-made chilli or curry reheated in a pan, or sausages and jacket potatoes baked in foil in the embers of a barbecue.

Washing up is the chore that eats into camping time, so reduce it deliberately. Use paper plates for lunch, one pan for supper, and a single washing-up bowl. Boil a kettle once and use the hot water for both washing up and a round of hot chocolate before bed, which has the happy side effect of warming everyone up before they get into their sleeping bags.

• Freeze your chilli or curry at home and let it thaw in the cool box on the way.
• Take a thermos flask; hot water on tap saves endless kettle-boiling.
• Bring a sharp knife, a small chopping board and a lighter — the three things people always forget.

Get the Sleep Set-Up Right

Good sleep makes or breaks a camping weekend. Start with a tent that is genuinely big enough. A tent advertised as sleeping four will comfortably hold two adults and two small children with some kit, but not much more, so size up rather than down.

Underneath everyone, insulation matters more than softness. Air beds feel luxurious but get cold, because the air inside them chills overnight. A foam mat or a self-inflating mat under a sleeping bag keeps children noticeably warmer. Put a blanket or rug on the floor of the tent too, so bare feet aren't touching cold ground.

Keep the bedtime routine as close to home as you can. Same story, same teddy, same order of teeth and pyjamas. A dim lantern rather than a bright torch helps everyone settle. Earplugs for the adults are not cheating; they are sensible.

Fill the Days Gently and Have a Wet-Weather Plan

Children need far less entertainment than we imagine. A stream to paddle in, a few logs to climb, a ball and a bucket will keep most young families happy for hours. Resist the urge to schedule outings; the point of the weekend is to slow down.

Do have a wet-weather plan, though. A pack of cards, a small board game, colouring books and a couple of audiobooks downloaded in advance will carry you through a rainy afternoon in the tent. Many sites have a nearby swimming pool, soft play centre or country pub within a short drive, which is a perfectly respectable way to spend a damp few hours.

• Take bikes or scooters if the site has flat paths.
• Bring a football, a frisbee and a bucket and spade — cheap, versatile, endlessly used.
• Plan one small outing per day at most, and leave the rest of the time free.

Pack Up Calmly and Leave No Trace

Packing up is the moment when tired children and damp kit can turn a lovely weekend sour. Start early, before breakfast if the weather looks threatening, and give each child a simple job such as collecting pegs or rounding up shoes. Dry the tent at home if you can, or at least air it, and check the pitch for stray socks, tent pegs and bits of packaging before you drive away.

Leave the field as you found it, say goodbye to the neighbours you chatted to over the campfire, and start planning the next trip. First-time camping is rarely perfect, but it is almost always remembered fondly — and the second weekend is always easier than the first.