Top picks – family friendly camping gadgets

With all the camping gear on offer these days, there is definitely the potential to go a bit overboard. But at the same time, if you don’t HAVE to spend a week sitting forlornly inside a tent wondering why you left those things that might save your sanity at home, then why would you?

So here, in no particular order, are our favourite camping things:

• the Kampa junior bed. Its an airbed, except a bit smaller and with an inflatable ring around it to stop kids rolling off it in the night. And it can double as a playpen for little ones too.
• the Litecup. If they want a drink in the night, they can have one easily without soaking the bed they’ll be sleeping on for the next few days. Plus its a handy nightlight even when it hasn’t got water in it!
• the Flexibath, now made by Stokke. Campsites generally just have showers, and my kids don’t like showers. It can also be used as a kind of impromptu paddling pool, and a washing up bowl.
• A headtorch. Usually you need two hands to deal with whatever the kids throw at you. And it makes nappy changing in the dark a whole lot easier too.
• Zippo windproof lighter. One less obstacle between getting marshmallows out of the packet and on sticks and melted…