Camping essentials

If you’re taking a gas cylinder away with you camping, it may be worth investing in a gas level indicator so you’ll never miss out on that all-important BBQ.
Gas level indicator, £9.99, Goodtobuy

Nobody likes the prospect of sleeping on the hard and uncomfortable ground so make sure you have a restful night’s sleep with an inflatable mattress. This one even has pillows complete with storage space underneath. Just remember to take a foot pump with you!
Double airbed, £24.99, Campingaz

This may not seem like an essential camping item, but trust us – it is. It’s great for a make-shift washing line, tying fairy lights up, strengthening tent poles or even doubling up as a shoe lace if you need it.

Keep up with the footie scores, get the party started at night or simply tune into your favourite radio station while sunbathing – portable radios are a great investment.
Portable radio, £43.99, Comet

You’ll no longer have to go a weekend without showering (or with wet wipes) thanks to a solar shower. These clever contraptions heat water from the sun’s rays and most come with a suspension bar and extension tube with an on/off switch for simple use. Easily one of the must-have camping products out there.
Super solar shower, £14.99, Argos

You will definitely need a washing-up bowl if you plan on doing your own cooking. After you’ve been slaving over a hot fire, get the kids to help clean up with this collapsible bowl. It could also double up as a mini bath or somewhere to wash clothes.
Washing-up bowl, £7.99, Winfields

Remember to take some cooking utensils so you don’t burn your hands (or the food). This useful device features a handy spatula, a bottle opener, a corkscrew and a pair of tongs. What more could you need?
BBQ multi tool, £12.99, Flameboy

You don’t want to be lugging around your entire kitchen cupboard on your camping holiday, so make sure you invest in a durable but lightweight plastic crockery set. We like this one as it’s made from tough kid-proof Lexan.
Camping set, £16.99, Lifeventure

Your kids will love exploring the great outdoors while on a camping holiday. Send them out to see what scary bugs they can discover with this great illuminating magnifying glass.
Magnifying glass, £4, Maplin

If you want the kids to sleep well, it’s worth investing in some good sleeping bags. We love these super-cool looking ones and we think they will too.
Sleeping pod junior, £24.99, Gelert

Who says the fun has to stop once the sun goes down? Now it can last all night with a solar powered light. This clever thing harvests and stores power from the sun during the day for you to enjoy at night. Plus you don’t even need batteries.
Solar powered lamp, £14.99, Goodtobuy

If you’re lucky enough to have a handyman with you, he may already have one of these but it’s definitely worth the investment as this clever tool can do so much. Whether you need to cut, screw, or open (a bottle) this has it all.
Leatherman, £64.95, Leatherman

You don’t want to spend your whole camping holiday washing-up, so take our advice and pick up a few sporks. The two-in-one gadget is a combination of a fork and a spoon so there’ll be less washing up to do at the end of the night.
Spork, £1.99, Light My Fire

It’s better to be safe than sorry so don’t get caught out. Take along some useful first aid bits such as plasters and antiseptic wipes. It may be easier to buy just one pack rather than everything separately – Boots has a few good options.
First aid kit, £9.78, Boots

Your tent/campsite doesn’t have to be dull. Light up the night with solar powered fairy lights. Simply connect these beauties to the solar panel and away you go.
Solar fairy lights, £29.99, The Solar Centre

Let your kids sleep in style on these patterned airbeds. Girls will love this floral one while there’s plenty of designs to suit the boys, too. Plus they’re super comfy and deflate to an easy-to-pack size.
Kids airbed, £10.99, Outdoor World Direct

For quick and easy camp food, a small stove is a must. Try and get one that’s light and folds down for handy storage. We like this one which includes two burners plus a third underneath – perfect for toasting bread.
Campingaz chef, £39.99, Outdoor World Direct

No campfire is complete without a bag of marshmallows and something to stick them on. Pick up some long-handled BBQ skewers from any supermarket (during the summer) and a few bags of assorted marshmallow and enjoy a delicious camping treat.

Experienced campers will no doubt want to cook on-site, so if you’re in need of some pans look no further than this. The set is made up of three pots and three frying pans all with easy-clean non-stick coatings.
Non stick Teflon cookset (7 piece), £29.99, Outwell

These will be worth their weight in gold when you need them! Simple but effective in rain and wind, these matches are a must-buy for those planning a camping trip.
Windproof matches, £3.49, Lifeventure

Mix the great outdoors with some creative fun using classic crayons. Younger children can collect leaf and tree rubbings, which make great souvenirs and will keep the kids entertained for hours. Be sure to label them so you know where they came from.
Crayons, £1.21, Crayola

Great for when the beach is windy or to give you a little more privacy, a couple of windbreaks are worth sticking in the back of the car. We like these ones from Vango that come in fire-retardant fabric and can be used on beaches, campsites or even in your own back garden.
Windbreak, £25, Vango

Get your kids interested in nature with these fun binoculars. Whether they want to spot the local birds or look at the stars, these are a fun way for the kids to enjoy a camping holiday.
Kids binoculars, £6.75, Towsure

They’re only small, but wet wipes are an essential item to take with you camping. Baby wipes are perfect for everything from wiping muddy hands to staying fresh. And they’re less than £1.50.
Baby wipes, £1.39, Boots

Mobile phones and camping generally don’t mix but this solar-powered gadget changes that. It combines a useful torch with a phone charger so you’ll always be powered up.
Wind up torch and phone charger, £12.99, One Earth

We’d all prefer it not to rain during our camping holidays, but this is Britain and you can never predict what the weather’s going to do! If you don’t already own a pair of wellies or just fancy an upgrade, you can now choose them in almost any colour or design. We love these yellow star ones from The Welly Shop.
Yellow star wellies, £26.99, The Welly Shop

Just because you’re going away camping doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable. Be sure to take something lightweight so you can have a comfy rest when you want to.
Lightweight folding travel stool, £9.97, Goodtobuy

It’s bad luck for something to happen to your tent, but even worse luck if it’s raining. Make sure you and your family are covered by packing a repair kit to patch up any rips or tears.
Tent repair kit, £3.99, Blacks

You don’t want to be lugging around heavy coats when you do away so instead invest in a light-weight waterproof mac. They come in small bags perfect to chuck in your bag just in-case it starts to rain.
Women’s and men’s mac in a pack, £19.99, Blacks