Hi Jane, we too live in the S West, & started vanning 19 years ago when our 3 were 6,18 & 36 months old, so our first essential equipment was a van load of nappies, & they still want to come with us! Put in some outdoor toys - balls, frisbies etc, equip the van as much as poss with it's own sets of pots & pans, crockery cutlery etc, bed linen/sleeping bags & don't forget the corkscrew! A few basic tools are also essential - Stanley knife, multi-headed screwdriver, pliers, adjustable spanner, mallet/hammer will get you out of most problems as will a pack of epoxy adhesive. Prepare some easily re-heated meals in "take-away" foil containers which you can pop into the oven for when you get there - they're always hungry & it stops them nibbling at your ankles! Give the older ones some easy to do jobs when you arrive. Kids love vanning - it's just like a Wendy house on wheels. Have fun!