If you're looking for relaxing way to take the family away this summer, a caravan could be your passport to freedom and fun, discovers Jenna Towler.

Caravan holidays are making a comeback more and more families are packing up their things and heading off to the camp sites of Great Britain for a holiday in a mobile home away from home.

Taking the kids away this summer could be even easier if you have a caravan in tow, according to The Caravan Club.

Richard Burrow, the managing director of Centre Caravans, based in Thame, agrees that family fun and caravanning go hand in hand.

He says: "I think it is absolutely true that children and caravanning make a great holiday.

"It is a way of having a very flexible holiday."

He continues: "I used to take my children away in a caravan all the time. We always had a fantastic time."

The traditional caravan holiday could be the answer to all the problems associated with taking the children away over the summer.

It can also make a welcome alternative to the prospect of planning yet another package holiday.

Nick Lomas, director of marketing for The Caravan Club says: "Whether families are looking to stay at a seaside resort, in a picturesque rural setting, or close to a busy city, there is something to suit everyone.

"Sites are beautifully landscaped and offer an idyllic environment for children to play safely while enjoying the wide open spaces and fresh air."

He continues: "Not only does caravanning give families the freedom to go where they like, when they like, it's perfect for a quick getaway something parents looking to keep the kids amused will appreciate over the long school holidays".

Caravanning offers a good mix of freedom and flexibility for parents with babies and young children.

Modern caravans and sites make feeding and bathing routines child's play.

There is no shortage of ingenious solutions to storage and accommodation problems be-cause, as we all know, very small children enjoy having their toys and familiar objects around them.

Baby equipment, changing mats, sterilising units, playpens - all these items can safely be stowed in a caravan ready for travelling.

After visiting a caravan site many thought it would be a great way of spending quality time with their children: "The kids really would relish the freedom and adventure of it all. You could go off pony trekking, mountain biking, walking anything you wanted," said one parent.

Nick Howard, technical director of Bailey of Bristol caravan manufacturers, has two young children and finds caravan holidays to be the perfect solution.

"When our babies were bottle-feeding, we found it extremely difficult to cope with the night feeds when we were staying in an hotel.

Whereas getting up in the middle of the night and heating bottles in our caravan made life so much easier." he said.

Many caravan sites have fully equipped children's play areas, baby and toddler washrooms and several provide information on outdoor pursuits, wildlife reserves and nature trails.

For details of certificated camp sites around the country contact The Caravan Club on 01342 326944 or visit their website www.caravanclub.co.uk