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Have to say that its easier if the kids are a bit older.  If I was a first-timer with toddlers I think I'd be a bit more wary unless you have a reasonable size living area in your tent, or can turn the bedroom pods into daytime 'play' rooms?

At 10 and 8 ours are old enough to sit and read, play cards with us and to be out and about on the campsite getting wet while we were happily 'in doors'.  They were also old enough to come into the campsite 'club house' with us in the evening and take part in the bingo and karaoke and to watch the magician and the Meatloaf impersonator.  

TBH if the first-times are at all nervous about whether they will like it I would rearrange for another time if the weather is likely to be cr*p.   We took friends with us last May and the wife was already unsure when we booked, but the hubby was well up for it - after a night of high winds and rain they packed up and left and nothing will persuade the wife to try it again...  they had borrowed a decent tent, but had really cheap sleeping bags etc. and not enough layers of clothes, and the kids weren't used to 'roughing' it so all in all not a good intro.

Christine

I believe having a tent with good size living area is key, kitted out with table and chairs etc., as it enables you and your family to do group activities such as playing games, read, watch a DVD etc...

Having to stay inside a small and low tent with nothing much to do in the rain is very miserable IMHO.

Agree with the other posters about menu planning and the ability to be flexible with food as well as method of cooking etc...

For my trip in Jul 09, one of the days did not stop raining and was rather cold and miserable, and I could not do a BBQ. So I went to the local Lidl's, bought some cous cous, fried up some spicey sausages that I was going to BBQ, stir-fried some veg, while the cous cous was being "cooked" by adding boiling water to it with some butter and spices. Mixed everything up when ready and I had a lovely warm starchy meal.

I wore a waterproof jacket and cooked that under my canopied windbreak, which was a really useful piece of kit indeed.

Good luck!

DK

Singing:
1. Allways look at the bright side of life.
2. I'm singing in the rain

Putting on raingear and wellies, and go on "expedition" with all the kids.

Take the car, drive somewhere,make an "city-expedition", see museums etc.

Be prepared for the kids to get wet and muddy.    When we were away last year, even when it wasn't raining everywhere was still wet and muddy - so the kids got wet and the clothes got filthy.      
Take stuff to do indoor, both as a family, and as indivuals.    My two take their DSs - and will play on these.    Take headphones to that you don't have to listen to the beep beep beep of the games.     Where as they are not allowed to play with them all the time, they can be wonderful for giving me some peace when the kids can not go out.    Beleive me there were days last year when it was really bad. 
We take portable DVD player for really bad weather, and will watch a film together. 
Take a drive somewhere - it may be better weather 20 miles down the road - also gives you a chance to see the area.

If need be, be prepared to call it a day, and come home early.      Do not be afraid to say enough is enough.  

Go to the Pub!!

We take a portable DVD player for the journey, and just in case for bad weather.  Have to say that even though it rained for 4 days solid it never got 'bad' enough for the DVD to come out either for us or the kids.   If there hadn't been a decent clubhouse on site I guess we might have watched one in the evening.

However, it was great really - we don't go out at home, I don't see the point in paying £5+ for a glass of mediocre wine when I can quaff a decent bottle at home for the same price, and because pubs were traditionally smokey I couldn't go anyway so we are not in the habit.. but last week because it was damp we ventured to the clubhouse and I 'rediscovered' cider... it was lovely, refreshing, made such a change from wine or diet coke and I really enjoyed being 'out' for a change.  Made my holiday - such a difference since the smoking ban came in, in the old days no way would I have stepped foot into a campsite bar - this time it was great apart from having to 'run the gauntlet' of the smokers outside on the way in and out.    So, for me, if it hadn't been raining, the evenings would have been the same as any other holiday... it was nice to have a change.  Thank you rain!

Christine

Well we returned from Suffolk a few hours ago, and in the end everyone had a good weekend with several people talking of maybe doing another 'group' camp in 2010 .

The Orchard site itself is quite a nice little place with pretty good (and clean) facilities, and the campfires certainly helped to lift the spirits after dark. I don't think we'll camp down in the 'woodland' section again as it became extremely muddy and with the 7 little boys running around the mud soon found it's way into several of the tents, which didn't go down too well with the parents. Still, the chilled-out mood won people over, and when the rain did fall everyone pulled together to bodge a couple of tarps together so that we all had room to sit in the dry while the bbqs cooked away.

When the sun was out yesterday afternoon we visited Easton Farm Park, and today we popped over for a walk along Aldeburgh seafront. All in all, not bad.

Take a look at our photo's....we had heavy rain and high winds for 2 days.....we had a ball. The right clothing is vital though....and a good heater.....and lots of games......and a sense of humour.

Hope it goes well for you.

We recently had a weekend away where it rained, and rained, and rained.   I was amazed at my normally lively active boys, aged 8 and 10.  They were quite happy to chill out in the tent, playing games, reading and doing puzzle books.  We had the most relaxing weekend ever sitting in the tent while the rain poured down outside.  We did make one or two trips out to play a bit of footie or cricket and go for a bit of a walk but the rain didnt really matter at all.

When we got home everyone said, oh poor you, bet its been a nightmare!  Dont think they believed me when I said we had a great time.