We started camping with neighbors which was good. When we went alone we pup iced campgrounds with kid activities like Yogi and the like. Took the kids to the playground and pool to meet kids. We went the same week to Yogi for a few years and a lot of the same kids were there each year so that worked. We had other friends that we knew in town that started camping as well. We went seasonal for awhile and met tons of people, having 40 people to a fire or a breakfast is kind of crazy. We met good friends there whose youngest is only 2 weeks older than our youngest, we still camp with them. We are probably the older people you talk about but we are friendly, just don't have anyone for your 8 year old. We will have our first grandchild in August so maybe he will camp with us once or twice.