Children are great although they should not be confused with kids which are baby goats. To capture children you've got to get stuck in and go with the flow but a little pre-planning can go a long way.
Kit
A good camera that you know your way around is a must and maybe a short zoom and standard lens, the zoom can capture those quiet moments when children are engrossed in an activity and a standard lens is vital to get you up close and personal. Filters on the front - this is a definite, a rogue 99 with raspberry sauce can be a lethal weapon in the wrong hands. Spare batteries, perhaps a flash for a bit of fill-in, bags in case anything gets soggy and a sturdy bag. It maybe just me but camera bags are a bit obvious - if you have to take one I'd suggest one that doesn't have the name of a camera manufacturer on the front.
Accessories
Weather can play an important part, if it's a bit damp take a piece of heavy duty plastic (not visa/mastercard) and place it on the ground, sitting down will give you a different viewpoint. You can also get on your children's level by lying down, although the opportunity for children attacking and jumping on you is much greater. You have been warned.
Clothing
Lots of layers for everyone, it gets hot and then it gets cold, you don't need full cammo gear - if you do you're possibly taking things a little too seriously.
Gloves with split thumbs are pretty nifty and without sounding like your mother, something to keep the kidneys and your head & neck toasty.
Technique
If your shooting your own children it can be easy as you know what makes them tick but some days it can be a nightmare and take a lot of bribery to play the game. The best thing is to keep off the pressure and don't build it up. If you do boys will get bored and girls will take ages deciding what to wear and you could inadvertently, create a monster. Suggest taking them to the park and 'oh I might bring my camera along.'
Activities such as football, Frisbee or kicking leaves are great as it can involve everybody and if children are busy you can get some great candids.
Choosing a nice large depth of field throws out distracting backgrounds and should produce on a clear day, a good zippy shutter speed to freeze any action. Easiest thing to remember is just use a shutter speed equivalent to the length of lens and that should minimize camera shake (unless you get jumped on.) If you're lucky enough to have children who are interested let them see some shots and then suggest some ideas. Children can follow direction especially if you explain what kind of shot you're after, if they feel like mini models they could end up giving you ideas. As long as they don't end up charging a fat fee.
Running through leaves is great fun but you really should stick to taking photographs. Why not get siblings to walk hand in hand or run away from you - capturing their backs gives a timeless feel. Piles of leaves being thrown into the air is a cliche but a great shot and if you have continuous shooting, you should get one shot at least spot on. Tiring children out is a good plan as you'll then be able to get a few quieter shots later in the day and if they're knackered you'll have plenty of time at home to go through your shots. Be careful though as it's often a fine line between happy and tired and the appearance of a major strop.
If you use your standard lens any element of surprise has gone so it's best to get up right and close, if it's a bright day you can handhold and tickle with a spare hand. If it's cold portraits with coloured scarves and gloves can look wonderful. Try really, really hard not to say 'smile' or 'give me a smile' as you will get the classic grin that has more cheese than your average quarter pounder. You'll know when this happens as the eyes will also disappear.
The most important thing when shooting children is to have fun and make sure, when you go through your images, to look at the recorded data. It's an easy way to judge what works and what doesn't. Underexposing is a better option that overexposing as you then retain all important info - you can obviously check the lcd but this can slow things down. Be brave, have fun and don't forget money for drinks and buns.
See more of Karen's photography at http://www.karenparker.co.uk/
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