Caravanning with kids is a wild, chaotic adventure.

We have been caravanning with kids on and off for years. Below is a picture of a helpful 2 year old Grace. Hubby loves caravan holidays. He went all the time when he was a kid. You get to travel at your own pace, discover new destinations, and create memories that will make for great stories later on. Whether you’re roasting marshmallows, trying to catch a glimpse of the beautiful views from the caravan’s window, or herding the kids while exploring local sites near the campsite. There’s never a dull moment.

We like finding campsites that have activities on site.  A priority is a Swimming Pool.  As a non-swimmer both my girls must go to swimming lessons and I like to get them in the pool as much as I can. Sites with facilities on them are more expensive especially at peak times.

Inside the caravan, we have a selection of board games and stationery to keep the girls busy and off the screen as much as possible. When we had a bigger car, we took the bikes too but that hasn’t been possible this year.

We like to keep the girls busy and feeling useful. More Isla than Grace, to be honest. At 11, asking Grace to help these days makes her think we are slowly trying to kill her off, LOL. But Isla loves walking to the bins and changing the water with her dad. Although the toilet is a dad job! My argument on this is that I did 95% of the nappy changes, so he gets to empty the caravan toilet.

Are you considering caravaning with kids, here are 5 tips to help you survive whilst you’re on your adventures.

5 tips for caravaning with kids

1. On journeys more than 90 minutes we always schedule a lunch stop to stretch our legs and re-group.  Travelling in the car with my kids is chaotic and we all need that time to chill out.

2. Pack entertainment for the little road warriors by bringing along some travel-friendly games, books, and movies. Don’t forget their headphones!

3. Bring an awning.  An awning adds extra space to store things, creates a play area and a space to go to when you need “quiet time”.  It also allows you to sit outside of the caravan and stay dry if it rains.

4. Get the little ones involved in planning. Let them choose activities so they feel like they’re involved.

5. Make the caravan cosy by bringing along their favourite pillows, blankets, and comfort items to help them feel at home while travelling. I do limit this to one teddy, one pillow, and one favourite blanket per child as before you know it the caravan is a playpen on wheels.

If you are about to go caravanning with kids it might not be as relaxing as sipping a cocktail on a cruise ship, but you will make some long lasting family memories out in nature.

Enjoy!