Camping with Kids

Whether it’s sons and daughters, nieces and nephews or grandchildren, we’ve learned a few tricks over the years. We’ve been camping with our kids since our eldest was born, and our experience is limited to kids up to seven. I’m sure it’s different with teenagers, and I’ll write a blog on that… in about six or seven years. In the meantime, here are some lessons we’ve learned, through trial and error, that might be of use.

Put them to work:

We get them to help. Frankly, it takes longer, and it’s more difficult than doing the job yourself, but it makes them feel part of the experience and helps them appreciate the resources we use. Asking them to turn the taps off is easier once they’ve helped to refill the water. It offers them a why. They also seem to genuinely enjoy helping out and feeling useful.

Meals for all:

With the great kitchen that comes in a Bailey motorhome or caravan, we have no restrictions on what we can cook. However, if you’re used to cooking different foods for your kids, find meals you can all eat to save the extra time preparing (and washing up) on holiday. When they were younger, we would also try and eat outside as much as possible. It made the inevitable clean up afterwards easier.

Flexible Sleeping:

We’ve changed our sleeping arrangements as the boys have grown. When our eldest was a baby, we’d sleep in one bed, and he’d sleep in the other, surrounded by pillows to stop him from rolling out of bed. Then when the second was born, he’d sleep with Bex and me with our eldest. Now the boys share a double bed in the Adamo (bringing the electrically assisted bed up and down is one of their favourite things to do), and we sleep in the other. Separate duvets for them and top-to-tailing saves any fighting. Find what works for you and them, and do consider the ‘you’ in all this. It’s your holiday too, and everyone will have a better time if you’re not tired all the time.

Pack it in:

Consider where and how you pack things. We make sure that night-time items, pyjamas, night nappies, storybooks etc., are packed above the bed and accessible when the bed is down. It’s minor but still annoying if you’ve packed this stuff somewhere where its hard to reach once the bed is lowered.

Snack it up:

We try and keep our drives around two hours before we stop somewhere. We often plan our routes based on stopping somewhere for activity along the way like a park, castle, circular walk etc., but we’ve found that having a snack bag accessible whilst driving, and a more substantial one in the fridge helps to keep people happy on the road.

Wet Wipes:

We use the biodegrade kind and have a pack in the front for accidents on the road. Another in the kitchen, and another in the toilet of our motorhome. They’re handed for cleaning hands, faces, clothes, upholstery and more. Take a pack- you won’t regret it.