Our first holidays with our children have been in a touring caravan. It was such a relaxed and simple approach to introduce them to journey after they have been infants. With a number of years of household caravan holidays beneath our belts – from the infant and toddler years although to eight years-old – I believed I’d share our information to caravanning with children.
Learn on for tips on one of the best structure for household caravans, what it is advisable pack for a caravan vacation and the place you could find household campsites and vacation parks across the UK and Europe.
Need extra concepts for household holidays and days out? Learn my suggestions for smashing household journey and join my publication.
*This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks*
Shopping for a family-friendly caravan
We’ve obtained through the use of caravans designed for {couples} and households with older children. However there’s no denying that caravans constructed for households are so a lot better.
Discover one of the best caravan structure for your loved ones
Format is every thing in the case of caravanning with children.
Caravans with bunk beds separated from the primary dwelling area, like within the Bailey Phoenix 650, are our absolute perfect. This lets you put children to mattress and nonetheless have some grownup area with out sitting open air in cooler climate.
In case you have older children you could be extra involved concerning the dimension of the lavatory. Finish bogs have a tendency to supply extra space for laundry and altering in privateness.
In case you have youngsters they could have outgrown caravan bunk beds and wish one thing extra inline with their beds at house. That is when mounted single beds such as you’ll discover within the Bailey Pegasus Grande SE Rimini is perhaps a greater possibility. It’s additionally 8ft extensive, supplying you with that additional area if you’re dwelling with what are basically adults.
In the summertime (and winter in case you are hardy caravanners) we are able to suggest including an awning or shelter to the facet of your caravan. This may can help you sit out and benefit from the night with out being pressured to go to mattress early in case your children want absolute darkish and quiet to sleep.
Learn our evaluate of the Coleman Occasion Dome.
Additionally check out this evaluate of the PRIMA Traditional Cover Air Awning 390.
Child beds for caravans
The it involves infants and toddlers you will want completely different preparations.
Check out how we organized our child mattress in a caravan and what we did when the women have been toddlers.
Extra issues to think about when shopping for a household caravan
Different issues to examine if you purchase a household caravan, particularly in case you are shopping for second hand, are:
- The heating system – is there an uncovered fuel/electrical heater? You’ll must maintain little ones away from it because the floor might get sizzling
- Seating for meals – are you able to match a child seat or excessive chair on the desk
- Insurance coverage
- The load and driving licence required to tow your van. NB in 2021 the requirement to have a B+E licence to tow caravans/trailers over 750kg has been eliminated. Now you can tow as much as 3500kg most authorised mass (MAM) on a normal driving license.
Issues to tackle a caravan vacation
If you find yourself kitting out your caravan for the primary time there are some gadgets you have to purchase, like towing mirrors, a hitch lock, wheel lock and water containers.
There are additionally some home goods that you just would possibly like to make use of at house and within the van like cutlery, plates and utensils. Or you should buy them particularly in your outfit which saves a number of shifting round, particularly in case you can’t retailer your caravan at house.
Check out our important caravan tools packing listing to see every thing you will want to purchase or pack to get began.
In case you are renting a static caravan or lodge you would possibly discover my self-catering packing listing useful.
Listed below are some extra issues to tackle a household caravan vacation:
Toys for caravanning with toddlers
When our children have been tiny we had a small bag of books and toys that stayed in our caravan. We’d rotate the contents each few months.
Favourites to take caravanning with children included:
You don’t want a lot as you’ll hopefully be out having fun with walks and sightseeing more often than not.
Right here’s some extra gadgets we used so much after we have been caravanning with a child and caravanning with a toddler.
Bikes, scooters and curler skates
Now our women are older they need to convey their wheels. Bear in mind that many campsites and vacation parks may have guidelines about biking, scooting and curler skating on the location’s highway methods.
If there’s a ban on kids’s bikes and scooters on the vacation park you might be visiting it’s nonetheless price bringing them for utilizing offsite.
We have now Frog Bikes and scooters* for our women.
Different leisure for caravan holidays with children
We not often go away house with out our pre-loaded Amazon Fireplace for Children* now the women are older. We’d fortunately stay with out TV for every week or longer however typically a little bit of display time is important for the children.
Different issues that work effectively are paddling swimming pools* in the summertime, card video games, scavenger hunts and different tenting video games.
Sleeping baggage
We have now discovered that sleeping baggage have been one of the best sort of caravan bedding for our children proper from their first journeys away.
They began off in Gro sleeping baggage* for infants and toddlers with a blanket excessive if it was colder.
Now they’re in child-sized sleeping baggage and each have a Vango Kanto Junior.
You would possibly discover my put up on the way to organise your caravan helpful too.
Utilizing your caravan – reserving holidays
My first expertise of caravan holidays have been rallies – weekends and longer holidays organised at campsites by golf equipment. Discover out extra about tenting and caravan rallies and why we love them.
It’s also possible to ebook your caravan holidays direct with campsites and thru on-line reserving websites. Keep in mind that you just would possibly discover a cheaper deal by reserving direct. Verify the costs and reserving phrases on websites like PitchUp after which examine the campsite’s personal web site.
The next sections embody data on the kind of locations you may ebook and a few we’ve tried and examined ourselves.
Finest household vacation parks
Earlier than children we’d typically keep on campsites that weren’t way more than a subject.
Nevertheless, when the women got here alongside it was good to have just a few extra services like electrical hook up, bathroom blocks and leisure. Additionally they love vacation parks with swimming swimming pools.
There are various household vacation parks and campsites within the UK and Europe which have electrical energy, bathroom blocks, a membership home, play parks and swimming swimming pools, all included within the worth of your nightly keep.
Many of those websites are additionally positioned close to the ocean or nice locations to go to, so that you’re by no means wanting one thing to do regardless of the climate.
In case you are in search of caravan websites for teenagers then right here’s some you would possibly prefer to strive:
Vacation parks with leisure
Right here’s a number of the family-friendly vacation parks we’ve been to within the UK which have clubhouses and children actions. Some have swimming swimming pools too:
Try extra vacation parks in Cornwall that we fee.
Caravan websites within the UK
These UK caravan websites have electrical hook up, bathroom blocks and a few have playgrounds and cafes:
- Seaview Gorran Haven, Cornwall
- Trevella Vacation Park, Newquay, Cornwall
- Ross Park, Newton Abbot, Devon
- Andrewshayes Vacation Park, Devon
- Oakdown Vacation Park, Sidmouth, Devon
- Woodovis Park, Dartmoor, Devon
- Hillhead Caravan Park. Devon
- Strawfields, Devon
- South Lychett Manor Caravan and Tenting Park, Dorset
- Verwood Tenting & Caravanning Membership Website, Dorset
- Stonehenge Campsite, Wiltshire
- Cheddar Mendip Heights, Somerset
There are various extra campsites across the UK however these are just a few we’ve been to personally.
Right here’s some extra touring caravan parks in Cornwall that come extremely beneficial.
Vacation parks in Europe
There are millions of campsites in Europe that settle for touring caravans however in case you are in search of ones which are very family-friendly with leisure, actions and swimming swimming pools then look out for Yelloh! Village and HUMAN vacation parks.
Listed below are some we’ve stayed at in cellular houses that additionally settle for touring caravans:
It’s also possible to ebook European tenting holidays via the Caravan and Motorhome Membership and Tenting and Caravanning Membership in case you are members (see beneath).
Don’t get caught out by the climate
All the time come ready for the good British climate. Pack your wellie boots and waterproofs so you will get out if its a moist day.
All-in-one waterproofs* have been perfect for when our children have been small.
Alternatively, pack plenty of books and indoor journey video games, and benefit from the sound of the rain drops in your roof. I at all times discover it soothing.
Meals for caravanning with children
Our caravan fridge and retailer cabinets look very similar to they do at house after we are caravanning with the children. We have now cereals within the morning and the odd cooked breakfast on our Campingaz Get together Grill.
Lunches are very often picnics whereas we’re out or sandwiches or pasta on the caravan.
Barbecues are our go-to night caravan meal. In case you have younger kids like us we discover that sizzling canine, burgers and hen skewers are at all times a success at supper time.
We add vibrant accompaniments to our BBQ plate like corn on the cob, salads, roasted greens and flavoured rice. We normally cheat and purchase microwave rice to avoid wasting on washing up.
Right here’s some extra tenting meals concepts.
Be part of a membership
There are a number of caravan associations within the UK and every runs its personal native occasions the place you will get to know different households.
I met mates once I was a baby who I’m nonetheless involved with now. Some have even grown as much as get their very own caravans too.
Check out the Caravan and Motorhome Membership and Tenting and Caravan Membership. Every has regional teams that run native weekend and vacation rallies. Additionally they personal and have affiliate campsites within the UK and Europe.
Extra prime suggestions for tenting and caravanning with children
In case you have a tent or a camper van, or are planning a static caravan vacation then right here’s some extra posts you would possibly prefer to learn:
Check out extra of our prime suggestions and recommendation for travelling households.
Disclosure: this put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks marked with *. In the event you click on on considered one of these and make a purchase order I’ll earn some fee. This doesn’t have an effect on the worth you pay.
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