Posted: 6/3/2021 | June 3rd, 2021
I don’t have much RV experience — and I definitely don’t have any experience RVing with kids. But, this summer, with many people are planning domestic vacations instead of traveling abroad, RV travel is going to be even bigger than last year.
To help those of you with kids plan an epic domestic trip, I’ve asked Karen from The mom Trotter to share her tips and advice. She’s been traveling in an RV with her family for almost two years and knows exactly how to make the most of a family RV trip!
RVing with kids is a terrific way to create lasting family memories. From the excitement of seeing new things to the joy of the simple pleasures like stopping for ice cream or seeing that odd attraction that you stumbled upon, it always makes life more fun.
My family and I took a trip in November of 2019 that introduced us to the world of RVing. We rented one from Outdoorsy and set off on a two-week adventure, visiting all five national parks in Utah, state parks and monuments in Arizona and Nevada, and Joshua Tree national Park in California. We fell in love with RVing after this trip — and a few months after that, we sold our home in California and purchased our very own RV.
This kind of travel requires some forethought, however. You can’t just hop into your vehicle and hit the road. You’ll need to plan, get and stay organized, establish boundaries and ground rules, and generally be prepared for anything the road might throw at you. While that all might sound daunting, it’s quite similar to planning for any other trip in a lot of ways.
That being said, it will not always be smooth sailing. You’ll have bumps in the road — both literally and figuratively. However, it is one of the best adventures you’ll get to have as a family.
These tips will help you prepare for the journey as best as possible, allowing you to focus more on fun and less on roadblocks.
1. find the right RV
There are so many different types of RVs, from those you can drive to those that need to be pulled with a truck. If you don’t own one, research the size and type of RV that will match your family’s needs.
When renting an RV or even buying one, it is important that you check how many people it can sleep. When we rented our first RV, I was planning a trip for six people — two adults and four young ones — so I found one with a bunk room so that the kids would have enough space to sleep and feel comfortable.
We love to cook, so finding an RV with a decent-sized kitchen was also high on our list. It’s good to look for one with a spacious living room and dining area as well, but keep in mind that you’ll be spending lots of time outside, so indoor space might not matter as much as you might expect.
RVLove has tons of resources for helping you learn more about what RV is best for you, your family, and your budget.
If you’re not ready to purchase an RV, keep in mind that there are tons of places that rent RVs too. You can start with RVShare for inexpensive local rentals (it’s like Airbnb but for RVs).
2. set Expectations
It’s important to set expectations for your upcoming trip. The kids need to know what’s expected of them and all the ground rules, so they have some sort of structure while on the road.
Talk about the rules for electronics, other devices, and screen time; who will be responsible for what chores; and how much help you expect with setting up and taking down your camp. It’s also important to explain campground etiquette to your children if they’ve never been camping before. With your neighbors so close, making excessive noise and running amok — especially on other people’s RV plots — is frowned upon. everyone in an RV park has a limited amount of space. It’s important that your kids don’t sprawl into other travelers’ territory.
3. clearly define personal Space
RVing with kids means addressing and respecting personal space, as RVs are quite small.
Before your trip, you should discuss where each person will be sleeping, and emphasize that every member of the family should respect that space when it’s time to go to sleep.
You can also set rules about bathroom time: most have only one bathroom, so setting up some sort of schedule so that everybody gets equal time will help a lot. Defining personal space also includes letting the children know who gets to use the bathroom first in the mornings, as well as reminding them to always knock before entering any space in the RV.
If the RV park you are visiting allows for tent camping, consider allowing your older ones, such as teenagers, to pitch a tent outside, as they may enjoy it even more.
4. get (and Stay) Organized
When it comes to children, organization is key no matter where you are. This is especially true when it comes to RVing.
There’s a finite amount of space in an RV, no matter how large it is, so it’s vital to create spaces for the kids to store their toys, books, devices, and the like. Makensure they know that their items should always be put back in those places when not in use. Otherwise, your space can get cluttered very quickly. set up a cleaning/tidying schedule so that everyone gets into the habit of keeping the space organized.
Another way of staying organized is by setting a daily schedule that kids can see and follow, so they know what to expect and when to expect it. For example, having a menu will give them an idea of what’s for dinner and breakfast so that they can start to understand the routine.
RVing is about freedom and fun, but in the midst of it all, whenever possible, stick to the routines that you have at home like bedtimes, nap times, and mealtimes.
5. set a cleaning Schedule
We all know how quickly a home can get out of control when it’s full of children. now think of that happening in an RV. things can go bad really fast.
Set up a cleaning schedule for both yourself and the kids. This is a terrific way to teach them about the RV itself while instilling a sense of helpfulness and a strong work ethic.
Older children can and should be part of the regular cleaning process too. It saves you some work and teaches them the value of helping the family. If they are old enough, they can help with things like emptying the gray water tanks, adding chemicals to the freshwater, and other RV-related upkeep tasks.
6. Map Out Your Stops
While RVing gives you a certain amount of freedom, it does come with caveats. Unless you’re traveling in a conversion van, even the smallest RV is pretty big. So before your trip, research places that make for convenient stops for your rig.
Truck stops, gas stations, and even Walmart vehicle parking lots are all terrific places to stop for a rest, enjoy a meal, fill up on gas, and maybe pick up any essentials that might have fallen through the cracks during your packing.
Mapping out stops helps a lot. knowing where you plan on stopping for gas, for food, and to park overnight gives you peace of mind for the rest of the trip. With the essentials handled, you can plan accordingly and relax.
Planning regular stops for food and gas can also help if a problem arises. One time, we had a flat tire in a small city on a Friday evening and couldn’t go anywhere until Monday morning because there wasn’t any open tire shop near us. If we had planned our stop in a more accessible area, we could have avoided this situation. (Of course, not all situations like this are avoidable, but the better you plan the less hiccups you will encounter).
This is also important while traveling as a Black family because we need to make sure we don’t end up in the wrong city at the wrong time of the night.
7. choose the right RV Park
One of the most important things about RVing as a family is choosing the right RV park. If you’re all about spending time in nature, then you’ll want to choose a state or RV park located close to nature, with lots of trees and hiking trails nearby. If you’d rather enjoy a more glamping-type experience, then pick one with amenities like a pool, a lazy river, a playground, Wi-Fi, etc. (One of my son’s favorites, in Galveston, Texas, has all of that plus a water park and weekly kids’ activities.)
We’ve had the opportunity to experience both types of RV parks and loved them equally. Neither is better than the other — it just depends on what you’re looking for. call ahead to a few to find out which are best suited to your family size and your travel needs.
GoRVing and RoverPass are a terrific resources for finding RV parks.
Additionally, here’s a list of some of our favorite family-friendly parks.
8. shorter travel Days are Best
The thrill of the open road is something that calls to the entire family, but it might call a little more strongly to the adults. kids — especially younger children — need time to relax. Remember, to a child, sitting in one place for hours on end can be downright exhausting.
Make sure to keep travel times to around 5 or 6 hours if you have older ones and as little as 3 to 4 if you have toddlers. try to travel during nap times, as that’ll help them not get anxious about the long drive.
If you do drive for long stretches, make sure to have plenty of snacks and activities to keep your kids busy. It’ll be easier on you too.
9. keep snacks and Finger Foods Handy
The easiest way to keep children entertained during long drives is to offer them as many snacks as you can. You’ll be surprised to find out that your kids will want snacks so much more than normal on long road trips.
So bring along prepackaged or store-bought snacks and water bottles or juice boxes that they can keep nearby to limit the temptation for them to get up and roam around the RV while you’re cruising down the interstate.
10. Take a Day Off
One of the most fun things you can do when RVing is taking a day off from driving. Of course, you have to reach that final destination, but don’t forget to stop and smell the roses along the way. nothiNG verslaat een dag gewoon rondhangen met het gezin en zien wat een gebied te bieden heeft.
Tijdens onze eerste RV -reis hadden we bijna geen vrije dagen, omdat we alles wilden zien in de korte tijd die we hadden. Hierdoor waren we zo moe na onze reis.
Nu we langzaam reizen, plannen we voor veel dagen vrij, wanneer we gewoon kunnen ontspannen bij het vuur en ontspannen.
11. Pak wat entertainment in
Bordspellen zijn een geweldige manier om als gezin te binden, en ze zijn een uitstekende bron van entertainment. Ze bieden veel gezinstijd, bevorderen saamhorigheid en zijn het perfecte entertainmentplatform voor het langzamere tempo van een RV -roadtrip.
Maar kinderen hebben variëteit nodig, vooral als ze alleen spelen. Naast alle tablets die ze kunnen hebben, denk aan het inpakken van dingen zoals kleurboeken, bubbels, play-doh en, als je camper een dvd- of blu-ray-speler heeft, hun favoriete films.
12. Creëer een buitenspoorspace
Zodra je allemaal in een stop bent gevestigd, zet je de kinderen op met een buitenspoor. Het enige dat u nodig heeft, is een soort waterdichte mat die u kunt uitrollen om een gebied te creëren dat perfect is voor bouwstenen, speelgoed en ander plezier.
Als u met peuters of baby’s reist, neemt u een babypoort of twee of zelfs een opvouwbare play mee. Deze zijn uitstekend om jonge kinderen veilig te houden terwijl ze buiten bij het kampvuur zijn of ze buiten uw campers buiten uw camper buiten te houden.
13. Veiligheid eerst
Als je kampeert, zorg er dan voor dat ze de grenzen van het kamp begrijpen en waar ze niet toe kunnen gaan, of helemaal niet.
Bovendien is het belangrijk om over veiligheid te praten als u van plan bent om in een nationaal park te wandelen. Zorg ervoor dat de jongeren het belang begrijpen van aandacht aan hun omgeving, het geven van lokale dieren in het wild veel ruimte geven en de natuur respecteren. Zorg ervoor dat je ook een goed gevulde EHBO-kit in je camper hebt. Het is altijd beter om veilig te zijn dan spijt.
***
Van planning tot het inpakken en sightseeing -veiligheid, deze tips voor RVing met kinderen helpen je reis op het rechte en smal te houden, zodat je je kunt concentreren op plezier.
Een van de grootste sleutels tot een succesvolle reis is om te accepteren dat dingen niet altijd perfect of soepel gaan. Kinderen zijn een constante wildcard. Ze zijn misschien slecht uit het niets; Ze krijgen misschien een kleine owie en gek – het kan alles zijn. Al deze dingen zullen echter voorbijgaan, en in het grote schema van dingen zullen ze slechts een klein deel van het hele plaatje zijn.
Maar met deze tips kun je zorgen voor een relatief soepele reis die familieherinneringen en saamhorigheid bouwt en vol avontuur en plezier is.
Karen Akpan runt The Mom Trotter Blog, een website die zich toelegt op het inspireren en aanmoedigen van ouders om hun kinderen de wereld te laten zien. Ze is ook de oprichter van Black Kids Do Travel die is gemaakt om diversiteit te bewerkstelligen in reizen en de reiskloof te overbruggen door zwarte reisverhalen te delen. Haar doel is om wereldburgers op te voeden die open zijn en iedereen accepteren. Je kunt haar vinden op Twitter, Facebook en Instagram
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Boek uw vlucht
Zoek een goedkope vlucht met behulp van Skyscanner. Het is mijn favoriete zoekmachine omdat het websites en luchtvaartmaatschappijen over de hele wereld zoekt, zodat je altijd weet dat geen steen ongemoeid blijft.
Boek uw accommodatie
U kunt uw hostel boeken met hostelworld. Als je ergens anders dan een hostel wilt blijven, gebruik dan Booking.com, omdat ze consequent de goedkoopste tarieven voor gastenhuizen en hotels retourneren.
Vergeet de reisverzekering niet
Reisverzekering beschermt u tegen ziekte, letsel, diefstal en annuleringen. Het is een uitgebreide bescherming voor het geval er iets misgaat. Ik ga nooit op reis zonder dat ik het in het verleden vele malen moest gebruiken. Mijn favoriete bedrijven die de beste service en waarde bieden, zijn:
Safetywing (het beste voor iedereen)
Verzeker mijn reis (voor die ouder dan 70)
MedJet (voor extra evacuatiedekking)
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