Are you thinking of a holiday in a camper with children ? That’s a great idea, find out why!
Traveling on vacation is fun. Traveling in a campervan on vacation is also fun. Bringing children along with you on a campervan vacation is a little less fun.
But with proper planning, you can make it an awesome family time. Children are well, children. And as adorable and lovable as they are, they have a way of keeping us on our toes.
So going on vacation with children on board a campervan is somewhat of a serious business with great benefits. Apart from the obvious fun they will have, you give them good experience. Travelling is good for everyone, whatever their age.
Pack meticulously
When going on vacation in a campervan, and taking children with you; you need to plan the trip carefully, and plan for it meticulously. Make the children’s needs priority.
Don’t just tell Jason to put his towel in the van, or tell Kirstie to put her Barbie doll in the van. Pack a bag for each of them. That way, everyone has all their things in one place and the van can be a little tidier. Also, do not over pack or load the vans with stuff that you might not likely need. There isn’t an endless space in the van, and you need to keep a priority list of what goes with you on vacation and what does not. Hiring a slightly bigger van than you need will help you get everyone’s things in the van in record time and with enough space to stretch your leg.
Have more than one adult on the trip
Driving in a campervan with children on board is not a one man’s job. One person needs to drive, and another person, preferably an adult, or a much older child, needs to be a second set of eyes.
You need to keep an eye on the children while you are traveling in the campervan, entertain the children so they do not get bored, serve as an arbitrator in case of any squabbles or quarrels, and generally just keep them quiet and occupied.
In camper with children you must prepare meals ahead of time
The fastest way to ruin an activity on a vacation is for the kids to become hungry. As an adult, you may have high tolerance level for hunger; and if you consider something or someplace exciting enough, you may decide to forgo food in favour of said activity. Once your kids go hungry, Disney Land couldn’t keep them occupied.
So it is best that you have meals prepared for before they actually go hungry. Snacks are a quick and effortless option and when they go hungry, they can munch on snacks until something better comes along. Also, prepare dinner at breakfast and keep it cooled or frozen so you can easily thaw and reheat for them to eat at night to avoid whining cries of, “Mummy, I’m huungryyyy”.
Kids will be kids
No matter what you do to make children comfortable, children will simply be children. They will whine, pout, cry and throw temper tantrums for no other reason than that they want to.
Let them be. And try to pacify them as much as you can.
Children can also be loud and excited when they see new things that they think are amazing. Again, let them be.
Prepare for questions
It is best that you know where you are going, the activities you will be involved in there, and even a background story to the landmark or place you are going to visit.
There is nothing quite as innocent as a child’s sense of wonder and amazement. And you would be surprised to see that the littlest things excite your children.
Do not be shocked when they pelt you with questions and ask you why boats float or why birds can fly like Superman. If you have answers to the questions they are likely to ask you, you’ll look cool. And your children will have beautiful experiences and knowledge to fall back on.
Plan your routine
No matter how exciting or novel the day has been, remember that your children are just that – children. And they do not have as much endurance or tenacity as you do.
Simply put, there is only so much that they can take. And if you try to push them, they will become grouchy and may not enjoy the experience at all. So much as you can, try to keep to your daily schedule of activities and return to camp as early as possible so that they have enough sleep and are well rested enough to face the activities of the following day.
Have activities for them
An adult may enjoy looking at thousand year old artefacts and objects at a museum. But if said artefact is not a dinosaur, your kid may not enjoy it very much. Kids like exciting and fun activities and you may want to include these in your itinerary.
It is a good idea for them to meet other kids where they can have fun. If your kids are not having fun on your campervan vacation, you are not likely to have fun either. When you hire a campervan in Sardinia, always ask the local agencies for advice: they will be able to indicate the most suitable places and the best entertainment for your children.
Be safe
As important as it is for your children to have fun, it is really more important to ensure that they are safe. Make sure that at every point in time, you know where they are. It is best that you keep an eye on them at all times. Make sure that they do not pick things from the ground to eat. Make sure that they are well fed, and watch what they eat.
A new environment has a way of taking its toll on kids, regardless of how much fun they are having. If they have allergies to anything, avoid food items like that, like the plague. Keep them away from open roads. And as much as possible, make sure that you spend quality family time together.
Going on vacation with your children is a great way to build their repository of world knowledge and open their eyes to more beautiful things than they are already used to.
