Often parents are intimidated to go RVing with kids. It’s certainly a lot easier than tent camping with kids, but it takes work. RV trips are a wonderful way to connect as a family and enjoy nature – it just takes a little strategizing. After your first trip, you’ll slowly learn what works best for you. Because there’s no one size fits all approach. But these are some of the best strategies that helped us RVing with kids (without the stress).
1. Figure out your bedtime strategy
If you have older kids, this probably isn’t much of a concern (especially compared to those RVing with young kids). Living out of a small space means bedtime routines can be tricky. If you’re all sleeping in essentially one room, how will you get your kiddos to stay in bed? Do you need a crib? Will you wake them up brushing your teeth? All important questions to sort out before you take that first big trip.
But don’t feel too pressured to sort everything out. This is largely trial and error. We tried using a pack n play, and it just didn’t work. So for our next trip, we fashioned a crib using one of the RV bunks and a baby gate. Go into it with a plan, but expect to experiment until you find what works.
In terms of routine, it’s good to keep parts of it familiar, but this is also where you have to be flexible. Your kids most likely won’t be going to bed at their normal times (unless you have super-parent powers). And that’s ok. They’ll get the sleep they need. We’d let our kids stay up a bit later than normal and then start the bedtime routine inside the RV. At first your kids might get out of their beds a lot. But after a few nights, they’ll get comfortable with it and bedtime will become easier.
It’s also helpful if you turn out the lights and get settled yourself. If you put them in bed and head outside for some fireside fun, they may get some serious FOMO. Our rule is when they lay down, we lay down. Quiet activities in bed and bonus points if you can stay awake longer than them. Oh and make sure you cover the windows by their beds. Or the sun will wake them up at 5 am.
2. Choose the right RV size
This applies no matter if you’re buying or renting an RV. Think about your family’s needs. Do you prefer bunks? Do you want something you can drive? If not, what can your vehicle tow? Do you want a separate bedroom? This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many RV features that can help narrow down what will work for you.
If you haven’t yet settled on an RV, we recommend starting small to make sure you love camping. And if you find yourselves doing it often, size up. We started with the Coleman Lantern LT 17B and it was the perfect small camper for newbie family RVers. I highly recommend checking out this floorplan if you’re new to RVing. After we realized how much we were using our camper, we upgraded our size to the Amerilite 268BH. Both have bunkhouses and are perfect for kids. The Amerilite has larger bunks, a separate bedroom area, and more floor space, which we love during long camping trips.
Narrow down your search by factoring in your budget, class of RV, and most important features.
3. Come up with a plan for set up
Setting up an RV is hard enough as a newbie RVer. Now add kids (and sometimes a dog) to the mix. RVing with kids means you’ll need a plan when you get to the campground. Our best tip is to assign roles ahead of time. How will you get parked while wrangling kids? What is your order of operations? Nailing down your set up process will move things along faster, which is a plus with kids. Sometimes one of us will take the kids to the playground while the other sets up. Especially after a long drive, kids will be ready to run after being let loose.
It’s also a good idea to have a couple easy entertainment options to keep kids busy during set up. Think bubbles, chalk, sand toys, and spray bottles. We saw another family with a bubble machine which was a genius idea. That way you don’t get stuck trying to blow bubbles while setting up. The machine does the work for you, while keeping the kids entertained.
4. Give kids their own space
If you want to get your kids excited about camping, one of our best tips is to give them their own space. Find an area that is theirs to fill how they wish. For us, each bunk was designated for each of our two kids. They could set it up how they wanted. And fill it with the toys they wanted (within reason – see note on this later). If you give them a personal space and allow them to get creative designing it, that will add to the excitement.
Defining personal spaces also gives kids an area to rest and recharge on their own (which can be a difficult thing when living out of a tiny home).
5. Spend time researching campgrounds
This one may seem obvious, but do a little digging and experimenting with campgrounds. Yes, KOA and Jellystone parks often have activities for kids. But you may end up finding a gem if you expand your research. While visiting Acadia, we stumbled on the Acadia Seashore campground with an available waterfront spot. It didn’t have a playground or kid activities so we may have passed it up normally. But we discovered it had a beach where the kids could hunt for seashells and jump in tidepools whenever we wanted. So by doing a little research, you may find some hits.
You may also enjoy Sun RV Resorts. They run some good promotions every so often. And if you find yourself in Colorado, the River Run RV Resort is one of the best campgrounds for kids.
If you need a little extra guidance, websites like Campgroundreviews.com can give you some great ideas.
6. Ditch the toys (or rather, ditch the clutter)
Given the small space you have to work with, things tend to pile up in a hurry. On our first trip, I only packed a few toys. But you may add toys as you go. And you may notice you have extra space. And all the sudden you have clutter.
There’s nothing wrong with bringing toys. You’ll want to keep the kiddos entertained. But be thoughtful about which toys you bring. Toys with small pieces will get lost and lost all over the RV (much like at home). And if you give your kids free rein, you will probably regret it later on. That’s how we ended up with lego pieces in every nook and cranny. And 30 different dress up tangled up everywhere. Instead, give your kids a backpack to fill so it forces them to only choose their favorites and toys that will get used.
If you bring toys and notice they aren’t being played with, spend some time decluttering. You’ll make room for things that will get used. By the way, bikes, while large, are totally worth making room for.
7. Plan RV Parks with hookups at least some of the time
If you want to do a little boondocking, go for it. We highly recommend a Harvest Hosts membership if you plan on traveling a lot in your camper. We’ve been able to stay at some pretty rad places (and your kids will never forget camping on an alpaca farm).
But boondocking is hard to do for more than a night or two in row. And this goes for any place that doesn’t offer hookups like water and electric. Many state and national parks will not have hookups. And while doable, it’s certainly more challenging. Make sure you know what runs off electric before doing these stays because you’ll need a plan for cooking, charging devices, heat/air, etc. If you do plan to camp without hookups, we recommend scheduling at least part of the time with hookups. It will give you some relief if its ridiculously hot or ridiculously cold. It makes getting rid of sewer easier. As well as having water to use in the toilet and sink.
There are workarounds of course. But let’s just say it’s a whole lot easier to include hookups in at least part of your trip.
8. Optimize your space to fit your family
Sure, your RV’s floorplan will guide you where to put things. But there is a lot of room for creativity. Don’t be afraid to repurpose or make it your own. We didn’t have a separate bedroom so we installed our own makeshift curtain. And we did custom shelves to make the storage space work for us. The key is to think about what you need to make your space comfortable and functional. And then get to work. Don’t be afraid to mess things up a little.
And if you need a little inspo, we created a video with some of our favorite RV mods:
9. have some rainy day activities
This is one of those things you don’t think about until you pop open that weather app. And then you see all those depressing little cloud icons. If rain is in the forecast, have a plan. We like to keep some indoor activities tucked away at all times in case the weather turns. We are from the midwest after all – planning for changing weather is kinda in our blood.
Some good options we’ve found: board games, card games, play doh, coloring supplies. Anything that doesn’t require a lot of space, but also doesn’t have a ton of pieces. We made the mistake once of bringing a DIY jewelry kit with thousands of beads. Wouldn’t recommend it.
Also don’t completely rely on TV and ipads unless you have shows downloaded ahead of time. RV park wifi is always so spotty and its best not to put all your eggs in that basket. Since you may be spending quite awhile in a small space, you could also turn their bed area into a little fort with pillows and blankets. It’s a fun rainy day activity while also giving them some quiet space.
10. Join family RV groups
No matter how much experience you have RVing, there’s always someone out there who has done it longer. We’ve found one of the best ways to gather new ideas is through family RV groups. Whatever social media you belong to, chances are they have a group for family RVers. And you’ll get some of the best tips. The best outdoor toys for camping. Campgrounds with kid-friendly amenities. How to DIY an RV crib. You’ll find it all.
11. Take it slow
Whether you are camping for a day or a month, use this time to slow down. More than any other type of travel, RVing lends itself to a more relaxed pace. It’s hard not to jump from one activity to the next, but plan some time to just chill. Sit outside and let your kids play. And just sit for awhile. Because seldom do you get those moments.
And we’ve found when you let kids loose outside, they can be entertained for hours just exploring nature. Then you bring them inside and they’re bored after 10 minutes. Take advantage and allow them to play independently with nothing more than a bucket and some rocks. You could also surprise them with a kids explorer kit if they need a bit of a push.
12. set your expectations
Camping is work, ya’ll. This isn’t like that all-inclusive vacation to Mexico you went on last year. And we all know that, but you get the RVing with the idea that it’s so much easier than tent camping. And it is – don’t get me wrong. But it’s still work. There’s a lot of cleaning, cooking, packing, and chasing around. And when bedtime rolls around, the kids never seem to want to stay in bed.
But it also leads to some of the best memories and learning experiences. And it’s completely manageable if you go into not expecting a beach vacation. And having a plan for meals, activities, bedtime routines, etc. If you do a little work up front, you can totally nail RVing with kids.
