RV Camping with Kids: Tips and Activities to Keep Them Engaged

A well-organised, adventure-filled RV trip is perhaps the greatest way a family with children can experience the fun and freedom of camping without straying too far away from essential amenities. But RV camping with kids can sometimes be hard to pin down and plan for because kids are all different. Some will be excited beyond words to learn there is a camping trip in the works, whereas others will groan and roll their eyes. This largely depends on their ages, but there are some tips and tricks worth having up your sleeve to keep them active and entertained.

1) Let them choose their own gear

Much of the battle in enthusing your children about an upcoming RV trip will be fought before the first tin of beans is even loaded into the vehicle. If kids despise the idea of the trip before you set off, it can be almost impossible to get them to change their attitude through teenage stubbornness if nothing else. If it is your first outdoor trip as a family, one great way to excite children and get them in the mood for camping is to let them shop for gear beforehand and choose it themselves. You will need to oversee final purchases, of course, but they are much more likely to engage with the experience if they feel they have some control over it and can pick cool stuff to enhance the experience.

For younger kids:

• Think about toys and games without thousands of tiny parts to get strewn around and lost under every counter
• Guide them gently towards equipment covering a range of activities, some for outdoors and others for evenings or damp days inside the RV

For older kids:

• Nothing is more inviting or personal to a teenager than their bed, so consider allowing them to choose their own sleeping bag and pillow
• There are more and more creative, ingenious camping gadgets on the market these days, offering all the comforts of home on the move. Let them browse an incredible range of accessories and items like the one we have here at RV Parts Express, with everything from E-bikes to Smart TVs

2) Pitch them a tent

If your children are in a phase where they crave privacy and isolation or are just adventurous and independent, it might excite them to be offered a separate tent to sleep in. They can always retreat to the safety and warmth of the RV whenever they’ve had enough but might appreciate the offer and the fact you trust their behaviour. It’s easy enough to throw a small tent into the camper, giving them the option of spending time outdoors the good old-fashioned way, rather than in your luxurious rolling hotel.

3) Be open-minded to your kid's suggestions

If this is your first time RV camping with kids, they are especially likely to be excited and keen to experience every aspect of the adventure. Go out of your way to accommodate their suggestions and you will be much more likely to foster a love for the style of holiday you are so keen on yourself. Clearly, this suggestion comes with pretty huge caveats and some things they might want to do are never going to be an option. However, try to accommodate them and if their suggestions are really not practical or suitable, you will never be lost for something to do if you:

4) Bring lots of fun activities

The choices you make will depend entirely on the age and attention spans of your children but remember to carry a balance of engaging activities suitable for both outdoors and indoors. Consider:

• Card/board games
• Frisbees and balls
• Swingball and bats
• Equipment to make a rope swing
• Fun swimming pool accessories: goggles, snorkels, floating devices etc
• Tools for digging in sand or mud
• Slip and slide
• Remote-controlled car or drone

The name of the game is to get them off their phones and into the spirit of the holiday, but it's easier said than done, so you need to work hard to sell them on the idea. A good selection of games, toys, and gadgets is a great place to start.

5) Relax, it's their holiday too

RVs are certainly the perfect vehicle for transporting the clan to a spot brimming with potential outdoor activities and wild adventures. But remember, if this is one of your major annual holidays, making time to laze around and being allowed to simply do nothing is also required. Those older kids are not going to warm to the trip anytime soon if you drag them out of bed at the crack of dawn to do something only you have your heart set on.

Try to enthuse them about your plans for adventuring beforehand, gauging their interest and asking for input. Forcing them to engage will surely end badly and leave a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Allow yourself to take it easy, give them time and space to be themselves and have those activities ready to rock and roll at the drop of a hat.

6) Do not ban or confiscate phones and devices

The surest way to guarantee bitterness and foster hatred for camping in your children is by denying them access to their beloved devices. Agree on times and places where they are acceptable but let them check their social media and spend a reasonable time using them. After all, you’ll surely be glad they exist when taking the long drive to your chosen location and will no doubt be checking your own when the mood strikes you.

7) Bring lots of surprise treats and snacks

Kids love snacks, it’s official. But it’s no good if they’ve already seen every little treat you’ve brought along and are pestering you for them before you even arrive at the site. Stash some proven favourites to whip out when tensions are high or boredom strikes. Be sure to bring some they have never tried before too, cementing the association between this type of holiday activity and fun new experiences.

Some kids will also enjoy the process of outdoor cooking with your chosen camping BBQ, so relocate your cooking outside the RV from time to time and get them involved. Alternatively, there are delicious foods you can roast over an open fire or in the smouldering coals, so think about:

• Marshmallows to melt on sticks in the flames
• Potatoes to wrap in foil and push into the hot coals
• Corn on the cob, wrapped in foil with butter

Having said that, kids love nothing more than something familiar they already recognise and enjoy, so for an easy life, bring some of their standard favourites.

8) Don't forget the essentials

RV camping with kids is always going to lead you to bring more supplies than you will probably ever need. It’s human nature to want to protect our children and try to think of every conceivable event and how we might enhance its positive effects or mitigate its negative ones. The levels of overthinking you allow yourself to go to in this regard are a personal choice, however, there are some essential items you should definitely not forget to bring.

• Sunscreen and after-sun lotion
• Bug spray and after-bite cream
• Antiseptic wipes
• Petroleum jelly
• First aid kit
• Toothbrushes and paste
• Chapsticks
• Hats
• Sunglasses

9) Water water everywhere

At the end of the day, you can forget most of the ones not on the essential list, and it will be nothing more than a disappointing inconvenience. But you absolutely cannot forget to bring water and lots of it. If we include all the water you will need to cover everything, you should expect to carry no less than 8 litres per person, per day, allowing for:

• Showering
• Washing hands and cleaning teeth
• Cooking
• Washing up
• Drinking water

Australia is a wide, wonderful land full of adventures and unique sights and experiences, but it is not always user-friendly. The temperatures can soar to stifling, dangerous levels, and it is imperative you have enough water on board to keep everyone fully hydrated. With plenty of excess to spare in case of unexpected delays or emergencies. Be especially aware of younger children overheating when running around outside, but keep an eye on the liquid intake of those pesky, stubborn teens too.

10) Some other good suggestions

• Put the kids to work with small achievable tasks
• Glow sticks are endless fun in the dark
• Familiar soft toys can placate distressed youngsters
• Choose a designated camping spot with electricity
• Let the kids express themselves and explore independently within reason

11) Enjoy

Nothing is ever perfect, but as long as you have made some sensible decisions about location and brought enough food and drink to sate an army, let everything else happen and react accordingly. RV camping with kids is always going to be testing at times, but it can also be the experience of a lifetime. Be sure to give yourself some downtime too, and soak in the delights of the most unique, varied country on Earth.

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Here at RV Parts Express, we have all the accessories, gadgets, parts, and supplies your heart could desire for the big RV camping trip. Please browse our sensational range and do not hesitate to get in touch with any questions or comments.