RVs are becoming increasingly popular for young families.
In fact, about 27% of RV owners as of 2021 were young families, according to a study from the RV Industry Association. These families use their RVs for weekend trips and long vacations alike because of the quality family time and versatility in destinations.
But as any parent knows, kids can get restless while traveling. Don’t let that get in the way of your fun RV trips! Here are 9 tips that can help keep your little campers happy during your trip.
Plan ahead
Don’t let a rainy day spoil your road trip. When the weather doesn’t cooperate with outdoor adventures, it helps to have back up plans. Bring along a tablet (or two) with movies you’ve already downloaded and save a few board games. Look for indoor activities along your route and near your campsite, like bowling, a science museum, movie theater, or kids play space.
Give everyone a space
While everyone can’t have their own room, you can give each kid a dedicated storage bin for clothes, toys, and treasures. They’ll know where to find their items and it makes clean up easier. Buy colored plastic or fabric bins and assign each child a color.
Pack fresh entertainment
There’s nothing more exciting than new toys and games and movies you’ve never seen. Buy or borrow items and save them for the trip. Look for toys that don’t take up a lot of space and travel well, like puzzles or magnetic tiles. Multi-purpose toys, like Jenga blocks and dominos (good for the game and building towers) are also great!
Bring special snacks and treats
If you think your kids eat a lot at home, you haven’t seen anything. On an RV road trip, kids are always hungry and hunting for snacks. Stock up on family size bags of pretzels, chips and cookies, and buy pre-packaged snacks for convenience. For a special treat, bring sweets or drinks you don’t usually give kids at home.
Get moving – every day
No matter the weather or if you’re behind schedule, remember kids need to move their bodies. Plan time to stop and get them outside every day. That could be a hike, a swim, or a nature scavenger hike around a campground. Fresh air does wonders for cranky kids — and it wears them out so naptime and bedtime are easier too.
Follow the trip
Put away the technology and teach your kids how to follow their journey on paper maps. Bring a map and highlighters for each child so they can track the route. After the trip, put the map on their wall as a souvenir.
Let kids help plan
Make your trip a true family vacation by letting each child plan an activity, or perhaps a whole day. Help them research ideas online or at the library, and then organize any gear you’ll need. They might want to see a landmark or visit an ice cream shop, or go for something big, like an amusement park or sporting event. The idea is to include and empower them — and you might end up doing a fun activity you wouldn’t have though to do.
Don’t forget the outside toys
Part of an RV adventure is getting into nature, but kids still need a little help staying entertained. Bring portable outdoor toys that store easily, like a lightweight cornhole set, bocci ball, or stepping stones. Scooters are great for outings and burning off extra energy, and many models fold to stash away until the next stop.
Bring headlamps
Headlamps are the swiss army knives of flashlights. When you stop for the night, the kids may want to play outside or explore, and a headlamp lights the way. Once kids are in bed, the headlamps are perfect for reading or writing in travel journals.
With an RV, there’s no limit to the fun adventures your family can enjoy — not to mention all of the memories you can make together.
If you’re looking for an RV to use for your family trips, RV Dynasty has a wide selection of RVs that can suit your needs. Shop more than 400 floor plans of new RVs and a wide variety of used RVs at RVDynasty.com or call 765-689-8815.
