Caravan holidays can be great for all the family and teach younger children skills they can call upon for the rest of their lives.
Sometimes, however, there are unexpected events like the weather that can get in the way of carefully made plans.
With this in mind, the experts at Pure Leisure have pulled together their best packing tips to ensure parents are prepared for every eventuality.
Emergency games
The temptation can be to put children in front of screens when the weather turns bad, but it’s a great opportunity to spend some time playing board games and puzzles as a family.
Jemima, marketing manager at Pure Leisure, said: “The games you should bring really depend on the age of your children, but I’d avoid Monopoly. It’s a bit too long to keep young children engaged. Consider quick-fire card and board games like UNO, Frustration, Guess Who? or Bananagrams.”
Home comforts
Research suggests nearly half of children feel anxious about going on long car journeys, so it’s important not to forget to pack something familiar to calm their nerves.
Jemima recommends involving children in the packing process, asking them to choose a couple of toys to take with them in the car and to play with throughout the holiday.
Everyone’s wellies
Even if the weather forecast looks good, it’s always a good idea to pack the family’s wellies just in case. Sometimes areas can be muddy from previous rainfall and most kids can’t resist jumping in puddles.
“Instead of cancelling your outdoor activities, pack appropriate waterproofs and join the kids in the childhood excitement of wet weather. It’ll be one of the many core memories they’ll look back on when they remember their childhood caravan holidays,” suggested Jemima.
First aid kit
At home, most parents can put their hands on a plaster or some child-friendly medicines really easily, but often forget to pack these when heading off in a caravan.
Jemima said that children love to be outdoors on holiday and should be encouraged to play in nature, but climbing trees and spending time with the dog increase the possibility of a scraped knee or a tummy ache.
Activity plan
Even if you end up having to adjust it, making an activity plan before you go away is a great way to maximise your time on a caravan holiday.
“A rough plan outlining what you want to do with your family is great for remembering the crucial items to pack, especially if you plan on swimming or long walks,” Jemima suggested.
Zone your caravan
Here at CaravanTimes we suggest organising your leisure vehicle into areas for each member of the family, so everyone knows where their belongings are and which lockers to put things back into.
This prevents all the kids rooting through each other’s things trying to find their coat or beloved teddy and making the small space feel tiny.
Photo credit: Pexels/Gantas Vaičiulėnas
