While there's nothing quite like hitting the open road with the fam and the camping gear in tow, that doesn't mean that it's always smooth sailing. Even the most experienced campers will admit that when you throw kids in the mix, things can get interesting! Although we'd happily give the world for our favourite little people, it doesn't always feel that way when you're trapped in the confines of a tent or caravan together. Now don't get us wrong, it's an absolute blast spending that quality time with the littlies and ones they'll look back on as some of their fondest memories. The trick is knowing how to handle the inevitable speedbumps that come with camping with kids and unfortunately a lot of it you only learn along the way.
Lucky our mates at 4WDing Australia have plenty of experience in that department. They've done 3 months with an 18 month old in a soft floor camper trailer, and their second son was camping at under 3 weeks old, as a family of 4! If that wasn't enough, they've been on the road full time for nearly 2 years, with a 5 and 7 year old in a Hybrid Camper, doing a full lap of Australia. I'm sure they've picked up their fair share of tips and tricks along the way. Here are their top 7 tips for touring with kids.
1. Do a trial run
We've seen some absolute flops when it comes to camping trips with kids, and often it stems from gear that hasn't been used before or a complete lack of understanding. Both of these can be very easily overcome, by simply doing a trial run before you head off. That might be spending a night in the tent in your own backyard or doing a weekend at the local national park or caravan park. If you forget something or realise that a particular product does not work like you expect it to, it's an easy fix, and you're not hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest store battling your way through. You'll only forget your 4WD recovery gear once, I guarantee it! Yes, you can wing it and get it right, but there's a good chance that a memorable trip won't go the way it could have, if you'd been a bit more experienced. Camping and 4WDing should be fun (and it is when you get it right), and everything you can do to improve your chances of this happening are a good thing.
2. Plan around your kids, and fill their buckets each day
Kids can absolutely love touring. Whether it's the beautiful swimming holes, the 4WDing, cooking over a fire, or spotlighting at night, you can all have a magic experience, but you have to plan around the kids, and make sure they're getting their buckets filled each day. I'm not suggesting you do everything that they want to do and nothing else, but get them involved in the planning process. Show them the area's you're going to, the walks that are going to be done, and the places where they'll be able to swim. Add in things that are going to really make them smile! Then, make it a big adventure for them. Take a couple of small toys on hikes, bring some tasty snacks, and arrange for a nice, quiet time in the afternoon at camp for them to kick back and explore. If you plan a trip around what the adults want to do and ignore the buckets of your kids, it's not going to be a good trip. Ask me how I know!
3. Be flexible and patient (attitude, attitude, attitude)
Camping, and touring with kids can be seriously hard, and you'll return home with a new appreciation for the ease of living in a house. There will be moments where you'll be frustrated, worn out and yearning for a real bed, and in those moments your attitude will make or break things. Taking kids out of the comfort of their home and turning their norm into something totally different often creates challenges of its own, and if you aren't aware of this, and prepared for it - life can be quite difficult. When the going gets tough, you can get upset, cranky and difficult, or you can take a deep breath, appreciate the magic moments that you've had up until now, and respond in a way that is positive. I guarantee that your attitude, and response will be one of the single biggest differences in touring with kids. They mirror your attitude, and if you're easily put off, they will be too. You have to learn to let some things go and be less concerned with others. Your kids are going to get filthy. They're going to struggle to go to bed at times. They'll moan about not having reception, or screen time, and you should expect this, and be prepared to deal with it. Have a routine, but don't be rigid, or get upset when the kids are 10 minutes late for bed time. It honestly doesn't matter, and the more you learn to pick your battles, and be flexible, the more enjoyment you'll have.
4. Get the food right
Kids don't really need much. As long as they're relatively clean, well fed and in a warm bed at night you're doing a good job. The food though, is a massive thing for camping with kids, and the more you do it, the better you get. We
do a mix of meals that are quick and easy (like spaghetti bolognaise and a BBQ), along with meals that we're at camp for half a day cooking (like slow cooked lamb, or a roast chicken with vegetables), and pick meals that suit what
we're doing each day. You need lots of snacks, and you'll probably be surprised at the amount of food your kids will mow through when they're active and enjoying the travelling lifestyle. Fruit, nuts, bars, fruit toast, sandwiches,
crackers and anything else you can think of go a long way to keeping kids happy during the day. We often get the kids involved in the cooking as well; they love to do a good damper in the camp oven, or damper on a stick, or make a
cake on a lazy afternoon at camp. Ask them what meals they want to eat, and slot their favourites in where you can.
5. Slow it down
Before kids, we used to jam our days full of adventure, arrive to camp late in the afternoon or evening, have a late meal, kick back around the campfire until late and then do it all again the next day. If you don't change the pace of your travels with kids, they'll soon let you know it's not working. For our own kids, they love nothing more than down days where we get up, have a lazy morning, do some cooking, and just let them play around camp in the creeks. On our lap of Australia, we generally try and spend half of our time at camp, and half of our time exploring, and that works well for our two boys. We might do a hike in the morning, and then come back to camp for the afternoon, and you'll have to find a routine that works well for your kids. The slower pace though, is quite enjoyable once you get into the swing of it, and your kids will thank you for it. Some days we'll be out for the whole day, but we back it up with a down day at camp where we just do little walks, or play in the creek, or let the kids build lego sets, or whatever they want to do. Give them a set of UHF radios to play with, and they'll have a ball for hours on end.
6. Enjoy the little moments
Some of the best moments in life have been touring as a family, but it's easy to miss them if you aren't really paying attention, or you're concerned about any of the general day to day goings on. You'll have ups and downs, but make sure that when things are amazing, you are fully present, and you really enjoy the moment. Whether it's kicking back and watching a sunset over the beautiful ocean or swinging off a rope swing, standing at the top of an incredible hike or watching the stars at night around the campfire, or even just making damper on a stick together! We've lost count of the number of incredible moments had whilst touring with kids. Don't underestimate how much they absorb, and really value the moments as a family. There's no better bonding than these incredible moments, and when you add in some activities that the kids really want to do (like a crocodile cruise, or panning for gold), they'll never forget it.
7. Hunt the best weather
Australia has an incredibly diverse range of weather. There's a reason so many people migrate north in winter time, and this alone will make your touring with kids so much better. Imagine leaving cold, and rainy Perth for a 3 week holiday in the northern parts, where after day 4 you're wearing tee shirts and shorts around, whilst your friends and family back home are shivering away in their winter clothes. When its scorching hot, head south to the cooler parts of the country, and you'll have an amazing time. Match your destination to the right time of year, and you're laughing, literally. You won't always get this right, and the weather does some funny things, but heading south in winter time guarantees you're going to have a much harder time camping than if it was warm and sunny further north! Yes, you can go with gear to provide protection, like a decent 4WD awning, but its much nicer when you don't need to hide from the rain!
Touring with kids can be a whole lot of fun
Life on the road is very different to being at home, and if you leave with the right gear, attitude and expectations, the camping trips you do as a family will be amazing memories that live on forever, in the family. Our kids often remind us of moments that we've had together, and they've grown so much as a result of trips that we've done in Australia. What are you waiting for? Book a trip with your kids, and make it happen!
About the author
Aaron Schubert
Aaron Schubert has made it his mission to help as many people to explore Australia by 4WD. Through his personal brand 4WDing Australia, Aaron covers everything from camp sites and 4WD tracks through to technical guides in an easy to understand way.
Read More