Campervanning With Kids – 5 reasons why the whole family will love it.
It’s the summer of the staycation, something I wouldn’t have imagined myself saying at the beginning of the year – yet here we are, five days of adventure later, I keep asking myself – Why haven’t we done this sooner?
Our first family road trip in Scotland and the Lake District did not disappoint, it was epic! We loved it and not just for the change of scenery, it was so much more than that. Campervanning with kids is the ultimate adventure, little ones love camper vans. They love climbing, exploring, getting cosy, hanging their little hands out the window. It is freedom, it’s embracing nature, it’s roaming in the wilderness after so much time at home. For us big people, it’s the stuff we’re made of, caravan holidays are my fondest childhood memories, the nostalgia of hitting the road, breathing in summer and appreciating the simple life – it takes me back, staycations are the best holidays.
Here’s what we loved about campervannng with the kids.
Freedom to go wherever whenever. We initially planned this trip to take us to the Isle of Harris and Lewis however on the day the weather wasn’t looking promising so instead we headed south, chased the sun, parked up in time for sunset and enjoyed a few days basking in the glorious Lake District sunshine. Our van (Roxy) gave us the freedom to let go of expectation and just hit the road. It may sound cliché, but campervan life gives freedom an entirely new meaning. Breakfast by the mountains and dinner by the ocean, it is the ultimate tailor made trip and having that freedom and flexibility with kids is priceless.
Planning and packing is easy. Strip it back to essentials only – clothes, a few books, a few games, bedding, the beauty of these types of trips is getting back to basics. Roxy was kitted out with everything we needed, fridge, sink, hob, oven, two double beds, as far as staying in a van goes it was lush and felt ever so homely. As for planning, there’s no airport stress, no queuing, waiting on buses, trains, immigration forms. There is a degree of preparation required but planning is minimal which is music to my ears when travelling with young kids. Buckle up, the holiday starts now!
Planning and packing is easy. Strip it back to essentials only – clothes, a few books, a few games, bedding, the beauty of these types of trips is getting back to basics. Roxy was kitted out with everything we needed, fridge, sink, hob, oven, two double beds, as far as staying in a van goes it was lush and felt ever so homely. As for planning, there’s no airport stress, no queuing, waiting on buses, trains, immigration forms. There is a degree of preparation required but planning is minimal which is music to my ears when travelling with young kids. Buckle up, the holiday starts now!
Campervanning won’t break the bank. We hired our camper from Staycation Scotland, a brilliant new Glasgow based Campervan hire company. Prices start from as little as £85 per night, for a family of 4 you can’t go wrong – that’s travel and accommodation for the whole family. Our fridge was big enough to store a few dinner options and essentials. We packed some board games, cards, snacks and drinks. The thing with van life is you’ll realize that the best parts of travel don’t necessarily come with a butler or an eye-watering price tag, it needn’t be expensive at all.
You’re almost guaranteed a little rain at some point throughout your staycation in the UK however don’t let that dampen the mood. The kids loved snuggling under covers, telling stories and playing games. Use rainy spells to hit the road or stay cosy with a movie. If like me you’d rather wrap up and go exploring, what’s better than coming back to a cosy den and a hot cuppa. Unlike overseas travel, a little rain is to be expected and embraced with a campervan trip, it adds to the adventure if you ask me.
In a nutshell, you will learn to appreciate little things and come to value simplicity over extravagance. It’s quite humbling when you start noticing all those little things you typically take for granted. The great outdoors being one of them, exploring the outdoors has never felt so good. Campervanning encourages a connection with nature, it allows us to explore home turf, to support local businesses and to lean into simplicity. It’s a chance to recharge whilst having an action packed fun time. There’s so much to do and see whilst on the road, it’s my new favourite place for my whole family to be.
Find out more about our adventure here.