First Caravan Trip with Kids: Beginner Tips for a Stress-Free Family Holiday

Do a Dummy Run

If you’re lucky enough to have babysitters on hand, I thoroughly recommend doing a solo trip without the kids first. It gives you a chance to master hitching and pitching up without the added stress of a little one asking for snacks every two minutes.

We did a dummy run for our first trip, and let’s just say things did not run smoothly. We even struggled to get the caravan off the drive because our motor mover wasn’t working, turns out the remote needed a new battery.

What felt stressful at the time seems so silly now, but when you caravan, you quickly learn that nothing ever runs according to plan. The key is to roll with it. The more confident you become with hitching and pitching, the less stressful things feel when things inevitably go wrong.

If you can’t do a dummy run, make sure the person doing the towing is confident – after all, you’ve got very precious cargo on board. There are towing courses available and plenty of YouTube videos; we even have one saved that shows how to hitch properly.

Top tip for hitching – once you’ve hitched up, do a wheel arch check. This is where you wind down the jockey wheel and look at the space between the wheel arch and the caravan. The gap should open up quite noticeably — this shows the caravan is properly seated on the tow ball. It’s a simple, quick way to make sure everything is secure before you start driving.

Prepare for the Journey

Before you even set off, plan ahead for the journey. Make sure you have plenty of car snacks ready, charge any devices the night before, and download the kids’ favourite programmes. The last thing you want is children crying in the back because there’s nothing to keep them occupied.

I’ll be honest – on our first journey, I kept checking the wing mirror to make sure we were still hitched! A little bit of preparation goes a long way to making the journey less stressful for everyone.

Packing: Less Is Definitely More

Right, so you’ve got your dummy run done, the car prepped, and snacks ready – now let’s talk packing.

Do not overpack. You’re just going to have more to unpack and cram into the caravan, and honestly, you’ll probably end up wearing the same leggings and jumper most of the time. The kids will do the same.

The less you stress about outfit changes, the better. I usually just pack:

• A few good layers
• Waterproofs for the kids
• Wellies
• Something warm to sleep in, especially in spring or winter, because it can get really cold in the caravan at night. Luca sleeps in a sleeping bag with legs, like a big spaceman.
• A collapsible laundry basket to shove dirty clothes in — makes life so much easier than juggling bags all over the caravan

One more thing that really helps us, especially for a first trip, is keeping a packing checklist on your phone. Ours is broken down into food, clothes, bedding, toiletries, toys, and electronics. We keep the majority of stuff in the caravan now, but things like toiletries I just make a note on the list when we’ve run out, so I know to replenish them before the next trip. It’s a small thing, but it really takes the stress out of packing and makes sure you don’t forget the essentials.

Choose Your Campsite Wisely

Before you even think about pitching up with the kids, do your research on campsites. You want to make sure the site you choose is family-friendly and has the right facilities for your children.

There are so many great campsites out there now for kids of all ages, from babies to teens, and it really depends on what your children enjoy. Some sites have baby bathtubs (they look like tall sinks but are actually baths – really clever!) and family bathrooms, while others cater more to older kids with mini golf, playgrounds, or organised activities.

Big holiday parks might seem like the obvious choice, but they can be overwhelming, especially with younger children. I personally prefer quieter sites. Luca provides enough chaos on his own, but every family is different.

Some caravan parks that often get shout-outs from families include:

• Woodhouse Farm in Yorkshire (great for toddlers)
• Clumber Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Nottinghamshire (fantastic for cycle trails and forest walks)
• Park Foot in Ullswater (perfect for water sports and activities)

Places to check for more recommendations include Facebook groups like Best Caravan Sites UK, Instagram accounts, and TikTok for honest site tours. Spend a little time browsing and you’ll quickly find somewhere that suits your family.

Stay Close to Home for Your First Trip

For your first trip away with the kids, I would narrow down your campsite search to the local area. You’re likely going to forget something, and you’re probably a bit nervous about towing with kids in the car, so it’s just easier to stay close to home.

It will still feel like a holiday, I promise. We go to a great little site that’s only an hour’s drive from us called Clumber Park. It honestly feels like you could be anywhere in the world as soon as you start arriving at the campsite, surrounded by the big tall pine trees. It’s absolutely stunning.

That’s a Caravan and Motorhome Club site, they’re known for being family-friendly, with clean facilities and on-site wardens who are very helpful if you get stuck. But there are also some great local independent sites out there too.

Arriving at the Campsite

Have a plan for when you arrive. You might think getting there is the hard part, but until you’ve tried putting up an awning while the great British weather is doing its thing, you haven’t seen anything yet! There’s a reason people call them a divorce in a bag!

Think about what will work for your family, this is what works for us. I make sure to pack some sandwiches for when we arrive, as it’s usually around 1 pm that most sites allow check-in.

Me and Jordan divide and conquer between “blue” jobs and “pink” jobs, I know, how sexist of us! I’ll occupy Luca while he sets up the awning and outside bits, so I usually take Luca for a little walk around the site. If the site has soft play or a café, we’ll usually go there.

Read my other caravanning articles here

If the weather is nice, me and Luca will do some of the blue jobs together, like filling up the water barrel and laying out the mats. Getting the kids involved is such a great way to make set-up easier. We even take Luca a mini toolbox so he can pretend to be fixing things, it makes him feel super useful, and it’s just adorable. We also keep a foldable toy lawn mower under the caravan sofa so he can get the pitch neat and tidy for us :)!

This might not work for everyone, but it’s what works for us. Luca doesn’t really like playing by himself, otherwise, I would just take a bag of his favourite toys and get them out while we both set up. But this doesn’t work for us, as he gets bored after a few minutes if we aren’t joining in. That’s why giving him his mini toolbox works so much better.

Once Jordan is done setting up, I start on the inside jobs – a.k.a. making the caravan pretty and filling up the fridge.

Don’t Expect Too Much (Especially on the First Night)

This one is really important, lower your expectations, especially on your first trip.

I caravan with a toddler, and his sleep is always a little erratic. At home he sleeps in a cot, but in the caravan we thought we’d try him in a single bed the first night.

When we got there, it honestly felt like we had a new-born again. New environment, new bed, different noises, he woke up a lot. Campsites can be noisy places, so we take a white noise machine, which really helps him settle.

That being said, by the  third, or fourth day, his sleep usually improves because he’s so tired from all the activities we do. Going in with realistic expectations, and a little extra help like white noise, makes life a lot less stressful for everyone.

A Quick Note on Safe Sleep

If you’re travelling with a baby under one, it’s really important to follow safe sleep guidelines. Even when you’re away from home, make sure your baby’s sleeping environment is safe.

We follow the guidance from the NHS and the Lullaby Trust UK, which has excellent advice for keeping babies safe while sleeping – even on holiday.

It’s Not Always BBQ’s and Sunsets

A quick thing to mention – and anyone who already caravans will know this — don’t expect it to be all sunshine, BBQ’s, and sunsets.

You have to be prepared for the great British weather. Have a rainy day plan in place, and again, this ties back to choosing the right campsite. I always make sure there are some indoor attractions nearby as a backup.

We absolutely love spending time outside at the caravan, nothing beats the fresh air, nature, and just being together as a family outside. But if it’s raining, I’ll be honest… I am not a wet-weather walker. It’s just not for me. I’d much rather know there’s a good indoor activity we can do instead, so the day isn’t ruined.

Wrap-Up and Next Month…

And that’s your beginner’s guide! By doing a dummy run, planning the journey, packing sensibly, and knowing what to expect when you arrive, you’ve got the big things covered, the parts that can really stress you out if you’re not prepared.

Next month, I’ll be sharing a full survival guide for caravanning with kids, packed with all the smaller tips and tricks that make life on site easier. Think rainy-day hacks, keeping toddlers entertained, and all the little things you’ll wish you knew sooner. Now that you’ve got the big stuff sorted, you’ll be ready to tackle family caravanning with a bit more confidence.

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By Hannah Hey