Cali’s and Toddlers!

[Whitehouse_03]

Hey. We picked up our first Cali just over a week ago and are heading off for our first night away this weekend. Excited! We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old and I wondered if anyone has any tips on travelling and sleeping in a Cali with 2 young little treasures?! Thank you!

 

[teeboy]

No tips - but you have got it at the right time - our kids were 10+ when we got our Cali and they quickly got really big in fact too big. We had some great holidays but now have gone back to a normal car with Hotel holidays.

Start with a few local holidays to see where all the people fit and all of the stuff. Then go and adventure

 

[s2bear]

Only done 5 nights so far but;

We took a travel cot to put in the awning which was really handy just for the youngest’s afternoon naps somewhere familiar but away from the oldest - didn’t do this first time out and chaos ensued due to massive excitement and absence of walls.

We didn’t have any windbreaks and I think a couple of these would have been very useful to at least give us half a chance by fencing off some ‘escape routes’.

They are gonna love it!!

Enjoy!











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[Whitehouse_03]

No tips - but you have got it at the right time - our kids were 10+ when we got our Cali and they quickly got really big in fact too big. We had some great holidays but now have gone back to a normal car with Hotel holidays.

Start with a few local holidays to see where all the people fit and all of the stuff. Then go and adventure

Good advice, thanks. I think our first couple of trips are going to be ‘interesting’ and quite sleep deprived!!

 

[Whitehouse_03]

Only done 5 nights so far but;

We took a travel cot to put in the awning which was really handy just for the youngest’s afternoon naps somewhere familiar but away from the oldest - didn’t do this first time out and chaos ensued due to massive excitement and absence of walls.

We didn’t have any windbreaks and I think a couple of these would have been very useful to at least give us half a chance by fencing off some ‘escape routes’.

They are gonna love it!!

Enjoy!











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I hadn’t even thought about the afternoon naps! Maybe if I skip it she’ll sleep better that night Good tips, thanks

 

[Amarillo]

We spent a full year living in our van with a two year old and a three year old (ages 3 & 4 at the end of our travels).
Tip 1 - forget the idea of planning intimate moments with your partner - grab any unexpected chance.
Tip 2 - if you forget Tip 1, read it again.

We usually slept one adult one child up top, one adult one child below.

 

[Volkywagen]

We have a two year old. He loves the Vw. Wave goodbye to any afternoon naps that they may be used to when at home.
My tip for a (half) decent nights sleep is to get a topper, to reduce sound at night when sites come alive and light early in the morning for sunrise.

 

[HowieDog]

Our 2 1/2 yr old loves sleeping up top - wasnt keen in the awning as a bit windy/noisy. Have a small sleeping bag/pod from Go Outdoors which works well. Bedtime story then he goes off and with the net and the hatch closed, he wont fall out!

We will prob get an isotop of similar as its light very early at the moment.

Get some seat covers as sticky fingers and the odd 'accident' isnt an issue then.

 

[Whitehouse_03]

Our 2 1/2 yr old loves sleeping up top - wasnt keen in the awning as a bit windy/noisy. Have a small sleeping bag/pod from Go Outdoors which works well. Bedtime story then he goes off and with the net and the hatch closed, he wont fall out!

We will prob get an isotop of similar as its light very early at the moment.

Get some seat covers as sticky fingers and the odd 'accident' isnt an issue then.

We were wondering whether to shut the hatch or not! Thanks Seat covers are on order!

 

[HowieDog]

We were wondering whether to shut the hatch or not! Thanks Seat covers are on order!

The net is ok but he is quite persistent and climbs over things very well. Peace of mind with the hatch short and if he wakes up we can hear him ok.

 

[GreggB]

Ours are 5 & 1. First night with both in the Cali was a nightmare, 11pm before both were asleep and one of them was awake at the crack of dawn! Things have settled since and the oldest was waking up later than he does at home. Neither of ours have been bothered by noise.
A means of containing the youngest can be useful, whether it’s a high chair, pushchair or play pen. Expect to be swapping beds while the kids decide which one they like the most with the aim of having the early risers downstairs.
Don’t pitch up miles from the toilets, repeated trips for phantom poo’s soon gets tiring and if not using your own toilet a pee bottle/potty for at night is useful.
We’ve not camped without the driveaway awning yet and not sure how we’d cope, especially if the weather is not great.

 

[Whitehouse_03]

Ours are 5 & 1. First night with both in the Cali was a nightmare, 11pm before both were asleep and one of them was awake at the crack of dawn! Things have settled since and the oldest was waking up later than he does at home. Neither of ours have been bothered by noise.
A means of containing the youngest can be useful, whether it’s a high chair, pushchair or play pen. Expect to be swapping beds while the kids decide which one they like the most with the aim of having the early risers downstairs.
Don’t pitch up miles from the toilets, repeated trips for phantom poo’s soon gets tiring and if not using your own toilet a pee bottle/potty for at night is useful.
We’ve not camped without the driveaway awning yet and not sure how we’d cope, especially if the weather is not great.

I just know our first night (tonight) will be like this too! I’m keeping everything crossed for some sleep.

 

[sapto]

Not yet a toddler however we all 3 sleep upstairs, he‘s hungry at 1.30 and 3.30 and than again 6am and thats the time we anyway get up to start our day and we sleep/nap when/where we can.

 

[Zebra]

Ours are 2 and 3 and were completely hyper the first night, and all subsequent ones to be honest. However it was great. We put them both up top and let them burn themselves out whilst we enjoy a wine or two. Then we move one down and do as @Amarillo. I’d recommend getting a toilet to avoid nighttime trips. Again, a topper for blackout helps too.

 

[Amarillo]

I’d recommend getting a toilet to avoid nighttime trips. Again, a topper for blackout helps too.

Although both of ours are toilet trained, we kept them both in nappies overnight throughout our year away. We now face the difficult challenge of nighttime training them both at home - a challenge we keep on finding excuses to postpone.



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[Sjibbo]

@Whitehouse_03 can I also what set up you went for in the end and how this is working out for you?

We have just bought an ocean and have a 15 month old and a three year old. We were hoping to be able to stick them both up top come the summer, but I think that's ambitious!

We currently do the 15 month old on the parcel shelf, but she stands up in the night and snacks her head on the roof! The three year old is on the rear seat bench, but I feel she is too big for it and last weekend we were woken by her having fallen out and ending up next to the handbreak, which is not ideal!

Any advice appreciated

 

[soulstyledevon]

Get some warm coats, hats etc. Yes even when it warms up in summer. Evenings can be chilly. We put our lad to bed a little later than normal. About 45mins later. So 7:45. Bedtime story and milk in the van. Close all the blinds and make the van dark.
From that point mum and dad are outside under the awning (hats & coats time ) drinking wine and being quiet.

I’m not a fan of awnings, we are there to camp and be outside. So hey ho.
We have started going to bed at 9:30 or when we become to cold.

 

[Whitehouse_03]

@Whitehouse_03 can I also what set up you went for in the end and how this is working out for you?

We have just bought an ocean and have a 15 month old and a three year old. We were hoping to be able to stick them both up top come the summer, but I think that's ambitious!

We currently do the 15 month old on the parcel shelf, but she stands up in the night and snacks her head on the roof! The three year old is on the rear seat bench, but I feel she is too big for it and last weekend we were woken by her having fallen out and ending up next to the handbreak, which is not ideal!

Any advice appreciated

Hi, We are still trying things out but our most successful nights sleep is one child up and one down but this does mean that we have to sit in the awning of an evening and puts the van facilities out of action. This summer we are goi g to try both up top, put up the safety net, shut the sliding access door and hope for the best!

Feel free to message me at any time...for some reason I’ve only just seen this.

 

[Melanie Day]

Our 4 year old loves it up top - he has been up there since he was 3. He is in sleeping bag and thermal PJ's. We leave hatch open but have a safety net and the isotop liner thing which makes it really dark.

He has light up there too which he likes.

We make sure we do bedtime wee, we have a waterproof cover over the mattress. Also we keep a she-wee for him in case of night wee when we don't want to go to toilets.



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[Martin keters]

We spent a full year living in our van with a two year old and a three year old (ages 3 & 4 at the end of our travels).
Tip 1 - forget the idea of planning intimate moments with your partner - grab any unexpected chance.
Tip 2 - if you forget Tip 1, read it again.

We usually slept one adult one child up top, one adult one child below.

Yep same here . I sleep up top and my wife and 2,5yo below . We’ve been doing this for 2,5 years now

 

[MartinH]

Hi,

Our are 2.5 and 4.5 now and we've had campers since before they arrived, we've had various sleeping arrangements over last 5 years.

Mun and Day have stayed downstairs all the time

We started out with a moses basket on the front seats, with the seats turned to face each other. Then a tent style travel cot in the roof once she was too big for the basket. We did not trust the safety net alone.

When the second one arrived he got the front seats and moses basket while she was up top

We did last year with the 1.5 year old in a koodi travel cot in the front seats https://www.amazon.co.uk/Koo-Travel-Bubble-Cafe-Cr%C3%A8me/dp/B004O30PAY we got one secondhand and it fits perfectly with the armrests to keep it in place, we also put it on top of a piece of hardboard to give a flat surface. The 3.5 year old in the roof with the safety net, and she likes to have the blind closed. We also have isotop up there to keep in dark.

This year the plan is both in the roof together, out first trip of the year is Easter weekend - lets see how that goes!!!

 

[Volkywagen]

Our 4 year old loves it up top - he has been up there since he was 3. He is in sleeping bag and thermal PJ's. We leave hatch open but have a safety net and the isotop liner thing which makes it really dark.

He has light up there too which he likes.

We make sure we do bedtime wee, we have a waterproof cover over the mattress. Also we keep a she-wee for him in case of night wee when we don't want to go to toilets.



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That’s a great point. Just potty training out little guy, I don’t fancy waking up on the bottom bed with a dripping roof.... oh the stains. Can you imagine

 

[Melanie Day]

First night we went he wet the upstairs bed, fortunately our first purchase was a waterproof sheet and luckily our campsite had washing machine so we could wash and dry it for the next night.

So maybe spare PJ's and bedding would be wise.

That was the only time, so fingers crossed we are over the danger period now!

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[chez786]

Just had our first night away. We slept 1 adult up and 1 down. Our youngest (1 next week) sleep near the tailgate . A cot sheet fitted perfectly on the mattress part and we put a swimming pool noodle under the sheet to avoid any rolling.. I then slept on the rest of the bed when the seat were lowered. The eldest ( 3 going on 13) slept upstairs with daddy. We brought a blow up little life bed ( in the shape of a penguin) that cobined with sleeping in a campervan meant not much slepp was had.. We were cold though might look at a topper. Didnt put the heating on but will do next time

 

[Melanie Day]

Just had our first night away. We slept 1 adult up and 1 down. Our youngest (1 next week) sleep near the tailgate . A cot sheet fitted perfectly on the mattress part and we put a swimming pool noodle under the sheet to avoid any rolling.. I then slept on the rest of the bed when the seat were lowered. The eldest ( 3 going on 13) slept upstairs with daddy. We brought a blow up little life bed ( in the shape of a penguin) that cobined with sleeping in a campervan meant not much slepp was had.. We were cold though might look at a topper. Didnt put the heating on but will do next time

Don't be afraid to wack on the heating, it's the way forward!!!!


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