Camping and travelling with young children, some tips!

Bellesca · May 4, 2016

Thanks for this really helpful thread. I've got an SE but your solutions to sleeping and storage with little ones on board will help us when the future grandkids want to tag along.

James B 2016 · May 4, 2016

I agree that this thread is really useful and have read it loads of times! Thanks cleve. We have 2 boys aged 2&3 and our T6 beach arrives in 4 weeks. This thread was one of the key reasons we went for the beach.

Thanks again
James

Borris · May 4, 2016

This is a very interesting thread with many useful tips. Whilst most of the time our little darlings were/are fine, we too have experienced those cycles of baiting, arguing, fighting, screaming, retaliation, more screaming, intervention with more screaming (adult) followed by glaring and sulking, with our own kids and now our grandchildren. Deep joy!
Over the years we have tried most of the methods described with the exception of the in car DVD. So far we have resisted this because, rightly or wrongly, we feel that kids shouldn't be entertained all of the time and should learn to appreciate the changing landscape around them whilst on a long trip. In short, it does them good to be bored from time to time and not be permanently plugged into some electronic gadget or other. However, since the latest crop of little uns have pitched up these DVD things are starting to look like quite a good idea. My opinion hasn't changed but my will power to resist the hullabaloo in the back has.
And for those difficult long trips we are thinking of one of these:

The previous owner says that his kids loved it.

kave · May 5, 2016

I would say iPads is more for todays children than dvd players

. We are driving, with the 5-series, to Preikestolen in Norway today. Its a 10 hour journey, three kids playing Minecraft in the back seat. Tomorrow walking for five hours and an iPad free day.

cleve · May 5, 2016

We now have the window storage bags and having used them for the first time last weekend highly recommend them. Loads of storage space for all those ipads, kindles, colouring pens, chargers etc and then we have access to clean undies and pyjamas without needing to lift the tailgate or multiflex board. The only criticism is a little light leaking in on sunny mornings but this is far outweighed by the benefits.

Glad this thread has been useful. My youngest is now 3 and goes in the roof bed, middle one on front seats and eldest joins my youngest in the roof once the little one is snoring. We are now nappy and (almost) pushchair free and glad to be travelling without most of the paraphernalia listed above! I'm sure as they get older and bigger comes a new set of challenges. My son is already giving us earache about not being able to fit his electric scooter in!

We have bought 3 nexus 7" tablets off ebay for about £30 each so they now have a computer each which seemed a bit extreme at first. However there's no more arguing about what is playing on the laptop, one is watching Harry Potter, the other Frozen and the little one is given a good dose of Peppa pig and Pingu! They stay in the Beach permanently so it's a novelty factor when travelling and then they have completely square eyes by the time we arrive at our destination without giving us earache all the way. I think we will need them as we head to Italy this summer! Once on site, electronics go away and the bikes, lego, swing ball etc comes out and they couldn't be happier.

Dave bee · May 5, 2016

Just to add to this thread, we also have 3 children and hang bags over the back of the rear bench seat, using the headrest fixings to attach the bag handle - we use rucksacks - the kids store their clothes in them.

We also have a Quechua Base pop up tent - it's ideal for our needs.

Currently looking at some smaller camping chairs for the kids and awaiting the release of new storage bags

Borris · May 6, 2016

Ok, we have now reluctantly decided to go for some form of in car entertainment/dvd system to entertain our grandbabies. Ideally we would like to get something that would enable all three (aged 2 , 4 and 6) to watch their own favourite films. They must be securely attached to the rear of the headrest (the devices not the chilren), and if possible not have any/too many wires and above all be robust enough to withstand the attentions of these three young rapscallions.
I have looked online as well as retailers like Halfords but before I purchase anything has anyone got any top tips or recommendations please?

Dave bee · May 6, 2016

We have next base units that have their own mounts for the headrest along with wireless headphones. Work well but you still have power cables which you unplug when swivelling the front seats. What ever you get cannot recommend headphones enough. I'm sure there are plenty who will say iPads but DVDs are fine and very cheap these days.

Stuart · May 6, 2016

I was reluctant too and have resisted for years in our car but the Cali seems different!

So I've ordered one of these for use with our iPad:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016KXVKOU/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

The quality seems good but I haven't actually used it in a moving vehicle yet!

larrylamb · May 6, 2016

On offer this week at Aldi (£44.99) and online with free delivery. 10" dvd with leads etc, rechargeable batts and folds flat. Various headrest mounts on Amazon .
https://www.aldi.co.uk/10"-portable-dvd-player/p/069795022082700

zeratul · May 8, 2016

We also have 3 tablets, one for each child.. for the same reasons! Solves a lot of problems.. They get to use them during driving on the first and last day where we make a lot of km's but not on the days in the holiday country and everyday 0.5-1 hour in the morning in the pop top, which gives us that extra bit of sleep / holiday feeling in the morning... until they need porta potti...

CaliforniaPeacock · May 18, 2023

cleve said:
Thought I'd post a few tips about travelling with young children. We've had vw campers since before children but now have 3 children so have tried several pushchairs, travel cots and sleeping configurations over the years! We've just got back from 2000 miles round france and did the same last year with all the little people to consider.

Long journeys- travel tray is fantastic. Stops drinks and snacks rolling off, stuffed the side pockets with little toys and then put a film (or several on) for the older 2, mixed with a few episodes of peppa pig for little one. The older 2 have a small backpack which i fill with pocket money toys, colouring books and pencils but they don't get to see what's inside until we get off the eurotunnel and keeps them amused for ages.
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sleepingYoungest (15 months) goes to bed on the parcel shelf and then she's not really disturbed when I go to bed as her bed just becomes part of mine. Middle child (3 year old) goes upstairs, shut the hatch and she can't argue with her brother who sleeps across the front seats leaving us space to sit on the rear seat if raining or cold, or just outside. My husband has to sleep upstairs until youngest is old enough to join her sister in the upper bed. We use silver screens on the windscreen and roof to keep it darker to help the children sleep in later. The roof screen also means they can't peek at what's going on outside but can still have the windows open if it rains!

I have sometimes used a necessity pop up travel cot to stop my daughter rolling all over the bed and climbing on me. I can sleep better knowing I won't roll on top of her either!
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We also have some voice activated walkie talkies we use as a baby monitor if my daughter falls asleep in the van as we can't see our driveway easily from the house. These are handy if you want to listen in when they are sleeping without opening the sliding door. During the daytime, the older children use them to have a bit of independence to go to the park or neighbouring pitches on campsites so we have a good idea of where they are, and if they get lost they can tell us!

car seatsWe have 1 chunky car seat and 2 boosters but they stow in the front and support the self inflating mattress my son sleeps on. If we're on a campsite then they go in a pop up tent.
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pushchair After trying several, we now have the mamas and papas armadillo. It lays flat, has a larger sun hood for hot holidays & good shopping basket. With the wheels off it stows under the extended multiflex on its side (narrowest edge) so takes up very little space. We also use a babasling to save getting the pushchair out all the time now youngest is walking a little. The babaling folds into a little pouch, is very comfortable and useful for sightseeing where it isn't pushchair friendly. It also means if the older children get tired, we can carry the little one and they can have a quick ride in the pushchair.
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Eating- As the Beach table isn't big enough for a family of 5 to dine round, we use a folding table with seats and the beach table gets used as a side table or for food preparation. A folding booster seat with tray is great to contain messy eaters, takes up little space, sits securely on the bench seat if cold or clips onto the cali deck chairs easily.
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Hope that helps other people shopping for baby equipment to pack, or just deliberating how practical cali camping and young children is! We've had so many memorable trips in our cali, the children love it!

Hi there, great tips, thank you! can I ask what screen they watch films on in the van? Thanks!