First caravan holiday

[warmmfeet]

Hello

Going on our first caravan park holiday with kids age 2 and 4 next month. Looks like there is a pool and park on site and it's close to the beach. Got a few day trips planned.

However just asking for any hacks people know just to make the holiday the most fun and as comfortable as possible?!

Games, stuff to bring that we might not have thought of, easy meals, safety tips, activities, etc!

TIA!

If cooking at the caravan...
Sharp knife
Decent sized mugs
Plastic plates etc for children if they use them at home

The beds tend to be narrower than normal beds, and it can be a bit chilly, so their own blanket might make it more welcoming.

There might be free range children so be extremely careful driving around.

Collapsible airer or travel washing line and pegs to dry your swim stuff.

Portable black out blind - as you’re going next month, it’s going to get light really early and dark really late.
Take a white noise machine for when your youngest needs a nap - caravan walls are paper thin.
Take a plug in night light if you think your dc might be anxious about sleeping in a strange room.
Take a mattress protector if your eldest occasionally wets the bed.

Where are you heading to @warmmfeet? 😊 Maybe some will have some park-specific tips too. Is it a Haven/Parkdean type park? Double check if you need to book swimming slots before you go! We were recently at a Haven park and saw a LOT of disappointed families who didn’t realise swimming had to be prebooked and was full for the week!! Same goes for any restaurants etc on site 😊

Does your youngest sleep in a cot or a bed? Can be a bit of a snug fit for a travel cot in some types of caravan so be prepared to do some rearranging when you arrive 😊 I would definitely pack a travel blind if you can too. Makes a huge difference for us when we go 😊

Don’t forget to pack all the basics - washing up liquid, cloths, dishtowels, hand soap, toilet paper etc. Also things like salt/pepper/ketchup if you’re likely to want them 😊
Tends to be showers in the caravan rather than a bath anytime we’ve been. Water temperature can vary a LOT from our experience and often fluctuates during the shower so just be very careful with the kids 😊 I tend to hold the shower head and wash them down like that so that I can quickly take the water off them rather than have them standing under the shower if that makes sense 😊 definitely not like that everywhere we’ve been but we’ve had it a few times so just something to be aware of!

Tupperware etc is handy to take for packing picnic lunches if you plan on taking food out with you on day trips.

Activities/games etc - in my experience (2.5year old - been 4/5 times) DS is usually just happy enough exploring the caravan etc rather than wanting too many toys. I take a few books for bed time. A couple of small toys that we can play together (jigsaw, some cars) and he has a little backpack that I give him and tell him to pack toys he’ll want to play with on holiday. That usually ends with us having a completely random array of things 😂

Take a small shower mat and a bath mat to stops slips and water everywhere.

Take medication just in case. Stuff in case it rains, most of all have a great time which site is it?

If your kids don’t like showers, then a little paddling pool, or a large trug ( big soft plastic bucket) works well as a bath.

Agree on the blackout blinds.

We did a Tesco order to the site last time, which I’d recommend! Have a look on Facebook for a group related to the specific site and you’ll find out whether you can order direct to your caravan or collect from front gate. Bear in mind you’ll probably just have a mini freezer compartment.

Thanks for all the useful tips everyone! Really helpful.
We are going to Whitecliff Bay in the Isle of Wight! Really looking forward to it