We all love a holiday and, sometimes, a simple break from our busy and demanding lives can go a long way to building the strength and appreciation within a family unit.
Caravan holiday parks are a favourite family getaway for us Brits because it’s an energising adventure for children; they can be outside, in the fresh air, exploring and playing. Even better, happy children are much more inclined to have an early night which gives parents the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy some peaceful adult time too.
The key to successful vacations at caravan holiday parks is preparation and organisation. Nothing could be more stressful than arriving at your destination and forgetting essentials like towels or the babies’ bottles, or realising upon arrival that you’re situated in an adult’s caravan holiday park with three children looking for entertainment.
To avoid all this unnecessary hassle and ensure a fabulous family holiday, creating memories and enjoying each other, follow this simple guide for a stress-free time in caravan holiday parks.
Research UK caravan sites with lots of fun activities to do to keep the children occupied. There are tons of caravan holiday parks, in the UK and beyond, making it easy to find a location that tailors to your needs. The beauty of a holiday park is that all your needs and wants are catered for within one place. Does your child like to swim? Make sure there is a swimming pool. Is your toddler an explorer? Find a site with parks and trees.
Don’t pack unnecessary clunky items like a high chair, the last thing you want to do is clog up walkways in caravans. Take a plastic sheet or mat instead of a highchair and if it’s a warm time of year, put the sheet outside and eat meals on the grass. It will be a fun adventure for you and your children and they are bound to enjoy a break from the restrictiveness of a high chair for a while.
If it’s a colder time of year, place the sheet on the floor in the caravan and eat on the chairs provided, the sheet will prevent any accidents from causing lasting damage and you won’t need to worry about cleaning up afterwards!
If your child is just beginning to walk or crawl, remember to take your baby gate. The fall from the door of caravans has the potential to be dangerous to your newly exploring toddler - the last thing you want is a fall and a trip to A&E on a holiday. In fact, the first thing to do once you arrive is to child-proof your caravan. Make sure everything within reaching distance is screwed down and move/relocate anything that could fall or be pulled over. With these precautions, you can happily allow your little one to toddle or crawl around the caravan without worrying.
Pack thin towels - especially for caravans that are located near a beach or that have a swimming pool. Thick towels take far too long to dry out and as we all know children can be rather indecisive; they may choose to be in and out of the sea or pool and the last thing you want is them shivering in a soaking wet towel. Light and thin towels are perfect for drying out quickly, again and again.
Meal times can be stressful enough at home with young children. Holidays in caravans are an excuse to break all of the rules and give your children a break from dinner table policies. What better way to do this than a family picnic? If it’s warm weather, an outside picnic is a perfect way to appreciate the scenery around you. So self-catering families will want to pack plenty of appropriate picnic foods (foods that do not require cutlery are best like sandwiches, mini sausages, scotch eggs, apple slices, grapes and other finger foods). Keep everything in light, resealable containers to keep them fresh.
Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself! The holiday is a break for you just as much as it is for your children. Take some time to talk to your family, away from the rush and demands of usual day-to-day life; you will really appreciate some quality family time. Like anything in life, preparation is everything - it’s totally worth it to guarantee that memorable and fun family holiday you will all be talking about in years to come.
