Campervan holidays are a great way to travel with the kids, but more than a few days in a house on wheels can be a little, well… daunting. Our Travel NZ with Kids Facebook group has the best survival tips from parents who have done the miles and come out the other side smiling. We thought it would be rude not to share.

Don’t forget

Take paper plates for freedom camping nights and a grater (if your van doesn’t have one) ~ Anna

Take a torch, a small umbrella, jandals for the feet (showers) and dashing in and out. If desired buy a small cheap fan heater (and take it home), small, easy games, a pad and pen, a big bottle of sanitiser up front for easy use ~ Clare

Upsize for comfort

If there are four of you get a six birth campervan, you’ll appreciate the extra space ~ Mark

Hot water bottle hack

If you’re travelling in winter, take a hot water bottle for those cold nights ~ Sophie

Be car seat wise

Travelling with young kids in car seats can be tricky, so be careful and ensure that the van you hire meets the requirements you need depending on the car seat or booster seat that you will be using. ~ Amy

Pack light

Only take what you need! I know that sounds easier said then done but it will be worth it. So just take that one pair of jeans, instead of the two. ~ Layken

Use packing cubes for everything

If there is one bit of advice anyone takes away from my post it’s this. I purchase good old Kmart packing cubes. A set was $8.50 for 3 different sized bags, I bought different colours for each member. We are able to use one cupboard to stack all of our cubes into, easy to grab and put back without the mess. ~ Layken

Be flexible With your itinerary and accommodation

We never booked in advance for accommodation, we would book that day or just rock up. Or ring in advance to see if there are any sites available. ~ Layken

If your hiring through THL I highly recommend using their show your keys deal

At every Top 10 holiday park they have a deal of $39 for 2 adults for a powered site. With $15 per additional person. We mostly stayed at top 10’s and they were AMAZING. Better bath rooms then most hotels I’ve stayed at. We stayed at a lot of their “superior” campgrounds. Check out their tiered campgrounds. ~ Layken

Take Coins

Have a bunch $2 coins on hand. If you’re looking at doing laundry on the road, most campgrounds will make you pay $2-$4 for one load of washing/drying. Also pack some washing powder from home in a ziplock bag, will save you buying washing powder you don’t like for $1 a wash. ~ Layken

Meal plan in advance

This is where we failed and wish we had spent more time planning nice easy meals. I spent to much time at the supermarket for my liking. Planning in advance as well as thinking about snacks in between will save you money in the long run. ~ Layken