Camping with kids

Camping with kids… sound like a headache or a bucket load of fun?

Annalise, Scott and Laiken from OVERLANDINAUS are here to put your mind at ease and help you feel comfortable with holidays on the road with your little ones. Annalise and Scott loved to camp and explore the outdoors prior to having their baby boy, Laiken. When they started their family, they wanted to ensure this passion didn’t fade, and from just 4 weeks old they started their family camping journey.

Whilst speaking with other families about camping, most of the apprehension is around dirty kids, messy clothes & how the heck they can pack to accommodate all of the ‘things’ that come with having little humans… but some of the most magical family memories are those outdoors, so let's let the pros break it down -

Camping and dirt go hand-in-hand, but there are plenty of ways to keep things clean & tidy whilst holidaying on the road. Our top tips are:

• Cut their nails before you head off! It’s the inevitable that little fingers are going to get grotty. Dirty nails are a pet peeve of mine, so we make sure nails are trimmed before heading off & also keep a set of nail clippers in the first aid bag  ✔️ 

• Wash cloths will be your best friend. Yes you will pack a load of baby wipes too, but using baby wipes = more rubbish (not great for the environment or your bin you have to carry with you). So pack a flannel to wipe the kids over with after their food as well as at bath time ✔️ 

• A collapsible bucket will be utilised multiple times a day, by everyone! Not only can you bathe/shower the kids in them, they make epic carry vessels for caravan/station bathrooms too ✔️ 

• Having ground cover = clean kiddos! We use our Rudie Nudie playmats and picnic rugs as a beach/park/camp mat, a change table, under the high chair/chairs whilst feeding and under the bath! So many versatile options, keeping your kids, their food & their bodies clean  ✔️ 

With kids comes laundry… and a lot of it! Before kids we could go a fair while between loads, but now it’s almost a daily exercise, so when you’re on the road it can be difficult. Our top tips for combating this are:

• Scrubba bag (scroll to the bottom for a discount). The Scrubba bag makes washing on the road easy, only taking 30 seconds to hand wash each load. Plus, it packs down to such a small size which is a big tick  ✔️ 

• Peggless Clothesline. With wet clothes comes needing a clothesline. We love the peggless system as it can hold multiple items, even the weight of a wet towel and again packs down to a very small size ✔️ 

Lastly, fitting everything in can be like a game of Tetris but a few items can help organise your packing system and also enable quick, easy access to those items you need the most.

• Good quality storage bags. We use GrabMeGear bags (discount at end) to store literally almost everything, from cookware, dry foods, toiletries, toys and clothing. The back of the seat organisers are also super handy to store mozzie repellent, sunscreen and hats - all those items you want easy access to ✔️ 

• Shade/shelter. A lot of people think about shade when it comes to their camp site, and usually have an awning on their car to combat this, but just keep in mind if you go to a beach/park/area that doesn’t allow you to have your car next to you, you’ll want to have an additional portable shade option for the kids. We personally love how compact & strong the CoolCabana sunshades are  ✔️

 

So there you have it! By making a few minor adjustments to our camping setup, and being willing to adapt as our family grows, we have continued to thoroughly appreciate our adventures outdoors. We hope you enjoy making incredible memories and having plenty of outdoor play on your next camp trip.

Annalise, Scott & Laiken