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  • Shop These Adventure-Ready Gifts for RV Kids

    Shop These Adventure-Ready Gifts for RV Kids

    Let’s just be real: RV kids are different. The world is their classroom. Mother Nature is their friend. And they collect experiences the way others collect things. Having traveled extensively in an RV full-time with two small children, I have gotten to know many other full-time families. Something I’ve noticed in all of their children is an abundance of creativity, resourcefulness, and adaptability. And the most important lesson they all learn first-hand? The world is at their fingertips. So what do you get a kid who already has it all? Well, here’s a hot take: Gifts for RV kids should help them explore the world they love.

    And yes, I’ve got a few good ideas which may come in handy right as the holiday season comes upon us. These five gifts for RV kids are full of wonder, adventure, and creativity. Which means they’ll love them.

     

    The Bug Box

    Bugs. It’s ironic that what my children are most fascinated by is what we try to avoid the most when we live on the road. This summer, near the French Broad River in Asheville, NC, we witnessed a gathering of Dobsonflies. For some, this would be a nightmarish scene from Indiana Jones come to life. (Image search it if you dare!) But for our brave and curious explorers, these creepy critters were a treasure they couldn’t keep away from.

    A bug box is an absolute must for any RV kid. All sorts of entomological wonders will find a temporary home in this box — whether it’s an arthropod with more legs than you can shake a stick at, or maybe little glowing fireflies in the summer nights.

    Just make sure they leave the bugs outside — or you might wake up to an unpleasant surprise!

     

    Audubon Field Guides

    I grew up with the rainbow colors of the National Audubon Society field guides on my shelf. These iconic books feature page after page of large color photographs of plants and animals from across the country, with brief, yet detailed descriptions to capture the imagination of my young mind. And today, my kids share that same fascination.

    On the road, RV kids will see more wildlife and natural phenomena than what people can find in a zoo or garden. Pairing those encounters with a shelf of resources will teach them that seeing an interesting thing is only the beginning.

    The original series of Audubon books can be difficult to find. For me, eBay is the most accessible method, but you can also visit a local bookstore with a used section — there will likely be at least one Audubon field guide on the shelf. Before you know it, you will have a complete collection to nurture those insatiably curious minds.

     

    Travel Watercolor Set and Postcard Paper

    This is my absolute favorite gift to give any traveling soul, child or adult. The Windsor Newton Travel Watercolor Set is particularly well thought out. The case is compact, perfect for travel; and the collapsible brush paints beautifully, is a joy to deploy, and capable of fine detail. The paints are high quality, with a lovely assortment of vibrant colors.

    As a family, our favorite activity during travel is painting the landscapes we encounter on the road. We have seen sunsets that would inspire the least artistic individual to pick up a paint brush. I can’t think of a better way to share those inspiring moments than by sending them to friends and family on these paintable post cards. These two gifts, paired together, are gifts that keep on giving.

     

    Junior Ranger Passport Book

    More than once, we have taken our family on the road full-time in our RV. And each time, the National Parks Junior Ranger Program was a cherished feature. The Junior Ranger Passport Book is a great accessory to this invaluable learning experience. With this book, RV kids can collect their destinations in a handy keepsake that can inspire future adventures.

    Living full time with kids in an RV is no easy task. The National Parks Junior Ranger program can offer your family endless avenues of exploration, familiarity in a new place, and the confidence to teach your kids on the road.

     

    Outdoor Play Tent

    One thing I like to give my kids space to do as much as possible is play freely. (Because of all the gifts for RV kids, play is really at the top of the list.) Something that they do often is mirror the world of adults around them, acting out real life situations. If they see their parents setting up their RV regularly, they will likely want to set up a little pretend home of their own.

    So while it may seem redundant, an outdoor play tent will keep them entertained for hours. Or maybe a folding RV camper play tent for them to set up while their parents are setting up the real thing!

  • 5 Places to RV and Blow Your Kids’ Minds

    5 Places to RV and Blow Your Kids’ Minds

    Imagine this: You are sitting in silence with your toddler just a few feet from the edge of a canyon that drops so deep it seems to take time and space with it. The tranquility is indescribable, almost otherworldly. Sharing five minutes of quiet under a blanket of stars is a memory that my daughter and I will cherish forever.

    We have traveled both nationally and internationally with our two children, by boat and RV. But we always come back to the magic that thrives in the untamed landscape of the American West. Here are five of our favorite places to take your family RVing and blow your kids’ minds.

     

    Dead Horse Point, Utah

    This off-the-beaten-path RV destination holds a special place in our hearts. The canyon offers a special kind of stillness that is well worth exploring with kids. The history is almost palpable. And the night sky here is second to none. Our kids saw the Milky Way for the first time at our RV site in Dead Horse Point. It shone so bright it was like a blanket of fog surrounded by countless bright lights illuminating the dark sky.

    Dead Horse Canyon is a state park, so it gets a fraction of the visitors that the national parks in the surrounding areas around Moab will bring. The canyon is magic in every way, and I personally found that it left a bigger impression on me than the Grand Canyon.

     

    Salida, Colorado

    RVing with kids can come with challenges. One of the best ways to mitigate those challenges is to pick your destination with them in mind. Salida, Colorado, is packed with an easygoing kind of energy that we could have spent months soaking in. The greenways were endless, passing through breathtaking vistas that will etch themselves into your memory forever.

    Our favorite activities to do as an RVing family were available in surplus: biking on greenways, wildlife watching, historical tours, and trout fishing. We saw more wildlife here than anywhere else. The trout fishing is world class. The walking and biking paths in Salida go on forever. If you wanted to, you could bike or run from one town to the next on a protected paved path shared with the occasional billy goat, bighorn sheep or mule deer.

    Ever heard of “ghost towns”? Many Colorado towns were founded at the peak of the silver mining boom in the 1800s. At the start of the 20th century, their inhabitants left in droves, leaving behind weathered buildings and landmarks to tell their story to visitors. The ghost towns near Salida are living relics out of history books in the forefront of Colorado’s iconic rugged landscape.

     

    Morro Bay, California

    If you are like us, you want to experience the American Landscape without the crowds – no pushing past people just to get a glimpse of a view, or waiting in a hot car in endless lines of traffic to get through the entrance gate of a park. So you can bet that my itinerary suggestions will be off the beaten path, but not without an immersive, unforgettable experience.

    Our favorite place on the California coast is Morro Bay: iconically foggy, then a crisp blue sky as the sun chases away the morning mist. It’s a fishing town, offering a postcard-perfect view of the waves, boats in the water and ashore, and the smell of fish markets. My kids adore the otters just off the waterfront, all lounging on their backs with their hands folded on their bellies.

    It was the perfect place for our family to relax after RVing all the way across the country from the coast of South Carolina. And if the season permits, you can take a boat to go humpback whale watching, an event your children will be sure to remember forever! And don’t forget to check out Morro Bay State Park. They have incredible birding walks, and their Junior Ranger workbook is still our favorite. The town itself is a pure joy to walk through, speckled with the most lovely local gardens with hummingbirds constantly chattering above.

     

    Goose Island Campground, Utah

    Moab is most assuredly not off the beaten path, but there are ways to experience it without the crowds. The place is just so raw and beautiful in every possible sense, we couldn’t let our kids miss it. Goose Island Campground is right around the corner from Arches National Park.

    There are so many things in and around Moab to see that will blow your kids’ socks off. Goose Island Campground is BLM land, so it’s cheap and less frequented. It lies along the Colorado river, shaded by the breathtaking and austere cliffs on the other side of the water. There is a lovely bike path that will take you through the magnificent canyon; and in the other direction, you can take the path all the way to Moab if you want.

    My daughter’s favorite activity in this area was the dinosaur trail just outside the city, nestled in the most stunning and isolated views of Utah’s rugged landscape that we had yet to see. The trail is speckled with fossilized dinosaur bones and tracks. And if you’re feeling a bit adventurous, you could attempt a drive on the Shafer Trail in the Canyonlands. But I can only recommend this if you have previous off-roading experience and a capable vehicle with four-wheel drive. The views and death-defying cliffs here will definitely carve out some family memories.

     

    Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

    I can’t imagine anything more mind-blowing than the epic walk through Carlsbad Caverns. Oh wait, yes I can: the 350,000 bats that fly out of the cave at sunset every night! They come out like a waterfall of black specks snaking through the twilight sky. If you want to go to Carlsbad, try to go between May and October, when the bats settle in the caves. It’s one of the most memorable and beautiful things we have ever witnessed.

  • Teaching Your Kids About Camping

    Teaching Your Kids About Camping

    My most vivid childhood memories are from when my mother took me camping – walking through the wet grass, looking for tree frogs under the starry night sky, and watching, awestruck, as a stick bug rocked back and forth mimicking a branch in the breeze. As an adult, I treasure these happy, carefree adventures, but also the invaluable lessons taught by the great outdoors. Camping with children encourages exploration, inspires curiosity, and teaches independence, laying a foundation of essential skills and starting them on a journey of lifelong learning and growth.

     

    Get Them Excited

    I remember when I was 6 or 7, I went to a friend’s house for a camping trip. I was so excited I could barely stand it. We were sitting on the carpet inside the living room, dreaming about all the things we would do at the campground. I looked out the window and realized it was starting to get dark outside. Why haven’t we left yet? My friend’s mother walked into the room shortly after with “good news and bad news.”

    The bad news came first, “Well, it looks like we won’t be going camping tonight. But the good news is, you can set up your tent right here in the bedroom and have a blast!”

    I will admit, it was surprisingly fun to set up a tent inside, on the carpeted bedroom floor of my friend’s little apartment.

    The best way to get your kids engaged and excited about the idea of going outside for a few nights is to practice at home! Help them set up their tent inside. And if that’s too overwhelming, make up a tent with a sheet and pillows. It’s amazing what kids can make a tent or fort out of. And that’s basically what camping is: a little fort outside, equipped with the bare essentials and a little personal flavor.

     

    Food Planning

    Food prep can be a great way to teach your kids about what goes into taking long trips outdoors. Have them be a part of the meal planning, and of course, preparing s’mores!

    Our favorite activity while camping is making s’mores – and putting our own spin on them. We’ve tried strawberry slices, and it tastes like a strawberry shortcake with a smoky twist. Delicious doesn’t begin to describe it. Here are some berry s’more recipes to get your mouth watering. If your kids show any interest in the culinary arts, there is boundless potential here.

     

    Packing

    It doesn’t matter what kind of trip you are taking – whether it’s a day hike, a weekend trip, or a month abroad – having your kids help pack for it is a great way for them to learn about where they are going and what they will be doing, and what type of clothing and accessories those locations and activities require.

    My kids love to pick out the clothes and toys they bring on our travels. We organize their bags together and familiarize them with weather-appropriate gear, safety equipment, and first aid kits. It can feel overwhelming at first, so if you need a place to start, here’s a great checklist for camping essentials.

     

    Campsite Tasks

    The best way for kids to learn about camping is to contribute. It can be so easy to set our kids in front of a screen to ensure they stay put and quiet until we are finished with a task. In fact, I am also guilty of this. But if we can take a deep breath and slow down a little, we may find the time and space to bring our children into the process and all work together.

    The task can be simple, like setting up the tent poles or the rain tarp. I’ve noticed that if they have some time to get excited about their “job” or responsibility, they will take it more seriously, and put in a careful, concerted effort. We like to use the car ride to get them pumped up about how they’ll pitch in. It’s a great way to foster cooperation and teamwork during your camping adventure.

     

    Safety First

    Whether you are camping or RVing, there are some potential hazards to being outdoors that should be discussed beforehand. I prefer to go over ground rules in the car ride to avoid screaming them to my kids while simultaneously setting up a tent in the rain.

    Water

    If you are camping near a river or water feature, make sure your kids know the dangers of fast-moving water. Any body of water can seem safe to a child if they are used to wearing flotation devices in a controlled environment. Discuss the dangers of rivers, lakes, or marshes that may be present near your campsite. If a soccer ball goes flying into the water, make sure they know not to go after it. This may seem obvious, but pediatric drowning statistics would shock you.

    Make sure you also show them where to get drinking water (and where not to).

    Plants

    Another good rule to ingrain in impressionable minds is staying away from certain plants and berries. Some kids do this naturally, while other children like to put pretty, shiny things in their mouths. I am always reminding mine not to eat anything wild unless we all know that it’s edible. There are so many poisonous plants and berries out there and it’s important to make sure they know what to avoid. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about local plant life. Here is an illustrated list of common poisonous plants in the USA that you can use in your lesson.

    Wildlife

    Generally speaking, wherever you are camping in the United States, the chances that wild animals will be a danger to you, or even come within sight of you, are very slim. But every now and then, you’ll come face-to-face with the local fauna.

    At Gilbert Ray Campground near Saguaro National Park, we encountered an unbridled landscape full of dangerous plants and animals. Not a quarter mile from our RV, we spotted an enormous tarantula sauntering across our path, only to walk right over top of a scorpion as we tried to avoid it. Next, we saw a lovely specimen of a diamondback rattlesnake. As we walked back to our RV, we noticed that a band of coyotes were following us, yelping and howling at our dog as we tried to keep her on a short leash. All of these encounters took place in under 20 minutes.

    Teaching your children how to identify and respect local wildlife will help keep them safe during your camping trip and provide them with the names of all the cool critters in the stories they tell after.

     

    Don’t Forget to Play!

    It’s easy to fill up your camping itinerary with endless activities and adventures. Nowadays, with a universal library at our fingertips at all times, we can get a little overzealous with our agenda. Don’t forget to take the time to simply bask in your surroundings, and let your kids play around the campsite, fueled by their own direction and curiosity. It’s been said that children learn the most from free play. So, take a break, relax, maybe even recline, and let your kids explore the precious gift that is the natural world.