Outdoor vacations with kids: Helpful tools for on the road

Rather 1000 stars in the sky than 5 at the hotel door. More and more families, even those with small children, embrace this motto as they set off on their motorhome and outdoor vacations – in search of freedom, nature and the adventure of being in a different place every day. It is even more fun with a few useful tools that make life on the road easier – this is where retailers and manufacturers can be of help with clever products and good offers.

Outdoor vacations with motorhomes and caravans are the trend right now, especially among young families. According to the Caravaning Industry Association , more than 107,000 motorhomes and caravans were newly registered in Germany in 2020 – that is 32.6 percent more than in the previous year – and the trend is on the rise. Rentals are not yet included, but growth is expected here as well. After all, the result of a GfK survey showed that a quarter of adults in Germany can imagine going on a vacation in a caravan or motorhome in the next five years.

Providers and rental companies of motorhomes, caravans and other outfitters have targeted families with small children and adapted the furnishings of their vehicles accordingly. However, not all come with items that make for a stress-free outdoor vacation with the little ones – this is an opportunity for specialist dealers to show their competence with suitable offers and advice.

Aside from the usual equipment for sleeping, eating and travelling, what do families need for a caravan vacation with the kids? The most important requirements are safety and space. For transporting the little ones safely, the caravan should have a three-point belt to secure the child car seat. If there is only a lap belt, a special child seat is necessary. Reboard car seats like the Britax Römer Plus ensure very high safety thanks to the fastening system with lap belt, included tension straps and three-point belt. Since the time spent driving when traveling in a motorhome can be somewhat longer, anti-sweat seat pads like the AeroMooV Air Layer are also very useful.

Safety when sleeping and playing is also paramount. Recommend safety nets or bed guards to your customers like the ones from Pinolino to reduce the risk of the little ones falling out of bed. The safest place for babies to sleep is in their own crib. The confined space of a motorhome lends itself to a bed tent like the one from Deryan , which can be set up on the seating area and also protects against mosquitoes and other insects, or a compact foldable travel cot like the Dooky Traveller from Jollyroom.

Foldable equipment helps your customers to maximize space and comfort. Collapsible items like the femstar One2Stay highchair from Jako-o, colanders and wash bowls from Ortlieb , as well as multifunctional folding boxes and strainers are ideal for quick tidying. To save space (and plastic waste), washable swim diapers are an alternative to space-consuming disposable diaper packs. A beach tent is another indispensable accessory for outdoor vacations with small children – it provides shade during the day when playing and can be used for storing child seats and other items at night.

Families also want to be able to leave the vehicle and move about without having to lug around the space-consuming fleet of strollers and kids’ bikes. The solution: a child carrier like the one from Deuter – so the little ones can also come along on the hike. For exploring the city, a stroller also works well – the best recommendation you can give your customers is an extremely lightweight, compact folding model like the Buggy Sport from Hauck .