RVing with Toddler

[coachkath]

Don't know if this post belongs here, but this is usually where I lurk.
We just bought an RV! Now, neither of us has ever been RVing but we bought it in anticipation of going across country next summer. But we want to try it out this weekend somewhere local. We used to go camping alot, but we're clueless about RVing - ESPECIALLY with a toddler. We haven't even camped since we had her. I don't even know what to bring for her. Or what kind of food/items to pack for us. We have titanium camping cookware that we used on the coleman stove when we camped. Can I use that on the RV stove? I feel like I should be posting this on some kind of Retirement site, but does anyone RV with tiny kids? Or know anyone who does? Is there a good site to go to? This is all happening so fast...
Did anyone see that show where the family with 16 (they now have 17) kids go across country in an RV, although I think they had to have 2 RVs. I can't even imagine.
Kathy

[brittone2]

DH wants to take a little sabbatical when he's done grad school to do a cross country RV trip. Google "Live Lightly Tour" and check out their site. That woman posts on MDC and some other boards. Pretty cool and inspiring! I've seen the show you talked about with the large family. Pretty fascinating.

My parents travel a lot w/ a travel trailer. They've done it for years and years now. We have a little pop up that we take camping. DS's first trip was around 4-5 months of age, and DD's was around the same time. Both of them have (knock on wood) slept fine in the RV etc.

Definitely start w/ small trips to keep stress more minimal and be prepared to scrap it if things aren't going well. My two cents is to stay close to home the first few trips just in case. I think the titanium cookware would be fine...I can't think of any reason it wouldn't be. We just use regular stainless steel and one cast iron pan.

From my parents, I've learned that for us, it is MUCH easier to just have duplicates of everything you can for the camper. If you think you'll take a few weekend trips the next few weeks/months, buy extra toothbrushes, contact solution, toothpaste, all that stuff and keep it in the RV. It creates MUCH less stuff to pack each time. Get extra pillows and store them in the RV. Some sort of weather-proof cheapo tablecloth (or two if you'll use a picnic table at the campground). Get stuff like dish or castille soap, sponges, toilet paper, paper towels, etc. to store in the camper permanently. Start packing anything non-perishable well before your trip because especially w/ kids, packing can take forever, especially the stuff that can't be put in until the last minute.

DS usually spends most of his time outside. He is 3.5 and does great with a few "diggers" to play in the stones at the campground, some Color Wonder markers and color wonder paper for rainy days, maybe a game like Memory or similar. For a cross country trip, something like a magnadoodle that can be used while driving would be good.

For clothes I usually just pack play quality stuff. Even in summer I usually bring a jacket or sweatshirt, and a pair or two of long pants for a long weekend. Our A/C gets really cold in the pop up so we even bring them long sleeved jammies in the summertime.

Make sure you are good with setting up the RV in advance, and know how to dump the various sewage/graywater tanks, etc. Make sure the camper doesn't need any special maintenance before you go. We don't have as much of this w/ a pop up, but I know my parents have learned a lot of tricks through the years from their fellow campers. My parents keep a set of walkie talkies in the camper to make parking easier (my mom helps guide my dad into the spot).

I'll bet Delight (from the Live Lightly Tour) could direct you to some good camping websites.

have fun!! Sounds like a great family adventure that you'll remember forever!!

[bubbaray]

Congrats! We've done a few RV trips with DD#1 (starting when she was 6m old) and did a week trip with both girls this summer.

If you have an RV as opposed to a trailer or 5th wheel, there are some car seat issues, so you might want to search through some threads on the car seats forum. Techs seem to be opposed to any use of car seats in a RV and even suggest that another parent and the children follow in a car. We didn't do that, we did use car seats in an RV -- you can PM me if you want info b/c I don't particularly want to get into a flame war with those that think I'm a horrible mom for putting my children into car seats in an RV.

I will say that in terms of car seats, we found it much easier this year doing the 5th wheel thing. Seats installed normally in a crew cab truck and stayed there (as opposed to being installed inside the RV and needing to be moved).

As for gear, we basically took everything we use on a daily basis. I have a travel list of gear for both DDs. Very detailed. The first time I did it, I wrote down everything I used for DD#1 in a 2-day period and have tweaked it since then. Works really well. At one point, I had the list broken down into summer/winter lists, but now just have one list for each girl and cross off what I don't need for a particular trip.

For food, bring what you normally eat. If you are camping at a site with full hookups (HIGHLY recommend that!), then you'll have your microwave working, so you can prepare stuff in advance and reheat. BUT, just beware that we have done this in the past and had no electric for a couple of nights even when we paid for full hookups (if the campground was doing service, etc.). Then, you have to reheat without nuking, which is a PITA.

HTH


Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: 01/2007

[Java]

We just went camping for a week with another family in 2 RV's. We each had a 3yo DS and a 12m DD (4 kids total). It was great fun and we plan on making a yearly trip.

My friend called the highway patrol regarding the car seats for the kids and was told that they classify RV's in a class like school buses. It's a big enough vehicle to not warrant belts. It would be preferable to use car seats but they won't pull us over for it. The RV's we rented had seat belts that were bolted to the ground so we took 2 marathons, faced them to each other (DS was FF'ing to DD who was RF'ing) and used the seat belt to tether the car seat. We took down the table and had the seats tightened up against two walls (DS was against the fridge wall and DD was against the driver wall).

I'd go to AAA and get a camping book. Mark off all the full hook-up sites near you and go there first. Camp in real style until you figure out what works for you and your family without having to totally rough it.

The one thing that we were glad we brought was a large (huge) outdoor rug to place just outside the RV for the kids to play on. We also put shoes there and used it kind of like a mud room before heading into the RV. That minimized the amount of dirt you dragged into the RV.

DD fell off the RV bed and gave herself a black eye. So unless you plan on going to sleep early with your kids, I'd make sure your pack and play fits or buy on that does.

[elephantmeg]

we camper camp and have since DS was 3 months old. Last year we rigged up one of the table beds with a peice of plywood and the cushions from the bed and his crib matress fit into it. This year we go a new camper and he now sleeps in the top bunk over us and we installed 2 toddler bed rails that just fit there. The bunk is so short he can't fall out. We grill a lot camping-hotdogs and marinated chicken, baked potatoes etc. I usually pack a ton of canned veggies, some easy potato mixes plus sandwich stuff. Some kid friendly stuff (string cheese, crackers, fruit cups, chef boyardee etc). Our new camper has a tiny bathtub which has been awesome. Last year I had the inflatable duck bathtub and bathed him in that or did sponge baths! Here's our packing list. We use the sleeping bags for extra padding to sleep on for us! We leave Thursday for our next trip! A non electric one this time to Ocracoke. This is our electric list. We've revised it over and over and it really makes picking up and going so easy. One word on dish soap. Buy the flip top kind not the push up and down spout. They get hot and spew :) We keep pots and pans, a muffin pan, and an 8x8 pyrex in the camper at all times. Check to make sure that pans fit in your oven before you take them!

Vacation List:

Ahead of time:
Sleeping bags
Beach towels
Towel(s)
Dishtowels/pot holders/dishsoap
Chairs
Bug Repellant + sunscreen
12v battery pack
Fluorescent light tube
Lamps
Flashlights-check batteries
Garbage bags
Weather Radio
Radio
Sheets
Toolbox
Propane stove & propane
DC Adaptors & extension cord
Inverter
Charcoal
Lighter Fluid
Windex
Extra paper towels
Plastic bags
Stand for water cooler
Walkie-talkie radios
Dish pan
Games
Hot beverage mugs
Microwave
?toaster?

To do:
MP3 CD for trooper
Make ice for ice cooler
Charge cell phones
Hold mail
Lock windows
Power point
Wash diapers
Run dishwasher and empty

Our Stuff
Clothes
Swimsuits
Sweatshirt/jacket
Shower stuff
Razor for both
Toothbrush, etc.
Glasses cleaner
Contact lens stuff
Vitamins etc
Reading materials/Bible
Wes good sneakers

Media
Cameras & Film
Tripod
MP3 CD
Video Camera, etc
Laptop?
Cell phone charger-car

Munchkin
Diapers & wipes (lots), diaper ointment
Bath towels & washcloths, bath wash, brush
Blankets
Waterproof pads
pj’s
harness
stroller
clothes
Light jacket
Vitamins/Tylenol/motrin/teething tablets
Toys/books
Bibs
Straw cups
Ergo
Ring sling
Booster seat
Extra chair
Sunscreen
Sandals and sneakers

Food:
Mayo/mustard/catsup/pickles/relish
Bread
BBQ
Carrots
Fruit cups
Cereal + milk
Hot tea + tea ball
Peppered season-all, garlic/garlic salt/lowery’s
Yogurt

Last Minute:
Pillows
Booster seat
Food & cooler
Ice water
Diaper bag
Snoopy
Munchkin

For Snoopy
Medical papers
Food
Leash

HTH!