Caravanning with kids - what's the best age?

We have travelled with our kids at every age and enjoyed it, but it IS different. We have 2 boys, 18mths apart in age. Just our thoughts....

BABIES & PRESCHOOLERS (UNDER 5)

Under 5, we had to carry a lot of extra stuff!

For babies, we needed to consider nappies and food (unless they were young enough to be exclusively breast fed). There was a lot more washing!

We carried a double stroller as ours were not great walkers. We could do walks on wheelchair/stroller-friendly paths, but struggled in places like National Parks to really get the full experience. As parents we often separated as one did things and the other stayed with kids.

PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE (5 TO 12)

Primary school age, our kids were awesome! They were excited to do everything and threw themselves into all experiences with gusto. They amused themselves during long travel days and on rest days (e.g. by bike riding or playing with other kids). We had game nights after dark every night which = great family time.

HIGH SCHOOL (13 TO 17)

High school and one was still keen but the other was definately not and let us know it. They wanted to settle down into a high school and didn't want to leave their friends and sporting teams to go away with Mum &Dad during school holidays... they wanted to miss school even less (even 6 weeks off school completely changed the social scene and teachers were very unsupportive of being off school for any length of time).

ADULT CHILDREN

After high school (eldest now 19 and at Uni), sometimes they come mostly they don't.

If they come, they bring their mates or girlfriends, who are respectful and great fun. We put 'em in a tent. Travel days are done by convoy with us in our vehicle and them in another. They do our thing and we do ours, often coming together for adventures, meals, or evening card games.

Hopefully, one day, we will get to be grandparents and get to start all over again.

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