Families like RVs come in every shape, form, and size. Families with young children will have much different needs than families with older children or teenagers. Families with school-aged children will often be limited in travel opportunities by school and activity schedules. (On the other hand, some families with children travel on a full-time basis by homeschooling their children.) Reservations for camping spots close to popular family attractions may be difficult to get during peak travel times around school breaks. Unfortunately, many RV park operators also raise their rates during these popular travel times.

Not all RV resorts welcome children, nor do all your fellow RV travelers. Though RV parks cannot specifically refuse to take campers with children, they will often make it less than desirable if they prefer adult patrons only. Look for those parks with amenities such as playgrounds, lifeguard-supervised pools, and activities specifically geared to the younger set. Parks with these features listed usually welcome children. Additional features you will probably find appealing when traveling with children are onsite laundry facilities and game rooms. The weather is never guaranteed, and children usually hate to be cooped up. For the sake of your sanity, it is nice for them to have a place that offers rainy-day diversions.

Space is always an issue in RVs, and this is especially true when traveling with small children. Babies always seem to come with a lot of stuff: cribs, high chairs, strollers, diapers, and toys. While you cannot bring every baby item you would normally have at home, you can try to keep things under control.

If you are traveling with a baby, a car seat is a necessity and a stroller is very desirable. Try to find a combination stroller/car seat. The bottom wheeled portion folds up compactly while you are traveling with the baby in the car seat. When you get to your destination, the car seat attaches to the wheeled portion and becomes a stroller.

Another concern with a very small child is sleeping accommodations. A full-size crib is not practical in an RV because of space considerations. In the never-ending line of baby accessories, you should be able to find a foldup travel bed that will accommodate your little one until she is big enough for a real bed.

If you have older children when you get your first RV, or if you are looking to move up to a larger trailer, there are many RV floor plans that are great for families. One very popular innovation over the past few years has been the introduction of the bunkhouse floor plan to travel trailers. Most travel trailer manufacturers have at least one model with bunkbeds. Depending on the length of the trailer, there may be two, three, or four bunks. In most floor plans, the bunks are on the opposite end of the trailer from the “master” bedroom, if there is one. This layout provides additional privacy for the parents.

If you are traveling with very young children, safety can be a big concern. You will not have a fenced yard to prevent them from wandering out into traffic. While most speed limits in parks are less than 10 miles per hour, RVs are large vehicles with some sight limitations, especially when backing up. You will need to keep a close watch on young ones to prevent injury. If you are camping in wilderness areas, a young child could wander off in a few moments and run into danger.

You will need to childproof the inside of your RV in much the same way you would a home. Install safety latches on all cabinets. Turn down the temperature on your water heater to prevent scalding. Move any dangerous chemicals and medications to high areas that the child cannot reach. Install covers over electric plugs to prevent electrical shock and keep electric heaters out of reach of small fingers that can poke through the grill.

Traveling in a motorhome is no different than traveling in a car. All passengers need to follow seat belt laws for their own safety. Children under four years of age should travel in an approved car seat and should never be allowed to wander unrestrained in a moving vehicle. While one of the great appeals of motorhome travel is that a passenger can use the restroom or prepare a snack while traveling down the freeway, that is never advisable. Motorhomes come equipped with seat belts on not only the front driver and passenger seats but also on some living or dining area seating. If additional seat belts are needed for passengers, the dealer can add them on request.

Children who are old enough to understand and handle them correctly should be taught the location of fire extinguishers and how to use them in the event of a fire. They also need to be shown how to use the emergency exits. A fire drill should be a part of every family vacation. If you were taking a cruise, you would have a lifeboat drill before you set sail. Make fire drills a habit, and if you have a real emergency, everyone will be prepared.

In an RVIA study of RV owners, respondents said that bringing the family closer together, having new experiences, and teaching respect for nature were some of the important benefits of family camping.