You’d be hard-pressed to find an adult who doesn’t look back fondly on the family camping trips they took as a child. They usually involve stories of being crammed into the back of the family wagon with at least three other kids, and a long drive to the family’s onsite van parked near the sea.
And with caravanning and camping holidays now more accessible and more popular, it’s easier than ever to create those precious memories with your own children.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a family who only has a few precious weeks of annual leave a year, or a family with the freedom to pack up and take off on an around Australia adventure – the huge benefits of caravanning or camping are the same.
- QUALITY FAMILY TIME
You know that feeling of relief, of all the stresses of the work week and worries of life floating away as you head off for a weekend of camping? Your kids feel that, too.
A camping holiday with the kids allows the whole family to spend quality time together without the strain and interruptions of daily life. Turn off your phone, leave the computers at home and just enjoy the time you have together.
- FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE
It can be hard to drag the kids away from their screens sometimes, but a camping holiday is the perfect excuse to leave them behind and enjoy the great outdoors.
Easy family activities include bushwalking, days at the beach, hanging around the caravan park playground, collecting firewood or exploring on bikes. Whatever you do on a camping trip, it’s almost guaranteed to be outside, and the fresh air and constant activity will help the kids sleep better at night, too.
- BROADENING HORIZONS
There’s no doubt about it – travel broadens the horizons, and it doesn’t have to be a super-cultural overseas holiday to get these benefits.
By travelling just a few hours away from home, you’re almost guaranteed to encounter landscapes, people, and experiences very different to those you and your family are used to. Travel is a great learning opportunity for kids, teaching them how vast and varied Australia is.
- ESTABLISH FAMILY TRADITIONS
Family traditions can really strengthen family units. They can be as simple as having family dinners together every night, or taking a walk together on a Sunday morning. Regular camping holidays are a great tradition to start with your family, too.
Many adults look back fondly on the camping holidays they had as kids – whether it was returning to the same caravan park every Christmas or Easter, or exploring new parks and parts of Australia every school holidays. Your kids will too.
- FREEDOM
Who doesn’t remember those carefree days camping as a child? Leaving camp straight after breakfast with a gaggle of other caravan park kids and not returning until dusk, dirty, happy and with a whole bunch of new friends and new experiences to excitedly relay to mum and dad? Usually, they were as simple as the cool trick you did on the park’s trampoline, a fun little jump you discovered on your bike, or the new flavour of ice-cream the park’s kiosk has in stock. Camping, especially in a safe caravan park setting, allows your children freedoms they might not enjoy at home and will help create memories that stay with them for a lifetime.
- IT’S EASY
Sometimes you just want a holiday without the fuss. One where you can drive the car, take the surfboards and bikes, and the dog, and it’s affordable to boot. That’s just what a caravan and camping holiday can offer your family.
No need for flights, expensive hotel bookings or grappling with exchange rates. NSW holiday parks offer a great way to get away. There are so many accommodation options too – from simple camp and caravan sites to luxury cabins and glamping – there is something to suit every family.
Check out where to stay and book your next adventure.
