Having travelled Australia as wandering grey nomads we decided to take young Grandson for his first caravanning experience in his Easter school holidays.
As Grey nomads we are known to be critical of these resort style caravan parks with their expensive fees as we seniors don’t require all those bells and whistles!
However, the experience with a very excited 6 1/2year old opened our eyes to the benefits for families with kids that such parks offer.
Staying at the Mountain View Caravan Park in Shoalhaven Heads on the NSW South Coast our Grandson showed us what fun could be had! Not only was the caravan fun to set up but so was the park itself to explore. With many roads within the park suitable for riding his bike and scooter there was often a stream of kids doing likewise. The heated outdoor swimming pool with a separate wading pool was refreshing on a warm afternoon.
Our Grandson discovered a fun jumping pillow next to a large recreation area suitable for a game of football and surrounded by a cycling/walking track with outdoor gym equipment for the older folk! There was a giant chess game and other large games such as connect 4 to keep one amused. The little kids loved feeding the pet goats and alpaca in the animal nursery.
We were challenged to a game of mini golf but left exploring the games room, tennis court, and peddle carts to another time.
Although the park itself had many permanent cabins – the residents kept them neat and tidy as was the parks amenities and grounds.
Seeing such a park through the eyes of a child we realise such caravan parks have so much to offer families with young kids.
What to take:
- Bikes, scooter and helmets for the kids.
- Swimmers and goggles.
- Some games/books for evenings (we try avoid TV watching on holidays).
- A sense of humour, vigilant observation skills and patience for it can be a fun experience.
If you are a grandparent and you enjoy camping and going on holidays with your grandchildren, why not share your experiences in the comments below to where you have been on holidays with the kids
