Whether you’re a single parent, or your spouse is deployed, works crazy long hours, doesn’t like road trips, or otherwise is not able to go on a road trip, don’t let that keep you from being a road trip warrior. Road trips are a great way to bond and make memories, and RVing makes those memories and bonding experiences more comfortable (and convenient!). I’m here to tell you that RVing with children as a solo parent is totally doable.

Back when Sunshine was little, I was too intimidated to take her on road trips with our travel trailer by myself when Jeremy had to work. This summer I’ve taken all three kiddos on multiple road trips in the RV without Jeremy. Not that we don’t want him along, because we do, but his work schedule doesn’t always allow him to take time off when it’s convenient. We are planning to travel full time, but we’re not quite ready.

In the meantime, we could sit home and twiddle our thumbs while we wait for his work schedule to align with our schedule, but even when it does, he never has enough time off. Or we can go on trips without him and earmark locations we’d like to return to with Jeremy. Not all locations are worth returning to, but some certainly are.

I firmly believe that each of us is capable of driving RVs, towing trailers, taking road trips, etc, regardless of whether we’re male, female, single, married, whatever. I’ve shared some tips for timid RV drivers, and tips for towing a car while solo RVing, but what about taking your kids with you? Children add a whole new level of adventure to the experience, especially if they’re impulsive toddlers or preschoolers (like our boys).

8 Tips to  RVing with Children as a Solo Parent

1. Be familiar and confident with your RV or tow vehicle and trailer

It’s much easier to drive an RV with noisy kiddos in the back if you’re not also stressed out about how the RV is or isn’t driving. If you’re not super confident driving your RV or pulling your trailer, do some practice drives without the kiddos to build your confidence. If you’re towing a trailer, make sure you know how to hook up the trailer and use the sway bars.

Whether you ask your spouse, a friend, someone at the dealership, or consult owner’s manuals, YouTube or RV forums, make sure you know what needs to be hooked up where. Know how to run the generator, connect the electric, water, and sewer hookups, level the RV or trailer, all the things that are part of camping with an RV or trailer.

2. Plan, but be flexible

Plan your route and your stops, but remember to leave wiggle room in your schedule. Children are nothing if not unpredictable, and you never know when you might need to add an extra stop you hadn’t planned on. Try to have an open schedule while traveling, if possible. Stop when you need to rest, the kiddos need to stretch their legs or use the potty, or you find an interesting spot you want to explore.

Don’t plan on driving too much in one day. 3-4 hours in one day is a good starting point, with at least two nights in the same spot so you don’t have to put everything away right after setting up the night before.

3. Plan easy meals that can be thrown together quickly

A meal plan will relieve a lot of stress: you won’t be left wondering what you’re going to make for each meal or trying to find somewhere to stop for a hamburger, chicken nuggets, and fries.

Quick and easy meals are especially helpful if you have young ones prone to getting in trouble while you’re focused on meal prep (ask me how I know this).

4. Load everything up the day before

It invariably takes longer than you think it will to haul everything out to the RV or trailer, especially if you’re doing it on your own. If you turn on the frig and load up the day before, you’ll only need a few minutes the next day to load last minute items and be ready to go.

Have the kiddos help carry some of their stuff. Most children like to help and even the little ones can carry their pillow or some toys to the RV or trailer.

5. Take your time setting up camp

Have a checklist handy so you don’t make mistakes or forget a step. Putting out the slide before leveling the RV or trailer could really put a crimp in your plans.

6. If you have older children or teens along, have them help with setup or watching younger ones

If there are no older children or teens to help, leave the littles buckled in their carseats and use an electronic babysitter to keep them in one place, out of your way. There is no shame in using screen time to give you peace of mind in knowing where your kids are while you get everything taken care of.

7. Keep the kids busy and make it fun

Explore your surroundings. Make new friends at the campground, do some bird identification or tree identification, earn a junior ranger badge, play at a swimming pool or beach, go for a hike, check out the local sights, there’s so many fun activities to do with children!

8. Plan your exit strategy

Know what time you have to check out, and make sure you get up early enough to get everything done. Can you tidy up and pack up some things the night before? If you didn’t have full hookups, will you need to use the dump station to empty tanks, or will you be able to just go? Have a checklist of what needs to be done to break camp so the process will go smoothly and with minimal wasted time.

And don’t forget: have fun!

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Interested in a printable checklist for setting up and breaking camp? Drop a quick “Yes!” in the comments box and I’ll put one together and put a link to it in this post.

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Not sure where to take the kids? Stay at a Thousand Trails RV campground. We’ve enjoyed using our Thousand Trails membership to explore new areas and meet new people. If you’d like to know more about Thousand Trails or to sign up for your own membership, use my link and you’ll receive a discount on an annual camping pass.