What does day-to-day life really look like when you’re travelling Australia with kids? Can you find a rhythm that works for school, meals, travel and family time? In Part 2 of our Caravanning with Kids series, we dive into how three families make it all happen—focusing on the flexible routines, meal planning and creative ways to keep the kids entertained.
If you missed Part 1 of our Caravanning with Kids series or want to meet our travelling families again, check it out here.
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Families often wonder: what does a typical day even look like? Can you really relax, or is it all logistics and chaos? The answer is: it’s what you make of it. While some structure helps, all three families say that slow-paced, flexible days are where the real magic happens.
“No two days are ever the same, but the one thing that never changes is the pace… it’s always slower than home, more carefree, less hectic. Everyone is more present and living in the moment without the distractions, so it makes the family dynamic special.
The kids have a ball and are up and outside the van at dawn and back at dusk –exploring, beach hopping, snorkelling, swimming…chasing sunsets and meeting other friends along the way. There is limited Wi-Fi on the road… so it is very much about making the most of the outdoors and using their imaginations to come up with things to do – like how we all grew up.”
“There’s a bit of structure, but we keep it flexible. We generally do work and school from Monday to Friday then explore on the weekends. Mornings are usually for schoolwork or jobs around the van, then the kids play whilst the adults get some extra work done or we’ll head off exploring—beaches, hikes, museums, whatever’s nearby. Evenings are for campfires, card games and winding down. Some days are packed with adventure, and others are slow—both are important.”
“Our days … are really relaxed. We don’t live on an agenda—we love travelling unplanned if we can. And if we’re near water and there’s a chance to fish, you can pretty much count on us being there all day! Travel days are cruisy too. We leave plenty of time for stops, whether it’s a roadside attraction, a random lookout or to simply stretch our legs.
Evenings are a special time of the day; we usually sit outside taking in the stars and spotting satellites in the sky while enjoying dinner or a campfire if we can…winding down and making memories.”
What will we eat? How do we keep the kids entertained? Do we need to bring everything they own?
The answer? Simplicity wins.
“We cook most meals from scratch and keep it simple. We use our oven regularly as Tania loves to bake – anything from fresh bread to pizza scrolls or banana bread. We also love cooking over the fire, like baked potatoes, or a roast on the rotisserie or in the camp oven. A few of our easy favourites include tuna and caper pasta, chicken pesto pasta, or spaghetti bolognese.”
“When it comes to meals, we all chip in and help. [Meals] are usually basic to keep things low key as well as costs down. We all love our tuna poke bowls or chicken salad wraps for lunch… and after a big day on the beach we love giving the BBQ a workout or having Dad’s homemade garlic pizza (made from tortilla wraps, to keep it simple).
You also get very savvy at making meals out of whatever is left in your cupboards, as often in these remote towns it is hard to find fresh wholefoods. If we were lucky, we would sometimes get to taste fresh fish or squid that we caught that day and would throw that together with a salad.”
“Cooking in the caravan is all about keeping things simple but tasty. Our kitchen setup is really important to us—a decent sized fridge, good stove and plenty of storage makes a huge difference.
We absolutely love Mexican food and it’s a go to meal for us on the road because it’s easy to make and everyone loves it. BBQs are always high on our list as there’s nothing better than cooking outdoors and enjoying a meal together. We also love having the air fryer in the truck, [but] when we get the chance, we love cooking over an open fire using our camp oven. There’s something special about that kind of slow, rustic cooking that really adds to the whole camping experience.”
One of the trickier parts of caravanning with kids is managing boredom, especially on travel days or during bad weather. Luckily, our families have picked up some clever tricks to keep everyone happy.
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From flexible routines to fireside dinners and creative ways to keep the kids engaged, life on the road is anything but ordinary—and that’s exactly the point. It’s not about strict schedules or endless gear, but making life-long memories and sharing special moments with your family.
But what about education, money and the big picture stuff? In Part 3 of our Ultimate Guide to Caravanning with Kids, we dive into roadschooling, budgeting on the road, and the life-changing lessons this lifestyle offers. Stay tuned!
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