How to Prepare for Disney with Toddlers

Preparing for Disney is super exciting for both adults and kids! We’re spending December in Orlando this year, and we are ready to see Disney attractions for Christmas. Our daughter has been telling everyone she meets about “Christmas Disney” since June, and we’re thrilled for the holidays to finally arrive.

While we’ll be staying off-site in Orlando for most of the month, we couldn’t pass up four nights at the Campsites at Fort Wilderness. Staying on-resort adds convenience and a taste of the Disney magic right at our doorstep. Here’s how we’re preparing, and hopefully, these tips will help make your Disney trip unforgettable too!

Stay Onsite

Staying onsite at Disney makes getting to the parks much easier and avoids parking hassles - no need to reconfigure the RV or drive the big diesel truck short distances. Plus, it’s convenient for hopping on Disney transportation, like ferries and trams, which makes mornings and evenings smoother. Another perk is that you are allowed early park access, which means fewer crowds and increased flexibility. We’ve heard fantastic things about the Campsites at Fort Wilderness, especially at Christmas, and we are excited to soak in the holiday spirit there!

Purchase Tickets in Advance

We opted to get two-day park hopper tickets for our 4 night stay. This gives us a taste of Disney while allowing downtime to relax at Fort Wilderness and partake in any activities there. Booking park-hopper tickets with your overnight reservation offers discounts and the freedom to move between parks. We’ll also use the Disney My Experience App for convenient, paper-free ticket access, and we are excited about the photo package - I’ll be in some pictures too!

Buy Airtags for Peace of Mind

When traveling with toddlers, Airtags offer a layer of security in busy areas. Attach them to strollers, bags, and even your kids! With keyrings, watch bands and safety pins, the toddlers enjoy wearing them. These compact, multi-use trackers are perfect for RV life, too - handy around campgrounds if kids wander. (Fun fact: Airtags connect to any nearby iPhone to provide location updates - the technology is pretty neat!)

Choose an Easily Maneuverable Stroller

With limited RV space, our stroller setup had to be practical and multi-use. We ultimately chose a Burley D-Lite Double Trailer that with the right attachments, can be used as a stroller, attach to our e-bikes, and can be ran or skied with! While its a bit larger than a standard double stroller, it folds easily and fits in our rear compartment. It falls within the Disney stroller size requirements, i’s versatile for parks and trams, offers sun-protection, provides a lot of storage, and is a cozy spot for toddlers to rest between attractions - we are excited to try it at Disney!

Pack Matching Shirts

Matching shirts seems very Disney and creates adorable family photos. We bought holiday-themed Disney shirts in advance, saving money and adding to the fun!

Prep Toys/Surprises

Disney has endless toys and we know our toddlers will ask for something at every turn! To manage this, we pre-bought a few small items to surprise them with throughout the trip from Amazon (except for those bubble wands we found in the Amazon packages they had access to 🤪). These items are RV-friendly, fun, and perfect for keeping the kids entertained without filling our space with expensive souvenirs. If they ask for a toy, we’ll have a backup ready to surprise them with later.

Here are a few fun items we’ll be bringing:

• Minnie Headband Ears

• Bubble Wands (his and hers)

• Lighted Wands

• Glow Bands

• Disney Stuffies

Plan your Meals Strategically

Whether you choose the Disney Dining Plan or not, having a meal strategy is essential—especially when you’re managing toddlers.

For our trip, we opted not to use the Disney Dining Plan to maintain maximum flexibility. While the plan can save money for some, we wanted the freedom to choose meals that work best for our family in the moment. For example, if we feel like enjoying two table-service meals in a day (like character dining experiences), we don’t want to be limited by the plan’s constraints.

To save money and keep our kids happy, we’ll also bring plenty of our own snacks. This ensures we’re ready for any “hanger” emergencies without having to rely solely on park options. Some families might prefer to bring entire meals to save even more, which is another great choice. Either way, the key is having a plan to avoid meltdowns and make mealtimes seamless.

We’ve also made reservations for most of our meals in advance. You can do this 60 days in advance and we highly recommend you do it early - we did it about 35 days out and were very surprised at how many things were already booked. Disney dining locations generally allow cancellations up to two hours beforehand, which gives us the flexibility to adjust plans if needed. For us, Disney dining is part of the experience, and having reservations ensures we won’t be scrambling for options or trying to order food on the app while chasing kids. By planning ahead but staying flexible, we can sit down, relax, and fully savor the magical moments with our family.

We are planning to do a cost comparison after our trip to see if we would have fared better taking advantage of the Disney Dining Package, so stay tuned!

Start a Countdown

Paper chain countdowns are a favorite in our family! They’re a fun craft project, and they let us talk daily about what’s coming. As we tear off a chain link, we chat about what Disney will look like, how to stay near Mom and Dad, and take deep breaths if we feel overwhelmed. We talk about how sugary snacks and treats will be everywhere, but we’ll choose one special snack per day (our daughter is very sensitive to sugar so we do closely manage this). This daily ritual helps prepare the kids mentally so they know what to expect and can get excited and enjoy the moments without feeling too overstimulated.

Create Vision Boards

We’ve also been working on vision boards for each day of our Disney trip. This lets the toddlers see a preview of what’s coming, helping them focus and look forward to specific things instead of feeling distracted by the overload of options once we’re there. I just screenshot photos and put them in a Google Doc that the kids can scroll through. I’m excited to see how this helps with the experience and will report back!

Lower Expectations and Mentally Prepare for Park Days

In an RV, we’ve learned to manage expectations, and Disney is no different. Be present, go with the flow, and enjoy each moment without feeling rushed or disappointed if things don’t go as planned. Soak in the decorations, the lights, and the kids' reactions to characters. Don’t stress about catching every ride—Disney magic is everywhere! Lightning passes, virtual queues and the rider-switch program can help with specific attractions, but some of the best memories will come from just being together and letting the magic unfold naturally.

Whether you live in an RV or not, we hope these Disney tips help make your trip both magical and manageable! And don’t let anyone tell you your kids are too young for Disney. Sure, they may not remember every detail, but YOU will - and seeing their faces light up with wonder if something you’ll never forget. These moments aren’t just about the kids; they’re about the memories you’ll cherish as a family. So embrace, the magic, take lots of photos, and enjoy every second of the adventure!

Do you have any tips for us?! Drop them below!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

11 Toddler Sleep Tips for RV Life

Toddler sleep can be quite tricky, and it becomes even more tricky in an RV where everything is new and exciting, they are perhaps sharing a room for the first time, and there are more outside noises at inconsistent times.

Don’t worry though, we got you! Toddlers CAN sleep very well in an RV. Our kids are back to sleeping their typical 12 hours a night which was the same in our home. Here are our toddler sleep tips for RV life:

Maintain Consistency

It is definitely difficult when you want to create memories of roasting marshmallows by the fire, play with new friends, do a later dinner or event, or if you are going through timezone changes, but try to stay consistent. Roast marshmallows shortly before or immediately after dinner in front of the fire - it doesn't have to be dark or late. Know that they'll feel better the next day and will more likely behave well if they are well rested – and friends will be excited to play in the morning too. If you have a later dinner or event, try to stick to the 80/20 rule – do those late dinners/events less than 20% of the time to keep the consistency. For timezone changes (I'm assuming this is 1 hour at a time in an RV), split the difference, or if they didn't nap at all or did less of a nap than typical, just stick with the same bedtime despite the time change. Our toddlers expect bath, teeth brushing, two books, nightlights, sing songs, and bed every night beginning at 7pm (ish). 

Create a Dark Environment

We have always tried to make our kids rooms at our home as dark as possible. For my little, it's always dark. For the big, when we started getting afraid of the dark, we added a nightlight, but we still kept outside lights out. In a camper, this is especially important – you never know if you'll be parked under a street light or if headlights will pass by early or late. We use Reflective Insulation and actually put it between the screen and the window so the toddlers don't disturb each other in the bunk by removing it. Keeping it super dark also helps them sleep in with the timezone changes. 

Use a Hatch Nightlight

We love the Hatch Nightlight because it has music to choose from, color options, we control it from our phones, and it has a timer.  Our daughter insists on it being blue through the night despite our attempts to make it red as red is better for sleeping. She also insists on twinkle twinkle playing all night despite our attempts to change it to white noise. But the best part is that we can dim the light, turn down the volume, and we have it set to turn green at 730am. Before bed, we always discuss our two rules with the big – 1.) always stay in bed until our light is green (unless we need to potty) so we can feel our best, and 2.) never bother baby brother. Staying in bed until the light is green is still a challenge, but we just do a gentle reminder when we don't and move on. There is no sense ruining a day over not staying in bed until our light is green, especially when they sleep through the night. 

Crank Up a Sound Machine

You never know what noises will be outside your campsite. Noisy neighbors, a train, nearby sites packing up early…it’s endless. We check the dBs with an iPhone app, but we always turn up the sound machines to drown out those uncontrollable outside noises that have the potential to awake our toddlers.

Create a Crib

For toddlers still using a crib at home, don’t feel like you need to transition them to a big kid bed because you cannot bring a crib along in your camper. Transitioning our daughter to a big kid bed too soon completely destroyed naps for us personally - don’t take the decision to transition too lightly! Instead bring a side entry pack n’ play along like the Lotus Travel Crib or create a crib that works in your space! We used a the travel crib for a long as possible, but about a month into our travels, our son figured out how to climb out - so we propped it up on books to remove the gap between the top of the crib and bunk ceiling, and quickly worked on a new solution.

I’ve seen many camper crib solutions online and they are all specific to the camper space. We have a Montana High Country 351BH and this was our solution. We brought along our son’s crib mattress from home and placed it perpendicular to the queen bunk space. Crib mattresses are generally about 27-1/4 in. wide by 51-5/8 in. long and queen mattresses are 60 in. wide by 80 in. long. We decided we were ok with with a slight gap between the mattress and the wall, but we had to find a barrier that was 60 in. long to go against the mattress and was also tall enough such that he couldn’t climb over it. This proved more challenging than expected. We ended up finding a Regalo Baby Gate that was just the right height to close the gap to the bunk ceiling and was 58" in. long when fully extended. The length was obviously still too short, but then we found Gate Extenders (I had no idea these existed!) which covered those final inches…phew!

One last thing to mention is to ensure that your sleep spot is safe for your toddler! Ours had an outlet and light within the designated space. My husband disconnected/secured and duct taped over the outlets and removed the pushbutton from the light we couldn’t electrically disconnect behind the plate.

Create a Comfortable Sleep Space

Just because they are kids doesn’t mean they don’t need good quality bedding! Upgrade your camper sleep bunk mat (those things are awful!), buy comfortable toddler pillows, make a place for their stuffed animals from home, and ensure their sheets and comforters are comfortable to them.

Hang Curtains

In addition to the reminder to not bother baby brother (see Hatch Nightlight), creating a visual boundary helps to keep the big from bothering the little toddler. Our little guy is still in a crib, so he can't get out and bother her. The curtain (and rod) helps mask the disturbance if she wakes earlier or needs to potty. Curtains also help ensure the environment for our little stays dark while the big’s nightlight is on and drowns out that twinkle twinkle all night. Our little still sleeps until about 8am most days. 

If you use a tension rod, like we did, be sure your curtain hanging opening will fit over it - rookie mistake!

Monitor Temperatures

Our RV has two AC units. One in the master and the other for the living and bunk room. The living and bunk room AC unit also has a heat pump integrated into the unit. The thermostat for the bunks and living room is right in front of the entryway door and it always reads higher or lower than the bunk temperature.

When the AC is running, it is not uncommon for the living room to be warm, the top bunk to be very cold and the bottom bunk to be slightly warm. When the heat pump is running, the living room will be chilly, the top bunk will be hot, and the bottom bunk will be comfortable. The heat pump is also very loud when it cycles on and causes early morning wakings, so we rarely use that. We do have a furnace, but we try not to run it as it uses our propane (which we pay for) instead of the campground included electricity.

We monitor each of the kids bunks with our Eufy Baby Monitor so we know the temp in each space and constantly adjust clothing, add space heaters, add battery powered fans, add duvets (and duvet covers), etc. as needed.

White Lithium Grease 

Haha! What is this for?! Our camper doors squeak so quickly! Keep those hinges lubed up so you don't awake the kids when you leave the room or so the big doesn't awake the little when they wake to potty. 

Melatonin (for Occasional Use)

This is definitely not a daily use for us and in fact we were afraid to try it for a while. We found that this helps when going through major transitions or when you need to reset a habit. When we first moved into the camper our 3 year old had the wildest tantrums at bedtime – like nothing we'd ever seen from her. We tried everything but as soon as we turned out the lights she screamed and flailed and actually hurt us a few times. Finally, we resorted to melatonin – we did this for a week, corrected the habit that seemed to develop and got back on track. We really like Zarbees Sleep. We've also used Zarbees Gentle Bedtime which is more natural for times we are staying with friends or have another odd transition to work through. 

Get Help

We decided sleep was extremely important to us from the time we were first pregnant. We both woke up at 4am for our jobs and commuted an hour away. We took the Taking Cara Babies baby sleep class setting a good foundation and getting them to sleep 12 hours/night by the time they were 12 weeks old. As we transitioned the big to her big kid bed and started to get more stalling at bedtime, we took the toddler sleep class. While we didn't do things exactly by the books, we implemented many parts of the class to achieve success. We believe getting advice from professionals is invaluable - don’t be intimidated to seek help!

Bonus Tip: Naps/Quiet Time

We do the same stuff we do at bedtime (minus melatonin) for naps. Keep it dark, quiet, monitor the temperatures and go through the same routine (including pajamas). Our big put up a big fight so for some time I'd have them rest in separate rooms, but further she totally has FOMO and even quiet time for her in our bedroom didn't work. I found giving her a sensory toy (like kinetic sand or her fairies), books and sometimes an educational game on the iPad and letting her just be on the mat outside is what she needs. She plays independently, uses her imagination, and we get a little break to workout or write. Don’t be upset if quiet time for you looks different than others (like in the same space as you instead of in their room) - life is different in an RV so it’s better to embrace it. Though dropping a nap was really hard for me, meeting her where she needed to be worked for us. It’s a bonus that she's on the same bedtime routine as our little and we get early alone time in the evenings.  

Do you have any toddler RV sleep tips we are missing?!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

6 Tips to Practice Self-Care in an RV with Toddlers

Life on wheels can be quite stressful, especially with toddlers involved. Self-care is wildly important to ensure you show up for your family on the daily. When you live on the road, self-care looks different than in a home. You don’t have access to the same people and facilities. We’ve generated ideas to keep ourselves in a good state of mind on the road and want to share with you!

Stretch & Walk

While I used to do cross-fit, run for university and do marathon distance runs, I’ve found that I have very little time to do this while traveling full time with toddlers. I also had a mountain biking accident in Moab about 7 years ago which caused scar tissue damage in my hip and unfortunately causes pain in my back and leg to this day. While I will still go out for a jog or lift some dumbbells from the camper occasionally, I want to simply ensure I keep my body limber, youthful and healing through stretching and walking…until I can find more time for runs and weights again. I figure I’m currently in a phase where my exercise is keeping up and adventures with my toddlers and I’ll be able to refocus in the next phase. My husband and I roll out our yoga mats on our outdoor mat after the kids go to bed and enjoy a little yoga/stretch session followed by a short walk. This is what we feel we need right now and it’s working.

Enjoy a Long Shower

This sounds impossible in the camper, but the reality is true. We selected a camper with a 16 gallon hot water tank and it is plenty for a long hot shower after a difficult day, even after we gave the toddlers their showers. I really try to focus on what the water feels like against my body and do some breathing exercises - 4 seconds in, hold for 4 seconds, out for 8 seconds. Some campers have tankless water heaters too!

Whiten Teeth

This is actually new for me, but very necessary (too much stinking coffee!) and boosts my self-confidence as well. I got trays from the dentist - from an old dentist in Idaho Falls during our travels who was willing to clean the whole family’s teeth. While I had previously gotten my 35% Opalescence Gel Syringes from the dentist, a hygienist friend of mine recently told me I can pick up them up way cheaper on Amazon and that is way easier for me. I love how well this product works and how white my teeth have been getting since using them.

Meditate

Meditation was a challenge for me when I first started, but now I love it. I am partial to guided meditation. I use the Calm App to help bring focus, appreciation, gratitude and reality into my 10 minute morning sessions. I also try to not be upset when I’m interrupted by my toddlers - hey, I still tried for a few minutes and my current phase is to focus on my toddlers anyways.

Enjoy a Calm Drink

When I’m struggling or anticipating a night where I won’t sleep, I make myself a Calm Magnesium Drink. Just 2 tsp of this in warm water takes my blues away and helps me to sleep more soundly.

Take Care of your Hair & Body

I have always been an advocate of taking care of the hair and body you’ve been given. That looks different for different people and I believe whatever you think is best for you, IS what is best. I have my own means of how I think I am taking care of my hair and body and I thought I’d share it.

I can’t say I’m entirely consistent on the products I use. Sometimes I’m very concerned about the synthetic hormones being put on my body, other times I’m very concerned that my products are in plastic. The list goes on. But there are a few things I’ve stuck with and have for a while. These include:

• Amika Hair Products: I use Normcore shampoo and conditioner. They keep my hair fresh & hydrated anywhere in the country.

• Crystal deodorant sticks: I use nakd. One stick has lasted me since April 2023 and is still going strong. After not liking scented deodorant and feeling burning sensations from ‘natural’ solutions like Native, I have switched myself as well as my husband to this. It is scent free and it truly works to reduce and eliminate sweat and odors.

• O’Keefe’s Working Hands: I have always struggled with dry hands especially in the winter and in dry climates. Working hands seriously works like nothing else I’ve ever tried and it does amazing on harder skin spots like on your knees, elbows and balls of your feet.

• Drunk Elephant Products: I really like these products because of their styling, the design of the containers allow you to use all the product, and they are biocompatible with none of the ‘Suspicious 6’ ingredients. I use the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser, Protini Polypeptide Cream, C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, Lippe Balm, and Umbra Sheer Mineral Cream and love them all! The company likes to say you are creating a face smoothie and I like it! They also say when using their products, you don’t need to worry to wash your face in the morning and I always appreciate have one less thing to do.

Take Supplements

Supplements make me feel good and have sometimes been recommended by my doctors in the past. I take fish oil to keep my joints healthy, chlorella to help with indigestion, Primal Greens for a shot of greens, antioxidants, and probiotics, and collagen peptides to keep my skin youthful (I buy unflavored and put it in my coffee per my good friends suggestion). I suggest you do what makes you feel good!

We would love you hear your suggestions for self care while traveling full-time with toddlers - drop them below!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

7 Tips for a Safe Outdoor Camping Playspace for Toddlers

Creating a fun and safe outdoor play space for your toddlers is essential when living in an RV - most of your time is outside! Keeping them corralled near your camper takes work when there are so many distractions and new sights. We’ve compiled a list of essentials to create this space.  

1 - RV Patio Mat

We love these because they create a visual boundary and clean floor space outside for the kids to sit and play. It helps to keep the camper clean as oftentimes it’s more natural to take your shoes off at the bottom of the stairs on this space. It can be a cool landing spot for bare feet if you are parked on hot asphalt as well. In our opinion, these can never be big enough - ours is 9’x18’ and I could go even larger. Oftentimes the designs of these are not very pretty - black checkers, odd floral designs, etc. - we found a patio mat that is functional AND looks good! Be mindful and respectful of campground rules as sometimes they don’t appreciate these for long stays on their well maintained grass.  

2 - Toddler-Friendly Picnic Table

Just like in the home, family congregates around the table - it is the same way in the RV world. Many sites come with picnic tables, but a toddler friendly table in our opinion gives your little a place to congregate and keeps them safe. The amount of times our toddlers have (or almost have) fallen backwards or between an adult sized picnic table is ridiculous. We find we all sit around their little table more than the big tables. This table is a natural place for them to play with toys, do crafts and gather rocks on and is one of the first things that gets pulled out at our campsite.

3 - Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitos are a real problem with toddlers (especially if you are one who attracts them naturally, like our daughter). We hate to see our littles bit and subsequently itching. It’s also a challenge to find repellents that work and we don’t have open flame or burning coils near our toddlers. We’ve found the Thermacell Mosquito Repeller to be safe and work well. It has a 20’ range after about 15 minutes and is scent and spray free. Phew!  

4 - Splash Pad

Not all campgrounds have pools and it’s important to keep your kids body temperatures in check when you spend most of your day outside. We like having a small splash pad on our campsite to cool off in the summer days. It also is a good way to invite other kids to play. We used to have a water table at our home, but they are so bulky and we didn’t have space in our camper for that, so an inflatable splash pad is our perfect solution! This is another one to be mindful of the campground rules though - and never leave it full while you are away or setup overnight out of respect for campground property.

PRO TIP: Hook your hose up to your outdoor shower valve (if you have one) so the water isn’t frigid cold on days where it isn’t that hot.  

5 - Outdoor Toys

Because we spend most of our time outside, we subsequently have just as many, if not more, outdoor toys. Sensory kits are a huge hit with our toddlers - so I have kinetic sand (the natural color in case we loose some), rocks, molding clay, playfoam, paint, and play-doh. We have trucks, fairies, t-ball, Duplo Legos, balls, chalk, fishing poles, pop-up tents, and of course scooters/bikes. Give them a reason to WANT to be in your campsite and donate/freshen the toys every now and again.

6 - Kids Camp Chairs

We’ve actually had these for a while - our kids enjoyed sitting in their camp chairs in our living room at home! It gives them a comfortable place to rest. They love having an animal of their own.

7 - Set (& Remind of) Simple Rules in Advance

As I mentioned, we knew setting and reminding our toddlers of the rules would eventually stick. Our big is getting better, but our little is beginning to learn. This is a work in progress so we are very watchful of our toddlers when they are outside. These are our rules: 

1. Stay in our campsite - even if a friend comes by, come see mommy and daddy first.  

2. Provide boundaries for bikes/scooters -  create imaginary lines in the road which have a visual aid (like a tree or friends campsite) 

3. NEVER go in someone else’s camper - this is SO important, you never know sadly. I draw a firm line especially when they are this young and boundaries are still confusing. There are no exceptions.  

 Bonus! Playpen/Fence

We never got a playpen/fence for our toddlers because we didn’t expect them to stay in it, nor did we have the space to store it. If you have the space, this is probably a great, easy way to contain your toddlers! In our case, we knew setting and reminding our toddlers of the rules would eventually stick as we do this full time. Sometimes we wish we had room for a fence though!  

Do you have other ideas for keeping toddlers safe in your campsite? Drop us a comment!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

Our Complete Biking Setup for Full-time Travel in an RV with Toddlers

You guys! We recently bought ourselves pedal assist bikes and a kids’ trailer and we can’t believe we waited so long! This was something we debated for MONTHS and that is our only regret.

My husband has always been a big mountain biker. I used to enjoy it until I had an accident in Moab and became nervous on a bike. I want to enjoy it again and I want our kids to become confident bikers, so we decided it’s time for me to face that silly ole fear. 😝

We used to drive our Ram 3500 dually and Montana High Country Fifth wheel to our campground and after setting up, we’d need to get back into the truck to either go to the playground, get groceries, get dinner, etc. We hated starting the truck back up for these short drives and knew as the weather got colder, we’d dislike it even more. We also felt so bad to strap the kids back in carseats.

The bikes…

While my husband already had a Scott Scale mountain bike, I thought I’d want something with pedal assist to keep up with him and to also regrow my confidence. After much deliberation, we ended up both getting pedal assist bikes so we could go farther, more easily, together and with the kids. We knew we wanted something that still felt like we were getting a bit of exercise. While we test rode some Class 2, rear drive e-bikes for fun, we didn’t feel like that was what we needed and we didn’t like how heavy they were at 70+ lbs.

When we were visiting Idaho Falls, ID, we stopped in at Idaho Mountain Trading. They are our favorite gear shop, ever! The staff is so knowledgeable, kind and we completely count on them to help us make our decisions on all things biking and skiing.

We were drawn to the Trek pedal assist bikes. I ended up choosing the Marlin+ and my husband chose the Powerfly as it had slightly more power and a longer battery life for towing the toddlers. The 9-speed Shimano CUES gearing is consistent and durable, the front end suspension makes our trail rides a breeze, the disc brakes handle stopping easily (even with a trailer of toddlers), and each bike weighs around 50 lbs which we think is pretty reasonable. The pedal assist has Eco, Tour+, Auto, and Turbo modes which each provide the perfect amount of support when we need it and they also come with the FLOW App, so you can track your rides and battery life. We are so pleased with our decisions!

The toddler situation…

We went around and around about how we wanted to transport our littles on the bikes. We ended up realizing that there are so many solutions - they all work and some are better suited for different phases and times. We decided on what immediately worked best for us and knew we’d pivot going forward. One of our mottos - everything is temporary.

We liked the idea of the bike seats over the rear wheel, but didn’t want to always have it on our bikes and didn’t have the space to store it anywhere. We thought a trailer cycle would be great for our big, but we didn’t feel she was quite ready for that and the distances we wanted to achieve right now. We liked the front mount bike seats, but I didn’t feel confident enough to have a toddler between my legs and we thought our daughter would be too big for it.

We could only choose one because of space when living in an RV full-time and we decided a bike trailer was best for us for the following reasons:

• The kids have the ability to sit back and relax, play with toys we won’t lose along the way, and easily access their snacks and waters

• We each have the ability to take both kids for an errand or activity if the other is busy

• We could remove the trailer from the bikes and just enjoy biking together if we had the opportunity

• The bike trailer has stroller functionality so we could sell our wagon and use this as a replacement

• We can also purchase the attachments to run and cross-country ski

• The trailer can be stored away neatly under our rear bunk

We decided on the Burley D’Lite X trailer! We found the quality and price to be exactly what we needed and are so pleased with our decision. These are the features we can’t live without:

• Adjustable suspension which keeps our toddlers comfortable on trail rides

• Weather resistant cover keeps them out of the rain or protected from wheel splash

• Width of the trailer gives them both enough shoulder/wiggle room (some trailer options can get so narrow!)

• Reclining and cushioned seat pads allow them to be more cozy (our toddlers have taken short naps in the trailer!)

• Has the versatility of a bike, run, and ski mode

Some extras…

A few extra pieces of gear we needed to complete this setup were:

1. Axle: Our Trek e-bikes were able to tow a trailer, but the rear thru axle wasn’t long enough to add the bike attachment. We opted to replace the axle in both of our bikes so at any time we individually had the ability to take the kids ourselves. Be sure you work with your bike shop to ensure you select a thru axle compatible with both your bike and bike trailer (it is not a one size fits all situation).

2. Trailer Adapters: The trailer adapter is what attaches to your axle so the bike trailer can clip into it. This is another component we decided to put on both bikes so we didn’t need to grab tools and swap out this piece any time the other took the kids.

3. Biking Shorts: I don’t know about you, but my booty gets sore after I bike! Biking shorts make all the difference. I often pop mine on under my shorts or pants just before we take off. Be sure to select something with enough padding, breathability, and a comfortable waistline.

4. Helmet: Admittedly, we don’t always wear ours, but we absolutely should be better at modeling it for our kids. Make sure you have one, especially for tougher rides.

5. Bike Rack: We will be posting another blog on how we selected our bike rack which is capable of being mounted on a travel trailer/5th wheel hitch, robust enough for the weight of e-bikes, and considers all the required downrating analysis. Our solution after all this consideration was the Swagman Escapee with a hitch reducer(when we use it on the truck).

6. Spare Tubes: We recently popped a few tires running over prickles - it’s always wise to keep spare tubes around for this reason. The Burley D’lite X trailer requires a 20” biking tube, our Trek Powerfly requires a 29” x 2.30” biking tube, and our Trek Marlin+ requires a 27.5” x 2.40” biking tube. It’s also a great idea to have some slime bike tube sealant on-hand as it can help you save tubes that are only mildly damaged.

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That concludes our recommendation for a complete biking setup when you travel full-time in an RV with toddlers! If you are questioning this decision - DON’T! Just do it. Get yourself on the trail while your babies are little. ✨

Please drop us a comment on your thoughts and any future biking setup suggestions for us!

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This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

8 Hiking Essentials with Toddlers

Recently on the trails we’ve heard a few parenting struggles about hiking with kids. One family was hand carrying their child because they simply couldn’t get them to walk. Another family was constrained to paved roads because they needed a stroller for fear their child would run off. Believe me, we’ve been in both situations, but now that we hike at least 1-2/week with our toddlers, we’ve learned some things that we want to share!

 These are our 8 hiking essentials with toddlers: 

1 - Prepare them Mentally

In advance (even starting with possibly the day before), share where you are going, how far the drive is, how many miles you’ll hike, what snacks you are bringing, etc.  Tell them how excited you are about how well they are going to do because they are ‘hiker kids’. I got this idea to prep from two amazingly smart toddler Mama’s who run Big Little Feelings.

2 - Buy Sturdy Hiking Shoes

Because kids grow so quickly, I don’t really like to spend a lot of money on shoes. However, our first few hikes were in cheap shoes with very poor grip and the kids kept falling. I quickly realized that we needed something they could build confidence in. We invested in Merrell Moab Speed 2 Waterproof hiking shoes and they’ve made a world of difference. The toddlers are more stable and even talk about how great they feel in their hiking shoes.

3 - Stay Hydrated

Be sure they have water and offer it often. We recently bought our daughter an Osprey Moki 1.5 Hydration Pack and she is suddenly way more motivated. Now we actually have the opposite problem where our toddler needs to potty a lot and we have to manage how much she drinks by reminding her the straw doesn’t always need to be in her mouth.

4 - Invest in a Hiking Child Carrier 

We decided to buy a used Kelty Journey child carrier hiking pack on Facebook marketplace early on in this adventure. We didn’t think we needed to invest in new because we thought maybe we wouldn’t need one - boy were we wrong! Unfortunately the straps were dry rotted and after two ripped from simply tightening the pack within a month of owning, we bought a new Osprey Poco Child Carrier. We LOVE it! This pack has a built-in sunshade, harness with front facing arm loops for the escape artist, fold down frame for travel, stirrups (which are actually long enough for a tall two year old), and plenty of adjustments so everyone is comfortable. These are expensive, but honestly, a game changer and absolutely necessary if you want to hike beyond the pavement.

We also recently purchased a Trail Magik Kid Carrier for our big toddler. While snacks, prepping, and motivation with snacks/rewards can go a long way, we noticed when doing big hiking, like in Banff National Park, we simply experience burn out. We want to continue to encourage her, but if she needs a break, we need to comfortably be able to carry her. We are excited to report back on our thoughts!

5 - Bring Lots of Snacks

We like to always have a snack or lunch at our hiking destination as it gives them something to look forward to. But we’ve found that fruit snacks or yogurt covered raisins work as interim motivation. We typically hand one piece of fruit snack or two raisins for about every 0.25 mi. Increase or decrease this distance based on their needs.

6 - Track your Hikes

We use Strava to track our hikes because if you didn’t track it, did you even do it? 😜 But seriously, it’s so helpful to keep those toddlers ‘in the know’ and also gives you reference for when to hand out those little snacks as motivation.

7 - Wear Sun Protection

We always put sunscreen on our kids before our morning adventure and after nap since we are outside most of the day. I think our sunscreen recommends it be reapplied every 90 minutes but it’s uncommon we hike much longer than that. I always try to get hats on my kids, but somedays that is quite the challenge. Another great idea is long sleeve lightweight shirts.

8 - Check Weather & Trail Conditions

It’s always important to check the weather and trail conditions in advance whether that be online or through word of mouth. If needed, pack rainjackets and/or bug spray. Also, don’t be afraid to hike with toddlers in the rain - seriously, my toddlers had the most fun I’ve ever seen them have on a rainy hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. We giggled the entire way and it is still my favorite hiking memory.

Pro Tip Extra!

If you have a headstrong toddler who makes a choice to not like hiking (for SO many toddler reasons), rewards are an excellent motivator. We had a few really bad hikes and needed a way to break the habit. We offered a hydration pack for a job well done and gosh, she worked for it! Just having one hike go well really has the power to correct weeks of tough hikes. We also recently had to offer binoculars for a tough hike in Waterton Lakes and that worked well too! Other ideas I have are walkie talkies and tall hiking socks.  

Do you have other hiking rewards ideas?!

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!

9 Toddler Bathroom Essentials for your RV

If you live in an RV with your toddlers, chances are you share one bathroom, or at the very least, one shower. Having a space that works for everyone can be a challenge. We are here to share some of the items we’ve decided we must have in our RV bathroom for our toddlers!

Handheld High Pressure Shower Head

Having a handheld shower head in a camper is absolutely necessary so you can rinse out your toddler hair and wash their bums with ease! Also, some campgrounds have low water pressure and it helps to have a shower head which adds water pressure to rinse off ALLLL the dirt your toddlers found from the day.  

Potty Insert

When you live in an RV you must be a minimalist. This means no separate potty for potty training, so we went with an insert. 

Fold Away Stepstool

We use our folding stepstool at the sink for washing hands and brushing teeth and at the potty because camper toilets are tall. For the adults, it comes in handy as a squatty potty too!

Diaper/Essential Caddy

Our diaper caddy contains more than just diapers and associated supplies, this also holds our hair brush, detangling spray, antibiotic ointments (they fall everyday camping, I swear!) and other items we want immediately after bath. This bin actually stays in the master bedroom, not the bathroom as this gives us the ability to have one kid in the shower while the other is getting dried, brushed, and dressed for bed in another space. 

Suction Toys

Some campers have a bathtub, but ours does not - so we transitioned our kids to the shower once we began our adventure (kids were 1 and 3). Now our kids actually don't know what to do in a bath – baby boy just stands, haha! Our little girl always struggled with yeast infections and this transition completely eliminated that for us. Having a tub was one of my initial requirements in our camper purchase and when we decided to go with a Montana High Country 351BH, I thought we'd need to purchase a tub, but my suggestion is that unless your babe can't sit without assistance, you don't need a tub in your camper. 

All that is to say - toddlers love bath toys! Great toys for the shower are suction toys (suggestions here and here) because they can play with them while standing, Bonus, they stay put on travel days!

Shampoo & Soap Organizers

Our shower has shelves, but not those that contain supplies for travel days. A soap dish and shampoo bin ensure everything is always where you need it and also keeps it out of the toddler reach.

Extra Towel Hooks

There is never enough hooks in campers. We use a combination of command strips hooks and a rack that hangs over the door. Having more than you need is always a good idea – sometimes we'll need to hang beach towels or bathing suits on a rainy afternoon when they can’t dry outide. 

Child Locks

You need all the space you can get which means making those lower cabinets inaccessible is super important. 

Scale

This was one we didn't think we needed and decided to leave at home, but on the road we realized that at times we needed to know the weight of our toddlers (e.g. dosing the right amount of Tylenol, updating our baby books, or if we contacted our Blueberry Pediatrics telemedicine to call in a prescription). Most scales are glass so be sure to select something that is not.  No one wants to arrive at their campsite and find a broken glass scale under their sink!

Do you have any other bathroom essentials? 

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

This website contains some affiliate links to other websites including the Amazon Associate program. If you use the links provided and make a qualifying purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love, have made a difference in our lives, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!