Best layout/berth for family with 3 kids!

Juggler101

Probably been asked million times, but sure here goes 😉 I *think* I've finally persuaded the other half that a camper would suit us, so now to hone in on the perfect layout!

Is a 7-berth overkill for 2 adults and 3 young kids (<6 years)? I've never been in one, just wondering are you compromising on circulation space? I reckon something with two dinettes might be handy for sitting up if (hopefully!) the kids go to bed before us... Can anyone in a similar situation can share their experience?

Im always on done deal checking the latest offerings, where else is good for browsing?

Agent_47

Juggler101 wrote: »

Probably been asked million times, but sure here goes 😉 I *think* I've finally persuaded the other half that a camper would suit us, so now to hone in on the perfect layout!

Is a 7-berth overkill for 2 adults and 3 young kids (<6 years)? I've never been in one, just wondering are you compromising on circulation space? I reckon something with two dinettes might be handy for sitting up if (hopefully!) the kids go to bed before us... Can anyone in a similar situation can share their experience?

Im always on done deal checking the latest offerings, where else is good for browsing?

Hire one out and see if it is for OH and that the size suits. I thought same and met with a negative "No" when we tailed one slowly out of Galway recently!
Will still look to get a VW Cali and head off on my own.....

Agent_47

Try looking at the various models on Youtube - Practical Motorhome are very good. That will give you a good feel for the interior layout and size.

You also need to consider the "garage" aspect for luggage, bikes etc unless you intend to get a bike rack. Some MH have extenders where the exterior extends out to create more interior space.

finally, try and get to a MH exhibition, I believe there is one on at the NEC in February.

Juggler101

Cheers for that, yeah, it's just so bloody expensive to hire them out, I keep thinking "that's X weeks repayment on the motorhome loan"!!

I didn't realise there was a motorhome show, that would be very helpful. There aren't any traders close to me, so opportunities to nose around motorhomes are unfortunately limited!!! My budget is for a 10-15 year old

crabbypaddy

Juggler101 wrote: »

Cheers for that, yeah, it's just so bloody expensive to hire them out, I keep thinking "that's X weeks repayment on the motorhome loan"!!

I didn't realise there was a motorhome show, that would be very helpful. There aren't any traders close to me, so opportunities to nose around motorhomes are unfortunately limited!!! My budget is for a 10-15 year old

I you 'think' you've 'finally' persuaded her I would start with renting one for a weekend. If it's not going to work she'll have a face like a bulldog licking piss off a nettle on day 2.

Finding a layout that suits you absolutely requires physically looking at them. Remember to think about what it will be like when the kids are asleep the perfect daytime layout can be very inconvenient at night if you want to stay up.

Ireland isnt a large country if you're not prepared to travel to a dealer to look at them I think your chamces of finding the right van are pretty poor.

Juggler101

Ha, I like your analogy there crabbypaddy‚ You're right, I really should rent one, it just feels like throwing money away. But I guess it's better than throwing away 20k on something that's not going to be used.

Do you know any online sales other than Done Deal/ Adverts that has good traffic?

bridster007

I think a caravan with 3 bunks and a back section with a table for the kids that can be closed off with a door would be far more suitable with 3 young kids. Plenty of these layouts available.
Gives you 2 separate areas.
I wouldn't touch a MH with 3 young kids. The space is just not there and remember our weather makes staying inside a necessity quite often.

Head up to Tricam Caravans south of Belfast on the main road.
There is a MH company right beside it.
So you can see all options and layouts for both MH and Caravans in a single day.

Juggler101

Thanks for that suggestion, it would be one of my worries alright, although one of the reasons I'd like a motor home is to have the option of using the aires in France, which isn't possible with a caravan. I must check out some caravans in real life though, see how they compare to campers.

Macy0161

I would also suggest hiring one - not sure the camper life is for everyone! It's a big investment to find out later someone hates it.

It is harder when their younger (we started off in a 77 type 2). We now have a six berth, for the four of us, with rear lounge. The chaps sleep in the over cab, as the better half doesn't like sleeping up there, which really rules out bunks for us, and maybe something else to consider.

Fixed beds are great, but there's no doubt they compromise space. Maybe not an issue if you stay on sites where more can be outside but if you're planning Aires and wild camping maybe you want more sitting space inside?

Again, if you mainly plan sites, I wouldn't rule out a caravan. Much less investment initially, IF you don't have to upgrade a vehicle too. I've often thought the ideal set up is a day van and caravan!

sunshinereggae

Hi Juggler101, the advice to hire is very sound advice but if you can't then it is definitely worth a trip to a dealership to help you decide on layout, even if it is a spin to get to one from where you live, there are quite a few scattered across the country and there are so many interior layout options, U lounge, bunks, garage etc that it is best to physically see them. To answer the question is a seven birth overkill for two adults and three kids? In our case we have a seven birth and two kids (now down to one) and we like the room and storage capacity it gives us especially on the not so good weather days. We went from tent to caravan to camper (all different sizes) so we knew what suited us best, do as much research as possible and physically sit into them, there are pros and cons to all. Even when we are down to just herself and myself I don't think we will downsize yet as we enjoy the extra space a seven birth gives us. A camper is usually quite an investment for people(unless money is no object) that in many cases sits outside peoples houses for most of the year idle, just an expensive garden ornament.
What I would advise anyone thinking of buying a camper is balance what you are willing to spend on it plus running costs - insurance, tax, servicing/maintenance etc against the use you will get out of it. Suits some people but not all, I've known a few people who bought a camper and regretted it afterwards - do the research, its time and money well spent, hiring one is possibly the best advice you will get. Good luck with whatever you decide

killalanerr

On days like this you better have the layout right , beer and box set day for me

Mountainsandh

Hi Juggler, we only have 2 kids, but we were in your situation 6 years ago.

We rented one in France (I'm French so a bit easier for me to deal with rental), it was very expensive, but confirmed that yes, we did like it.

Then we bought our first camper.

We went for a 6 berth, with fixed bed at back, and an over cabin double. The dinette converts into a double bed of course, but we never used it, and never intended to, we wanted somewhere to sit in the evenings and have a cup of tea, watch tv ... and we did just that. No faffing about with converting anything.

It worked out brilliant for us. Kids were 3 and 5 starting off, they slept either together down in the fixed bed at rear, or with a parent each in either doubles as the 3 years old woke up during the night, or when they still needed the overnight attention.
The fixed bed is very large and very safe for kids (it's perpendicular to the van so only small "doorway" type opening, no risk of falling !

When they grew bigger, off to the over cabin bed they went (with safety net), they loved their little nook, had all their toys up there, it'd be their kingdom for the trips, they loved it.

Now they're 8 and 10, boy and girl, and really, we had to upgrade so they can sleep separate for the next few years.

I think 2 double fixed beds would suit you for a good while, they're big enough for 3 kids in fairness, only thing is the messing

When your 6 year old gets bigger he/she might get a bit sick of sharing, so maybe at that stage you might start using the dinette area bed.

Other than that, go for a 7 berth like we're upgrading to : there's a single dinette that we set as a bed for one kid, we still have the 4 sitter dinette, so still no converting beds, and hopefully there'll be no fights.

I have to say the 7 berth is less compact than what we had before though, so maybe a bit less easy to drive and park around as a first camper.

Also, the 7 berth has less storage than our old one. Storage is more important when the kids are small in my opinion. You've to take all the paraphenalia that goes with kids, you might have a buggy, so you definitely want a good sized boot and plenty spots to store stuff inside the van. You need more spare clothes, bowls, etc... than when they're bigger.

Our camper has just gone up on Donedeal, it's beautiful if I may say so myself (we really loved it ), and if you'd like me to point you to it I'd be glad to via PM.

Have fun looking either way, but I do agree with the others that if your other half is not fully on board, it might be wiser to rent or borrow first, and you definitely have to see them "in the flesh" to make a decision. And not just once, make sure you look at several, or even revisit one that has taken your fancy if you can, you might think of things a second time around that you forgot first time.

Juggler101

Really useful perspective there mountainsandh. One of the dealers we visited had the fixed rear double and the garage space is amazing to be fair!! As you say, im a bit worried about the messing that they'd be going on with ;-) Definitely send me on the link and I'll have a goo :-)

Juggler101

Thanks for done deal heads up, will pm you with a question or two if you don't mind.

Mountainsandh wrote: »

Hi Juggler, we only have 2 kids, but we were in your situation 6 years ago.

We rented one in France (I'm French so a bit easier for me to deal with rental), it was very expensive, but confirmed that yes, we did like it.

Then we bought our first camper.

We went for a 6 berth, with fixed bed at back, and an over cabin double. The dinette converts into a double bed of course, but we never used it, and never intended to, we wanted somewhere to sit in the evenings and have a cup of tea, watch tv ... and we did just that. No faffing about with converting anything.

It worked out brilliant for us. Kids were 3 and 5 starting off, they slept either together down in the fixed bed at rear, or with a parent each in either doubles as the 3 years old woke up during the night, or when they still needed the overnight attention.
The fixed bed is very large and very safe for kids (it's perpendicular to the van so only small "doorway" type opening, no risk of falling !

When they grew bigger, off to the over cabin bed they went (with safety net), they loved their little nook, had all their toys up there, it'd be their kingdom for the trips, they loved it.

Now they're 8 and 10, boy and girl, and really, we had to upgrade so they can sleep separate for the next few years.

I think 2 double fixed beds would suit you for a good while, they're big enough for 3 kids in fairness, only thing is the messing

When your 6 year old gets bigger he/she might get a bit sick of sharing, so maybe at that stage you might start using the dinette area bed.

Other than that, go for a 7 berth like we're upgrading to : there's a single dinette that we set as a bed for one kid, we still have the 4 sitter dinette, so still no converting beds, and hopefully there'll be no fights.

I have to say the 7 berth is less compact than what we had before though, so maybe a bit less easy to drive and park around as a first camper.

Also, the 7 berth has less storage than our old one. Storage is more important when the kids are small in my opinion. You've to take all the paraphenalia that goes with kids, you might have a buggy, so you definitely want a good sized boot and plenty spots to store stuff inside the van. You need more spare clothes, bowls, etc... than when they're bigger.

Our camper has just gone up on Donedeal, it's beautiful if I may say so myself (we really loved it ), and if you'd like me to point you to it I'd be glad to via PM.

Have fun looking either way, but I do agree with the others that if your other half is not fully on board, it might be wiser to rent or borrow first, and you definitely have to see them "in the flesh" to make a decision. And not just once, make sure you look at several, or even revisit one that has taken your fancy if you can, you might think of things a second time around that you forgot first time.

Mountainsandh

Juggler101 wrote: »

Really useful perspective there mountainsandh. One of the dealers we visited had the fixed rear double and the garage space is amazing to be fair!! As you say, im a bit worried about the messing that they'd be going on with ;-) Definitely send me on the link and I'll have a goo :-)

Juggler I'll send you the link so you can see the layout i mean but I think it's pretty much sold after today, one person has a deposit on it, and another is on a waiting list just in case sale falls through. Sorry I didn't think it would go that fast !

Yeah you'd be thankful for garage space for beach gear too, and if the inflatable toys and pop up shade tents don't quite fill it up you might even squeeze in a few boxes of wine if going to France ...

Juggler101

No worries at all, ignore my private message!!

T650

Best show in Europe for motorhomes is at the end of August each year in Dusseldorf.

Recommend it highly !!

Caravan Salon

niloc1951

We spent our first 15 years with a caravan and when the children stopped coming with us we changed to a motorhome and there is a big difference. Here are a few examples.

Caravan:
You pitch up on a site
There are usually play areas for children
You have a car to go to the beach, shopping, local attractions,
Bunks can be left made up during the day for smallies to have a sleep
At night the smallies area can be separated off
No worries about roadworthiness testing, insurance & tax, though caravan insurance is useful if it's stolen or comes off the hitch and lands in someones garden:eek:

Motorhome:
Good for Aires
Aires not good for children
Must find parking at beaches etc.
Must pack up if going to shops, beaches, local attractions
Model big enough for family may need C1 Driving Licence
Needs tax, insurance, testing and servicing.

I'm sure there are many who will say holidaying in a motorhome with small children is no problem, but I've done a lot in both and in my humble opinion a caravan makes more sense as a starting option. If your +1 likes it you can then consider changing if you feel a MH is better but like many who start with a caravan the transition may coincide with you becoming an 'empty nester'

Juggler101

Thanks niloc, yes there's pros and cons to each... Im swaying towards a motor home, but keep wondering should I wait for that empty nest, but the empty nest is a LONG way off ;-)

There are lots of aires near towns, playgrounds, beaches etc, but as you say, we would also using campsites, probably the majority of the time.

The caravan option is something we definitely need to give careful consideration to!

Macy0161

niloc1951 wrote: »

I'm sure there are many who will say holidaying in a motorhome with small children is no problem, but I've done a lot in both and in my humble opinion a caravan makes more sense as a starting option. If your +1 likes it you can then consider changing if you feel a MH is better but like many who start with a caravan the transition may coincide with you becoming an 'empty nester'

I wouldn't say no problem - there's a lot of unpacking with smallies, but that is relatively short term in our experience. Also, the driving on and off sites has become less of an issue as my own confidence driving a motorhome has grown.

We did consider a caravan when we upsized from a VW, but it would've involved a car upgrade too to get the appropriate towing capacity. A caravan does also give you the option of seasonal pitches if touring isn't for you (basically you set up the caravan at a site for the summer).

Juggler101

Just looking at the cars towing caravans in France, and they're usually a good bit bigger than ours. Like you Macy, I don't think I'd go for a caravan if it involved upgrading the family car

Macy0161

Juggler101 wrote: »

Just looking at the cars towing caravans in France, and they're usually a good bit bigger than ours. Like you Macy, I don't think I'd go for a caravan if it involved upgrading the family car

Well I'd check out the towing rating of what you've got - we had a 7 seater mpv at the time, but it had a rubbish towing capacity compared to some average sized saloons. Size doesn't seem to be the deciding factor.

Juggler101

Will do, might head for Newbridge caravans, they can probably advise.

What set up berth/layout do you have for the kids Macy?

niloc1951

If you're wondering what weight/size of caravan your existing car will tow click on THIS LINK where you can enter your cars details and a caravans details and it will tell you if it's a suitable match.
You can also enter your cars details in the Select Reviews section and see any reviews for how your model performs as a tow car.

CLICK HERE for an example of a 5 berth caravan which is a fairly good match for a Ford Focus 1.6 16v
CLICK HERE for an example of a 6 berth which is a good match for a Toyota Avensis 1.6 vvti

Macy0161

Juggler101 wrote: »

Will do, might head for Newbridge caravans, they can probably advise.

What set up berth/layout do you have for the kids Macy?

Currently we have a rear lounge 6 berth. Me and the missus sleep down the back, the girls (6 and 7) up top with a safety net. There is messing at night time, but no more than any other time they share a room, and normally just the first night as they're wrecked after that! If the weathers good we leave the rear lounge left as a bed, but it is handy if it's wet to have two sitting areas.

We're mulling over potential upgrade options - any layout is a bit of a pay off. If my wife would sleep up top, we'd probably go bunks as the motorhomes with that layout can be quite compact (can drop at least a metre off the length on some of them), which can be a bit of saving on ferry's and less hassle parking up in towns. Plenty of 7 berth options with 3 bunks, either as described earlier in the thread, or with 3 stacked on top of each other floor to ceiling!

I love the idea of the storage of a garage with a fixed bed, but then you lose the living space. It's all pro's and con's. We're not in a position to upgrade at the moment anyway, but we're always looking - they say your third van is the one you get right, and the next one will be number 3!

It also depends on how you'll use the inside. The one we have has a satellite dish and TV fixings, which we've never used. When on site, we try to be outside as much as possible. Other families seem to have two screens going - one adults and one kids between diner and rear lounge. That isn't us, when we're "camping".

I'd still go back and caution that you both have to be committed to the holiday style it gives you. Even a 6 berth is a small space if one of you isn't enjoying it!

Also, just on caravans, don't forget you can nearly double the space with an awning. Caravanners seem to love an awning....

Juggler101

Great info and advice there, thanks Macy

Mountainsandh

I would recommend campsites too for the first few years juggler, rather than aires.

Mine were used to baths rather than showers when small, so the campsites' kiddies bathing rooms often saved us a lot of tears in showers. Of course we could use the van's bathroom, but I've always preferred using campsites facilities.

And of course all the playgrounds, safety, all singing all dancing pools, animations ...

It's true that it's not very handy for going into town centres, and if you are going to stay in one place any stretch of time, for shopping or visits outings you have to pack up.

But what we found, that's just ourselves now, is that we actually get itchy feet staying in the one place too long, 3/4 days would be the utmost we end up spending anywhere, usually it's just one or two nights. So we're able to shop and visit on the way to the next campsite.

Also, it means if you don't like the "vibe" of the place you're in, you can simply up sticks. There are campsites that look great online or in a guide, but the feel is very different when you get there.

It's not for everybody, and it does mean some driving (2 to 3 hours broken up with lunch and stops) nearly every day for the kids, but I think we all enjoy it that way in my family, everyone is always excited the next morning heading off.

I guess you have to suss out what would suit your family best, it is hard without a trial alright.

Juggler101

I think that would be our plan too mountainsandh, maybe the odd aire if it suited between campsites

Mountainsandh

Juggler101 wrote: »

I think that would be our plan too mountainsandh, maybe the odd aire if it suited between campsites

Yeah, some aires are good even for kids, like you said, near playgrounds etc...

I forgot to mention that as we always go visit my family down in the South of France, we have this sort of imperative to be heading there thus the 2/3 hours driving.

In your case you could hop from one spot to the other in a much narrower area with a lot less driving.

Benbecul97

With 3 young kids (<6 years) a caravan might be a better option. In a MH, when driving, one of them will have to be rear-facing. Will they be happy with that? Will all of them be happy together opposite each other when on the move? They wont be as close by for the non-driving adult to tend to their needs! None of this is an issue (potential issue) in a car/caravan. Just something to consider.

Regarding Aires many, if not most, are not suitable for young kids (<6 years) as they have few amenities and can be located in busyish areas. While you do get ones that are conveniently located near nice amenities alot of them are carparks in supermarkets, industrial estate areas, 2-3kms from the nearest town etc. At least the ones I've seen / seen in the Vicarious - All the Aires guide book. Will ye feel like ye are on "holidays" if ye overnight in a few of these over your 2-4 week holiday? Of course you can research and pinpoint suitable aires, but as they cannot be reserved what when you get there and its full? Again, just something to consider.

Juggler101

I guess the point of using aires is not for the kids clubs-type amenities that many people look for, but to get closer to towns, sightseeing etc. On my very limited trips to France, I've actually seen aires with much better access to towns than the campsites have, and some in quite scenic areas!Of course there are lots that are out of the way, not near anything of interest.

Having done some research on TowCar this evening, I think a caravan is not a viable option now, our car not being suitable for towing anything big enough to justify changing our plans from motorhome to caravan.

Benbecul97 wrote: »

With 3 young kids (<6 years) a caravan might be a better option. In a MH, when driving, one of them will have to be rear-facing. Will they be happy with that? Will all of them be happy together opposite each other when on the move? They wont be as close by for the non-driving adult to tend to their needs! None of this is an issue (potential issue) in a car/caravan. Just something to consider.

Regarding Aires many, if not most, are not suitable for young kids (<6 years) as they have few amenities and can be located in busyish areas. While you do get ones that are conveniently located near nice amenities alot of them are carparks in supermarkets, industrial estate areas, 2-3kms from the nearest town etc. At least the ones I've seen / seen in the Vicarious - All the Aires guide book. Will ye feel like ye are on "holidays" if ye overnight in a few of these over your 2-4 week holiday? Of course you can research and pinpoint suitable aires, but as they cannot be reserved what when you get there and its full? Again, just something to consider.