A road trip can be exciting for the little ones, but at the same time can be stressful if not planned properly. After a month on the road in New Zealand, with my husband and daughter, Aaliyah, I learned some valuable lessons about road life, and sleeping in an RV, and what you can expect if you travel the same way.

Where to Sleep?

The beauty of having a recreational vehicle is that you can free camp pretty much everywhere it's allowed. In New Zealand, there are plenty of rest areas, and we used these to our advantage when we didn't book campsites. Pull over, have a nap for the night then get back on the road.

When you do want to stay at a campsite, I recommend pre-booking to avoid missing out. Campsites are great as you can use the electricity provided to power your motorhome and the kids can have a play and swim as most campsites are fully serviced with plenty of amenities.

Your Children Need Their Toys

The best toys for your children are the ones that keep them active. Our Tiny Tots bicycle and scooter easily folds up for storage after their use, and soft toys can comfortably fit in storage areas inside the vehicle.

For the night time a tablet will come in handy as you will not always find reception for the TV in the motorhome and if you load up movies onto the tablet you will be set for the whole trip.

Your Vehicle Of Choice

If you are going the RV route like myself, do you want a luxury style vehicle with a toilet and shower inside, or are you happy with just a van with necessary cooking facilities? If your child is still in diapers, then you can go the basic route and sleep in a tent or at campsites, but if your daughter has just been toilet trained and still tends to have those all so common emergencies, I would recommend a motorhome that has a bathroom and shower inside. When they have to go, they have to go...

You can either buy a vehicle, if you can afford it and resell it after the holiday, or you can rent a motorhome. I was limited with options as we flew in from Sydney to Auckland, and renting was our only option with the little time we had for the holiday.

Cooking & Food

Cooking on the two gas cookers doesn't mean the menu has to be limited to baked beans or canned soup. In the day go to the supermarket and buy some tomato paste, mincemeat, pasta, herbs and rice. You can cook up a storm, then put the leftovers in the freezer for heating up in the microwave the next day!