playbook
First 90 minutes at a camper spot
Every new camper spot starts with the same ritual for us. Shoes on, a walk around the camper, roll out the play mat, and take a quiet moment to get oriented. With a toddler, that's simply what works best.
2u
duration
Free
budget
Ground
pace
The first hour and a half at a new camper spot determines whether the rest of the stay goes smoothly. For a toddler, an unfamiliar place is full of questions: where is she allowed to go, where are the other children, where is the bike, where will she sleep tonight. A fixed start ritual answers those questions before they are asked, and gives the adults ten minutes to get something practical done.
The ritual doesn't need to be elaborate. A fixed spot for shoes outside the door. A first walk around the camper together, pointing out four things: the door, the water tap, the rubbish bin, the play mat. Then roll out the play mat in a fixed spot, even if that spot isn't ideal. A toddler remembers repetition, not variation. Works at every camper spot, in every country, regardless of the weather.
Checklist
0 of 5
Speelmat boven in de camper
Schoenen-plek afspreken
Vier oriëntatiepunten weten
Stoelen pas na de mat uit
Praktische klus na het rondje
Related playbooks
Booking a campervan spot: which app for what
Which app you use depends on the type of spot you're looking for. Small-scale at a farm, free in nature, a commercial campsite with facilities, or a large park location. The best choice per category, plus a backup.
Farm stay for a family
Two nights on a working farm with a guest room or hayloft. Breakfast with homegrown produce, a morning visit to the barn, a quiet evening.
Morning coffee at the camper pitch
One hour of silence outside the camper door every morning, before the child wakes up. Each day with one small difference, so it never starts to feel like a routine.
Oostkapelle beach early morning
From 9:00 to 11:30 you're on the beach at Oostkapelle, before the heat and the crowds really kick in. You bring your own shade in your backpack and keep the kids busy with a shell-hunting mission.
Evening ritual at the camper pitch with a young child
A consistent evening routine for every camper stop. Three small elements that stay the same every evening, no matter where you're parked. How to help a young child fall asleep in a new spot.
Phone Funeral
Bury your phone in a drawer for 24 hours. Live a full day as if it's 1995. See who you are without the extension of your hand.
Listening Day
A day of deep listening. Ask one question and then hold space. Let others fill the room with their story.
Handy & partners
Some links may earn us a small commission. It costs you nothing extra.
by PlayTryBe team
Park the camper and step outside with the toddler first, not the adults alone first.
Place the shoes in a fixed spot next to the door, the same spot at every camper stop.
Walk one loop around the camper and point out four things: door, water, rubbish bin, play area.
Roll out the play mat in the chosen spot before the tables and chairs are set up.
Give the toddler ten minutes on the mat before the practical task begins.
A fixed ritual works because it is boring, not despite being boring.
For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Use the same mat at every camper stop, not a clean one from a cupboard.
- Keep the walk calm; toddlers walk slower than you think.
- Put out the chairs only after the mat is down, so the mat doesn't end up in a corner.
- Plan the practical task (fetching water, taking out rubbish) last, not first.
Variations
- - Voeg een vast liedje toe aan het rondje, in plaats van aanwijzen.
- - Maak een eigen check-in-formuliertje voor oudere kinderen om in te vullen.
- - Verleng het ritueel met een tweede rondje na het avondeten, zo onthoudt het kind de plek.