Tips for a Treehouse Stay with Kids. We stayed in a remote treehouse in Wales when the boys were three and seven. It was a wonderful break and we have been on the hunt ever since to try and find another child-friendly one. Saying that I was a little nervous on the run-up is probably because I didn’t really know what to expect. The romanticism of being remote without technology is very different to actually being in the middle of nowhere without electricity or a phone signal. During our trip, I learnt some things that would have helped our stay should we have thought about them in advance. So I thought I would share them in this post. To help you when staying in a treehouse with kids for the first time.
Tips for a Treehouse Stay with Kids
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Think about location
There is a good chance the treehouse will be in the middle of nowhere. This means it’s unlikely to have a parking space right next door to it. So you will need to transport your belongings from your car to the treehouse. We had little carts to transport ours. So think about this and pack light. Take bags you can carry easily on your person in case the ground is uneven. Pack small bags for the kids to be able to carry on their backs if needed. Pack light.
Thing about footwear
In the same vein as above think about your footwear. We wore wellies so we didn’t need to worry about walking across a field in the dark especially when those fields had sheep in them. The boys aren’t great at not stepping in animal poo at the best of times.
It’s likely to be unsecure
The treehouse did not lock. We didn’t have valuables as such with us. But it was a worry from a 3-year-old perspective. So bear this in mind. Thankfully Harry didn’t put two and two together and so did not venture outside on his own. But as an early riser, it is something we had to be aware of.
Stoves
- It is likely that heating will be provided by a log burner or similar. Thankfully where we stayed there was a good fireguard. However, we have been glamping the past where this was not the case. For this reason, I would check in the future rather than take it for granted. The stove will also be your main way of cooking so think about one-pot meals you can cook on it easily.
No electricity
Be prepared for a lack of lighting. We took a camping light with us for the boys to keep close to their bed, in Incase they needed to get up in the night. It also gave Harry comfort when needed. We took head torches for moving around outside in the dark and for when we needed to use the loo which was outside. With no electricity, everyone was a lot earlier to bed and consequently a lot earlier to rise. Especially as there were no curtains.
No fridge
There is likely not to be a fridge on the basis there is no electricity. We stored food outside in a cold box. It is not going to store food for long periods of time. We kept meat to a minimum and only kept small amounts of food. As we were only staying for a weekend it really was not a problem, but for longer stays, we would have thought harder about our meal choices. You are also unlikely to be somewhere where you can walk to a pub or restaurant easily with kids. So thought does need to be given to meal times. We had cold meats and cheese on the night of our arrival. Then on our second evening having sausage and mash done on the stove.
More Tips for a Treehouse Stay with Kids
Flip flops
Our natural shower was downstairs under the treehouse it was amazing. It had a wooden floor which meant that flip flops were perfect for wearing inside the shower. And then for walking back up to the treehouse again after.
Book early
Treehouse stays are incredibly popular, especially those that will allow kids. As many will not accept children under the age of 16. So those that do can be booked up to twelve months in advance. Bear this in mind when making your plans.
Check facilities & hot tubs
It goes without saying but don’t assume anything with a treehouse stay. Check if there is a little convenience shop on-site, where the nearest amenities are and if there is a hot tub. If there is a hot tub then it is likely to be wood-fired. If that is the case then pack the stove with as much wood as you can. They can take a surprisingly large amount of wood. This will heat your water up much quicker than having a half-full chamber. Just be aware that the water can get very hot so always check its temperature before the kids get in. It’s also a good idea to have a good stack of logs before getting in!
Entertainment
We took a few things to keep the kids entertained. Not a lot though as we were packing light. But we did take a pack of cards and some glow sticks which helped with the I am bored moments before bedtime. A small travel game is a must.
READ MORE – Family Friendly Treehouse Stay in Wales
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25 Responses
Ive always wanted to stay in a Treehouse,thanks for sharing
Such an adventure for kids and conecting them to nature
I’ve wanted to do a treehouse stay for ages so this was a helpful read!
Never heard of this type of place to stay at before.. got to say, it’s definitely not for me! But it was interesting to learn about.
Good tips – would love to do this!
That looks like such fun, and definitely worth roughing it for a day or two to create some really magical memories.
We stayed in a tree house but ours had a generator attached so we had electricity but only 1 plug socket as there were only 2 sockets in the treehouse – 1 for the fridge and 1 for our use – they also had a solar panel for heating the water so during the day the shower was great in the evening or first thing in the morning not so much!
Deffo agree with checking out the facilities first before going
This sounds like a very exciting holiday break, certainly different and I am sure I would enjoy it
How exciting, just imagine reading the Tales of Robin Hood stories in bed in a tree house!
This looks so good, how exciting and adventurous for the whole family
A treehouse stay sounds so much fun!! Would love to do something like that
My kids havewanted to do a treehouse stay for ages so this was a helpful read! Thanks!
OMG what a great adventure for the children, my boys would love to do this
This is so helpful thank you was quite surprised that the treehouses don’t lock.
This looks wonderful and such an adventure for the children. I would love to try this with my family.
Looks like great fun. Thanks for sharing. 💕💕
This looks great fun –would love to take my nephew Max for a treehouse stay
This looks incredible!
Sounds very much like camping, haha. But without locks I don’t think I can risk taking my two littles ones until they’re older. Still, its a great way to teach kids how to live without the luxuries they have and to enjoy nature.
This looks amazing, I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to do it myself though!
Staying in a tree house sounds like so much fun!
Fantastic tips! I’d never have thought of half of these but they’ll be so handy to have considered in advance!
It looks absolutely amazing! Something I would definitely consider as a holiday option in the future!
There is a LOT to consider before booking this sort of holiday! i’m sure kids would love it but I’m afraid I’m far too used to my creature comforts for this to be truly enjoyable for me!
My nephews and nieces would love to stay in a treehouse. To be honest I don’t think the lack of electricity would bother them much, last time we had a power cut they loved having candles all over the house.