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Camper van conversion: How to sleep 5 in a VW camper van

Blog· Van life

28 Dec

The two questions that we get asked the most about our camper van conversion and our camper van adventures……

” How do we all fit in a VW campervan conversion” and “where do we all sleep?”

So I thought a post that answers how to sleep 5 in a VW campervan may be helpful to many – as we have tried so many different sleeping combinations over the years!

*This post contains affiliate links

VW camper van conversion

  • VW camper van conversion
  • So how do we sleep 5 in a camper?
  • Pop Top roof
  • Sleeping a toddler in a camper van
  • Sleeping a baby in a camper van
  • Using a hammock bed in a camper van
  • Adding a drive away awning

When we purchased our VW T5 camper it was originally a panel van, and we have slowly saved and converted it to a camper over the years – it has definitely been a project!! As our family have grown, we have had to adapt our campervan to accomodate a family of 5. Over the years we have learned a lot, including ensuring we have appropriate insurance for a VW campervan conversion, and that less is definitely more when packing for a camper van road trip.

So how did we convert our van to a camper? Well that is definitely a separate post, but we started off with the basics for our camper van conversion … windows, units, fridge, a rock and roll bed and electrics. The cupboards came next and when we became a family of five we added the pop top roof – the best thing ever!

You may find this Van life essentials post helpful

Campervan conversion - how to enjoy a family camper van holiday

So how do we sleep 5 in a camper?

Our van is relatively small as we have a short wheel base VW and living space is tight. we have a 3/4 rock and roll bed for the adults and the kids all sleep in the pop top roof.

Pop Top roof

We had a pop top roof that creates extra headspace inside the camper van and we were recommended  Denby camper vans to fit our pop top roof. We also added the bed boards and elevating roof bed. We then purchased a foam mattress from ebay and my wonderful mum and dad cut this to size and covered it. This mattress stays put when the roof is down. We use sleeping bags for the kids for easy storage in the space under the rock and roll bed when not in use. Our children are 9, 5 and 3 and sleep in the pop top roof. We also added a safety net to prevent the youngest from rolling out of the roof in his sleep!

A campervan holiday in our camper van conversion or self build VW camper

Sleeping a toddler in a camper van

This can be tricky when space is tight. We found a great travel cot/tent that fitted just at the bottom of our bed. This worked great. We also found the toddler inflatable beds fitted perfectly just at the bottom of our bed, too. This meant that we could get to our toddler quickly if they woke in the night without disturbing the other children.

 

campervan conversion with pop top roof to sleep three children

Sleeping a baby in a camper van

Depending on the age of the baby, we found the Sleepy head wonderful for our camper van travels when our children were very young. We headed to our first family festival when our middle daughter was just five weeks old! We then moved to the travel cot at the bottom of our bed.


Using a hammock bed in a camper van

Another great option that we tried before we added the pop top roof. We purchased our hammock bed from ebay to try, as it is a great idea to add an extra child bed to your campervan or motorhome. Since then I have seen some really great designs including this hammock bed by cabbunk. Cabunk also have the only Twin Bunk cab bed system in the world. Age ranges vary but they are designed for children upto 174cm and around eighteen months to 14 years (more if the child is not tall, less if the child is very tall).

We asked our daughter if it was comfortable and she found the hammock bed to be really comfortable and slept well in it.

Our hammock bed rested on the window door frames (passenger and driver sides). We found it a little tricky to get in position, but once we mastered it it worked really well. We only stopped using this once we had added our pop top roof for the kids to sleep in.

Hammock bed in a VW camper van conversion

Adding a drive away awning

An additional idea for longer trips is utilising the sleeping compartment in our Vango Cruz driveway awning. Our Vango drive away awning is absolutely brilliant and more than doubles our living space during our camper van road trips. We have used Vango products for a couple of years now and we have a few favourite products that really help with living in a camper van.

Our Vango Cruz drive away awning has a specific optional inner bedroom to accommodate extra guests or to be used as a separate storage space. The bedroom can be attached to the inside of the awning and detached when not in use.

adding a drive away awning to a camper van conversion to add an additional bed

So there you have all of our different options for sleeping five in a camper van! You may also find my post on tips for surviving a campervan holiday with kids useful too.

We have enjoyed many a camper van holiday with a toddler and baby, and I honestly love our family camper van adventures and all of the memories that we have made …I really hope we enjoy many more to come. We still need to finish our camper van conversion and add a couple more cupboards (I have been saying this for four years) ….  maybe 2020 will be the year it gets finished!?

Read here for our best road trip quotes to inspire life on the road!

Let me know if you have any questions about sleeping arrangements in a camper van – sometimes it is a little trial and error, and adapting as the children grow.

Happy camper van adventures!

 

You may also enjoy best travel toys for kids 

 

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Camper van conversion: How to sleep 5 in a VW camper van

 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Should you click to purchase, this is at no extra cost to you, but I receive a small commission. 

2 Comments

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  1. Catherine says

    January 1, 2020 at 9:14 am

    Hi Katy- I also am a family of 5, with a 6,4 and 2 year old. We have a Devon moonraker with a pop top, wondering what safety net you used as like the idea of everyone sleeping together “upstairs”!
    Thanks

    Reply
    • otisandus says

      January 3, 2020 at 10:53 pm

      Hello Catherine! Thanks for getting in touch! I have now popped the link for the safety net that we purchased in the post as I have had a few similar questions – so I hope that helps. We had the net fitted by a local company.

      Reply

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Vanlife Family • Travel


Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights dotted around a
Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3


🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages a
🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages asking “where do you all sleep” and where did your toddler or baby  sleep in the camper ?

We bought our #t5 when our eldest was just 2, and we have had to adapt as our family has grown. We didn’t have the roof converted until much later so we tried a fair few sleeping options! 

I thought It might be helpful if I listed all of the sleeping options we have tried in our vwT5 because I often get questions about sleeping options with young kids.

⭐️Our new born baby slept in a sleepyhead in the camper as it was easily transportable and worked as  crib.

⭐️ We then found a deluxe travel cot that fit perfectly at the base of our rib bed and this worked from about 6 months 

⭐️We then moved on to a toddler inflatable air bed placed again at the bottom of our bed. We  found the toddler beds fit perfectly across the width of the van 

⭐️moving on we purchased a hammock that fitted over just the driver and passenger seat  and this worked great from about 3+

⭐️ Finally as our family grew... We  had our pop top roof added and the children slept well in the roof. We had a safety net fitted to the opening  of the roof and this allowed all our children to sleep in the roof safely and gave us some peace of mind - particularly as our son was young.

I’ve linked my post in my stories but do let me know if you have tried any other options that work for young children, particularly if you don’t have an elevating roof! Always here if I can help with anything or if you have any questions.

🌈


A vintage rainbow 🌈

Mucho love tonight - hope
A vintage rainbow 🌈 

Mucho love tonight - hope you are all doing okay x


💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫

💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 

Just popping on to wish all of you a Happy New Year 💕

Here we are .... Still hanging out in tier 4, (but hey I have three lovely days off 🤩) we have all got this🙌🏻

For now I’m going to keep dreaming, planning, doing a bit of vanlife shopping and redesigning our campervan 😂 (so if any of you lovely vanlife peeps can share and tag me in a picture of your interiors I would be eternally grateful). 

Hey I may even get this dissertation done 🤣

If it’s okay I’ll keep sharing the little bits in between, and of course our van life tips and tricks over the new year, until we can explore once again. 

Thanks for sticking with us - happy new year to my faves, lots of love and stay safe 

The Otis and Us tribe xxx


🌲 And that’s me signing off for Christmas. 🌲 

Let’s hope 2021 brings some sunshine, plans, adventures and a glimmer of hope. 

To all my lovely friends, family and wonderful vanlife peeps, thanks so much for all the love and support this year. 

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and New year from Otis and Us xxx

Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing fram
Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing frame, and so grateful to have this wonderful play area in our garden for the kids since the lockdown number two. 

It’s my last day of annual leave today. So we have spent the afternoon adding a few fairy lights to the MultiFlyer climbing frame - sprinkling a bit of magic and festive cheer out in the garden....

Moving on to the the camper next :) it definitely needs some fairy lights and a tree - Don’t you think? 🌲 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #vimage


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Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟 Fairy lights dotted around a Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3
🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐 I often get messages a 🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages asking “where do you all sleep” and where did your toddler or baby  sleep in the camper ?

We bought our #t5 when our eldest was just 2, and we have had to adapt as our family has grown. We didn’t have the roof converted until much later so we tried a fair few sleeping options! 

I thought It might be helpful if I listed all of the sleeping options we have tried in our vwT5 because I often get questions about sleeping options with young kids.

⭐️Our new born baby slept in a sleepyhead in the camper as it was easily transportable and worked as  crib.

⭐️ We then found a deluxe travel cot that fit perfectly at the base of our rib bed and this worked from about 6 months 

⭐️We then moved on to a toddler inflatable air bed placed again at the bottom of our bed. We  found the toddler beds fit perfectly across the width of the van 

⭐️moving on we purchased a hammock that fitted over just the driver and passenger seat  and this worked great from about 3+

⭐️ Finally as our family grew... We  had our pop top roof added and the children slept well in the roof. We had a safety net fitted to the opening  of the roof and this allowed all our children to sleep in the roof safely and gave us some peace of mind - particularly as our son was young.

I’ve linked my post in my stories but do let me know if you have tried any other options that work for young children, particularly if you don’t have an elevating roof! Always here if I can help with anything or if you have any questions.

🌈
A vintage rainbow 🌈 Mucho love tonight - hope A vintage rainbow 🌈 

Mucho love tonight - hope you are all doing okay x
💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 

Just popping on to wish all of you a Happy New Year 💕

Here we are .... Still hanging out in tier 4, (but hey I have three lovely days off 🤩) we have all got this🙌🏻

For now I’m going to keep dreaming, planning, doing a bit of vanlife shopping and redesigning our campervan 😂 (so if any of you lovely vanlife peeps can share and tag me in a picture of your interiors I would be eternally grateful). 

Hey I may even get this dissertation done 🤣

If it’s okay I’ll keep sharing the little bits in between, and of course our van life tips and tricks over the new year, until we can explore once again. 

Thanks for sticking with us - happy new year to my faves, lots of love and stay safe 

The Otis and Us tribe xxx
🌲 And that’s me signing off for Christmas. 🌲 

Let’s hope 2021 brings some sunshine, plans, adventures and a glimmer of hope. 

To all my lovely friends, family and wonderful vanlife peeps, thanks so much for all the love and support this year. 

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and New year from Otis and Us xxx
Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing fram Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing frame, and so grateful to have this wonderful play area in our garden for the kids since the lockdown number two. 

It’s my last day of annual leave today. So we have spent the afternoon adding a few fairy lights to the MultiFlyer climbing frame - sprinkling a bit of magic and festive cheer out in the garden....

Moving on to the the camper next :) it definitely needs some fairy lights and a tree - Don’t you think? 🌲 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #vimage
If this year has taught us anything, it’s defini If this year has taught us anything, it’s definitely to not take anything for granted. To take each day as it comes and to enjoy the simple things in life, finding  joy in those ordinary moments. 

I don’t need reminding of this but family and friends are everything. As are good old hugs. (I miss hugs!) And plans. Blooming love a plan. 😍

So ill keep on bobbing on here if that’s okay? I’ll keep planning, writing about our campervan adventures and sharing our van life love and outdoor life. Because we have to have hope and we have to keep dreaming.... 

Hope you are all doing okay, sending a virtual hug if you need one this weekend. My inbox is ALWAYS open, always.
🚐 4 years! 🚐 4 years blogging!! Wowzers tha 🚐 4 years! 🚐

4 years blogging!! Wowzers that has flown by!! 

I’ve had lots of new followers lately so thought I would pop on and say hello and tell you a little bit about us.

I’m Katy and I am behind Otis and us travel blog. I started the blog during my maternity leave - really because I love taking photos and wanted  a place that the kids can look back on and to document our van life adventures. I  am a full time specialist nurse and also currently working on an MSc. I am a whirlwind and life is definitely jam packed but I wouldn’t have it any other way :) 

We love our beautiful T5!! We have made so many memories and taken some wonderful roadtrips over the years. We haven’t managed to get out in the van much this year, but hey I’ve still been dreaming ... hopefully next year🤞🏻🤞🏻

We have three free spirited kiddies who love nothing more than a road trip,  sleeping in the poptop roof, exploring, beach life and toasting marshmallows. 

Mr Otis and Us, what can I say? The chilled one who has so much patience😆. He drives the many miles, lives on coffee and never ever says no to my crazy road trips and ideas. 

So here we are - the Otis and Us tribe, popping on to say hi. 
 
Thank you so much for following along, for all your interaction and love. It means the world. I love to hear from you all, every message and every comment. Thank you 🙏🏻 

Hope you will stay with us for 2021 , 

Stay safe 

Katy xx 🌈

📸 credit @canonuk

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