Camping with Kids: What to Bring, What to Do and What to Eat

Whether you grew up camping and you’re ready to pass it on to the next generation, or you and your family are all new to the idea of sleeping outdoors, it’s important to have a camping with kids checklist that ensures you bring the right equipment and gear to maximize your comfort, fun and safety. This is doubly true when you’re camping with kids who might not be so amenable to the idea of “roughing it” or “making do” if you happen to forget some essentials. Here, you’ll find a list of everything you need to bring when camping with kids, as well as outdoor games and delicious campfire snacks that are good for anyone ages 1 to 101.

These are the basics—shelter, safety, clothing—you’ll need to bring no matter who is included in your adventuring party. And if you want more detail or information, we’ve put together a super comprehensive checklist with all the deets for you to peruse.

Sleeping under the stars is great…until the skies open up, the mosquitoes start to bite or (gasp) a spider crawls on your face. As such, this one is kind of a no-brainer. The main thing to consider when shopping for a tent is how many people you’d like to accommodate (i.e., will the kids be sleeping with you or are you planning to pitch separate tents for them?). Good ventilation is also key and a blackout feature, like with the EVER ADVANCED tent, is always nice for daytime naps and sleeping in, if you’re so lucky.

Sleeping bags are a must because they keep you warm when temperatures drop at night, provide some much-needed cushioning and are made out of easy-to-clean, waterproof material that won’t collect dirt the way blankets do. We’re fans of the all-season ones so you can be cozy but not sweating buckets on summer nights when temperatures may stay high.

The earth can be rather unforgiving and no one wants to rest their head on a rock hard surface or take a morning hike with a painfully stiff back. Invest in quality sleeping pads to make sleeping in a tent more comfortable for the whole fam, and don’t forget to pack some good pillows, too (preferably with pillowcases you don’t care too much about). And if you plan on doing a lot of camping (or if you’re just fancy), you might even consider an air mattress to ensure maximum comfort at night for the adults—though the young and limber can still probably get by with a sleeping pad.

The great thing about leaving home behind and heading into the great outdoors is that an absence of light pollution will give you a stunning view of all the millions of gorgeous stars in the night sky. But your children might not be used to just how dark nighttime can be, especially if you’re from a big city, and even the grown-ups will want to avoid fumbling around in the dark when, say, nature calls after the sun goes down. Be sure to bring along lots of lighting options (and lots of batteries to keep them charged) like flashlights, headlamps and lanterns. This will help keep the fun going even after nightfall, while also providing some comfort for kids who aren’t too keen on total darkness.

From bee stings and poison ivy to splinters and scraped knees—accidents can happen when you’re getting active in the Great Outdoors. Always be prepared with a well-stocked first aid kit and you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’ve got safety covered. (Pro tip: Look for one that’s easy to carry along on hikes so you don’t have to head back to basecamp over a minor scrape.)

Kids just have a way of getting their clothes dirty or wet, no matter where they are, don’t they? Add to that all the tempting rocks, ponds and trails surrounding a campsite and you can pretty much guarantee everyone is going to end up covered in dirt. This is part of the fun of camping, for sure, but it’s also a smart plan to bring along some dry shirts, pants, socks and underwear just in case that dirt turns out to be mud or a stroll along the water turns into an unexpected swim. It’s also good to remember, even in peak summer, temperatures can drop drastically once the sun goes down and no one wants to call it a night and climb under the covers simply because they’re cold. Stow some fleece sweaters, jackets, hats and boots in the trunk of your car should you find yourself feeling chilly at night.

Needless to say, sunscreen is a must when spending time outdoors…and while we’re all for being one with nature, we could do without the mosquitoes and ticks, too. Stock up on kid-friendly formulas of both essentials (and maybe a bottle of DEET if you’re comfortable bringing out the big guns) so everyone’s skin stays burn- and bite-free.

This one requires little explanation. Still, if you’re thinking you can just rely on the campsite facilities, you might consider what happens when someone really has to go in the middle of a two-mile hike. Always have toilet paper and other basic hygiene supplies on hand and you’ll be grateful.

Duct tape might sound a bit weird, but it comes in handy for everything from broken tent poles to torn shoes to annoying blisters—so much so that we consider it an absolute essential.

As for extra bags, it might sound excessive but they will all come in handy: trash bags for stowing garbage (a few for the campsite and one for the car), a bag for stashing wet clothes (ideally a clear recycling bag lest you confuse them for trash), large tote bags for separating clean and dirty laundry, and small shopping bags for snack trash that occurs while out on hikes. In other words, just bring all the bags.

Even if you intend on going off the grid, it’s important to have a fully charged phone in case of emergencies. But how do you keep your device charged when you’re out in the wilderness, you ask? Well, many established campsites do have electrical sources for campers to use. However, if your particular campsite does not, or if you’re about to depart on a full-day hike and forgot to avail yourself of the campsite facilities first, it’s wise to bring along a fully charged USB power bank or a solar panel with a USB outlet so you can charge up as needed.

If your kids are young, and even if they’re potty trained, it can be incredibly handy to have a portable potty on hand as a secondary bathroom option, especially at night. Set it up just outside your tent so your kids don’t need to wake you up multiple times for midnight treks to the campsite bathrooms. Plus, it’ll feel more familiar for those who are bathroom shy in new places.

Before you go planning an epic campsite menu, double check what sort of cooking is allowed at your campsite. Some have grills available to use, others allow you to build your own fire or use a portable stove and some have a strict no flames policy. Once you’ve got that figured out, consider the cleanup process. You likely won’t have access to a sink with running water to really scrub down pots and pans—and yes you’ll need to bring at least one of those—so stick with simple meals that don’t require a ton of cleaning. (Pro tip: Portable stoves tend to heat up much faster and more evenly than an old-fashioned campfire, so if your kids are the type to get hangry if dinner isn’t promptly on time, think about bringing one along and saving the firewood for s’mores.)

OK, so you’ve got the tent set up and it won’t be time for dinner for a few hours—what now?

Check out the surrounding hiking trails for beautiful vistas or hidden lakes. Be sure everyone has proper footwear for the terrain—this means actual hiking boots or sneakers with good traction and not open-toe sandals—as well as cameras to capture all the fun.

If you’d rather hang out on the campgrounds, there’s still plenty to do. Bring along a set for playing cornhole, horseshoes, croquet or a ring toss. You can also pack a prop-up badminton set or volleyball (though be aware of any neighboring campers who may not want a stray ball flying into their tent).

Build an explorer’s kit complete with binoculars, magnifying glass and a notebook for each child and set off on a quest to track down easy treasures, like the biggest leaf on the ground or the tallest tree, or rarer finds, like native birds, animal tracks or a perfect four-leaf clover.