What To Bring Camping With Kids
Knowing exactly what to bring camping with kids is a difficult one. It can depend on were you’re going, the age of the cubs in your family and how long you’re even going for.
A night out in the wilderness can survive one or two forgotten items off the family camping checklist. But a few nights under the stars without vital equipment like toothbrushes might make the trip a little harder for everyone. There won’t be much talking to each other, that’s for certain!
So, we’re here to save the hassle and provide you with the ultimate family camping checklist of 16 so you know exactly what to bring camping with kids!
We’ll first touch on a few tips about survival with the cubs on the trip as well as a hint for how your everyday carry items might change before getting onto the family camping checklist.
Because, even if you’re a seasoned camper, if it’s the first time in the wild for your little ones, you’ll need a few extra plasters and juice boxes to get through the adventure.
Grab our FREE camping checklist here!
Family Camping Checklist
How to Survive Packing for a Family Camping Trip
Well, the first tip is already checked off the list because you’re here and doing a bit of light reading before moving onto the next step.
Really, all the other tips are about planning ahead, getting the checklist going, making sure the weather is going to be sunny and bright for the trip, getting the road map sorted out, having meals planned and stuffing the boot with a boot-load of entertainment.
In fact, if there’s a choice between a sleeping bag for you and extra toys for the kids, we’d go with the latter in your family camping checklist.
We’re kidding. There are so many ways you can entertain the camping cubs that are travelling with you just by packing a couple of extra things and making use of what nature’s already got in store.
Also see: How to pack food for camping
Get Your Everyday Carry in Check
It’s important to have an EDC in mind separate to your general family camping checklist, as this kind of stuff typically gets to sit comfortably in your pockets rather than at the bottom of the never-ending bag.
It’s especially important when you’re hiking from the car park to the place the sun touches just right at sunrise (Wheems Organic Farm at Orkney Islesis perfect for this!). This is because you never know what you’ll need instant access to or if you somehow misplace the giant camping bag in the woods.
When it comes to camping, your everyday carry (EDC) naturally changes to suit the mood, the weather and the kids tagging along for the ride into the British sunset.
For example, you may normally only do the pocket tap looking for things like your phone, your keys and your cash but when you’re camping with the kids, the pockets have more of a job on their hands.
They need to be the snack holders, the repair kit, the plaster holders, and pretty much anything else you could think of needing immediate access to when out and about in the British wilderness with kids. Of course, it might be a little difficult taking an entire TV and BT box in your EDC for entertainment along the way, but if you can squeeze in some playing cards when packing for a family camping trip, it should be enough to keep everyone entertained for the hike.
Here’s a list of items you should have in your pockets as part of your camping EDC:
- Phone
- GPS Device
- Keys
- Cash
- A Mini Torch
- Tissues
- Survival Watch
- Water Bottles
- Swiss Army Knife
- Thermals
- First-Aid Kit
- Snack
Yes, the EDC might sound like a lot, but with camping cargo pants, you can pretty much fit the kitchen sink into them, anyway!
Grab our FREE camping checklist here!
The Ultimate 16 Items on the Family Camping Checklist
And we’re finally onto the bit you’re really here for: what to bring camping with the kids.
In reality, there isn’t much difference apart from the extra weight and a couple of toys for entertainment. But that is definitely one thing to keep in your noggin before bunging everything into the back of the car. Make sure you’re happy with the weight and the little ones are able to carry a sleeping bag or two without getting pooped-out before arriving at the campsite.
For example, one quick tip for the little campers who want camping chairs is to consider subbing-out a chair for a yoga mat. This way you’ve got the tools for some
fun activities, there can be a swap-and-change arrangement and it doesn’t have the harm the back of the unlucky carrier.
12L Bin Bag
Especially if you’re heading out for a wild camping adventure in the highlands and lochs of Scotland (or Devon), then you’ll need to make sure you have a bin bag or two to carry rubbish along the way.
If you want to find out a little more about wild camping, take a peek at our other piece: Where Can I Go Camping for Free in the UK?
A Fire Blanket
When you’re making a campfire, no matter where it is or how contained the flame, it’s super important your family camping checklist features a fire blanket to place over the flames in case anything goes wrong. This ensures you have both the precautions and the peace of mind that your little camping cubs are safe.
A Fire Starter
In the same vein as needing a fire blanket, you’ll probably want something that is small, safe, affordable, lightweight, reusable and good for the environment to help you get the campfire going. Then you can relax with the family, cosy up in front of the “The Top 15 Camping Movies for Kids” and laugh the night away at the unrealistic camping expectations!
A Large Torch
You may have a small torch in your EDC but having a large torch tucked away into your actual camping luggage will help you manoeuvre around in the dark. After all, there aren’t exactly streetlampsto help guide the way to the lake, the lookout, the car or even the toilet! But, if you’re taking the big torch, don’t forget the big batteries, too.
A Tent (or two)
It may sound obvious, but even if you’re one to enjoy a bivvy bag or go full-out by laying under the stars, your little ones might not share the same level of enthusiasm. So, when thinking about what to bring camping with kids, consider giving them options. If this means keeping them separate in a couple of small pop-up tents or taking a family-sized hotel of a tent, pop it onto your list.
Bug Spray
This is the piece-de-resistance for any family camping checklist. We remember our smallest being frightened of the masses of midges surrounding the campsite one year (the camping trip didn’t last as long as planned). So, lessons learned, take bug spray when packing for a family camping trip. For more on flying pests, read “How to Keep Midges Away When Camping in the UK”.
Camping Chairs
Camping chairs are a must-have. After all, there are expectations about being able to cook-up some American style s’mores on a stick while lounging back into a couple of camping chairs. If you’re not sure on which chairs to take for the trip, have a look at “The Best Camping Chairs in the UK”, we’ve plonked our tush into a few different types to save you the hassle!
Plenty of Water
This one is the most important one of all. Especially if your family adventures aren’t taking you anywhere close to bodies of water and you don’t have those fancy water filtration bottles (which are actually lifesavers!). According to our amazing NHS, if we’re heading out camping, we should take at least one gallon of water per person per day.
Grab our FREE camping checklist here!
Pre-Prepared Food Portions
When you’ve got kids coming on the family outing, you need to have prepared food in small snackable portions to eat in the car, on the transport link, while out hiking and when lazing around the campfire enjoying the great outdoors. Because, even if you know how to make the best BBQ at the tent, picky eaters might have other ideas on the day.
Raincoats
Let’s face it, we’re in the UK. We get around 2 weeks of outstanding blue skies and melting hot sun rays. Plus, the weather reporter seems to always get it wrong. So, it’s best to stay prepared. There are some great lightweight and fold-away ponchos available, we got ours from Amazon, but you can go pretty much anywhere. They often fold into a small ball and can clip onto keys, too.
Sleeping Bags
Another given in the family camping checklist is to increase the number of sleeping bags you’re taking. Although, there are plenty of lightweight children’s sleeping bags that are made to be carried by the little ones, themselves. This helps to get them ready for carrying some of the bigger loads when they get older while not putting too much on your own back!
Packing For A Family Camping Trip
Small Toy Favourites
Earlier, we mentioned staying prepared by keeping small entertainment possibilities in the list of what to bring camping with kids. Their minds are bouncing all over the place and while we’re still taking in the views, they’re getting bored. So, camping with kids means taking toys along for the ride (but make sure they’re compact!) as well as any night-time teddies for sleeping.
Sun Factor 50
We can’t stress this enough. Even if it seems overcast and the sun isn’t coming out from hiding, the rays can still get down to us. And this means potentially harming their skin. Heck, even if it’s due to rain and you’re still wanting to venture out into the British wilderness, still take some factor 50. The higher the factor, the longer the protection lasts! Plus, it’ll be more protecting, too.
Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
This takes us all the way back to the beginning of this article where we mentioned that forgetting this off the list could bring a swift end to the family outing. So, it wouldn’t be great if we went ahead and forgot it off the family camping checklist. Be sure to keep everyone’s toothbrush in their own steri
pod for hygiene and then a tube for the family to share is perfect (and light). o. Towels
Nobody likes a wet tent, wet clothes, wet hair or anything wet without actually being submerged into a crystal blue lake or the sea. So, we’ve found it’s always best to hike up the trails with some spare hand towels to help dry off in case the weather reporter really did get it wrong or if the kids do fancy a dip. In other words, when packing for a family camping trip, be prepared for anything!
Wet Wipes
This one is more of a packing tip for what to bring camping with kids for a weekend or long-term get away.
But it goes without saying, there aren’t any showers or baths in the middle of a field and wet wipes will become your best friend in terms of hygiene and keeping everyone smelling fresh for the adventures ahead. Plus, you can get travel packs with key-rings for each cub!
