Catherine - Savvy Family TravelCamping with kids is full of laughter, discoveries, teamwork, fresh air, sticky faces, and muddy fingernails. These hacks for camping with kids will take much of the stress out of your camping trip so you can focus on soaking in the joy alongside your children.
A bit of planning and creativity helps the camp run smoothly. And should the unexpected happen, you’ll feel better prepared to tackle it.
Hacks for Camping with Kids
Plan Your Meals Ahead
Meal planning is crucial when camping with kids. Prepare and pack kid pleasing meals that are easy to cook over a campfire or portable stove. Try pre-making foil packet dinners or marinating meats at home so they’re ready to grill. Breakfast burritos wrapped in foil make for a hearty morning meal that’s simple to heat up over the fire.
Having pre-chopped fruits and vegetables goes a long way to speed up meal prep and reduce camp site dish washing.
Some of the easiest meals are made possible with a few cast iron pie irons. Make pudgy pies (aka hobo pies) with pizza toppings, PB&J, Rueben sandwich ingredients, or sweet ones with pie filling.
Use a Camping Checklist
A packing checklist for camping with kids is invaluable. Include essentials like kid medicines, life vests, a first aid kit, and clothes for a wide range of activities and weather.
Don’t forget favorite toys or comfort items to soothe little ones at bedtime. Using a checklist ensures nothing is left behind and makes packing get easier each and every time.
Our Camping Checklist Printable is coming out this fall! Stay tuned on Instagram @postcard_narrative.
Research Kid-Friendly Campsites
Choosing a campground with kid-friendly amenities can make all the difference. Look for ones with playgrounds, hiking trails, clean showers, paved roads (for bikes/scooters) and shallow entry swimming areas. Depending where we are camping, I’m also careful to research if any campsites are near steep hills or cliffs.
Once you’ve selected the campground, carefully assess the available campsites. Make sure you’re near a water spigot, the bathrooms, etc. Call the office if it’s hard to tell from the map which spots will be good for kids.
My kids like to ride their bikes now in the campground loop, so we try to pick a location that will have less vehicle traffic.
Practice at Home
Build confidence and comfortability for your kids by having a trial run in the back yard. Show them what it takes to pop up a tent. Practice sleeping with the noises outside.
Have a small campfire and teach them about keeping safe distance and, of course, how to find the perfect marshmallow stick. (By our campfire you can see my oldest took this job very seriously.)
Find Out What’s Available Onsite for Purchase
Is Firewood sold? If so, what time of day is it available or is it self serve?
Make sure you have cash! Roadside sellers/self serve stations will require exact change.
Is there a camp store for restocking essentials?
I don’t like to be caught paying top dollar at the camp store for medicine, s’more supplies, bug spray, sunscreen, and so on. We always follow our checklist so we minimize this type of spending at the campground.
Fishing bait, ice, and firewood are what we commonly purchase on site. I research in advance to be sure these are available.
Have a Plan for the Kids During Campsite Setup
If your kids are little, perhaps they can stay in their car seat, safe and secured, while you setup your site without distractions. Or consider bringing a play yard or pack and play to contain crawlers while you work.
Now that my kids are both over 4 years old, they like being part of the process. My 4 year old operates the jack on our trailer then acts as our gopher for supplies. My 6 year old likes to use a level on the camper and builds a log cabin in our fire pit so we are ready for our first campfire.
We make sure the bin of camp toys is easily accessible so they can self entertain once their set up jobs are finished.
Prepare an Arrival Snack
If you have a long drive, your family could very well arrive at camp very hangry. It’s counterproductive to try to set up camp and get your coolers/camp kitchen organized while everyone is in a foul mood. We recommend preparing and easy to access arrival snack to hand out as soon as you get there so you can set up camp feeling refueled. Bring a Portable Playpen
A portable playpen offers a safe space for toddlers to play while you set up camp or cook. It’s also a handy item to use in the tent for sleep.
Pack All-Weather Gear
Weather can be unpredictable. Pack lightweight layers, rain gear, and waterproof shoes to ensure comfort regardless of the forecast.
Quick-dry clothing is ideal, especially if water activities are on the agenda or rain in the forecast.
Use Glow Sticks for Nighttime Visibility
Glow sticks are not only fun for kids but also useful for safety.
Use them to mark tent zippers, pathways, and even as nightlights. They’re an inexpensive way to keep track of kids in the dark.
Establish a Campground Routine
While the flexibility of camping is part of the charm, maintaining some routines can help children feel more settled.
Stick to regular meal and bedtime schedules where possible to ensure everyone is well-rested and ready for the day’s adventures.
Engage Kids with Nature Activities
Incorporate nature-based activities like scavenger hunts, bird watching, identifying footprints, catching insects and more. Read on for our favorite camping games with kids.
If you’re staying at a national park or state park, ask them if they have a junior ranger or junior explorer program. Some parks even have explorer backpacks you can borrow.
Have a Backup Plan for Rainy Days
Prepare for rain by bringing board games, coloring books, or even a tablet loaded with movies for entertainment.
A pop-up canopy or tarp can provide shelter for outdoor play or dining despite the rain.
Pack Individual Travel Bags
Give each child their own small travel bag with personal items like a favorite stuffed animal, pajamas, and a toothbrush.
As your kids get older (3 or so) let them pack their own small bag of toys they want to play with at night before bed.
Use a Camping Kitchen Station
Set up a camping kitchen station to keep all your cooking essentials organized. A portable folding table with shelves can hold your stove, utensils, and food supplies, making mealtime easier.
While these was doable when it was just the two of us, we now find its a pain to try to cook, clean, and eat all at the campsite provided picnic table with the family.
Extra Clothes
We always bring more clothes than we’d normally go through at home. They get wet and muddy on the daily, so have more spare sets than usual will come in handy.
For a non camping trip, I pack one spare outfit per four days. While camping, I pack at least one spare for every two days.
Pack a Portable Clothesline
A portable clothesline will be handy for drying wet clothes and towels. It keeps things organized and prevents damp items from becoming musty in a hamper.
Prepare for Rain Play
We love our kids’ rain suits for embracing outdoor play on rainy days.
Add some animals/trucks for the mud and they’ll be happy for hours. The rain never seems to bother kids like it bothers us while camping.
Create a Nature Journal
Encourage kids to document their adventure in a nature journal.
They can draw pictures of plants and animals, write about their experiences, and press flowers or leaves between the pages.
My kids are just barely starting to adopt this, so I’m currently the one logging our campground adventures in this journal.
Set Up a Hand-Wash Station
This was one of the first hacks for camping with kids that we implemented. A simple hand-washing station with a water jug, soap, and towel can keep everyone clean and healthy.
While germs can be tackled with hand sanitizer, you’re going to want an actual wash station for after your little one is done playing in the mud or manhandling a frog.
Bring a First Aid Kit
Having a well-stocked first aid kit is essential. Pack it with band-aids, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, bug bite relief, and any necessary medications to handle minor injuries and discomforts.
Here’s what we always have in our medicine bag for the kids.
Introduce Basic Survival and Safety Skills
Use the camping trip as an opportunity to teach kids basic survival skills such as reading a compass, starting a fire safely, what to bring on a hike, or building a shelter.
For younger kids, talk about noticing landmarks on a hike, what to do if we somehow get separated on the trail, and communicating to others where we are heading before we go out. It’s good to explain at a young age too that we always stay on the trail and that some plants and animals may be poisonous.
Capture Memories through their Eyes
Bring a spare camera (i.e. old cell phone) and allow your child(ren) to capture the moments that are special to them.
Bring Coins for Laundry
When you least expect it, you may need to do laundry on your camping trip. Be sure to have a bag of quarters handy.
We’ve had carsickness on the drive out dictate a trip to the laundry mat, overnight potty accidents, and just overall damp gear requiring use of the dryers.
Just Say Yes to Gadgets
Once we started camping with kids I stopped being insistent on “roughing it” on camping trips and am happy to have tools that make life easier while camping.
For example, we bring a collection of battery operated tools with us including
- a leaf blower to inflate mattresses and inflatables if there’s a lake
- a portable speaker (with usb chargers for our phones)
- a fan to speed up fire starting, cool off at night, and keep the bugs away
We wrote an article on more of our favorite Dewalt tools for the campground, here.
Bring Extra Trash Bags
Keep the campsite tidy by bringing extra trash bags for waste and recycling. A collapsible hamper works well for a stand up trash receptacle while camping.
We also like to carry a small bag to collect litter on our hikes and instill good habits and respect for nature.
Practice Leave No Trace Principles
On a related note, teach your kids the importance of the Leave No Trace principles. Show them how to respect wildlife, dispose of waste properly, and leave the campsite better than you found it.
Use Reusable Containers
Pack snacks and meals in reusable containers to cut down on waste and keep your food fresh.
Prepare for Chilly Nights
Ensure a good night’s sleep by investing in camp sleep pads or an air mattress.
Also be sure to have plenty of sleeping bags and extra blankets for chilly nights.
I underestimated the overnight chill recently and we were miserably cold until my two kids and I all snuggled together for warmth. We beelined for the nearest store the next day for more blankets.
Have Quiet Activities Ready for Morning
Especially when you’re camping in a tent this is one of the most important hacks for camping with kids. Sunrise has a nasty habit of waking kids early. Have a bin of quiet activities to engage kids when they wake up, hopefully earning yourselves and your camp neighbors some extra shut eye.
Steal Some Adult Time
Find a way to enjoy the fire after the kids are tucked in. It might help to have a noise machine set up near them to drown out your voices. Or, let the bedtime routine be a show on an iPad while mom and dad get to relax.
My other favorite time of day for some alone time is while I sip my morning coffee. Handing them a couple shovels usually does the trick.
Overnight Bathroom Solution
It’s no fun leaving the tent or camper in the middle of the night for a potty run. It’s card falling asleep again too.
The solution is especially easy if you have boys. We keep an empty Gatorade bottle handy in case they have to go in the middle of the night. For girls, consider bringing a small potty training toilet.
Games & Activities Hacks for Camping with Kids
Scavenger Hunts
Organize a nature-themed scavenger hunt for the kids. Create a list of items for them to find, like unique leaves, animal tracks, or rocks. It’s a fun way to explore the surroundings and learn about nature.
Create a Campground Map
Draw a simple map of the campground to help kids navigate and feel secure.
Mark important spots like the tent, bathroom, and ranger office to keep everyone oriented and safe. If you have an older child, they might enjoy helping you sketch this out.
Race Boats
If there’s a creek or river that runs through your campground, build some boats out of twigs, leaves, and tie them together with long grasses. See whose stays upright or floats fastest down the river.
Outdoor Games
Pack a few outdoor games like frisbee, badminton, or play simple games like spud, hot potato, or ghost in the graveyard.
Fishing
Grab some night crawlers, life jackets, and a kiddie fishing pole if your campground has a lake/pond nearby.
Check into the DNR resources in the area too, where they offer free rentals of fishing equipment for kids.
Bug Collecting
A butterfly net and bug box allow kids to inspect little creatures without handling them too roughly before letting them go.
Utilize Glow Sticks for Games
Use glow sticks for fun nighttime games like capture the flag or hide and seek. They add an exciting element to after-dark activities and help keep track of everyone.
Trucks
The toys with the longest lasting entertainment factor when we camp are our steel Tonka trucks.
We used to only pack small trucks, but once we camped with friends and their large Tonka trucks, it added hours of play town which equals more relaxation for mom and dad. Now they are a staple on our hacks for camping with kids.
DIY Obstacle Course
Encourage the kids to create a campsite obstacle course. They can use sticks, camp chairs, buckets, and anything else they find on the ground to create a course for the family to compete on.
Chalk
Chalk is great for obstacle courses too. Draw hopscotch, stepping stones, spirals indicating to spin around, etc.
Our kids also like to ‘paint’ rocks with chalk or draw roads on which to drive their cars and trucks.
Build a Fairy House
Using only natural materials, construct a mystical home for the campground fairies.
Bikes/Scooters
If your campsite has well maintained or paved roads, pack the bikes! Decorate them or add light up features to make their bike rides feel extra special.
Travel Board Games and Card Games
In case of rain or for quiet time in the evening, we pack some travel size games as well, like:
- Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
- Uno
- Spot It (Camping Edition)
- Mad Libs Camping Version
- Cribbage for the parents
Pin Hacks for Camping with Kids for Later
Catherine – Savvy Family Travel
My favorite pastime is finding fun, interesting experiences to share with family and friends.
I’m a mom of two energetic and curious boys who have endless patience with my tendency to over plan activities on our family vacations. My tireless husband, Troy, provides comic relief, is our favorite photographer, and expert navigator.
I’m a firm believer that travel with kids doesn’t have to be intimidating or expensive. It can be affordable, epic, and, dare I say, even relaxing!
Are you a travel loving parent too? I’d love to meet you, please reach out via Messenger and say “hi!”
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