I love to travel and since having kids this has not changed. In fact I feel like I love traveling even more now that I have children! I love the adventures we go on and the memories we create together. Only problem is traveling is an expensive hobby. Now quadruple that high cost by adding kids to the picture, and it becomes quite the financial strain. This is why we love camping!
I mean if you really look at it, one of the biggest expenses in traveling is where to stay. Paying for a hotel now days is kinda outrageous and hard to find one that fits large families. Airbnbs are great for large families, but you are still looking at a $100+ per night which adds up real fast. Resorts are the same way. So really the best option for under $100 a night is camping!
I know the thought of camping sounds so tedious and uncomfortable, especially when you add the kiddos to the picture. You have to set up a tent, there are bugs, you sleep on the ground, and the bugs are so noisy at night. This is the picture I had in my head when it came to camping. It just seemed like so much work for an uncomfortable stay.
Luckily practice makes perfect right, cause if I want to travel for cheap then you can bet we are going to camp. We have gone camping with our kids so many times and honestly I love it. Sure there are nights that I still long for an a/c room with a connecting bathroom, but those times are few and far between.
Camping has become such a fun thing for us and our kids to do together. To unplug and enjoy nature together. Cooking smores, building the tent, climbing trees, these are the memories and bonding moments that our kids will remember forever. I know I certainly will.
So sentiment aside, I have created this list for you of our favorite camping supplies that we have used over the years that have made our camping experience better and better each time! Hopefully if you make the thought of camping with kids less daunting and more exciting like it has for us!
What You Need To Know Before Your Trip:
Before you head out there are several things you should take into consideration. Obviously you won’t need all of the supplies I have listed for every trip, because every trip is different. Hopefully, though this list covers all the bases and helps you narrow down what you will need for each scenario. Here are several questions you should be asking yourself before you go so you can decide what you will need to pack.
- What will the weather be like both day and night? Will it rain? Will it be humid? Hot? What will the temperature be at night? Etc.
- What is the environment like? Is it a desert rocky ground? Are there lots of trees for hanging things? Etc.
- What wildlife are in the area you are staying? Bears? Bugs? Etc.
- What amenities are available where you are camping? Is there a bathroom? Showers? Etc.
Packing Tips
- Use a giant tub for all your cooking supplies. I say this for multiple reasons: one it is super easy to overpack and this limits you to how much you can bring. Two, it is an easy way to stay organized; everything you need for cooking is all in one spot. Third, it keeps all of your equipment safe where it won’t get squashed or broken. Finally, oils and soaps tend to leak, this keeps the rest of your stuff safe from any potential leaking disasters. Just ask me how I know….
- Invest in a storage extension. When I was a young kid, my mom used to stuff everything for camping in our van, so much so that there was no where to put our feet! Overstuffing your vehicle makes everything messy and uncomfortable. Invest in a cargo carrier or a rooftop carrier. This will save you space and gives way more comfort!
- Separate bags make it easier to find things. I used to try to stuff everything in one giant bag; then I would struggle to fit this bag in my van and struggle to lift it in and out. I have learned that separate bags fits better and makes it easier to manage. We now travel with a bag just for shoes, a toiletries bag, a clothes bag, a swimming bag, and so on. It is so much easier to stuff in several duffle bags, then one giant bag.
- Bring what you need, not everything you own. You may think that overpacking means you are more prepared, which you are, but it is the most frustrating thing ever! It is so frustrating to play Tetris every time you get into the trunk of your car. It weighs your vehicle down and just creates a mess as you sort through everything. Overpacking sucks just as much as under packing.
- Make a checklist before you start. To prevent overpacking or under, make a list of everything you will need about a week before you leave on a trip. I love lists, and that is because it helps me keep track of everything. If you start a week before your trip you can prefect it each day, and by marking things off you know what you have and what you still need.
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The Best Tent EVER
I have camped my entire life. In that life time I have slept in tents that were too crowded, had leaks, tore easily, couldn’t handle wind, or were really hard to put together. In these 30 or so years of life I have lived, there is one tent that I have found that has withstood the odds.
The Ozark Instant Tent has been the tent our family has created so many memories in. Lets talk about why we love it so much:
- It takes about 5 minutes to set up. That is only 5 minutes of being distracted from watching our busy toddlers! 5 minutes and we are ready start setting up sleeping bags!
- It is SO easy to set up and so easy to take down. Instead of folding poles in and out all you have to do is pop up the poles, make sure they click into place, you’re done! Same with taking it down, so easy!
- It is so roomy. Our particular tent is an 11 person tent. There is plenty of room for the kids, for my husband and I, our large dog, plus all of our stuff. Saying that we fit it all in the tent, plus have room to still walk around without tripping over everything.
- It is a solid tent. This tent has withstood intense mountain wind gusts, downpouring of rain, rain and wind at the same time, and even a hail storm. During all of these we have stayed perfectly dry and haven’t gotten hammered in the face by the tent walls all night. I have never stayed in a tent so secure.
Other tents that I really love:
–Coleman Pop-Up Camping Tent (for smaller families. It is cozy and SO easy to set up. It literally pops up all on its own. It takes up very little room when packing)
–Coleman Montana Camping Tent (Takes longer to set up, but is a super solid tent. I mean it withstood Cheyenne, WY flattening winds! Lots of room for a family and a more decent price)
Other supplies you will need for tent camping:
- Hammer– for pounding the stakes in
- Tarp– keeping a tarp under your tent will keep water out of your tent and keep it for getting super dirty when you are putting it away
- Rug/towel- something to wipe feet on before getting into your tent so you don’t get your tent all dirty
- Broom– just a mini broom and dustpan to help you sweep up your tent when taking it down. You won’t believe how dirty they can get with people walking in and out.
Adult Essentials for Camping Checklist:
- Clothes/toiletries
- Self Inflating Mattress– There isn’t anything quite as annoying as forgetting the air pump or having to use your vehicle to pump air into your air mattress. Self-inflating air mattresses you can use a pump or you can just turn the dial and it inflates itself. SO much easier and so much less to bring.
- Memory Foam– I have not found the magic air mattress that is super comfortable yet, but until I have I have discovered a love for memory foam pads. I love them for 2 reasons, one they make every air mattress more comfortable and too, they keep you warm!
- Sleeping bags
- Jackery– This Jackery has become one of my most essential travel items! Lets face it we live in a very modern age and having electricity comes in very helpful! This Jackery will charge our phones and tablets, keep a tent fan blowing cool air on us all night, and so much more. It doesn’t take up really any space, but it does so much.
Kid Essentials for Camping Checklist:
- Memory foam pad– Now I know you are thinking kids are fine with sleeping on the ground and I totally agree, but comfort isn’t necessarily the reason I love bringing a memory foam pad for my kids. My kids slip and slide right out of their sleeping bags at night and so most of the time they just end up sleeping on the tent tarp floor with their sleeping bags as a blanket. A memory foam pad keeps their sleeping bags off the sleek tarp surface so my kids don’t slip out as easily. Second reason is, that it really keeps them warm on cold nights. The foam retains the heat whereas the floor is cold.
- Keens– Have you heard of these shoes!? I think they are someone tacky, but they are a heaven-send when camping. They are like sandals for hiking. I don’t have to keep track of socks, I don’t have to worry about them ripping or tearing their shoes, they are easy to take on and off, and they can walk in the water with them. They are the best camping shoes for kids ever!
- Clothes/toiletries
- Bunkbed cot– If you are looking to save space in your tent then these bunkbeds are the way to do it. These cots can convert into a bunkbed and my kids LOVE them! They are very sturdy and quite comfortable, but not too tall or take up too much space. It is a great space saver.
- Sleeping bags
Baby Essentials for Camping Checklist:
- Baby sleeping outfit– Babies don’t know how to stay in a blanket let alone a sleeping bag. So to insure your baby stays warm at night, these sleeping bag outfits are the best!! My babies have stayed so warm when using them!
- Clothes/toiletries
- Changing pad with diapers/wipes- I mean unless you want to risk changing your baby on your bed. I usually do when they are a little older, but those little itty bitty babies just go. I may be speaking from experience, but there is not much more gross than the thought of sleeping in your babies urine on your bed!
- Camping activity seat– I can do a lot of things while holding a baby, but putting up a tent is a whole new level of rough when holding a baby. This seat is set up like a bouncer. Your baby will somewhat stand in the middle and surrounding them is a flat fabric surface for you to set toys and snacks on. They can’t crawl away while you are distracted pitching a tent and they aren’t bored from just laying there. It is AMAZING!
- Pack n play– This one I am a little iffy on. Most of the time I either let my baby sleep with me or I just set up a little pad right next to me so that he/she is near, but if it isn’t too cold and we are bringing our big tent I am totally for a pack n play. Makes sleeping at night way more comfortable not to have a baby in my arms.
Cooking Essentials:
- Blackstone Griddle– There are so many tools for camping, but this right here is my number one. This griddle is large and cooks so much! I can cook steaks and pork chops, then turn around and make stir fry the next night. I can cook so many things on it! It has so much space to it, so I am not crowded in my cooking space like most camping stoves are. It is easy to use, easy to clean, and cooks so wonderfully!
- Spatula
- Cleaning kit– At least bring a scrapper to scrap off the food from your griddle so you can cook the next meal.
- Blackstone Griddle Stand– These stands are so helpful! Instead of only being able to cook where there is a picnic table available, all I have to do is pop up my stand and get to cookin!
- Popup Sink– These sinks are flat and take up little space, then when you are ready to wash your dishes, just pop it up, fill it with water, and you are ready to go. After you are done you just flatten it down and again it takes up a lot less space then a bowl or bucket! It also comes with a cutting board and knife!
- Water
- Soap/Scrubber
- Oil- You will need to keep your griddle oiled for optimum cooking, I just use veggie oil.
- Arctic Cooler– Do not cheap out of a inexpensive cooler! This is a huge lesson I have learned. Cheap coolers mean you food is less protected and more likely to go bad or you are just going that have to invest a lot of money into ice. It does not save you money in the long run. Artic coolers are so solid and hold the cold in way better than a $30 Coleman. Do cheap out on this!
Other Essentials We Use When Camping:
- Portable Shower- We love to camp up in the San Juan Mountains a lot and there is no restrooms or amenities here so if you want a shower or a bathroom you gotta bring it yourself. This portable shower is my favorite! It holds quite a bit of water, all you have to do is pump to build pressure and the water comes out with decent pressure. It retains the temperature pretty well and even has a gauge to tell you the water temperature. My husband and I have been able to use it without running out of water, meaning it holds quite a bit of water. Okay I could just go on an on, but honestly I love it!
- Portable Potty– Like I said at the beginning of this article, there are certain things you will want to know before you pack for a vacation and knowing if there are bathrooms is one of them. I do not enjoy the thought of having my toilet with me in my vehicle, so the only time this crosses my mind is if I am going some place without a restroom. If I know they is a restroom, you can bet this stays home. Portable potties just take up quite a bit of room with the bucket, but worth it obviously if there isn’t going to be a restroom. Be sure to pack the bags as well and some toilet paper!
- Potty Tent– Again this is only something I bring when I know we will have no amenities, but a privacy tent can be used for both the bathroom as well as a shower tent.
- Travel Hammock/inflatable lounger– Something about hanging in a hammock in the middle of the wilderness! Can’t get more relaxing that that! I love to bring our travel hammock with up, but if I know there are no trees then the inflatable lounger it is. These hammocks are more like giant air pillows. You really just run around gathering air in these bags, seal the bags and lay on them!
- Camping Chairs
- Tent Fan-I have tried these fans several times and they work, but not as well in extreme heat. We live in Texas and it is so hot here, that we have been trying to find a way to tent camp without being so miserable. This fan does its job of blowing air, but if you add cold water or ice water in it, it sorta acts as an ac unit. Now it doesn’t have the fight in it to handle extreme heat, but it does cool you down in moderate heat pretty well. It isn’t loud or hard to use. It also will stay on all night, you just might have to wake up at least once to refill the water.
- Lantern
Final Thoughts:
Now I am not saying if you bring all of these items that camping with kids is going to be easy, but it sure as heck makes it easier. This is just a basic list of my favorite products that we have used while camping. Camping with kids is such a fun experience.
It is almost magical to be out in the wilderness away from screens and distractions. To just be focused on spending time together as a family. This is what camping is. This is why it should be a part of your family’s life!
I hope that you can use this list to make your camping experience that much easier and more enjoyable. My hope is that someday you will have a home full of photos of all your family adventures. That your kids will have stories to tell their friends of all the things they do with their parents. I hope that your kids jump for joy when you suggest camping and that you get excited as well!
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