• RV Parks & Campgrounds
  • RV Sales
  • RV & Outdoor Gear
  • RV Maintenance & Repair
gs logo
  • Categories
  • Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    America’s Most Scenic Drives
    8 Great Summer Getaways Across America
    Indiana’s Ceraland Sports Park & Campground Rolls Out Recreation Fun
    Oceanside RV Resort: Experience the Best of San Diego
    Aerial shot of resort
  • Subscribe

8 Must-Haves for Camping With Kids

author image
Erin Peters
  • Family:Travel & Camping
  • and Kid-Friendly Trips
April 6, 2021

    April 6, 2021

    Adorable little girl enjoying her time in climbing adventure park on warm and sunny summer day

    It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the motions of things, especially when you’re handling kids on a camping trip. Hopefully, this guide can lighten the load.

    Raising kids also means raising contingencies. As a parent, one rule you live by is to always be prepared, something you share in common with scouts. Slacking off will be a luxury, because as the adult who’s in charge of packing up and preparing for camping trips, apart from the essentials, you’ll be needing some of these must-haves for camping with kids.

    First aid kit

    Child sticking bandage on knee, sitting on rock.

    Having a first aid kit when you are hiking or camping is essential. Photo Credit: Getty Images, robertprzybysz

    Bring bandages, tweezers, the funny-looking scissors—the whole enchilada. You cannot afford to skimp on this, we swear. On the contrary, add more to the kit like medicine and whistles for emergencies.

    Ground cover

    Glamping in a teepee tent pitched with rugs.

    Glamping in a teepee tent pitched with rugs. Hikers and brands use the names “groundsheets”, “ground cloths”, “tent floors”, and “tent footprints.” Photo Credit: Getty Images, monkeybusinessimages

    Sitting on the ground might be a bit too messy to clean up afterwards, so let your children sit and lie down a mat instead. This way, they’ll have plenty more things to do on the ground as opposed to when they’re just lying on fresh dirt where bugs and ants might crawl up them. Tent tarps provide an extra layer of protection between a camping tent floor and the elements.

    It’s also a good idea to bring this when you’re out eating. Crumbs might attract other, bigger animals, so the option of laying something over the ground can let you clean up better.

    Wet wipes

    Mother Cleaning Her Daughter Hands with Antibacterial Wipes

    Try using biodegradable wipes which are good for your skin and the environment. Photo Credit: Getty Images,
    nicoletaionescu

    True parents know the frustration of kids downright refusing to wash their hands or take a bath. The simplest solution is to use baby wipes and antibacterial wipes, which are considered to be one of the best inventions in America. They clean up easily, and they can be thrown right away in the trash after use.

    Perhaps the only bad thing about this blessing is that there never seems to be enough of it. Load up on several packs each time you take your children out camping. Water can be hard to come by in when you’re left no alternatives to boondocking, which is fun on its own, but can be a nightmare at the worst of times.

    Bug spray

    Close-up of using anti insect spray aerosol in nature

    You can spray bug repellent on your skin, around your tent and around the campsite to deter mosquitoes and other bugs from taking up residence. Photo Credit: Getty Images, O_Lypa

    Staying outdoors is all fun and games until there are little dark marks running over your kid’s skin. These bug bites are itchy, and will make your child irritable. Avoid this by stocking up on bug spray.

    Mosquitoes especially swarm in on your kids like they’re steak with legs, which, to insects, they probably are. As much as possible, do not forget to bring bug repellent. Let your children wear those patches with cartoons on them that smell nice, or the plastic bracelets that ward away these bloodsucking insects.

    Sunscreen

    Two sunscreens on white cloth

    Photo Credit: Unsplash, yue su

    Whatever the weather of the season, bring some SPF, and lather the lotion on your bodies. On high ground, you might not be able to tell how hot it really is. Nursing sunburns is not fun, so it’s much easier to prevent this with sunscreen.

    If you do get burns, pack up on ointments like sun gel, which does enough on the skin to heal quickly.

    Snacks

    Cookies

    Photo Credit: Unsplash, Tanaphong Toochinda

    There must be little compromise: Your kids need to have plenty of food. On long drives or on high trails, they will be needing the energy to keep up.

    Extra clothes

    Two young girls walking outside on snowy path

    Photo Credit: Unsplash, Annie Spratt

    Scratch that. We meant to say, bring extra everything! In previous articles we pointed out that overpacking would be adding more weight to the baggage and might consequently do more harm than good. But to ease the anxiety you’ll be facing with regards to the trip, it won’t hurt to bring at least three times as many clothes as you need, especially for children.

    Weather forecasts can’t be trusted 100% of the time, either, so prepare more raincoats and woolen clothes for your young campers.

    Blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal

    Stuffed bear with red bow

    Photo Credit: Unsplash, Sandy Millar

    We all know about that special “thing” your kid never sleeps without. Whether it’s a blanket, pillow, or stuffed animal, your child will sleep a lot easier having it around. Don’t leave home without the beloved item, or it will cost you a night of no sleep.

    In that case, it’s good to improvise and wrap some towels around to form an appropriate shape. The makeshift doll could be enough to distract your kid from their missing favorite.

    While there are loads more you can bring, we’ve just about skimmed everything parents must have for camping with kids. At the end of the day, you’re responsible for choosing the right stuff to pack up since you know your children better inside out. So, when it’s time to leave and come back home, pat yourself on the back and say you did a great job.

    The 7 Natural Wonders of British Columbia, Canada Previous
    5 Family-Friendly Activities While Camping in SLO CAL Next
    Erin Peters

    Erin Peters

    Erin Peters brought 20 years of advertising and publishing experience to her digital marketing leadership with Good Sam. Erin was also a renowned beer writer and judge, enticing beer drinkers for over a decade through her blog, The Beer Goddess. As a long-time competitive swimmer, growing up on boats, she loved anything involving the water. Sadly, we lost Erin in 2022.

    Parks & Places
    NAMENEWEST

    • Campgrounds, Parks & Places
    August 15, 2024

    America’s Most Scenic Drives

    Good Sam Camping avatar image

    Good Sam Camping

    LOAD MORE

    Subscribe

    Enter your email address below and get the latest posts delivered straight to your inbox.

    For questions, please see our Privacy Policy & California Privacy Rights.

    We are Social

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
    • Rss
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Good Sam Club

    Privacy Policy  |   California Privacy Rights  |   Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information  |   Targeted Advertising Opt Out  |   Terms of Use

    © 2023 Good Sam Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.