When kids go camping it is vital you have the correct gear/clothing and items needed for the entire trip. The good news is, that they don’t need to take as much equipment as adults. I have gathered a camping checklist for kids below, just check the gear off once you have them ready and packed 🙂
I have realized over the years of camping, that the more organized and prepared you are, the easier you can relax and enjoy yourself. So don’t underestimate the power of being organized.
Clothing
It really depends on how many days they are going to determine how much clothing they will need. A rule of thumb to follow is to take 2 pairs of clothes for each day. One pair to wear throughout the day, and one spare in case they get extra muddy/wet.
Below is what they will need for 1 day only. So if you’re going for 3 days you will have to triple this, if you’re going for a week, multiply this list by 7. Although I think 14 pairs is more than enough even if you’re going for 2 weeks, haha.
1 Hat (Must have a sun visor)
1 Pair of gloves
2 T-shirts
2 Pairs of shorts
2 Pairs of pants
2 Pairs of underwear
2 Pairs of socks (Preferably tube socks, as they go up high keeping the ticks away)
These can be used for the whole trip.
1 Warm Jacket (Try to keep this dry to use for the next day)
1 Rain Jacket
1 Pair of pyjamas (They could get into these when they have finished their day trips out hiking instead of getting into new clothes)
1-2 Pairs of shoes
A good rule to follow: Get them to change in the 2nd pair of clothes OR their pyjamas after they have finished adventuring so they don’t have to stay in the dirty clothes for the rest of the day/night.
If you’re camping with an RV, it is a good idea to have them bring 2 pairs of shoes for the whole trip.
A Pair of shoes = Using for outdoor adventures.
Spare pair of shoes = Walking around in the RV to avoid the floor getting muddy/dirty.
Toiletries
This is what they will need to take for the whole trip.
1 Toiletry bag
1 Toothpaste
1 Toothbrush
1 Hairbrush
1 Soap
1-2 Deodorant
1 Chapstick
Toilet paper
Swimming
Towels (As many as needed)
They will only need a maximum of 2-3 pairs of togs for the entire camping trip, because when they have finished swimming for the day they can hang the days togs somewhere to dry over night or on a log by the campfire.
If for some reason they don’t get dried, for example: They forget to hang them out (Kids can be forgetful) they have a spare pair of togs waiting for them for the next day.
2 -3 pairs of togs
Sleeping
Use these for the entire trip, if they’re planning on sleeping in their own tent of course.
1 Tent
1-2 Sleeping bags
1-2 Sleeping pads
2-3 Pillows
2-3 Extra blankets, because temperatures can be unpredictable
Pepper Spray (Bear spray) – Keep it in the tent at night with you in case bears come looking for food
What’s the best tent to get these days? Thankfully I have you covered!
Miscellaneous
Some of these items can be entirely optional.
1 Tarp
1 Rope
1 Flashlight
1 Camera
As many batteries as you like
1 Compass
1 Binoculars
1 First aid kit
Musical Instruments (For campfire songs!)
Walk-Talky’s
Optional Items
Stuffed animals
Glow Sticks
Books
Cards
Board games
Toys
Balls
Badminton
Beach toys
Frisbee’s
Bubbles
Bandanas
Bikes
Helmets
Conclusion
Taking your kids camping is an enjoyable activity, not just for your children but for you as well, it really seals a bond between you and your loved ones that almost becomes unbreakable. They will look up to you a lot more, have more trust in you AND yous will both have a lot of fun in the process.
However I have to mention – Just remember to be safe while camping, things can get ugly really quickly and I don’t want that to happen. Luckily I have put together a list of beginner camping tips, which is beneficial to anyone who loves the outdoors (Also has information on how to keep you and your family safe).
If you learned a thing or 2 in this article, please let me know in the comment section below. I’ll be happy to hear from you.
Great post! We just started camping with our 3 kids this year and I wholeheartedly agree that organization is key! Loved your checklist and will be using it to pack – somehow we always end up forgetting something! Our kids love the glow sticks for night around the campfire!
Thanks for the great comment Jen. Yes, camping is stressful while your packing and trying to get everything ready. But if you’ve organised everything properly your entire camping trip will be a breeze.
Great camping list! Very helpful and the checklist just makes it that much more convenient! Good job on this insightful post and very nice pictures too!
Hi Gerleene, thanks for the comment. I knew it would be a good idea to create the checklist so people can tick off when they have it packed and ready, looks like it worked out pretty well 🙂
Hey Brendon,
As I was reading your post, all I keep thinking is: all schools must see this post. In fact, one of my colleague’s son went on camping trip only last week.
This is an excellent list of useful information even for any child going away on school trips and not just camping.
You’ve probably covered this elsewhere, and that is whether you recommend any kind rucksack or camping bag that is light enough but versatile enough to accommodate loads.
Great post.
Hi Chuka, thanks for the comment – that’s good that you found this post useful. I totally agree with you, the schools need to see this article and consider putting some of the items on their school camping checklist, I never thought of that so great job there 🙂
And yes actually I have, you can find my top 6 rated backpacks here.
Thanks again,
Brandon
What a wonderful read! I have never been a true camper, so I think I would fall under the RV category lol!
I agree with the amount of clothes though.. the worst is to come to the last few days of any trip and to run out of clean clothes, and while camping, there isn’t really any good way to wash them!
One question though.. (Might be a bad question..) What is a TOG? I re-read the article and I could’t find a definition.
Thanks again! Great checklist!
Dana
Oh, togs are swimwear – maybe that’s just New Zealand slang (haha). Is that what you call them where you live, swimwear? Thanks for the comment, definitely come back for more!
My son just joined cub scouts and we have our first family camping trip coming up. I will definitely be using your checklist to help us pack. Thanks!
That’s great to hear. I like hearing about peoples camping trips, it makes me happy 🙂 So don’t forget to stop by and tell me how it goes.
Kind regards,
Brandon