Family Camping with Kids - Packing Checklist, Tips and Hacks

Here's our complete packing checklist when we go camping as a family with kids. Get this free printable family camping checklist with everything you need to bring.

Our Complete Family Camping Checklist - What to Pack

We love packing up the car with kids and gear to go on an outdoor adventure. Camping with kids is a huge part of our summers. As such, we've been doing family camping trips since the kids were very young.

Here's our complete packing list for car camping with kids. I'll also share camping tips and hacks we've picked up on our many family camping trips.

How To Get Organized With Our Family Camping Checklist

To organize packing for a family camping trip, I break up my checklist into four main categories:

• Campsite and Tent Needs
• Cooking, Cleaning, Food
• Personal Items
• Recreation and Toys

Family Camping Checklist - Campsite Needs

When we go car camping, these are the items that we bring to set up our campsite. We try to pack light with all the essentials. However, there are a few comfort items we bring so we have a cozy campsite that the family enjoys.

General Campsite

• Firewood (often we buy at the campsite)
• Firestarter and kindling (fatwood is easy to pack and makes it easy to start a campfire)
• Camp chairs (this double low chair is our favorite because it's stable and less likely to tip near a campfire)
• Table cloth (we use this one one after showing up at too many camp tables covered in spiderwebs)
• Duct tape
• Power station
• Mosquito repellant (we love this Thermacell, citronella)

Tent and Sleeping Supplies

• Tent (After a wet camping trip, we upgraded to this tent because we wanted one with a front entry way. It gives us a spot to dry off and take shoes off before going into the tent.)
• Fly
• Tarp
• Stakes
• Mallet (the kids love using it)
• Sleeping pads (one adult shares a double sleeping pad with our youngest)
• Sleeping bags (one adult shares a double sleeping bag with our youngest)
• Pillows (we all use this comfy, but packable pillow)
• Sleeping pad pumps
• Repair kit for tent and air mattress
• Kids stuffies and security blankets

Lighting

• Headlamps for everyone (Dim headlamps are preferable because when kids look up at adults, their headlamps are blinding. One child uses this 30 lumens and one uses this 20 lumens.)
• Lantern (this one sits on a table, carries nicely and can hang from the top of our tent)
• Flashlights
• Night light (when the kids were young we used to plug a dim light into our power station)

Cooking

• Camping stove
• Stove fuel
• Pot, skillet and/or griddle
• Cooking utensils - spatula, serving spoon
• Marshmallow roasting sticks (we love the easy rotating feature)
• Cooking oil
• Seasonings - salt, pepper

Food Prep

• Knife with cover (this serrated pairing and utility set)
• Cutting board
• Aluminum foil
• Tupperware (for leftovers, to use as serving bowls or mixing bowls)
• Ziplock bags (for leftovers and lunches)
• Food tents to keep bugs away
• Serving/mixing bowls and platters
• Kitchen tools - can opener, corkscrew, bottle opener

Cleaning

• Paper towels
• Trash bags (we use plastic produce bags)
• Dishwashing bin
• Dishwashing brush or sponge
• Dish soap (Travel Size Dr. Bronner Pure Castile)
• Hand soap (Travel Size Dr. Bronner Pure Castile)
• Dish drying towel

Mess Kit

• Plates
• Bowls (we love these for camping and at home)
• Cups
• Eating utensils

Family Camping Checklist - Camping Food

My absolute favorite part about camping is the meals we eat at the campsites. It's hard to beat drinking coffee and eating pancakes outdoors after a night in the fresh air. Also, we love having a full day of activity and coming back to the campsite for a delicious meal.

This packing list contains the pantry shelf stable foods that we bring camping. I plan out the dinners separately, so I left blank spots for you to write down your menu.

Drinks

• Water jugs
• Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot apple cider packets
• Shelf-stable individual milk
• Juice boxes (I freeze capri-suns and use in cooler to keep food cold)
• Sparking drinks and sodas
• Adult drinks

Breakfast

• Instant oatmeal
• Baked goods - muffins, croissants, danish
• Fast breakfasts - cereal, yogurt, Pop-Tarts
• Just add water pancake mix (the kids favorite)
• Precooked bacon or sausages
• Maple syrup
• Whipped cream

Lunch

• Tortilla wraps (easier to pack than bread slices) or bread
• Lunch meat
• Sliced cheese
• Mayo packets (I grab a few from fast food)
• Jam or honey (I grab a few packets from fast food)
• Peanut butter (these travel packets are super handy)

Dinner

• Plan your menu ahead of time

Snacks

• My kids trail mix recipe
• Granola bars
• Individual packaged snacks that kids like
• Fruit (apples and bananas are easy)
• Vegetables and dip (baby carrots and hummus)
• Chips and my camping salsa recipe
• Marshmallows
• Graham crackers
• Chocolate (don't forget to keep it in the cooler)

Family Camping Checklist - Personal Items

What to wear when camping? Here's our packing checklist for clothes, toiletries, accessories and other personal items.

Also, don't forget to pack medicines and first-aid items when you go camping with kids. Skinned knees, splinters, bug bites are all fairly common.

Clothing

• Tops
• Bottoms
• Underwear
• Swimsuit
• Socks
• Rain gear

Cold Weather

• Snow pants
• Jacket
• Base layers
• Hand warmers (the kids like to put these hand and body super warmers in their sleeping bags at night)
• Beanie
• Scarf

Accessories

• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Sun shirt
• Rain gear

Toiletries

• Hand sanitizer
• Tooth brush
• Tooth paste
• Soap
• Skin care routine
• Lotion
• Glasses / contacts and solution
• Lip balm
• Hair ties

Belongings

• Printed camp reservation
• Permits (as needed)
• Phone and charger (I use this waterproof bag too)
• Health insurance card
• ID
• Cash (for any rentals or firewood)

Medicines and First-Aid

• Prescription medications (inhalers, epi-pens, insulin)
• First-aid kit (band-aids, disinfectant wipes, antiseptic creams, sterile pads and tape)
• Over-the-counter meds (pain meds, kids fever meds, allergy meds, diarrhea meds)
• Tweezers
• Anti-itch creams
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray

Family Camping Checklist - Recreation and Toys to Bring for Kids

The kids love going through this part of the camping checklist because they love their fun gadgets. The pocket microscope is always a hit to bring camping, as well as walkie talkies.

Outdoor Gear

• Hiking supplies (backpack, poles, shoes)
• Camera
• Bikes
• Scooters
• Helmets
• Can coolers

Beach Gear

• SUP
• Life jackets
• Beach tent (easy to set up and has lasted us several summers already)
• Beach mat (we love the sand free design)
• Beach toys - buckets and shovels
• Towels
• Sandals

Toys and Games

• Walkie talkes
• Magnifying glass
• Binoculars
• Pocket microscope
• Playing cards
• Board games
• My printable camping scavenger hunt
• My printable camping bingo

Toddler/Baby Needs

• Baby carrier
• Change mat
• Night time diapers
• Travel potty
• Thermometer
• Portable high chair

Use This Printable Checklist When You Go Camping With Kids

That's it for the camping checklist. I left blank spots on the checklist for you to customize and add in your own items.

You can get the printable version below. If you want it as one page, you can print 4 pages to 1 sheet of paper. The font is small, but still readable.

Alternatively, I included a second slightly condensed version in the PDF download below too. For the condensed version, you can print 2 pages per sheet, or print front and back.

I'll leave you with just a few tips and hacks for camping with kids. If you are just after the printable family camping checklist, feel free to skip these tips and hacks. Simply scroll down and you can get the printable family camping checklist.

Family Camping with Kids - Tips for Sleeping in a Tent

Sleep is so precious when camping. Here's our tips and hacks for getting a good nights rest while camping with kids.

Share a double sleeping pad with the toddler

We've been sharing a double sleeping pad with our youngest since we started camping with her. It works super because she doesn't slide off the sleeping pad and on cold nights, we stay warmer.

We really splurged when we bought our sleeping pad. Since we camp often, and in various weather, this purchase has been 100%+ loved. One adult shares this deluxe double sleeping pad with our youngest.

Share a double sleeping bag with the toddler

Along the shared sleeping pad, one adult also shares a double sleeping bag with our youngest. It helps her sleep better at night, and then she isn't afraid of the dark or what not.

Use a dim night light

For a while, our kids really needed a nightlight in the tent to sleep. A dim LED night light plugged into our power station worked great.

Family Camping with Kids - Tips for the Campfire

The campfire is always a highlight of any camping trip! We love building a cozy campfire with the kids, but it's always a little nerve wrecking. Kids move around so much, they trip, they fall, they are curious.

Get a low love-seat camping chair

We've had several incidents where the kids tip off their camp chair. Their little legs can't touch the ground when sitting, and campsites are often slightly sloped or rocky. We definitely don't want them tipping into the fire pit.

This low love-seat camping chair has been one of our best purchases. I feel so much more relaxed when the kids sit by the fire on this sturdy chair.

Long Marshmallow Roasting Sticks

Get long marshmallow roasting sticks so the kids can stay farther away from the fire. These extend to 34" and can be rotated with your thumb.

Get the Free Printable Family Camping Packing Checklist

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