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Family Camping Trip – What to Pack

Before this summer I had never taken my kid’s on a family camping trip. Call me a bad mom or whatever, but I was terrified of taking 3 littles camping!

Well, we finally did it and I definitely don’t regret it. I would do some things differently and pack differently, but we will definitely be doing it again SOON.

It was so much fun and the kids loved it, so I took note during the process of things I needed that I didn’t think to pack, things I packed but didn’t need, and things that would have been nice to have.

Now I’m giving you the opportunity to learn from my mistakes!! I’ve put together a list of what you should pack for a family camping trip. I even included a section dedicated to packing for a toddler, a teenager, and a big kid. You’re welcome. 😉

family camping trip, what to pack when camping with kids, camping with toddlers, camping with teenagers

What to Pack for a Camping Trip

Bedding/Misc.

Tent (if needed)
Sleeping Bag/Blanket
Pillow
Sheets if staying in a cabin
Flashlights (flashlight tag anyone?!)
Glowsticks
Backpack
First aid kit
Cell phone & Chargers
Garbage bags
Clorox Wipes
Citronella Candle
A book
Lawn chairs
Beer bottle opener/corkscrew
Cash
Any necessary medication
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Bikes
Games (board/card)
Chairs
Bluetooth Speaker
Kayak/Canoe
Fishing poles

Clothing

Raincoat/jacket
Swimsuit
Tennis shoes
Clothes (2 outfits/day for everyone, more for younger children)

  • Shorts/t-shirts
  • Pants/Long sleeve shirts

Hats
Extra socks
Sweatshirt/sweatpants (in case it gets chilly at night and you want to be comfy)
Underwear (duh)
PJ’s
Flipflops
Extra shoes for everyone

Personal

Shampoo/Conditioner
Soap
Deodorant
Toilet Paper (You never know!)
Toothbrush/paste
Shower Bag
Hand Sanitizer
Lotion
Lip balm
Towels and washcloths
Bag for dirty laundry
Hair ties
Brush/Comb

Cooking

Camping dinners
Pre-prepped breakfast meals
Wine
Beer
Water
Gatorade (if you’re feeling nice)
Coffee/Creamer
Favorite snacks
S’mores ingredients
Condiments
Coolers/Ice
Firewood (Sometimes you have to buy this right at the campground)
Lighter
Plastic utensils
Paper plates
Napkins
Plastic cups
Tablecloths
Paper Towels
Grilling/Fire utensils
Foil
Skewers
Resealable Plastic Bags

Toddler Specifics

Toddler-sized chairs
Blocks
Lots of extra clothes (3 per day if your child is extra messy or the weather isn’t cooperating)
Sand/Beach toys
Life Jackets
Teddy bear/baby doll, favorite blankets
Baby wipes

Big Kid/Teenager Specifics

Football, baseball, volleyball, other sports equipment
Water toys

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What would you add to this list? Have you ever forgotten something essential on a camping trip? Tell me about it in the comments! 🙂

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9 thoughts on “Family Camping Trip – What to Pack

  1. I’ve been wanting to take my kids camping for awhile now but have been scared to death! Reading this and how you took 3 kids gave me hope! This list is awesome and I’m totally saving it! However, I’ll be adding a lot more wine to it! Hopefully, I dont lose my kids. 😉

    1. I actually took 6 kids camping but 3 were older so not quite as difficult! Just bring a more responsible (sober) adult and you’ll be fine! 😉 Thanks for the comment!

  2. Great post, this is a super helpful list!
    A few things I would definitely add to this is something soft and padded to lay on if you’re tent camping. This can be done with extra pillows and or blankets, ground pads, which are basically 6ft long roughly 2ft wide foam pads, or an air mattress (or several). The ground can be very difficult to sleep on and most campsites have a lot of roots and even rocks which make it even more uncomfortable to sleep on.

    I think that just makes things more comfortable for everyone because I know how fast poor sleeping accommodations can ruin an entire camping trip!

    Also, I would recommend a paper map and a compass if you plan on hiking, especially if you go off trail. A lot of campgrounds have zero cell reception because of all the trees, so those will definitely help if you get lost!
    Meghan recently posted…10 tips for parenting in a multi-generational householdMy Profile

  3. Honestly, at 21 I’ve never been camping but have always wanted to give it a try! Thank you for this post I’ll definitely use your list if I end up going, minus the kids stuff 😉

    1. Your camping trip will be much for relaxing than mine. 😉 the rest of the list should definitely help you, I even included beer and wine. 😉 thanks for the comment!

  4. This is an amazing read, definitely glad I’ve come across it. Love the check list. I plan on taking my 3 year old camping in the summer holidays and this has definitely helped me more than any that I’ve looked up online. Thank you!

    Much love, Kirsty.

    https://bateskirsty.com

    1. We definitely learned from experience! I’m glad it helped you! Thanks for the comment 🙂

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