‘It’s the first thing we set up’: parents on everything you need for camping with kids – and what you don’t | Camping holidays
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I have wholehearted respect for parents who recoil from any notion of family camping. Camping with kids is no picnic. In fact, it sets out from where a good picnic leaves off, venturing from the brevity and civility of a blanket on the grass into the uncertain – and certainly precarious – waters of soggy towels, tangled guyropes, cramped quarters and midnight meltdowns.
And yet a great many of us voyage these waters regardless, ardently asserting (to ourselves as much as others) that camping is good for the soul, for the imagination, and for instilling a foundational appreciation of the great outdoors.
It seems that I am one of those parents. I don’t quite know why, as camping was far from an integral component of my own youth, but at some point I decided to subject my kids, now six and three (and my sceptical wife), to numerous nights under canvas; even a summer’s roam through European campsites two years back.
These experiences have taught me that, beyond the essentials (tent, mats and sleeping bags, cookware and copious blankets), there are items that go some distance in making camping with kids less stressful. Among them are practical and organisational products, such as storage boxes and awnings, and distracting games and activities.
Earlier this year, I took my six-year-old for a weekend camp at Holden Farm, within the green and glorious South Downs in Hampshire, so that the two of us could refresh our camping muscle memory before other planned trips.
Here are the things that make tent life with my own little ones more enjoyable; recommendations made by other persevering parents; and some of the things you don’t need to spend money on.
What to pack for camping with kids
Camping lantern
At the prospect of camping, the thing my six-year-old still gets most excited about is monopolising this particular torch. Multifunctional and rechargeable, it is many lights rolled into one: a main beam for navigating the late-night strolls, a sidelight for lighting the tent, and – should the worst happen – a flashing red emergency light. It’s large but surprisingly lightweight, allowing him to lead the way. Matt Collins
LED camping lantern
Foldable camping table
This is the first thing we set up when camping with the children, so they can entertain themselves with colouring while the tent goes up. They can sit at it to eat their meals or just have somewhere to play or put toys or nature finds – it’s their space on the campsite. Hannah, Hampshire
Low camping table
Stackable trugs
You need to have a bit of order in the tent to avoid it all becoming chaos and no one being able to find their socks. For this, stackable trugs come into their own. We put shoes, Crocs, walking boots etc into one; dirty washing-up into another; and use a third for clean utensils, plates, mugs etc. You could have as many as you want; they’re fantastic. Lucy, Suffolk
Square flexi-tub
Tent porch or awning
Tents can feel pokey once you’ve crammed everything – and everyone – in; adding a porch or awning gives you that extra eating, changing or storage space, especially in the dark evenings or if the weather’s bad. John, Kent
Coleman classic awning
Camping shelter
A bit of shelter for kids, separate from the stuffiness of the tent, is useful. A camping tarp can be a faff to erect on your own, but it’s nice once it’s up. Tom, Birmingham
Multifunction tarp
Eurohike shelter
Flying disc
You might hope (pray?) that nature, in its infinite diversity and wonder, will provide all the stimulation the little ones require. But just in case it doesn’t, it pays to bring along entertainment. A flying disc is camping 101. Hi-Gear’s soft-rimmed and easily flung one makes the throw and catch all the more straightforward for small hands. MC
Flying disc
Craft stuff
We pack a lot of crafting things, such as scissors and a glue stick, ribbons and different coloured cards. Often we scavenge items when we’re out and about so that we can make things back at camp. A few years ago, we invested in these Posca paint pens, and they are so brilliant. They’re excellent for painting on to stones, really vibrant acrylic paint colours. Easy to use, they last, and we really love them. Lucy, Suffolk
Posca paint pens
Family games
Trying to find outdoor games that you can play with adults and small children can be tricky, but friends of ours gave us Kubb. It has a low bar of entry (even toddlers, who love to lob a stick erratically), but enough challenge to keep everyone interested. It can be played in a smaller area than rounders or boules, but it will need a bit of space in the boot. Harry, Cardiff
Kubb
When camping, kids still need downtime, so a good selection of card games is a good idea, particularly if it’s raining or when they’re waiting for food. Flip 7 is our favourite at the moment. Lucy, Suffolk
Flip 7 card game
Books
Bringing books on a camping trip may feel optimistic, but some titles can add to the experience in relaxing and active ways. A “things to spot” type of book can encourage kids to engage with the natural world, while other books bring it to life in the torch-lit quiet of the tent. MC
Bugs to Spot by Kirsteen Robson and Sam Smith
The Lost Spells by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
Fifty Things to Do With a Stick by Richard Skrein
Marshmallows
Sometimes marshmallows alone provide all the incentive kids need to get on board with a camping trip. For our most recent excursion, my son and I took along Epic Snax Co’s Giant Toastin’ Marsh-Mallows, which were all too easily jabbed on to a foraged stick and melted over the fire. MC
Giant Toastin’ Marsh-Mallows, 300g
Vegan marshmallows, 140g
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Portable digital microscope
A portable microscope is brilliant for when you don’t want your kids to have a smartphone. The Tomlov P10 is small enough to pop in a pocket, and they can zoom in on the details of insects and take photos. It’s fabulous if you’re a watcher of bumblebees returning to their burrows. Once home, you can download the pictures on to a laptop. Clare, Hampshire
Tomlov P10 digital microscope
Children’s digital camera
My son absolutely loves his little Groov-e digital camera; it was one of the first things he thrust into the weekend camping bag. The resulting images comprised mostly closeups of leaves and numerous compositions of me, mid-tent assembly. MC
Groov-e kids digital HD camera
Bird ID app
My son and I use the bird app Merlin ID wherever we go, which identifies nearby birds by their song and calls. Although it’s an activity using my phone, for him it still feels “in the moment”; he loves collecting new birds he hasn’t heard before. James, Hertfordshire
Merlin Bird ID app
Screen-free audio speaker
Yoto radios and their educational, story-telling and sleep-inducing Yoto cards have revolutionised our kids’ bedtime at home. In the unfamiliar environment of a tent, they can be a source of comfort for children, helping them drift off. Also, don’t forget Yoto’s Cooltime: Camp Songs Pack cards (£16.99). MC
Yoto Mini, 2024 Edition
Sleeping bag and mat
While a quality sleeping bag and ground mat are standard fare for a camping trip, the looping sleeve function of Big Agnes’s Wolverine 20 kids sleeping bag is worthy of a highlight. With the blow-up mat slotted through the sleeve, your child is prevented from wriggling off the mat in the night. On our trip, I found it worked brilliantly – the six-year-old remained comfortably in place, and the contoured hood and thick insulation ensured he was cosy throughout a chilly 4C night. MC
Big Agnes Wolverine 20 kids sleeping bag
Big Agnes Divide insulated sleeping mat
Crocs
With children going in and out of the tent so often, Crocs make life so much easier, particularly at night, when putting on trainers or boots in a hurry can be such a faff. Zoe, Hampshire
Kids’ Crocs classic clog
Snuggly socks
Camping can be quite cold at night. We encourage our kids to put warm socks on at bedtime because they sleep really well when they’re cosy in their sleeping bags, and then everyone benefits! Lucy, Suffolk
Peter Storm boys’ midweight trekking sock, two pack
Peter Storm girls’ midweight trekking sock, two pack
Tick remover
Despite letting the kids run feral, I do a good tick check when camping, as removal within 24 hours significantly lessens the likelihood of Lyme disease [which is on the increase in the UK: more information on the National Trust website]. Tick Twisters are good for removing ticks properly. Clare, Hampshire
Tick Twister tick-remover tool
And lastly …
Booze
Crucially, don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine. Or several … Harry, Cardiff
Morrison’s the Best wine collection
Don’t bother with …
Walkie-talkies
Walkie-talkies sound far more fun than they are in reality, which on a campsite inevitably means squabbles and disgruntled neighbours. MC
Kids’ camping chairs
They rarely sit on a chair; they just want to sit on the floor! Jess, Birmingham
Top Trumps
Kids might love it, but it’s far too dull and boring for the adults. Lucy, Suffolk
Trying to keep the kids too clean
Part of the joy of camping is letting them find their feral selves. A flannel, water and a small towel are ample! Clare, Hampshire
Stomp rockets
Everyone will hate you. Kate, Hertfordshire
Matt Collins is a garden and travel writer, an enthusiastic camper, and head gardener at the Garden Museum in London
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