Here is a handy checklist for packing for your next camping trip with your kids!

Tony and I used to go camping all the time. We did go once when Henry was about 6 months old, but 3 years later, we recently finally went on our first camping trip with our kids (3.5 and 1.5-year-old) and I don’t know why we waited so long!

Here is our packing list for the trip, and a few extra things we wish we won’t forget next time! We added a couple of suggestions from fellow travel writers/bloggers too! Thank you Kate at k8loweth on IG and Haddie from Fun Is Better Than Perfect!

Do you love hiking and camping with kids and want to know more? Read more here:

• Best Toddler Sleeping Bags
• 40+ Kid-Friendly Hikes in San Francisco’s South Bay
• 30+ Kid-Friendly Hikes in 49 Square Miles of San Francisco

In a 70 quart storage bin (to protect from any dew, mist, rain), put the following in:

• Aluminum foil
• 2 lamps
• Can opener
• Wine/bottle opener (if applicable)
• 2 flashlights
• Car adapter thing for the air mattress plug
• Meds (including kids) and first aid kit (check for expiration date if you had it in the box for a while)
• Toilet paper
• Paper towel
• Spray oil (check for expiration date)
• Grilling utensils
• Cups, plates, eating utensils
• Knife(s) with a cover
• Garbage bags
• Ziplock bags of various size
• Camping cookware
• Wipes
• Extendable marshmallow roasting sticks perfect for little kids so they don’t have to get close to the fire! (Contribution from Fun Is Better Than Perfect)
• These LuninAid Solar Globe Cubes look like it will be on our camping essential list and gorgeous (Contribution from Kate)

Making this bin has saved us so much on packing every time. Nothing is perishable (except for a couple I noted), so you can just put it right back in storage when you get home and bring it back out when you go again! Take most of these things out of the hard packaging it comes in, and throw it in ziplock bags to save space.

In your travel bag in separate packing cubes:

• Toiletries for you and your kids (we have one packing cube full of toiletries always packed for all our travels).
• Warm clothes for each person
• Shorts, t-shirts, and hot weather clothes per person
• Underwear for everyone
• Swim/water play outfits for everyone
• Clothes each person will wear after they shower (if applicable): This is such a savior keeping this in a separate packing cube! I knew not to touch this cube until we were all showered and ready to go.
• Towels
• Extra packing cube to put dirty clothes in

Having packing cubes have saved us packing sanity when we travel normally, but it was also great to have for camping! Especially for the “clean” clothes, where we didn’t touch it until everyone was showered/wiped off with wipes and ready to leave the campground.

Other bigger items:

• Tent (this one is ahhhhmazing! 2 rooms, pops up in 60 seconds, and equally easy fold up, and you can walk around in it!)
• Sleeping bags per person (if you need one for your toddlers – check this post out!)
• Pillows per person
• Comfy, self-blow up air mattress
• Camp chairs for adults and kids
• Travel crib (if applicable). We love our Lotus!!

For Your Cooler/Pantry Items:

• These egg holder things OR Kate at k8loweth on IG suggested using one of those blender bottle things for eggs. Just crack them beforehand, put it in there, shake it up and make scrambled eggs! Genius!
• S’mores stuff if you are making them (graham cracker, marshmallows, chocolate bar)

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn_jVTKHMKH/?taken-by=handaguide

 

Other extras for the kids:

• Bucket of animal toys: Let their imagination run wild with these animals in nature
• Glow sticks: they are so much fun at night time!
• Bubbles (and bubble machine) for fun
• A ball: Having a ball is always a good idea outside!
• Diapers and wipes, if your kids use them

Kate was also full of suggestions for the kids!

• These Rocket Copters with Lights, looks like a blast for night time in open spaces like the beach!
• I will definitely be trying out these Mystical Fire Packets for our fire next time.

There you have it!

This is our packing list for when we go camping with our two little wild toddlers. Did we miss anything? Our car is PACKED when we put all of these things in! Not sure if we would fit anything else in, but I know we used every single one of these things on our overnight trip! Leave a comment if you have any tips, would love to feature it here!

Do you love hiking and camping with kids and want to know more? Read more here:

• Best Toddler Sleeping Bags
• 40+ Kid-Friendly Hikes in San Francisco’s South Bay
• 30+ Kid-Friendly Hikes in 49 Square Miles of San Francisco

Like this post? Please share!

Here are some Pinterest-ready images.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you. You will get the product for exactly how much it is sold in the marketplace, and you will be helping a mom out pay for writing these posts! All opinions are of our own, and none were provided or influenced by the companies or individuals.