Best kids camping gear

Some of the best memories I have of my childhood are from camping trips with the family. We spent a week every summer camping in Big Sur, CA. I remember swimming in the river, playing games, going hiking, and singing songs around the campfire. Many parents have similar memories from their childhood and want to take their own kids camping. Camping requires a good amount of gear, much of which can be shared by the whole family. But some camping gear you’re gonna want your kids to have for themselves—your kids will love having their own gear, plus it’ll teach them some responsibility.

To help you choose the best stuff, here’s our list of the best kids camping gear, broken down into 6 categories: sleeping, relaxing, exploring, playing, eating, and reading.

Sleeping

Everyone knows it can be hard to sleep while camping, especially if you’re having trouble staying warm! Make sure your kids are warm and comfy, and the exhaustion from running around in the woods will do the rest. This is the best kids camping gear for a great night’s sleep (for the kids and you).

Best Kids Sleeping Bag: REI Kindercone 25

For a sleeping bag to work well, it can’t be way too big. It needs to fit snugly around the body to maximize heat retention. With the REI Kindercone 25, you can fit just about any kid snugly—it’s unique stuff sack fits around the foot of the sleeping bag and cinches up, allowing it to literally grow with your kid. And at only $60, it’s a great deal, since it’ll last more than one season! One of the best kids camping gear options on the market.

Best Kids Sleeping Pad: REI Kindercamp

The nice thing about a sleeping pad is you can buy it longer than your kid needs so they don’t so quickly grow out of it. But a pad is really only good if you can stay on it (and we all know how much kids move around in their sleep), so for kids make sure to buy a pad with a non-slip surface. REI’s Kindercamp non-slip sleeping pad is only $50 and is 60 inches long.

Bunk Bed Cot

Worried about space in your tent with all the kids? Why not try a camping bunk bed!? Not only will your kids love it, but it’ll save space while making sleeping pads unnecessary. The Disc-O-Bed Youth Kid-O-Bunk also includes organizing pockets on both levels to store small items. The cots can also be used side by side or as a couch. Plus, handy carrying pouches make break down and transportation a breeze.

Best Lighting Options for Kids

It’s nighttime and your kids are sleeping outside for the first time. They might be a little scared, but giving them their own source of light will make them feel at ease. There are lots of options for lighting that kids will love. Here are some of the best kids camping gear options for lighting:

Nite Ize BugIt LED Micro Flashlight

How fun is this flashlight? And also incredibly useful. You can clip or attach it pretty much anywhere. It’s super lightweight and very tough. Great for reading, using in a tent, or at the picnic table.

Black Diamond Wiz Headlamp

The Black Diamond Wiz was made with kids in mind. It works right-side up or upside-down, has a child-safe closure plus a breakaway elastic strap, and is water resistant against spills. Best of all, it automatically shuts off after two hours so your kid can’t accidentally drain the battery.

Luci Outdoor 2.0 Inflatable Solar Lantern

This lantern is super packable and has no glass or plastic parts that can be broken when dropped. The Luci Outdoor 2.0 also has a built in solar panel, so you don’t have to worry about constantly changing batteries. A great lantern for camping with kids.

Glow Sticks!

Ok these are just fun! And if you buy these reusable, no-chemical, battery operated glow sticks you can rest easy about your kids safety and the effect on the environment. Comes in multiple colors.

Check out: Best headlamps for your next adventure

Relaxing

What are the chances your kids sit still for even a moment? Increase the odds by giving your kids some awesome and fun places to relax! Plus, add some of our favorite kids camping books (below) and you might even get in a bit of relaxing of your own. These are the best kids camping gear options for getting your kid to relax.

Best Camping Hammocks: ENO

Everyone loves to sit or lay in a hammock. Get everyone their own or double up in a two-person hammock! Our favorite hammocks are from ENO. Check out their single person hammock, double person hammock, colorful prints hammocks, or the ultimate in family hammock comfort, the ENOpod 3-hammock stand that you can use anywhere.

Best Kids Camp Chair: REI Camp Chair

Trust us, kids love having their own camp chair. And it means they won’t be on your laps (or in your chair!) all the time. The REI Camp Chair for kids is inexpensive, durable, and includes a pocket on the arm for drinks or other small items.

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The TreePod

An easy to setup hanging treehouse? The question isn’t whether your kids will love it, it’s whether they’ll ever leave it. The TreePod holds up to 500lbs and comes with the necessary equipment to set it up. Let’s be honest, you’ll probably even want to use it yourself.

Exploring

Camping is about experiencing nature. Give kids nothing other than time and a space to explore and they’re gonna be happy. Add in a few awesome tools and they’ll have a ton of fun. Some items (like a knife and slingshot) are only appropriate for older kids, while things like a magnifying glass or bike can be fun at any age. Here’s some of the best kids camping gear for exploring nature.

Magnifying Glass

What kid doesn’t like to see things up close? Foster their curiosity for the world around them with a magnifying glass. For younger kids grab a plastic magnifying glass that’s basically unbreakable. For older kids we like this lightweight, high-quality magnifying glass from Carson.

Binoculars

Every explorer needs a good pair of binoculars for things like bird watching, scouting the trail, or finding their friends. An inexpensive and durable option we like are the Kruger Companion. If you’re older kid is looking for a higher quality pair of binoculars, we recommend the Nikon ACULON A211.

Best Compass: Suunto A-10

Nothing makes you feel more like a true explorer than carrying a compass. Kids don’t need to understand the complexities of map and compass navigation, just start them with the cardinal directions and they’ll do the rest. You can have them map out your hike, or directions to various parts of the campground (e.g 100 steps North, 30 steps West, etc.). We like the Suunto A-10 because it’s durable but also an actual working compass, not just a toy.

Check this out: Why you should repair your outdoor gear…instead of buying new

Walkie Talkie

Walkie talkies are awesome and fun, but they also allow you to maintain contact with your kid in an area that may not have cell phone coverage. Kids are gonna love staying in touch (maybe too much—good thing most walkie talkies have volume control!), and you can relax while your kids roam free. Our favorite budget walkie talkie is the Midland T10—it’s only $30 but has a range of 20 miles. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, the Motorola T460 ($90) increases your range to 35 miles along with other bonus features.

Best Kids Backpack

Camping and hiking pretty much always require carrying stuff. Increase your kids’ willingness to help out by getting them their own cool backpack. For young kids we like the Deuter Schmusebar, and for slightly older kids a step up to the REI Tarn 12 or REI Tarn 18 works great.

RELATED: Best backpacking packs 2021

Multi-tools for kids

Obviously only appropriate for older children, a multi-tool is a great way to teach kids responsibility as well as self-reliance. A multi-tool like the Swiss Army Classic Knife is small enough to be pretty safe but also strong enough to be useful. A step up for your teenager would be our favorite all-around multi-tool the Leatherman Wave.

Best Kids Bike

Can you go camping and not bring bikes?Bikes are a quintessential component of the best kids camping gear. I remember doing endless laps around Big Sur campgrounds on my bike as a kid. Start them out on an awesome balance bike like the Early Rider Limited Trail Runner. For older kids, we love the REV series from REI. For example, the REI REV 20 is a great bike for kids learning how to use hand brakes. Or the REI REV 24 gives your kid all of the same components of an adult bike in a smaller frame.

Check out: Best Sleeping Bags 2021

Best Trekking Poles: Black Diamond First Strike

Your kids need a little encouragement while hiking? Trekking poles (and maybe candy) are the answer. Keep kids occupied with a tool that actually makes the hiking a bit easier. The best kids trekking poles on the market are the Black Diamond First Strike.

Playing

Camping is all about fun. What else is there to do all day than play games? We have all the classics here, guaranteed to pass the time with hours of fun. Some require a grass area, others work better on sand, and some need a picnic table. Here’s a list of our favorite classic camping games to play with kids:

Rubber Horseshoe Set

Cornhole

Frisbee

Spikeball

Kite

Paddle Ball

Croquet

Bocce Ball

Bananagrams

“Don’t Die Out There” Card Deck

Eating

best kids camping cooking breakfast — Cooking breakfast while camping

Cooking while camping takes a bit more work than in a normal kitchen. Get your kids involved when you can. Getting them their own dishes allows you to hand off the responsibility of cleaning them. Make sure they have a water bottle they bring with them as they play so they stay hydrated. Here’s the best kids camping gear for cooking and eating.

Best kids camping dishes

For the best kids camping dishes we like the Sea to Summit X-Seal and Go Set. It comes with two containers: a bowl/plate and a cup/snack dish. Both have lids that turn either the plate or cup into a leak-proof container. The silicone is soft, pretty much unbreakable, and easily cleaned. Kids didn’t finish their meal? No problem—just twist on the lid and it’s ready to be stored until they get hungry in 15 minutes. The cup can also be used as a snack container for hikes. And when not in use, they pack down to just over an inch tall.

YayLabs! SoftShell Ice Cream Ball

If you’re not sold at “Ice Cream Ball,” then you don’t have a pulse. Mix simple ingredients into one end, ice and rock salt into the other, and let your kids go at it. By rolling, shaking, and playing with this ball, they’re also making ice cream. You’re essentially entertaining your kids while tricking them into making dessert. Win, win.

Skewers

A camping trip isn’t complete without roasting something over the campfire. These telescoping skewers are long, making sure your kid is far away from the fire. The forked design allows them to hold multiple marshmallows or a hot dog or two.

Water bottle

Keeping hydrated is an important part of being outside. Dehydrated kids are irritable and won’t have energy to play. Encourage them to drink water by getting them their own water bottle. We love these colorful kids water bottles from Hydroflask—the wide-mouth design is easy to clean while the straw lid is easy to use and prevents spills. Comes in four fun colors.

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Kids Camping Books

Whether it’s your kids’ first time or 50th time camping, there’s no better way to get them excited than for them to hear about camping adventures beforehand. There are tons of great kids books about camping that will ease your kids’ concerns and make sure they’re ready to go! Here are some of our favorites:

The Kids Campfire Book: Official Book of Campfire Fun

Curious George Goes Camping

Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich

Olivia Goes Camping

Maisy Goes Camping

Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping

S is for S’mores

The Camping Trip that Changed America

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee

Camping as a kid is truly unforgettable. And it doesn’t need to be stressful for the parents—given just a few extra pieces of gear and a little preparation. After a few trips, you’ll be an expert at camping with kids. And now that you have all the best kids camping gear, make sure to check out our other Buying Guides to stock up on everything else you need for yourself, from tents to sleeping pads to sleeping bags and more.

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