Camping Packing List for Families (Kids' Gear Included)

A family camping packing list comes down to five groups: sleep (tent, pads, bags and a safe sleep space for any baby), kitchen (stove, fuel, cooler, water and washing up), clothing (layers plus one full spare set per child), kids’ gear (headlamps, a comfort item, something to do) and safety (first aid, sunscreen, repellent, and water and a shovel for the fire). Pack by group, in labeled tubs, and the car loads itself. The checklists below are on the page, ready to print.

The one rule that saves most family camping trips: pack for the coldest night in the forecast, not the average one. Kids get cold faster than you do, and a child who is cold at 2am wakes everyone in the tent.

Sleep

The sleep kit is where a family trip is won or lost, so it goes in the car first and comes out first at the site.

• Tent with rainfly, stakes and a mallet, pitched once in the garden before the trip
• Ground sheet or footprint
• One sleeping pad per person, because a bare tent floor is cold even in summer
• Sleeping bags rated for the coldest forecast night, or a bag plus a blanket layer
• Pillows, or a stuff sack you can fill with a fleece
• A travel crib or portable play yard for a baby
• Each child’s usual bedtime comfort item
• Headlamps, one per person, plus spare batteries
• A small lantern for inside the tent

A tent gets light early. At sunrise on a clear morning the fabric glows, and a child who wakes to light at home will wake at 5am under canvas. A dark-room tent like the Coleman Sundome Dark Room makes a real difference for younger kids. Otherwise, plan to shade the kids’ end of the tent under the trees. If the dawn wake-ups follow you home, Betteroo has a guide on why babies wake before 6am and how to shift it.

If you are camping with a baby, the safe-sleep rules do not change outdoors. The NIH Safe to Sleep campaign says a baby’s sleep surface should be firm, flat, level and covered only with a fitted sheet, in a crib, bassinet or portable play yard. That rules out an air mattress, a sleeping bag and the gap between two adults. Bring the travel crib; my best travel crib comparison covers the ones light enough to carry from the car. Dress the baby in layers or a sleep sack instead of adding loose blankets.

Kitchen

• Camp stove and fuel, plus a lighter and a backup box of matches
• Cooler with ice or ice packs
• Refillable water containers, and enough water for the first night if the site’s supply is uncertain
• One pot, one pan, a kettle or pot for hot water
• Plates, bowls, cups and cutlery for everyone, plus one spare set
• Sharp knife, cutting board, tongs, spatula, can opener
• Washing-up bowl, biodegradable soap, sponge and a towel
• Rubbish bags, and a separate bag for recycling
• Snacks for the car, the site and the first hungry hour after you arrive

Cook the first night’s dinner at home and reheat it. You will be pitching the tent while the kids are at their most tired, and a hot meal that takes five minutes is worth more than any camp recipe.

Clothing

• Layers for each person: base layer, fleece, waterproof jacket
• Warm hat for night, sun hat for day
• One pair of shoes that can get wet, one pair that stays dry
• Socks, more than you think, and a dry pair kept for sleeping only
• Pajamas or a warm sleep layer
• Swimwear if there is water nearby
• One full spare outfit per child, sealed in a bag

The sealed spare outfit is the one people skip. Children find the only puddle within a mile, and a wet child with nothing dry is a trip that ends early.

Kids’ gear

• A headlamp in each child’s own size (it stops the fight over the grown-up one)
• A small backpack they carry themselves
• Water bottle each
• A few outdoor toys: ball, bucket and spade, magnifying glass
• Something quiet for the tent: cards or a small game
• Potty seat or diapers, wipes and a wet bag for the youngest
• A camp chair each, if there is room

Most of the rest of a child’s kit is the same as any trip. My toddler packing list covers the day-to-day basics, so this list sticks to what camping adds.

Safety

• First aid kit with tweezers, a thermometer and your children’s pain reliever
• Sunscreen and sun hats
• Insect repellent
• Water bucket and a shovel for the campfire
• Life jackets for the kids if you will be near a lake or river
• A charged phone, a car charger and an offline map

Insect repellent. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends an EPA-registered repellent with an ingredient such as DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. The same page says not to use oil of lemon eucalyptus on children under three, and not to use combination sunscreen and repellent products, because sunscreen needs reapplying far more often than repellent does. Pack them as two separate bottles.

Water. The AAP says children should always wear life jackets in, on or near lakes and rivers, and that they should be Coast Guard approved and fit properly. It also warns against floaties and inflatable toys, which can deflate. For a small child, a Coast Guard-approved vest like the Stearns Puddle Jumper is the kind to look for, sized to their weight.

The campfire. Smokey Bear’s campfire guide says to keep a fire at least 15 feet from tents, vegetation and low-hanging branches, and to have water, a bucket and a shovel on hand before you light it. To put it out: drown, stir, drown and feel, and “if it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave”. Give small children a spot to sit well back from the ring before the fire is lit, not once they are already standing at it.

Leave at home

• Anything that needs mains power, unless your pitch has a hook-up
• Glass bottles and jars
• The big toy box. Three outdoor toys are plenty, because the site is the entertainment
• White bedding and new clothes
• A packed hour-by-hour schedule. Let the first afternoon be about setting up and exploring

If camping is part of a longer drive, my road trip with kids guide covers the hours in the car. For a first campground with a big payoff, Yellowstone with kids sets out what the in-park options look like with small children.

FAQ

What should I not forget when camping with kids?

Headlamps for every child, a full spare outfit sealed in a bag, and a sleeping pad for everyone. Parents usually remember the tent and the food; they forget that children need insulation under them and something dry to change into.

How do I keep kids warm in a tent at night?

Put a sleeping pad under each child, dress them in a dry base layer and a warm hat, and keep a pair of socks just for sleeping. A good pad matters as much as a warm bag. For a baby, use a sleep sack and layers rather than loose blankets.

Can a baby sleep in a tent?

Yes, in a travel crib or portable play yard set up inside the tent, with the same safe-sleep rules as at home: a firm, flat surface with only a fitted sheet. Keep the crib on the flattest part of the tent floor.

Is there a printable version of this list?

This page is the checklist. Each item has a tick box, so print the page and tick it off by hand as the tubs fill up.