Last year we purchased our camper. We took so many camping trips last summer and made so many memories with friends and family.
This year we have been on a couple trips, one for an adults weekend, the other a long family weekend for hubbys birthday.
Now that I feel like I have a system in place for how I organize, plan, and pack for our camping trips, I wanted to share that system with you.
Again, we have a camper so we have necessities like a full kitchen, bathroom, grill, outdoor kitchen, and plenty of storage. However, I think this system will work for tent camping as well with some minor adjustments.
How to Pack for a Camping Trip with Kids
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Before I start with how I pack for a camping trip with our kids, I want to note that I am all about simplicity. I do not do anything fancy, and we certainly don’t pack any fancy gadgets or must haves.
We try to keep things as simple as possible when camping with our kids, and really have them outdoors the whole time and have them be kids and just play.
I will note at bed time, nap time, or if there is a storm and kids can’t be outside, we will play a movie so they can just chill for that time while mom and dad get a break for an hour or so. I highly recommend having movies downloaded from Netflix so you don’t have to worry about buffering issues.
Check Lists
The key to packing with kids for a camping trip so to start with checklists.
For any given camping trip I have at least 5 lists going – this last trip I had 7 lists.
I know this might sound a litte crazy, but I promise, the last thing you want to do when you get to your campsite is to realize you forgot something you absolutely need. So always start with a list!
Types of Check Lists
I always have the same 5 check lists when camping.
- Kids clothes
- Adult clothes
- Food
- Food that needs made
- Food that needs bought
- Camper
- Items needed for inside camper – bathroom, kitchen, beds
- Items needed for outside camper – canopy, chairs, bikes
- Store
- food/items that need purchased for camping trip
Kids Clothes
When packing kids clothes I always pack more than needed. If it rains, it’s hot and they get sweaty, if they get muddy, someone has an accident, you just never know so I always pack extra.
I start with how many days and nights we will be camping.
I then go through the list of clothes and add an X amount. This way my older kids can pack their clothes and know how many of each item.
Example:
- shirts x4
- pants x2
- shorts x4
- socks x2
- underwear x4
- sweatshirt x2
- bathing suit x2
- tennis shoes x1
- flip flops x1
I do this same method for the adult clothes.
Food
Food is the most important in my opinion when camping, but that could be because we have a large family and it seems like every one needs to eat 11258205 times a day.
When I start to make out the food list, I try to check the weather to see if there is an rain in the forecast.
I love to cook over the campfire or grill our food so if there is rain, I try to plan ahead for a crock pot meal or even something I can cook in the electric skillet. (Yes, we have a stove and oven in the camper but I’m still nervous to use it).
From there, I will look through our cupboards and freezer to see what kind of meals I can make.
Once I figure out meals and snacks, I will make a list of what we are eating and on what days.
From there I make a master food list with everything we need to take with us. Then, it is split into 2 food lists – food to make and food to buy.
Try This Recipe For Campfire Potatoes
Food to Make
This list is for my own peace of mind so that I am sure that I have everything made and prepped so there is no hassle when we are camping. Remember camping is supposed to be enjoyable and relaxing. No one has time to prep huge meals, so do it at home before hand.
This last trip my food to make list consisted of cutting up a watermelon, making homemade ranch dip, and making sausage pasta that I was throwing into the crock pot to heat up.
Food to Buy
After I have my list of all the food we will have during our camping trip, I check the fridge, cupboards, and freezer to see if we have these items in our home. If we do not, I do a quick grocery delivery and only purchase food that will be used on that trip. This way there is no fresh foods sitting just to be wasting away while we aren’t home.
Food that we usually buy are fresh fruits and vegetables, chips, items for smores, popsicles, and quick breakfast options like cereal.
Camper Check List
For the camper, I like to split it into two categories – the outside of the camper and the inside of the camper.
Inside the Camper
When making the list for the camper I try to go room to room in my head and think about what we need for each room. I’ll share an example of what the list looks like below.
Bathroom
- toothbrushes
- toothpaste
- wash cloths
- towels
- soap
- shampoo/conditioner
- contact case
- contact solution
- brush
- deodorant
- toilet paper
Kitchen
- coffee pot
- coffee filter
- crock pot
- electric skillet
- utensils
- paper plates
- paper towels
- dish soap
- dish towels
- dish cloths
- foil
Beds
- pillows
- blankets
- stuffed animals
- pack n plays
Miscellaneous
- laptop
- chargers
- books
- coloring books
- toys
- diapers
- wipes
Outside the Camper
Again, I try to go through the outside of the camper and think of the compartments that we have for storage as well as the bed of the truck.
Storage compartment
- lighter
- fire grate
- chairs
- canopy
- rug
- tools
Bed of Truck
- bikes
- toys
- wood
Outdoor kitchen
- grill
- grilling utensils
- oil
- seasonings
- drinks
- tablecloth
- fire starters
Store List
The store list is usually the last list that I make. As I go through the lists of everything that we need, I will add to the store list that items we don’t have on hand. Usually this consists of items that we have run out of like paper plates and utensils, but mostly it is our food lists.
Timeline for Packing
I think it is super important to note, especially when just starting out, that it takes me almost the full week starting Monday to pack for a camping trip. We usually will leave on a Friday midday and come home on Sunday afternoon unless it is an extended trip.
I like to get my lists started on Monday and then check them off throughout the week.
This way if you start early, you can have clothes and blankets washed and packed. Food is purchased, prepped, and packed. And you can get the house cleaned up so you’re not coming home to a messy house.
Hopefully these 5 check lists are helpful for you when packing for your camping trip with kids!
Until next time,
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