Now that Charlie and Olive are a little bit older (2 1/2 & 4 1/2) and can fully appreciate the experience, we’re going on our first family camping trip this month! I can’t tell you how excited I am because my family were extremely avid campers; we went camping in the mountains, on the beach, and even in the snow!

People often think that you need to buy a ton of gear to go camping, but we were budget campers and always went with just the basics – a tent, a lantern, and a stove – everything else we took we already had at home. Since we don’t have the space for a ton of camping gear in our small apartment now, all we bought was a tent for this trip since we already have a stove and lantern. Below I’ve created a guide of camping essentials, followed by a comprehensive packing checklist of everything you need for your family camping trip!


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1) Coleman 6 Person Dome Tent – This tent is affordable, easy to set up, and has more than enough space for a family of four. This Coleman Instant Tent looked really cool because it only takes a minute to set up, but it takes up much more storage space and requires a separate rainfly, which is why I went with the dome tent instead.

2) Coleman tent kit – This kit includes a mallet, broom and dustpan, steel tent stakes, and a tent stake puller. It’s not an absolute essential, but it is nice to have because the steel stakes are much sturdier than the plastic ones that come with the tent. You also need a hammer to pound the tent stakes into the ground. We’d usually bring our own, or use a rock in a pinch. The broom and dustpan set also comes in handy because you inevitably track dirt into the tent.

3) ALPS Self-Inflating Air Pad – This air mattress is super easy to set up since you don’t need a separate air pump, and it rolls up very small. Luckily our family can sleep anywhere — even on the floor — so we’ll just be taking some rugs and pads and lots of blankets that we have at home, but I know that a lot of people probably need a little extra cushioning to sleep comfortably.

4) Sleeping Bags – Growing up we always used regular blankets in tents and that’s what we’ll do since it’ll probably be easier if we share blankets with the kids. I didn’t want to buy anything extra unless we absolutely needed it, and we can definitely make do without sleeping bags since I’ve been to this exact site twice before. But as the kids get older, we’ll probably get everyone their own sleeping bag.

5) Lantern & Flashlight – You’ll definitely want to get a lantern. Once it gets dark you won’t have a light source other than the campfire, and you’ll need something that you can keep on and move around. Flashlights are also necessities for going to the bathroom at night. I’d recommend glow sticks as well (you can get them in the Target Dollar section) because they’re always a blast and they’re the perfect nightlight in the tent so kids don’t get scared.

6) Coleman Propane Stove – We had a very similar stove in my childhood, and I bet my parents still have it! Having two burners is awesome, and this stove works really great, but if you’re on a budget, we also have this single burner butane stove that’s been fantastic. Just don’t forget to buy propane or butane!

7) Cooler – You definitely need a cooler to keep your food cold. We don’t have one so we’ll either borrow one from a friend or buy a styrofoam cooler.

8) Chair – You can survive without camping chairs, but it is much more comfortable to sit around the campfire with them! They even make camping chairs for kids!

9) Marshmallow Roasting Sticks – Ok these are not a necessity, but we have these and they’re so much fun! They extend really long so little kids can safely roast their marshmallows in the campfire. Because what’s a camping trip without marshmallows!

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Once you have the gear, the rest of what you need can be found around the house! The complete checklist is below, but I’ve also created a spreadsheet so you can edit and print if for your own use!

* indicates optional

S L E E P

Tent
*Tarp (for putting under the tent)
*Tent Rain Cover (if needed for your tent)
*Shade Cover
Air Mattress/Air Pump
Sleeping Bag/Blankets
Pillows

P E R S O N A L

Soap
Towels
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Personal Toiletries
Toilet Paper
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Bug Repellent
Medications/Vitamins
Hand Wipes
*Swimming Suits
*Shower Shoes/Flip Flops
*Shampoo/Conditioner

F O O D

Cooking oil
Water
Ice
Seasonings/Condiments
Coffee/Tea/Sugar/Milk
Marshmallows
Firewood
Firestarters (newspaper)
*Beer/Wine

C O O K I N G  G E A R

Cooler
Stove w/ fuel
Matches/lighter
Plates, bowls, cups, mugs
Forks, spoons, knives
Cutting board
Pots/pans
Spatula/Cooking Utensils
Ziploc bags
Tupperware
Paper towels/napkins
dish soap/sponge
dish washing bin
trash bags
*Can opener/bottle opener
*Aluminum Foil
*pot holder
*tongs
*tablecloth
*marshmallow roasting sticks

M I S C .

Lantern
Extra Batteries
Flashlight
Camera
Camping Chairs
First Aid Kit
*Shovel (for putting out campfire)
*Compass
*Car Phone Recharger/External Battery
*Backpack
*Fishing Gear/bait/license
*Rope/Bungee Cord (for drying clothes/hanging tarps)
*pocketknife
*glowsticks (as nightlights)

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I’m sure this is the first of many, many camping trips to come and I can’t wait!