10 Must Have Camping Supplies You’ll Want to Get Your Hands On
Camping Must Haves | 10 must-have camping supplies & camping gear
Oh man, do I love camping. When M and M were toddlers, camping was really hard, exhausting, and overwhelming. (We have a couple of runners and apparently, they don’t have a stopping point. We learned that after taking turns chasing a 2-year-old Big M for two days straight.)
Now that they’ve gotten older camping has become so much more fun. It’s time to start gathering some camping must haves.
You’ll also want to pack some hilarious camping jokes and camping puns along with your camping supplies for kids.
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This list of camping must-haves includes things we love, things we want, and things the readers have suggested in the comments. Enjoy! (Once you’ve finished: print, cut, and pack up these Camping Jokes.)
#1 The Big Camping Must Have. First up is always a tent! We love our Coleman 6-Person Tent
#2 We must sleep! Each kiddo gets their own special color sleeping bag. We love them for special nights on the floor, sleepovers, and especially for last year’s FREEZING camping trip. They were warm… hubby and I were too cold to sleep (see #5).
#3 The Best Traveling Cups EVER! To say I like these Thermos Funtainer Cups is an understatement. Ours lasted for about 7 years (I’m not kidding!) They are a camping must-have because we refilled them constantly and didn’t have to worry about a bunch of wasted, unidentified plastic water bottles.
Update: Because the kids have had these cups since they were little, we tried out a few different brands. Nothing even comes close… we’ll be going for the more “grown-up” version now.
#4 Games That Travel Easily. We love family games around here. Some of our favorites to take camping are Mancala, Uno Flip (I think this might be my favorite version of Uno, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Update: Bocce Ball is a new family favorite. This set Bocce Set
#5 Extra Warm Adult Sleeping Bags. Our sleeping bags are okay, but Hubs and I really need to get some that will keep us warm on cold nights. These Coleman Sleeping Bags
#6 Somewhere to Sit. I have a cute pink chair. After sitting in my brother in laws Rocker Chair
#7 A Camping Table for Eating and Playing. We always bring throw-away table cloths for the tables provided but a Pack-Away Table
#8 Camping Stove. We fell in love with my brother in laws camping stove last camping trip but we may have to settle for the newer version of Coleman Camp Propane Grill/Stove
#9 Camping Lights! This camping must have come from the comments. It’s so smart and will become a regular part of our camping supplies for sure. Solar-Powered Lights
Alrighty, that’s nine must-have camping supplies. What would you add for #10?
*Update – I just had an idea! There are so many awesome ideas in the comments. SERIOUSLY BRILLIANT camping must-haves!
I suppose I could make it even easier for you by moving some of those camping supplies for kids and families here and giving you clickable links. So here are camping tips and tricks all of you readers think are camping must haves.
Keep in mind these are just product links, reading the comments will help give you a better idea of why the readers love these things so much and how they use them.
- Glow Light Stick Bracelets
- Lantern Flashlight
- First Aid Kit
- Coffee Percolator
- Reflective Cord
- Chimney Starter
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- Hammock
- Cot Bunk Beds
- HotHands Hand Warmers
- Solar Shower
Want even more camping ideas? How about tips for camping with kids? (Of course, you should read the comments before you go… there is a lot of great info there!)
This post contains affiliate links.
Pie irons are great we use left overs from supper to create breakfast or lunch the next day and everyone gets what they like and no dirty dishes!!!
Another good idea for lighting up your camp area at night is cheap solar lawn lights. The little cheap ones you just stake in the ground. They charge during the day, then light up at night. Put them around your table/tent etc to mark areas. Great for the little bitty ones (we camp with 3 kiddos under 5), to know where to go/not go.
I take knee highs and insert a small almost used up bar of soap or a hotel bar of soap into the knee high and tie it around the water faucet for quick clean ups. The knee high keeps the soap up off the ground and it doesnt sit in a puddle of wet and melt away. It keeps it right where its needed.
Depending on your location soap can be an attractant for bears and other wildlife and presents a safety hazard. Be careful with this tip.
A better soap to use is Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap – Peppermint, or Unscented. I pack it backpacking.
I have read that since peppermint is often wild and animals don’t eat it, they don’t associate the smell with food.
Some people vacation in permanent camps with cabins and other facilities (such as hunting camps or children’s summer camps), but a stay at such a camp is usually not considered camping. The term camping (or camping out) may also be applied to those who live outdoors, out of necessity (as in the case of the homeless), or for people waiting overnight in queues.^
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I always make sure to bring emergency kit with band-aides, allergy medicine, tylenol, itch relief cream, etc. Just in case! :o)
Glowsticks are a must, we pick out a tree in our camp and decorate it so that folks coming in after dark know which campsite is ours.
PS ~ we usually buy the bracelets, they go on or around just about everything.
Another reader wants to know. “I’m just wondering how long do the glow sticks last? Just for one night or do they regenerate for the next night?”
In my experience the glow sticks will be bright on the first night then much dimmer but still workable on the second. On the third I have to do a new one. I camp with my horses and I put them on the fence so I can see the horses, and in the potty/shower tent as a night light. I will also put it on the hitch of the trailer so I do not bang my shin on it.
I LOVE the idea of decorating a tree. What a fun camping tradition…. we’ll be starting it up on our next camping trip.
These are basic simple things to think about. Your camping equipment needs will vary depending on where you will be camping. Camping on the beach has different needs then camping in the mountains. You should always start your foray into camping small. Take a day trip somewhere close to your home. Check out the surroundings and the camp sites. Get an understanding of what the equipment needs will be.”
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Next is a firebuddy, easy way to tend the fire and turn the logs. Wouldn’t have a campfire without it.
Very cool! I just might be adding a firebuddy to my list!
I love tent camping too but the idea of a snake freaks me out EXCEPT a snake-light flashlight. The bendable handle allows you to use it as a free standing light source in the tent (get the perfect angle for shadow puppet shows too). Best of all wear it around your neck so that the ground in front of you is illuminated leaving both hands free to carry towel and toiletries. Wearing it around your neck also means you don’t have to put down your flashlight or lose the light in the outhouse. Black and Decker makes them.
We bring a few packs of glow bracelets from the dollar store. We attach one to the zipper on the tent (easier to find at night), hang one from the ceiling as a nightlight, and put one on the site number so we can find it coming back from the washroom. Sometimes we put them on ourselves too 🙂
For cold camping night we’ve found that wearing a toque (knit winter hat) and socks makes a huge difference to keep us warm.
Just wanted to let you know I went right out and bought 10 packs of glow sticks to add to our camping box! Thanks!
Hang the glow sticks on the guy ropes as well…..stops from tripping over them in the middle of the night after a call of nature.
I think my Hubby will appreciate that tip. I’m too much of a scaredy cat to leave the tent in the middle of the night! 🙂