25+ Fun Camping options for Families

The steps below follow the order of the work for this holidays project.

Ready to take the kids camping? Try these fun camping options for families so you’ll all be happy campers! From choosing a kid-safe campsite to kid-friendly camping foods and activities, these tips will fill your camping trip with memories.

You’ll also want to get our free printable summer bucket list for kids and play these great outdoor games this summer.

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25+ Fun Camping options for Families

When we finally reach and celebrate the last day of school, and commemorate Memorial Day — that’s when camping season begins!

(Also barbecue season and pool season, but this post is about the camping part.)

I don’t really come from a family of campers. But it is something that my husband and I have adopted into our own family!

As much fun as it can be to get pampered at a swanky hotel, it’s not always my first choice for a weekend getaway. Nope, I’d much rather get cozy around a blazing fire, get my fingers sticky from s’mores, and sleep out under the stars.

Now that we live so close to the mountains, Justin and I are really excited to pass along our love of roughing it in the great outdoors to our girls. We can’t wait to show them how much fun it can be to spend the out of doors.

“How much fun it can be” is an important phrase when it comes to camping.

While weather and mosquitoes can work together to wreak havoc on a campout, often times it’s a direct lack of preparation that keeps first time campers from being able to enjoy a new experience.

The Tent Commandments Infographic From Visually Featured On Bekob — The Tent Commandments Visual.ly

If you are taking kids along, it’s especially important to be prepared for changes in the weather, have food that’s straightforward to prepare, and know how to provide basic first aid.

Luckily, there are lots of good resources out there to help you get ready for living life on the wild side for a few days.

All it takes is a little prep work so that you can have a great time camping with your family.

By the way…if you happen to be a happy camper, too, I’d love to get your recommendations for go-to campsites–make sure you let me know yours in the comments, below!

Kodiak camping scenery — *image via Kodiak.org*

Choosing the Right Family Camping Site

For new campers on a first campout, we recommend choosing a campground location close to home, or at least close to civilization (like a grocery store). This makes it easier to pack everything to get there, and makes the stress lower for parents and kids.

Not sure if you’re ready for a full family campout yet? Take a test run in the backyard with these tips for straightforward and successful backyard camping.

When evaluating a family campsite, you’ll also want to pay attention to the campground amenities such as:

picnic table in the site
a fire pit or campfire ring
restroom facilities (portable, pit toilets, or flushable) and possibly showers
reasonable quiet hours
trails or a creek nearby – hours of fun exploring!
a playground

When picking the campsite for your family camping trip, you’ll want to choose a site that is near the restrooms (but down-wind!) and near the other amenities that are interesting or important to you.

look at the best camping areas near you with these lists from TimeOut and Greatist.
Find lesser-known local camping sites by checking local online groups (like Facebook).
Read: How to Get a Kid Safe Campsite at Camping with Gus.

Be Prepared: Family Camping Checklists & Must-Haves

As I mentioned, being prepared can make the difference between happy campers (parents and kids both) and campers who end up packing up in the middle of the night and drive home. [And no shame — if you camp enough with kids, it will happen!]

START HERE: 7 Tips to Making Family Camping Easier.
Then read: Packing Tips for Camping Trips.
Get a printable family camping checklist from Childhood 101.
Print our camping kitchen box checklist here.

BEYOND THE TENT

And don’t forget the toilet paper, wet wipes, first aid kit, sunscreen, and after sun sunburn treatment! (This stuff is memorable.)

Use Alternative Packing Options

Depending on the length of your trip and your preferences, packing camping gear in bins is a good alternative to duffel bags, backpacks, and traditional luggage. Bins stack easily for more vertical storage in the tent, and the rigid sides mean you can pack them f-u-l-l.

TIP: Pack sleeping bags and blankets in nooks and crannies throughout the car — you can fit a squishy sleeping mat in lots of places! Camp chairs and towels can also be creatively stored under kids’ feet or tucked between bins.

Extra large bins like these are great for bigger camp items like lanterns, emergency radios, skillets, hot plates, camp stoves, etc. while medium sized bins or extra large shoe bins are good for clothing, Bins stack nicely together, have flat tops, are water resistant, and pack up well since they aren’t odd shapes. They are also straightforward to identify by using large labels such as these.

Light Up the Site

The total darkness of a campsite can be disconcerting for kids! Help make it fun with pop-up lanterns, hanging rechargeable lightbulbs, plenty of glow sticks, and a few solar stake lights around the campsite — great for setting campsite boundaries and also for middle of the night bathroom trips!

Family Camping Activities for Kids

Kids are often content with adventures to explore the campsite and hike — or play at the playground, if you chose a campground with a play area.

Going on a hike? Read these 6 tips to make hiking with kids FUN.

But it’s always good to have a few extra activities planned during afternoon down time or the post-dinner wrap up before the sun goes down. Plan a nature scavenger hunt, bring board games and card games and direct toys like bubbles and sidewalk chalk — or even the kids bikes if you can.

look at our printable summer bucket list for kids for more options, including

The Frosted Petticoat camping portraits — Tips for getting the best camp pictures Clickin Moms

Tips for Family Campfire Cooking

Whether your kids are picky eaters or well-rounded foodies, campfire food can be tricky to plan, pack, and cook. Be sure to pack the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate… but what else?

Try these straightforward Camping Menu Tips and Camping Hacks from The Frugal Girls to make planning camping food and cooking at the campsite easier.

Pack the camp kitchen with the necessities using our kitchen camping packing list.

You’ll also like these camping recipes:

And a few more fun camping desserts to cook over the fire:

How To Make Campfire Banana Boats Fresh Off The Grid — Roasted Banana Boats – 9 Variations Fresh Off the Grid

Oleander and Palm campfire cakes — Campfire Orange Rolls Oleander and Pal

Ninth and Bird campurritos — Breakfast Campurritos | Ninth & Bird via Starling Trave

Camping with Gus monkey bread — Campfire Monkey Bread Camping with Gus

Bigler's Best campfire eclairs — Campfire Eclairs Bigler’s Best Belly Pleasers

The Greenwoods Woofums — Woofums The Greenwoods

Want s’mores without the campfire? Try one of these gooey s’mores treats recipes!

Take your camp cooking up a level with these techniques:

Info on Dutch Oven Cooking Dutch Oven Cooking
Single Log Cookstove Twisted Sifter
Handmade Solar Oven Grocery Shrink

How to Keep Bugs Away When Camping

It’s part of campsite safety: keep food secured to keep away the wildlife, and protect yourself and the kids from the bugs to keep safe and un-bugged (see what I did there?).