Amy Pessolano

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Camping With Kids: Keeping Kids Busy at Your Campsite

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

I received a sample of this product in exchange for my review. However, I only recommend products or services I love, that I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. The links to Amazon in this post are affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase using them.

Camping with kids is such a fun adventure, but if you’re not prepared, it can be a bit exhausting. It’s not like you can turn on the television for some down time and there are A LOT of new and exciting things for the kids to see and touch.

We’ve officially survived 3 family camping trips with kids under age 5, so I thought I’d share a few ideas for keeping your kids busy at the campsite.

So many great ideas here to keep the kids busy on a family camping trip.

  • Let them help. Any way and every way possible. Hold the tent stakes while you set up the tent, carry wood… there are plenty of jobs you can give them. These jobs will not only keep them occupied, but teach them skills too.
  • Make sure you pack books to read at bedtime. Books also make it easier to send the kids into the tent for quiet time.
  • We don’t have a lot of high tech toys for them yet, but we have a V-Tech ABC Text & Go Motion that kept my 4 year old busy on the long car ride to our destination. I keep electronics hidden as long as possible though, and only pull them out after we’ve tried everything else.


The cutest ideas for a family camp-out!

  • Make busy bags with activities the kids can do at the picnic table. Last year we went camping with a friend who brought bags with felt scenes the kids could create.
  • I keep a composition notebook and a box of crayons for each kid in my bag at all times. They also like to write and color in very small spiral books that flip at the top. These things are great for camping too.
  • We don’t let the kids bring a ton of toys with small parts that can be lost easily, but we do let them bring a few matchbox cars that they drive down homemade ramps.
  • Now that they are getting older, I let them pack their own backpack with the books and toys they want to bring. (I just make sure I check the bags first so we can leave tiny pieces at home.) These Skip Hop Zoo Pack Backpacks are adorable.
  • Find day trips or hikes in the area that will occupy a large chunk of time. I also keep the routine similar to home- planning activities for the morning and afternoon with a “nap” or downtime in between. Even if that nap involves driving in the car somewhere, it helps to stick to what’s familiar and the kids (and parents) still need rest.
  • Pack card games! There are so many ways to have fun with a simple deck of cards. Here are a few more of our favorite games that travel well:
    • Educational Insights Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Card Game
    • Educational Insights Koala Capers Game
    • Skip-Bo Junior Card Game (Skip-Bo was a family favorite growing up so I can’t wait to try this junior version with the kids.)
    • Melissa & Doug Deluxe Animal Card Games

 

Set up a Slackline!— We have a Slackers Slackline I received to review that the boys absolutely love! Heck, I love it too and it’s pretty funny to watch my husband try to walk across it. The kids are pros. We are not. Slack lining is a new sport that started with climbers that’s great for your core strength and balance.

Get a slackline to set up on your next camping trip! So fun for kids and parents.

We have the Slackers Classic Series Kit that comes with a teaching guide and a carrying bag, so it’s easy to bring along on your next camping trip. We put the teaching line low enough so the kids could reach it and they were able to climb up and walk across it without much supervision, since it’s low to the ground. I was really happy to have it along in this trip to keep them occupied while we cooked dinner. They sell them on Amazon, on the Slackers Website and at sporting goods stores like L.L. Bean and REI. Plus, you can even get the newBalance Blox Set or Slack Rack for balancing fun inside or in your backyard without needing trees. So fun!

We did receive a Slackers Classic Series Kit at no cost to review, but my opinions about it (and my monkey children’s love for it) is 100% our own.


More Posts in Our Camping With Kids Series:

  • Entertaining Kids While Camping With Simple Play Ideas
  • It’s Never Too Early For Family Camping- 5 Tips!
  • How to Make Gorp: A Great Snack for Hiking
  • Staying Warm on a Fall Camping Trip
  • Fun Jobs and Chores for Kids at the Campsite
  • Ways to Have Fun With a Deck of Cards
  • Busy Bags to Take Camping
  • Bedtime Books for Your Next Camping Trip
  • Hiking With Kids

 


The cutest ideas for a family camp-out!

Comments

  1. Gioko Pat says

    October 28, 2017 at 3:22 pm

    This is a fantastic read. Camping with kids is awesome as you are surrounded by so much love. Nice game selection too to keep the bundles of energy busy.
    Gioko Pat recently posted…Smartphone Safety When Camping or HikingMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Andrea Edleblute says

    June 7, 2018 at 9:16 am

    Great tips! My kids love our Slackline too! Hadn’t thought about taking it with us camping until now!

    Reply
  3. Stacy Bressler says

    July 19, 2018 at 12:29 am

    These are awesome! I have to agree with some of the other comments; I had never thought about slack lining, but I think my toddler is getting just old enough that he might enjoy it!

    Reply
    • Amy Pessolano, Umbrella Tree Cafe says

      July 19, 2018 at 9:30 am

      Thanks! We don’t have trees in our yard so it was the perfect opportunity for them to try it out.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Hiking With Kids - Amy Pessolano says:
    August 3, 2016 at 9:28 am

    […] Camping With Kids: Keeping Kids Busy at Your Campsite – Amy Pessolano says: July 4, 2016 at 10:30 am […]

    Reply
  2. Tips for Staying Warm on a Fall Camping Trip - Umbrella Tree Cafe says:
    October 20, 2016 at 1:52 pm

    […] hope you enjoyed these tips! You can read more camping tips here, and stay-tuned for my upcoming […]

    Reply
  3. Gifts for Active Kids Who Love Camping - Umbrella Tree Cafe says:
    November 11, 2016 at 8:43 am

    […] absolutely love our Slackline! It’s challenging (for me at least) and keeps our kids busy at the campsite too. If you don’t have trees available, there are other ways you can set it up by creating […]

    Reply
  4. 11 Easy Camping Activities for Toddlers and Babies to do Around Camp! (that are fun!) – The Crazy Outdoor Mama says:
    July 19, 2018 at 6:34 pm

    […] Here are some more ideas for kids fun while camping  […]

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  5. Fun Ways to Keep the Kids Busy During a Summer Camping Trip | Missy Homemaker says:
    March 27, 2019 at 9:14 am

    […] you’re feeling energetic, then a family hike through the woods is a great way to get a little exercise, burn off energy, and keep everyone happy and busy. Keeping […]

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