The Ultimate Family Camping Checklist: Essentials You Can’t Forget

Packing for a family camping trip can feel overwhelming—did you remember the bug spray? Enough snacks? Extra socks for the inevitable mud puddles? As a parent, I’ve been there—juggling excited kids while trying not to forget the essentials.

After one too many last-minute scrambles, I finally created the ultimate family camping checklist to make packing easy and stress-free. Whether you’re a first-time camper or a seasoned outdoor adventurer, this guide will ensure you have everything you need—from must-have gear to kid-friendly essentials that make camping fun.

Plus, I’ll share my top picks for family camping gear (based on real experience!) so you can avoid buying things that don’t actually work in the wild. Let’s get packing.

When you’re camping with your teens, you need more than just a suitcase full of clothes. You need a full family camping checklist!

You’ll be spending more time in the great outdoors, which means a different set of supplies to bring. Additionally, camping is often remote. Your family and teens will need activities to keep them engaged and off their phones. Trust me, camping works wonders for connecting more as a family.

Plus, you’re likely cooking many of your meals over a campfire or grill. While some full-service campgrounds have on-site camp stores and even restaurants, you’ll still want to bring cooking supplies with you. That’s where this camping checklist comes in.

We partnered with RVshare to get away for a long weekend camping. You can read my step-by-step guide to renting an RV here.

TL:DR – Grab my camping checklist free here.

Household items & Clothing

Household items are likely items you will bring with you from your home, whether you are renting an RV or you own your travel trailer.

Items like your clothing could be a separate detailed packing list, so I’ve only highlighted important clothing below. You’ll need to adjust for the season you’re camping as well if you’ll need warm weather gear or not for cooler temperatures.

If you’re renting, check with your host if you’ll need to provide some of these items.

If you own, consider having an extra set of camping supplies.

• Bedding or sleeping bags (1 sleeping bag per family member)
• Pillows
• Clothes
• Swimwear
• hiking boots or sturdy shoes
• sandals or flipflops for lazy afternoons
• Rain Jacket
• Dirty Laundry Bag
• Extra batteries
• Hammock – definitely not a need, but a nice to have!
• An screened in tent or canopy to give more “living space” outside
• Camp Chairs

Read how to choose a camp chair here.

Campfire Items

Half the reason to go camping is to enjoy s’mores around the campfire, right?

Before you even pack the marshmallows, make sure you’ve gone through this pre-travel checklist for families to cover all your planning bases.

Enjoying a campfire is the quintessential part of camping, allowing you to cook camp meals, roast marshmallows, get warm, and just enjoy gazing into the ever-changing multi-colored flames.

The following is a list of essential items you’ll need to enjoy a campfire.

• Portable Fire Ring – if you are camping remotely or boondocking you may need your own fire ring. Check with the campground before you go to see if they have a fire pit. I bought the one linked because it’s portable and folds up nicely. Plus it has a nice airflow and makes for pretty views through the cutouts.
• Logs/Wood
• Firestarters – you can buy firestarter logs that are easy to light, or make your own tinder. I make my own fire starter dryer lint melted in wax.
• Lighter
• Lighter Fluid
• Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil – Make sure it’s marked heavy duty or it will fall apart when you’re trying to cook with it.
• String Lights to hang on the awning for additional ambiance. These are my favorite solar powered lights.
• Camping Lantern, to have some light to and from restrooms if needed.

Cooking Items

One of the most enjoyable parts about camping with your teenagers is cooking outdoors. At home, it’s often me doing the cooking. But when we’re camping, everyone gets involved. Whether it’s my husband manning the fire, or my teens coming up with fun ways to cook in foil.

Somehow cooking while camping seems less of a chore and more of a family event. Even if it’s not the whole family helping, I don’t mind cooking since I’m getting the fresh air that goes along with it.

This cooking checklist is a mix of needs and nice-to-have items.

• Outdoor Table Cloth – Standard Picnic tables are 28-30 inches wide, and 6 to 8 feet long. If you want a disposable tablecloth, a 54-inch by 108 inches will work. You can buy a heavy-duty one, or get a simple plastic tablecloth when you order your groceries.
• Table Clips – To hold down your table cloth. I usually use what I have around the house. Large Binder Clips work for this.
• Portable Table – you may want a work table in addition to the picnic table. If you really want to go all out, get this camp table and organizer.
• Portable Grill or Camp Stove- In case it rains, you can still grill under the awning.
• Trash Bags
• Can Opener
• Cutting Board
• Bin for cleaning dirty dishes if you’ll wash them outside
• Coolers – Make sure you get a decent size for your whole family. You may have a refrigerator in the trailer, but it’s helpful to have additional cold storage.
• Paper Towels
• Outdoor Cookware – Your RV or travel trailer may have the cooking items you’re used to for your kitchen. But if you want to put a skillet over the fire, I recommend getting a Lodge Cast Iron set. We have this one and it serves as a pot, a dutch oven, and a skillet all in one.
• Cooking stand. This may not be necessary if you have a grate for the firepit (or if you’re using a grill) but I like this stand for using my cast iron over the fire. It’s heavy, but smaller diameter than a grate.
• Reusable dishes – or –
• Disposable plates, cups, and flatware. Go biodegradable to dispose of even easier.
• Water Bottles
• Water Jugs are sometimes helpful to fill and keep outside of the RV in order to refill water without tracking in dirt
• Roasting Sticks for marshmallows, hot dogs, etc.

A lot of these items can be picked up at the dollar store too.

Since packing for a camping trip is more involved than a regular trip, especially if you’re planning on cooking all your own meals, I save time by placing a grocery delivery order for food items from services such as Instacart and Shipt. This way someone does the shopping for me, while I pack up the rest of what we need.

If you need advice on how to cook in an RV for a week, read here.

Personal Items

• Insect Repellant
• Bite Relief – I have something called the Bug Bite Thing, it uses a suction tool to get the bug venom out of you. I’m telling you it’s genius and it works well even on the horsefly bites I’ve gotten.
• Sunscreen
• Wipes – You will appreciate having something to clean your hands outdoors.
• Citronella Candle
• Toilet Paper
• First Aid Kit
• a Dry bag if any adventures include water
• Shampoo, conditioner, soap

Outdoor Activities

This is where you’ll get the teenagers more involved. Ask what sorts of outdoor adventures they may want to participate in. No sense carrying all this with you if you’re not going to use it.

• Bikes
• Fishing Gear
• Ladder Ball
• Cornhole
• Outdoor Left Right Center
• Volleyball
• Soccer ball
• Bocce Ball
• Whiffle Ball
• Stuff for day hikes

Indoor or Picnic Table Games

Let’s face it, we know there may be a time when the weather is bad and we can’t be outside. Or maybe we’re just hanging out at the picnic table.

This is where card games and board games work well. They’re small, easy to pack, and perfect for smaller spaces. I have a list of my family’s favorite card games here.

If your teens are readers, camping provides a lot of uninterrupted reading time. Be sure to grab some books!

Have some low-key activities planned for chill time or rainy days. This is when quality time with your older kids can happen, especially if you disconnect from your cell phone.

Camping List Supplies

I’ve linked a lot of items above, but if you need additional camping supplies, I’d recommend checking out the stores that are experts in outdoor and camping equipment and supplies. These are a few of my favorites.

• REI – If you have an REI near you, you can order online and pick it up in-store or curbside pickup. Plus for a lifetime $20 fee, you can be a REI Co-Op member and get members-only offers, 10% back, in-store garage sales, and more. Learn more about the REI Co-Op here. Also, they offer free shipping for orders over $50.

• Cabela’s – I know most people think of Cabela’s as hunting and fishing, but as these are outdoor activities, it stands to reason they’d have a lot of camping gear too. They also have a Club Membership where you can earn rewards.

• Dick’s Sporting Goods – While I normally shop here for my son’s soccer gear, I did buy a kayak from Dick’s, and they have a good selection of camping items. I like that you can order online and pick up at a store near you.

How to Store Your Camping Gear

Finally, if you’re investing in camping gear, I’d recommend getting a strong and durable storage tote. My personal favorite is the black and yellow storage containers by Greenmade. I often find these on sale at my local Ace Hardware or you can get them from Amazon here.

FAQ about Family Camping Checklist

Recap: Camping Checklist for Your Family

Hopefully, I’ve covered everything you need for your next family camping trip. If you’re a first time camper, it can seem overwhelming. Be sure to reach out to your campground host, your RVshare host, or fellow camping neighbors if you have questions. Campers are a friendly bunch and it’s a great way to get to know those around you.

Embarking on a family camping trip with your teens is an opportunity to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and reconnect with nature and each other. By utilizing a comprehensive Family Camping Checklist, you can ensure that you have all the essential items for a safe and stress-free outdoor adventure.

Happy camping!

Grab my FREE family camping checklist printable here.

Further Reading: