7 Ways to Level Up Your Family Camping Trip

Don’t pack that camping gear away yet! The kids may be in back-to-school mode, but the best of camping season is yet to come. There are many more weeks of official summer and the promise of those early fall days and cool nights. It’s the perfect time for catching up around the campfire and decompressing after those first exhausting weeks of school. Take advantage of fewer bugs, fewer crowds, and a few tips from us to make the next camping trip your family’s best one yet.

Of course, at Nite Ize, we prioritize high-quality lights at the top of our camping must-have list. We love great lights both for functionality and fun. On the functionality side, Radiant Headlamps are ideal for family members big and small with white and red modes and bright and not-as-bright modes (for the campers who are just learning not to shine headlamps in eachothers eyes!) I bring along two Radiant RL3 Lanterns to cast the perfect glow when lighting up the dinner table or to create a fire-like feel in amber mode. And, when bedtime comes, keeping those little campers happy with their own colorful Rechargeable Glowstick or SpotLit can be the key to a great night’s sleep in the tent.

We love our lights so much, they made the list twice! We’ll be the first to admit that our colorful lights are super functional, but also can be just plain fun — and kids everywhere agree. Adding Radiant StarLit string lights to our camp setup has brought endless hours of entertainment to our evenings under the Star…Lits.  The kids’ creativity runs wild with these. From decorating camp trees to building dirt volcanoes with LED “lava”, the possibilities are endless. How can you spot a Nite Ize campsite? Check out the video to find out…

One of the best parts of camping is the lack of screens. The kids can just be kids and their curiosity and creativity can shine through in the best ways. For nighttime, I pretty much let the lights and the kids’ imaginations do the heavy lifting. For daytime, I pack a couple compact crafts that provide a nice quiet time activity between fishing, catching snakes, hiking, and all the other rumpus that comes with camping. I like these all-in-one watercolor kits, they don’t take up much space, give you all you need (just add water), and have tons of pages/designs for all the kids to paint.

If you forget to pack the art supplies though, no big deal. When left to their own devices in nature, kids will often surprise you with what they’ll come up with. I was stoked to find my daughter quietly building this rock art by the campsite one afternoon.

It’s simple — if you want to make camping feel extra special for the kids, bring some things that are especially for them. There are excellent kid-sized camp chairs and animal-shaped sleeping bags that won’t break the budget and will add a little fun for the little guys. Designate which headlamps and camp mugs and dishes are theirs so they feel just as at home as their grown ups around camp. Even for the big kids and teens, having their own set of gear that they are responsible for packing and taking care of can be a nice way for them to feel involved at camp.

Everyone loves hot dogs and brats, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with them for every camp meal. I love steaks over the fire with rosemary butter, and baked potatoes in the coals. I have friends who spatchcock a chicken before trips and then throw it in the cast iron over the fire. Whatever your kids favorite dish is at home, there’s probably a variation for making it over the fire or camp stove. Have big kids? Let them do a little research and be in charge of preparing a meal for everyone. And of course, don’t skimp on the marshmallows at the end of the night. Every childhood camping memory should include a little gooeyness.

As anglers, most of our family camping trips include water, so our packing list includes a LOT of RunOff waterproof bags. These little cubes make excellent modules for all types of camping trips though — they keep the sand and bugs out of your gear too, and keep it organized.

The last thing you need on a family trip is a dunked camera or a lovey left behind. That’s why I add S-Biners or Gear Ties to just about every bag we bring. The #10 S-Biner on my camera bag is especially handy so I can keep it nearby, but also know everything is safely clipped and waterproofed in its bag.

And there you have it — 7 suggestions to take with you on your next trip. Cheers (with a SlapLit Drink Wrap) to making the most of camping season!