The Complete Family Camping Checklist

Camping is a brilliant experience to enjoy with all the family, with so many things to do and see. Whether you’re off on a quick weekend trip to the woods or you’re off on a wilderness adventure, you need to ensure you have all the family camping essentials before you set off. 

To ensure you don’t miss anything, we’ve created this complete family camping packing list to help you plan a stress-free family outing. 

If you need a spacious tent to fit the whole family, we offer a brilliant bell tent range at Boutique Camping that gives you the perfect balance of room and style. 

Tent or Tents

A tent is by far the most important of all the family camping essentials and acts as your main source of shelter during your trip. You need to choose a tent that can fit the right number of people as well as all your camping gear. Our range of spacious bell tents come in a number of sizes from 3-7m and offer a roomy alternative to standard tents with a circular base for extra floor room. 

If you’re a family of 4, you should consider opting for a 5m bell tent as this will give you extra room to stretch out and store all your accessories and gear inside.

You’ll also want to make sure you have a tent that can handle all sorts of weather and climates. Ensure your tent is waterproof, UV and weather-resistant. For colder months you can choose a hot tent which is made from a thicker fabric and allows you to safely heat the interior with a tent stove. 

“My husband, myself and our dog stayed in this [5m bell tent] in the Lake District. The tent was really simple to put up with clear instructions. The quality exceeded my expectations and remained watertight even through heavy downpours.” - Clare M

If you need more advice on the right size tent for your family, we have a tent size guide you can check out. 

All Tent Supplies for Your Family Camping Packing List

Whilst a tent itself is the biggest and most important item to remember for your journey, you’ll need a range of other tent accessories to get you pitched and ready. 

• Tent pegs and a set of spares
• Tent poles - this would be a single central pole if you choose a bell tent but you can bring a spare too
• Groundsheet and ground sheet protector
• Hammer or rubber mallet for securing pegs
• Guy ropes, miracle webbing and straps
• Protective tent cover for wet and windy conditions
• Tent bag for storage and travelling to and from the site
• Canopy or tent awnings for an extra outdoor cover
• Inner tent for privacy and creating separate areas
• Rugs and mats for the inside or your tent
• Maintenance supplies including tent cleaner, waterproofing and heatproofing sprays

Sleeping Bags and Bedding

Beds and bedding are essential for your family camping packing list and are key to ensuring you get a comfy and safe night’s sleep. Ensure you have enough bedding, sleeping bags and mattresses for each person and focus on sleepwear that is lightweight and easy to transport. 

A self-inflating air mattress is a great option when you’ve been on the road with the family and want to get set up quickly. These types of mats can be rolled up tightly and have a foam layer to prevent cold air from travelling up through the ground. 

You’ll also want to ensure you pack warm, lightweight sleeping bags, or if you’re going for more luxury camping, duvets and pillows.

All sleeping supplies

• Sleeping bags 
• Sleeping bag liners 
• Sleeping pads, self-inflating mats or air mattresses
• Air mattress pump (manual or electric pump)
• Pillows and cushions 
• Camping pillows
• Inflatable pillows
• Camping blankets
• Sleeping bag carries
• Earplugs
• Eyemask
• Hammock (if sleeping outside)
• Baby cot or carrier 
• Pyjamas 
• Thermal sleepwear 
• Soft, warm socks
• Hot water bottles (for chilly weather)
• Plush toys (Don’t forget them! Your kids won’t sleep without them!)

Clothing 

When you’re out camping in the outdoors you need to ensure you’ve got clothing for any possibility on your family camping packing list. Choosing the right base layers is an important part of your packing process you can adapt these layers depending on the weather. Look for moisture-wicking materials and long sleeved tops, leggings and trousers that can be worn on their own or layered under winter coats or jackets when the temperatures are colder. 

Footwear is also an important factor to consider and both you and your kids need comfortable, weather-resistant footwear. A pair of walking boots or wellies are an ideal choice as they will keep your feet dry and protected in wet and rainy conditions whilst offering enough support for adventures outside of your tent.

You should also consider bringing indoor shoes to wear inside your tent to prevent tracking in any mud or dirt. 

All Camping Clothes for Your Trip

With so many different scenarios and weather conditions to prepare for it’s important to pack a range of clothing for both you and the kits on your family holiday.

• Thermal under layers and underwear
• Sports bras and sportswear for activities and hiking
• Fleece jacket, hoodies or body warmer
• Thin jumpers and thick jumpers
• Waterproof jackets, windbreakers and winter coats
• Waterproof trousers
• Jeans, jogging bottoms or leggings
• Shorts or skirts for warmer weather
• Hiking boots
• Trainers or canvas shoes
• Slippers for inside your tent
• Baby clothes and shoes
• Sun hat, baseball cap and sunglasses
• Woollen hat or beanie
• Earmuffs
• Scarf and gloves
• Thermal socks
• Sandals or flip-flops for sunny weather or beach days
• Poncho
• Prescription eyewear 
• Clothes bags for storage and sorting worn and clean clothes
• Swimwear including bathing suits, bikinis or swim shorts

If you are camping in colder conditions and you’re worried about keeping warm, we have a blog on the best tips on how to stay warm in a tent without having to bundle on loads of layers. 

Cooking

Cooking on the campfire is one of the fun parts to do as a family when on you’re trip, and it’s extra important you have the right equipment and a range of nutritious food on your family camping packing list.

You can choose to cook outside on a fire pit, but if you want something a bit more modern you can bring a wood-burning stove on your trip. You can use these stoves outside as well as inside your tent, providing you have the right set-up and a safe tent for the job.

With a modern stove, you can cook full meals using a range of fresh ingredients as you would at home, with options to grill, boil and fry all sorts of meals. 

Cooking Utensils and Cleaning Supplies

Alongside your stove, you should also ensure you bring a range of versatile cooking utensils and serving utensils to help you whip up a meal quickly and easily. 

• Cutlery including knives, forks and spoons
• Tongs, spatula and wooden spoon
• Cutting knife
• Peeler
• Can and bottle openers
• A cutting board
• Pots and pans
• An electric or hob kettle
• Plates
• Bowls
• Mugs and cups
• Measuring and mixing utensils
• Food containers and storage boxes
• Tin foil and ziplock bags
• Oven glove
• Strainer and colander
• Fuel for your stove 

You’ll also need to clean up after cooking so you’ll need your usual cleaning supplies including:

• Dish sponge and washing up liquid
• Tea towels and drying cloths
• Tub for washing your utensils in 
• Black sacks and waste bags for any rubbish or excess food

Food and Ingredients

• Tea and coffee
• Dried goods including pasta, rice and noodles
• Oats/porridge, cereal and breakfast biscuits
• Canned goods including vegetables and fruit
• Snacks including crisps, biscuits and popcorn
• Marshmallows for toasting on the fire
• Bottled water
• Juice or squash
• Potatoes and root vegetables
• Fresh fruit like apples, oranges and bananas
• Seasoning including garlic and fresh herbs 
• Jars of pasta and curry sauces
• Bread

If you have a fridge or cooler you can also bring:

• Cheese, milk and yoghurt
• Eggs
• Fresh meat including chicken, sausages and bacon

Living Area and Furniture 

When out camping you’ll most likely establish a dedicated living area where all the family will congregate in the mornings and evenings for food and downtime. Here you utilise a range of glamping accessories to make your space feel homely and comfortable. 

You can set up an area with tables and chairs to eat your meals on and set up some lighting, like lanterns or string lights so you can clearly see. You can make this area extra cosy with cushions and soft furnishings, and if you’re going for a proper glamping experience, even a real sofa!

All Furnishings and Living Items

• Camping chairs
• Foldable table
• Tent rugs and mats
• Flashlight
• Rechargeable lights 
• Portable heater
• Portable fan
• Tablecloth 
• Bunting 

Emergency and First Aid Kit

Kids love to adventure when camping, but with exploring comes the risk of scrapes and falls. To ensure you’re prepared for any emergencies, a first aid kit has to be one of your family camping essentials. 

Your pack needs to contain everything from plasters to painkillers. Antiseptic wipes and bandages as well as any creams for bug bites or scratches are also important. If anyone takes any medication, add these to your kit and make sure you have extra should anything happen.

Other Emergency Supplies

• Gauze and medical tape
• Thermometer 
• Tweezers and medical scissors
• Burn and blister cream
• Face masks
• Fire and carbon monoxide alarms
• Antihistamines
• Sickness and upset stomach tablets
• Hydration sachets
• Emergency blanket
• Flashlight 
• Matches or firestarters 
• GPS
• Hand sanitiser
• Suncream

Entertainment 

When you’re out camping, there is so much to do both inside and outside of your tent. As well as heading out and exploring some of the UK's best camping sites, there’s also plenty you can do to bond and unwind in the evenings. 

For the kids, you’ll need something to keep them entertained on the trip to the campsite as well as during your downtime. Bring along their favourite toys and some portable board games or cards. If you’re off glamping, you might have access to electricity which means you can bring along your mobile devices and portable gaming consoles too!

All Entertainment for Your Family Camping Packing List

• Disposable, digital or phone camera
• Kindle or books for adults and kids
• Paper/notebook and pen
• Colouring pens or crayons
• Football, frisbee or kite
• Fishing rod and gear
• Portable speaker
• Telescope
• Puzzles

Get Camping Ready with Our Tents and Accessories

Now you know all your family camping essentials you should be able to set off in style without worrying about what you’ve left behind. The best way by far to ensure everyone in the family is comfortable on your trip is with a high-quality tent, and there’s no better place than Boutique Camping. 

We have a wide range of tent sizes and styles including exclusive designs like our Luna Emperor bell tent that gives you extra headroom. 

If you’re looking for guidance on the right tent to fit your family, you can take a look at our tent size guide. Alternatively, you can contact our camping experts and we can direct you to the best size and style.