A childhood camping experience can be make or break for this style of escape.
While some recall low-level trauma shivering through weekends while mum and dad try to ignore the grey drizzle, others will fondly remember running barefoot across dewy grass and poking marshmallows into a roaring campfire while gazing up at the stars.
Whatever your experience, one thing’s for sure: camping is character-building.
In our plugged-in daily reality, there’s a real need for screen-free entertainment, for both kids and adults alike. Getting away from the urban jungle and into the south-east’s green fields is as easy as packing the car boot and hitting the road at the weekend.
The thing is, kids don’t always understand the value of peace and quiet. Where adults revel in traffic and city sounds replaced by the sweet calming soundtrack of the countryside, many children will only find boredom. Nothing’s going to ruin your collective R&R more than “but I’m bored” whining.
That’s why, along with tents, sleeping bags, folding chairs and cooking essentials, it’s vital to pack a few activities and toys to help little ones appreciate nature in all her glory.
Luckily we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to camping essentials for kids. There are activity books to help them identify birds, bees and plants, foraging guides that will help them prep their own dinner and stargazing tools to uncover the heavens above when the absence of light pollution comes into its own after dusk.
To help your next family camping trip go smoothly, we’ve rounded up the best ideas across price brackets and ages below. Some may be pricier than others but for the peace they’ll give you, we say they’re worth their weight in gold.
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Celestron Firstscope 76mm Reflector Telescope, Moon by Robert Reeves Edition
Robert Reeves first photographed the moon in 1959, and one of his images – complete with 10 numbered lunar features – wraps around this sleek reflector telescope.
It’s designed to be easy to use for beginners, and the Dobsonian mount means it’s neat and compact. It’s also lightweight, which means it’s great for travel and easy for kids to move around their room. A 76mm aperture and 300mm focal length make this a nice entry-level scope for children, and the black-and-lunar design means it will look great on a bedroom shelf when it’s not being used.
Buy now £67.95, Amazon
Tectake Garden Trolley With Roof Foldable Incl. Carry Bag Green
Load capacity: undisclosed
If you’re showing little ones the joy of the great outdoors, a chill-out wagon is a wise investment for when they inevitably get tuckered out. With a roof for sun cover and extra pockets for kids' snacks and toys, this cart has all the features you need to keep them happy while camping or exploring the festival. The folding unit can be dressed up with a battery or solar-powered fairy lights with blankets and cushions inside to keep your ducklings nice and comfortable. It’s easy to carry and folds flat for quick storage too.
Buy now £79.99, Robert Dyas
ZIMX G2 Pro Hoverboard - Wild Orange
Best for: users with acres of private space
- Max load: 100kg
- Top speed: 10mph
- Charging time: 2.5 hours
- Special features: Bluetooth, IP54 water resistance
Got plenty of room to roam free at your disposal? Then consider the ZIMX G2, a beast of a board that can reach up to 10mph with a range of up to 12 miles.
The supersized 8.5-inch wheels can take on all kinds of terrain, from concrete slabs to dirt roads, sand and grass, all while running at a whisper-quiet noise level.
Well, unless you use the Bluetooth feature which allows you to listen to your favourite tracks while on the move. Suitable for users aged 6+ with appropriate safety gear.
Buy now £299.00, Currys
NOVECRAFTO Store Cardboard Playhouse For Kids To Colour
Size: 133 x 105 x 133cm
Lacking space or DIY skills? No need for either thanks to this genius playhouse.
It may be made from lightweight cardboard but the design doesn’t skip on any of the details, from working windows to a slanted roof complete with a sweet chimney.
The XL size is covered with line drawings, just waiting to be packed with colour from felt tips, crayons and paint - giving your poor walls and tables a break from your mini Picasso’s creative expression.
Buy now £43.95, Amazon
Pack of 15 Animal Finger Puppets
Parental participation is required here, but it’s worth it to see your little one’s jaw drop as you bring the animals to life. This set of animal-themed finger puppets will bring a whole new dimension to your camping experience, and help your little ones see the fields around them come to life.
Designed for younger children and toddlers, they'll promote imaginative play and help with bedtime stories long after your return from your camping pitch. You’ll get an assortment of 15 in this pack, offering tremendous value.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Asmodee Dobble
Age range: 6+
A twist on the classic game of Snap, Dobble features an array of spherical cards which display a range of different symbols. Every card is different, though each will have one matching symbol with any other card. The first to spot the matching symbol wins the set. Action-packed and designed to be a race, you’ll be playing Dobble for hours on end.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
Opti Hula Hoop
There’s no misplacing this bright pink and purple hula hoop; you’ll be able to spot it a mile off, even if their room is a mess.
This design is perfect for travel and short trips as it breaks down into six small components, easily fitting into a travel bag or car boot. The hoop weighs 0.67kg with a span of 90cm, so it’s more suited for older children, teens and adults to use.
Fun for (almost) all the family!
Buy now £9.60, Argos
Mountain Warehouse Patterned Mini Folding Chair
Give kids a perch of their own with a mini camping chair. Perfect for weekends away as well as park picnics and beach trips, the design is just like an adult chair complete with a drink holder. The patterns are arguably cooler with marine and dino themes to pick from.
Buy now £13.99, Mountain Warehouse
Hello Nature Activity Book: Explore, Draw, Colour and Discover the Great Outdoors
Suitable for kids ages between 7 and 9, this activity book is packed with 80 pages of tasks, illustrations and drawing sheets to do while camping. There are guides on everything from leaves, butterflies and fungi, helping children better understand the world we share with woodland creatures. Beautiful and highly engaging.
Buy now £9.19, Amazon
Toastd Kits Mini Kit S'mores
The delicious US import of smores can be made at home but it doesn't hold a matchstick to making one over a campfire. This kit has enough to make a few treats and comes with an activity to make different types.
Buy now £13.95, NOTHS
E-Know Bubble Wand
Sometimes it's the simplest solutions that prove the most effective. Bring bubbles on your next camping trip and your kids will have hours of fun competing to form the biggest ones they can. This supersized wand can make ginormous ones and all you need is some water and wind - both readily available over a classic British summer.
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
Inflatable Lounger, Air Sofa Hammock
Get the kids running around to fill this inflatable sofa with enough air to sit on. It's harder than it looks but once achieved and best managed by excitable little ones with energy to spare.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
Camping Games for Kids & Families
Find more than 100 games, activities and challenges in this camping-themed book, helping to create treasured family memories. Many ideas don't require equipment so you can get started whenever the mood takes you. Each activity is categorised into levels so you can choose according to the age group you're entertaining. A bundle of ideas for a bargain price.
Buy now £4.99, Amazon
COOLJOY 2 Packs Kites
A two-pack of colourful kites promises hours of fun with the kiddos. These easy-to-fly designs are made from long-lasting polyester. The entertaining activity has the bonus of honing their coordination skills. All you need is a hill and a gust of wind for take-off!
Buy now £12.32, Amazon
Zodiac Constellation Pocket Flower Press
Teens will adore this mini flower press which they can use on walks of all descriptions, from holidays abroad to UK staycations. Perfect for nature lovers or astrology enthusiasts, this zodiac-themed pocket flower press will unleash their inner zen - especially that of earth signs.
Buy now £14.00, Etsy
NERF Dinosquad Armorstrike
Suitable for players aged 8 and up, this dinosaur-themed Nerf run sprays your enemy with a shower of up to eight darts at a time. Sold with 16 darts, the rest of the ammo can be stored onboard the unit so there’s no need to keep running back for more. This design requires no batteries either, cutting unnecessary waste while also keeping action in play. It’s a win-win.
Buy now £23.00, John Lewis
VTech KidiZoom Duo FX
Best for: Extra games and effects
This option from VTech is one of the most popular kids’ cameras on the market, and with good reason. Available in Barbie pink or electric blue, it’s aimed at kids aged four plus (though our three-year-old tester loved hers), making it a great starter camera for younger children. Larger and chunkier than some of the other cameras on this list, it feels more robust than some of the dinkier options, meaning it’s more likely to withstand being chucked around and dropped – always crucial when being handled by little ones.
It also comes with loads of whizzy tech features, including dozens of games and activities, as well as 75 photo and video effects, meaning it’s less likely your kid will grow out of it too quickly. Our tiny tester loved playing around with all the different effects, and it really helped her push her creativity and imagination.
Buy now £59.99, John Lewis
