When you’re packing for a camping trip there are a thousand things to remember, especially if you have to pack for your family too. From food to sleeping gear and stuff for the kids to play with on the beach, you’re bound to forget something. Hopefully this list will help you remember the essentials, so you won’t be too stuck when you arrive at your campsite.
Gear Checklist – Family Camping
- Check the facilities of the campground – especially if you are going with children or to a remote area (like a DOC campground), i.e are the sites powered.
- Check out any hazards in the campsite area, especially for children, such as streams, rivers and busy roads.
- Your tent!
- Gas light/torches
- Sleeping Bags
- Sleeping Mats or stretchers
- Pillows if you can fit them in!
- Fold up-chairs
- Waterproof picnic rugs or a large piece of canvas to out on the ground
- Rubbish bags and extra zip lock bags
- Insect repellant
- Sunscreen, hats, rash-shirts etc
- First-aid kit
- Your own fuel stove and spare fuel or gas stove and gas cylinder
- Dishwashing things including a separate dishwashing bucket if you can
- Toiletries including toilet paper, soap, face cloths and towels
- Rope and pegs for drying clothes
- Large water container, water bladders or drink bottles
- Spare fly or shade tent and associated ropes and poles
- Jandals for easy-on shoes to get to and from the loos and showers, for prickly terrain or burning sand
- Chilly bin or gas fridge
- Plates and eating utensils
- Mugs and drink bottles
- A hammer to help pitch your tent
- Basic tent repair kit – emergency pole sleeve, duct tape, seam sealant etc
Extras for Camping with Kids
- Cards, books, toys, games, puzzles, drawing pads and pens – for wet weather
- On the ground high chair for babies
- Nappies, wipes, pushchair or baby carrier
- Childrens clothes, sunhats, sleeping bags, towels, warm blankets, sunhat and beanie, toys and books
- Portacot or pop-up cot
- A plastic contrainer such as a fish bin for bathing littlies, or a solar shower
- Kids bikes, balls, kite
- Cricket set, frisbees etc
- A small pack for day walks
- Lots of food, especially snacks!
- Warm clothes – even in summer it can get chilly – especially at night!
- Maybe they’d like to keep a holiday diary?
Helpful Hints
- Always follow the manufacturers instructions when pitching a tent, they’re the experts
- If possible, try to pitch your tent so that the rear of the tent faces the prevailing wind
- If possible do not pitch your tent under trees. The dripping on your tent will keep you up at night and falling branches can damage your tent. Tree sap and bird droppings will cause irreparable damage to your tent
- Always ensure that the fly is velcroed onto the frame (if this is part of the design), that way when all the guy ropes are pegged out, they will hold the frame of the tent in place. It also ensures that the guy ropes pull on the frame, not just the fly
- Always peg out the guy ropes
- Hit your pegs in at a 45 degree angle
- Always pack away and store your tent completely dry – rain or condensation will rot your tent if it is packed away damp
- Do not leave your tent pitched unnecessarily. UV light shortens the life of your tent
- Leave windows open during the day to make for a cooler tent
- When pushing the poles out of the pole sleeves, bend them slightly. This will keep the poles connected together. Pushing the poles in and out of the sleeves is easier and better for your tent
AUTHOR
Danielle Conwell
Marketing - Torpedo7
