Camping with kids can be tough. That’s why it’s important to have the right gear. Here’s what we use to make our camping adventures go smoothly.

Everything listed on this page is what we actually use on our adventures. Most of it we purchased ourselves, although some was given to us for the purpose of review. I only include items on this page if we really love them, so know that we recommend these things whole-heartedly.

Also, you should know that the links on this page are affiliate links. I get a small commission if you purchase something after clicking through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn through qualifying purchases.

Outdoor Food Storage and Meal Preparation

The first step to camp cooking is food storage and meal preparation. I’ve prepared a FREE download of my family’s 3 day/2 night camping menu so you have an idea of camping meals my kids eat. Hint – it’s all food I often make at home on my cooktop.

In addition to my family’s 3 day/2 night camping menu, I prepared a FREE downloadable packing list for camping as well as a video showing how to make the perfect camp cook fire. To get all these freebies just sign up for my Camp Cooking Challenge email series in the box right below this sentence.

Now for the gear. Every item in the gallery below is something we’ve tried, tested and loved while camping. When looking for products to include in our camp kitchen, I search for durable, easy to pack and clean items.

The Sea to Summit X series pot, kettle, plate, bowls and cups are our FAVORITE. Made with heavy duty silicone, these all pack down to fit in our gear box, are are light enough for backpacking too. They’re awesome. Sea to Summit sent me samples in 2016 and they’ve lasted for YEARS. Although I did melt the X pot lid accidentally. They’re not joking when they say keep the flame contained to the aluminum sections.
A high quality cooler like the Yeti Tundra I bought for Mountain Dad’s birthday in 2017 is pricey but SOOOOOO worth it. It’s bear proof can keep cold food cold for days. DAYS!
When washing dishes in the backcountry please use biodegradable soap and pack out as much trash and food waste as you can to keep wildlife wild.
My kids love roasting starburst even more than roasting marshmallows.

You can find these camp kitchen recommendations along with other gear suggestions on my amazon shop page at www.amazon.com/shop/mountainmomtots.

Hydration When Camping

We’ve tried lots of different water systems when camping – hydration bladders, insulated water bottles, water filters and much more. Ultimately it doesn’t matter HOW you get the water as long as you DRINK WATER. You should plan for a gallon of water per person per day, especially in desert areas.

Psst…The links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Also, why are so many hydration products blue?

When hiking, I prefer a camelbak bladder. At camp I prefer having my designated water bottle. I love hydroflask bottles because of their double wall vacuum insulated design and the wide variety of colors, but my current favorite water bottle is my wide mouth FIFTY/FIFTY bottle I got as a gift. It’s also double wall vacuum insulated so it keeps warm drinks warm for HOURS and cold drinks cold even longer.
My kids are assigned ONE water bottle to use for the entire campout, preferably one with a sippable spout like the hydroblu so they don’t spill.
The hydroblu with built in water filter is SO GOOD! They sent me one to review and I loved it until my kids lost it somewhere. You can fill it up in any lake, river or stream in North America and it is reasonably priced at just $21.95.

Cooking at Camp

When camping, you’ve gotta heat your food somehow, whether that’s on a propane/gas powered stove, over a fire, in a solar oven, or in a dutch oven. We’ve tried out all the camp cooking items in this gallery and love them for their different uses.

My go to camp cooking tool is our two burner camp chef cook stove. Use it with 1 lb propane bottles or connect a special hose to use larger 20 gallon propane tank, like the ones used at home barbeques. You can also refill 1 lb propane bottles with this nifty contraption!
Dutch oven cooking is the easiest way to bake while camping, but it requires some special gear like the dutch oven, lid lifter, a charcoal chimney, coal tongs and fireproof gloves. You can probably make due without all those things, but it’s MUCH easier with them. Check out my Dutch Oven for Beginners post for more.
Backpacking stoves like the Jetboil Flash, Jetboil Joule and MSR PocketRocket 2 are designed primarily to boil water. Perfect for cooking freeze dried backpacking meals.
This Biolite Camp Stove they sent me to review can CHARGE YOUR PHONE while you cook. Seriously genius.
I loved trying out the GoSun Solar oven they sent me to review – post here. You put your food INSIDE a glass tube and just leave it in the sun. Easy.

Remember, having the gear does nothing if you don’t know how to use it. So check out these posts and don’t forget to sign up here for my Camp Cooking Challenge email series in the box after this list.

Camping Resources – Sleeping

My biggest struggle with camping is getting a good night sleep. That’s why I like the cushiest camp pad I can possibly find – the REI 3.5 Self Inflating Camp Pad. I’ve tried lots of different camp bed options (even an inflatable pool lounger) and like the thick self-inflating pads the best.

I tried to find the exact model of sleeping bags that Mountain Dad and I use, but since they are both over a decade old it was not meant to be. Since I couldn’t find the exact model to display, I chose the ones I thought were most similar to what we have.

What can I say? We use what we’ve got and if you buy good gear it will last forever. Again, most of these items we purchased ourselves and several are older than this blog.

PRO CAMP TIP: I like to completely unzip my sleeping bag and use it like a blanket when I sleep next to my toddler.

Camping Resources – Shelter

In addition to our tent, we have a truck cap on our truck that we sleep in. I’ve included some items below that we installed on our truck in order to make it more camp ready. You can read more about our Ultimate Adventure Vehicle here.

Lightspeed Outdoors Tripod Canopy
Buy Now

Camping Resources – Accessories

No camp would be complete without the little things that make camp life easier. Our flashlights, pocket knives, day packs and more are all listed here.

Again, we purchased the vast majority of these items, I think only one of the camp chairs was given to us for the purpose of a review. The day packs we use have since been discontinued, so I included the models that were most similar to what we have in both style and brand.

There you have it – the camping gear we use and love. If you have any suggestions of YOUR favorites please comment below! I love trying out new gear!

Great Gear, Great Price

If you’re planning on purchasing any camping gear please consider shopping through one of the following affiliate links. I receive a small commission if you purchase something after clicking these links. Thank you!