50+ Camping Gifts For Kids They’ll Love & Use (2023)

Hammock

Kids love a good hammock hangout, and colourful hammocks make a fun and cool camping gifts for both teens and younger kids.

This hammock is very well rated, lightweight and folds up into a small grapefruit sized pouch. Easy to take anywhere. A fun addition for your next camping trip.

Tweens and teens can swing or read a book in it for hours (getting the space they need), and younger kids can swing wildly pretending they are in a boat, space ship, coccoon. It can also be used as a cool outdoor sleeping experience.

Hammocks are a popular Birthday gifts and Christmas gifts for both little kids and older kids.

Kids Camping Chairs

Camping chairs are a hit with kids of all ages and essential camping gear for kids (and adults). Choose a small lightweight one that is easy for them to carry around. Fun for tent camping, RV camping, visiting a National Park, or just hanging out in your own backyard.

For the younger crowd choose a character theme or cute animal camping chair like the Melissa and Doug Butterfly Camping Chairs, and you will be their favourite adult.

Best Kids Camping Gifts: Sleeping bags!

What’s a campout without a sleeping bag? Buying light weight, insulated kid sized sleeping bags will bring excitement and anticipation for their next camping trip. Gifts for kids that are cozy, fun and useful. This one is perfect for warmer weather.

They are also great for sleepovers with friends, as a nest inside forts, or sleeping bag stair races. Who did this as a kid?

They don’t need to be super fancy or expensive, unless you need to buy sleeping bags that are technical for backpacking, or cool weather camping family type adventures. They make great camping gift ideas.

Kid size is the best! My daughter was so excited to get her first sleeping bag she slept in it on her bed for weeks.

Water bottle

Keeping hydrated in the outdoors is important, and should be at the top of the list of camping gear for kids.

Consider a water bottle that is insulated and leak resistant like the Yeti Rambler Jr with straw cap, or one that is lightweight, with an easy to use sport top like Kleen Kanteen.

Hiking Backpack – Essential Camping Gear For Kids

Hiking and camping go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Osprey hiking backpacks make the best gifts for outdoorsy kids. Bonus they can carry their own water bottles, snacks and the many inevitable treasures they pick up along the way in their own hiking backpack.

Deuter Kikki’s Backpack

Deuter Backpacks that are well made, can last for at least a few years and can be passed on to younger siblings. You can take them everywhere from a family camping trip, to road trips and on planes.

Camping Pad for Kids

Camping in comfort begins with a self inflatable camping pad. Comfortable kids = less complaining!

Perfect camping gift ideas for kids who are campers and outdoorsy, or who want to be.

Cool Camping Gifts: Kids Binoculars for All Ages

The Educational Insights Kidnoculars were one of the favourite grandparent camping presents of my daughters for many years. Fun for bird and squirrel watching, and checking out “things over there.” Toddler friendly!

These lightweight, shock proof Kids binoculars are perfect for little hands, and are difficult to break. Broaden the top camping gear for kids with a new hobbie, birdwatching.

If you are looking for a gift for an older outdoorsy kid try these highly rated, compact and lightweight Sky Genius binoculars suitable for kids and adults.

Underwater Camera for Kids

Kids love taking pictures, and underwater is so exciting. Grab an underwater camera, and it will be waterproof for rainy days, or accidental spills as well.

STEM Sticker Activity Book

Puzzle Books

Camping Activity Book

Learn to Draw Disney Characters

Exploring Nature Activities

Paper Crafts

Goodnight Campsite

For the littlest ones on your crew, Goodnight Campsite is a fun camping book for toddlers. It follows visitors as they explore the nature park where they are staying during the day (hiking, biking, fishing) and then their campsite at night. This book highlights RVs, so a fun option if you are an RV family.

Tent Mouse, RV Mouse

We also love her Tent Mouse, RV Mouse, a modern twist on the old Aesop’s fable The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. One mouse loves being outdoors in his tent close to nature, the other prefers the safety of the RV. Both learn it’s ok to like different things and spend time camping.

Do Princesses & Super Heroes Hit the Trails?

Get your Princesses and Super Heros ready for a camping trip to a National Park. Perfect for 3-7 year olds.

When We Go Camping

When We Go Camping by Margriet Ruurs is a beautifully illustrated book for young kids that tells the story of one family’s camping trip.

America’s National Parks

If you are planning on heading out to a USA National Park in the near future, America’s National Parks book by Lonely Planet is a great addition. Full of awesome facts and gorgeous pictures this will inspire your kids curiousity and excitement about exploring nature around them.

Do Princesses Make Happy Campers?

This fun series makes great camping gifts for kids, and includes all the favourites like:

• Do Princesses Make Happy Campers (spoiler alert, yes they do)
• Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots; and
• Do Superheros Have Teddy Bears

They also come in board books for the toddlers as well.

Blackflies

Is a camping trip really a camping trip, without a few bugs? Blackflies by Robert Munsch is a charming story about a girl who needs to rescue her dad and sister as they were carried away by bugs. Sure to get a few laughs.

Ultimate Book of Scavenger Hunts

The Ultimate Book of Scavenger Hunts will keep the youngsters busy. Naturally they will want to check off all the items on the list during their outdoor adventures.

On The Trail What Will You Find

Backpack Explorer – On The Trail What Will You Find is a field guide for ages 4 to 9, full of seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games. A delightful interactive book for kids.

Camping Activity Book for Kids

Get ready for your great adventure in the outdoors! The Camping Activity Book For Kids, for ages 6 -9 helps encourage kids to explore the world around them and build wilderness skills.

Camping Spree with Mr. McGee

Camping Spree With Mr. McGee by Chris VanDusen is a funny tale about the camping misadventures of Mr. Magee and his dog Dee. Perfect for a bed time read, snuggled up in a sleeping bag.

Camp Out

Camp Out is a perfect guide for kids 7-12. Learn the basics of camping and cool skills like campfire buidling and how to build a tarp tent, along with tasty outdoor recipes and more.

Kids Tablet

A Kids Tablet is a fun alternative to physical books if you are looking to save space and weight. Bring music, games, books, audible books, and educational content along in one (almost) indestructible device.

Camping Gift For Teens: Go Pro

In this digital age, it is easy to see why a Go Pro would make a wonderful family gift, or a gift for an older teen. Capturing all the outdoorsy moments, and camping trips will make great memory keepers for the future. GoPro – get them excited to make memories, with a camera they can take epic videos. Wow your kids with a special gift.

Underwater Camera

If you aren’t sold on the price tag of a Go Pro, try this more budget friendly, and highly rated camera:

An underwater camera that comes with useful accessories, and is designed for both kids and adults make fun outdoor gifts.

Kindle Paperwhite

Give the gift of infinite adventures with a Kindle Paperwhite.

Add on a Digital subscription – Kindle unlimited subscription (for voracious readers) or Audible Subscription (for teens who prefer to listen to books ).

Anker Powerbank

Win extra brownie points with a Portable Charger for your teens.

MPOWERD String Lights

String Lights & Phone Charger – MPOWRD lights will not only light up the campsite, it will charge devices with it’s solar powered capabilities.

Pocket Knife

A personalized pocket knife or the classic Swiss Army Knife is a very useful camping gifts for kids and teens.

Card Games

Card Games are great camping ideas for kids, tweens and teens. Grab a pack of cards, or choose some family favorites:

• Codenames
• Five Crowns
• Kids Against Maturity

LED Lanterns & Headlamps

Let there be light! And safety. A small LED Lantern or headlamp will be well used at your tweens and teens next adventure.

Balance Bikes

Balance bikes help develop balance and roam the campsite with their toddler biker friends. This one is good from 18 months to 5 years.

Pro Ball Set

Pro Ball Set – Introduce you toddler to 3 sports with a Pro Ball Set (5 inch soccer ball, a 6.5 inch football, and a 5 inch basketball)

Going Camping Wooden Play Set – Woodpecker Toys

Going Camping Wooden Play Camp Set is a sweet wooden peg doll set, complete with wooden boat, trees, and car. Imaginative camping play.

Photo credit: Woodpecker Toys

Large Aqua Doodle Map

Keep the toddlers entertained on your camping trip with a mess free camping toy for kids the Large Aqua Doodle Mat.

Fill the magic pens with water and let them draw. This is a fun activity with siblings too, and would be great up to age 6 or so.

Walkie Talkies for Kids

Walkie Talkies – 10-4, we are by the swings, bring marshmallows! Give your 8 and 9 year olds a bit more independence. Really these are a great kids camping toy from 5 – 14+.

Glow in the Dark Lawn Darts

Glow in the Dark Lawn Darts – No pointy bits. Perfect for a friendly family game or ten in the dark

Scavenger Hunt

Find and Seek Scavenger Hunt Fun for the whole family to take part. See who can find the most items in a certain time period. Create your own, or try out these other options:

• Go Find It a nature scavenger card game for families or
• This travel friendly indoor/outdoor treasure hunt card game.

Scooter

Scooters are portable and small enough to fold down into the car, this scooter will be a hit with the 8+ crowd, and their new campground friends. Plus they have adult sizes if you want to join in the fun.

Bocce Ball

Lego Caravan Holiday Set – 3 in 1

Plenty of opportunities for creative camping adventures with this Lego Camping Set. A top Christmas, birthday or any-other-day gift for kids aged 5 and up.

Lego Caravan Family Holiday

 Build a car with caravan, then switch it up for a camper van, or a lighthouse.

The Lego Caravan Family Holiday will give endless building and play opportunities while helping to spark creativity in children of all ages.

LEGO Friends Forest Camper Van

Who says you can’t camp in style. Take a boat ride, stargaze, take a nap in the decked out camper van.

LEGO Friends Adventure Camp Rafting

Raft and camp in style with a sweet friends Adventure Camp set.

Start with a river bridge and a camping area (includes a lamp, a fish, a campfire, marshmallows, compass, camera and sunglasses). Jump in the rafting boat with seats and oars, or head up the climbing wall for more outdoorsy fun.

Happy Camper Camping Mini Kid Kit – Kids Kits USA

Sweet camping kit for imaginative camping play. Use it at home, or bring on your next family adventure.

Photo credit: Kids Kits USA

Camping Busy Box

Keep your kidlets busy at home or at the campdite with this fun Camping Busy Box. For ages 3-9.

This kit comes with everything you need; paint, markers, scissors and glue—which means no planning or prep needed on your part.

Photo Credit: Craft and Boogie

Play Campfire Felt Set

This super adorable and fun handmade play campfire set kids will love. I am wanting one myself.

Photo Credit: Homespun Market

Campfire Playset

A kids pretend campfire playset has all the essentials for a camp cookout: flaming logs, glow-in-the-dark lantern, fork, hot dog, marshmallow, chocolate bar, 2 graham crackers, and a carry bag.

S’Mores Campfire Set for Preschoolers

Or this sweet S’More Fun Campfire set for preschoolers, with real wood, and wearable bear paws as hot mitts. Roar!

KiwiCo Boxes

We have been enjoying the KiwiCo Boxes over the last year. There are plenty of fun options to choose from for all ages.

The Atlas Crate is a fun way to explore countries around the globe from home. There are 2 STEAM activities, plus a booklet full of interesting facts about the country, including a recipe to try, which my daughter also loves.

Green Kid Crafts

Our number one choice for an eco-friendly box is the Green Kid Crafts box.

The Green Kids Crafts Boxes are perfect for busy families, and a reoccuring subscription makes for a fantastic special occasion gift from grandparents or other family members.

We have bought this subscription regularly over the years, and as they have options for ages 2-10, it has grown with our child. The boxes have easy to follow instructions, fun science and art activities for the kids (that I enjoy too), eco friendly materials and it’s all prepared for you. So easy!