17 Best Camping Gifts for Kids
Give them something practical and fun! Here are our tried and tested best camping gifts for kids as recommended by our own little camping kiddos.
If you’re anything like our family, you want to give gifts that you know will be used and treasured.
Since you’ve landed on this gift guide, you’ve likely got an outdoorsy kid who needs a special present, and we’re here to help.
Below, you’ll find a wide range of camping themed gift ideas for kids, complete with age range suggestions and why each option would appeal to a child who loves to camp.
These gifts are great for Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts who camp frequently, family tent campers, kids who RV camp, and more!
We’ve also included ideas for gifts for camping kids of all ages, so you’re sure to find something for the wildling in your life.
This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through one of the links below, I will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.
10 Best Camping Gifts for Outdoorsy Kids
1) Children’s Hiking Shoes
Recommended ages: 6-18
For many parents, hiking shoes for kids are a luxury item and not a necessity.
Our 5 year old testing out his new hiking boots in Congaree National Park
And yet, kids need support and stability in their footwear while hiking just like adults do!
(We could make the argument that they need specialty footwear more because their feet are growing so quickly!)
In any case, I know that it’s tough to swallow the idea of purchasing a pair of specialty shoes for your child, especially since hiking shoes don’t come cheap—even for little feet.
This extra-special addition will make any kid feel like a legitimate hiker, and their parents will be able to explore longer and further.
My kids were gifted REI gift cards for Christmas so they could get hiking boots, and that purchase has made the BIGGEST difference in their enthusiasm for longer hikes!
We recently moved closer to South Carolina’s only national park (check out my 2 day Congaree National Park itinerary here!), and there’s so much great hiking there.
Thanks to my kids’ new hiking shoes, we’ve been able to log several 3-4 mile hikes even with our kindergartener in tow.
Both of our kids have reported that their hiking boots help their feet feel more comfortable over rocks, roots, and uneven terrain than their regular tennis shoes.
As an added bonus, throw in a pair of padded kid’s wool hiking socks!
If you don’t know your favorite camping kid’s shoe size, spring for a gift card at their favorite outdoor gear shop, and make a day of it with them.
>> Get our suggestions for the best toddler hiking shoes in this comprehensive buying guide! <<
2) A bundle of camping-themed books
As a former college English professor, I love books!
They’re one of my favorite kids camping gift ideas, and there are many, many incredible camping books out there.
Grab a few of these in the appropriate age category, and wrap them up in some cute outdoor themed wrapping paper.
You’ll have the perfect gift in no time.
Best Picture Books about Camping
Recommended ages: 0-6
Llama Llama Goes Camping by Anna Dewdney. Follow Llama on his first camping trip! Will he and his friends have fun, or will they get scared in the woods?
Curious George Goes Camping by H.A. and Margret Ray. Everyone’s favorite little monkey is heading for adventure. Join him and the man with the yellow hat as they learn to set up a tent, start a campfire, and roast marshmallows.
National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber. This beautifully illustrated picture book walks children through some of the most famous national parks. It’s loaded with fun facts, and it’s a great way to get your little conservationists excited about an upcoming trip.
The Hike by Alison Farrell. Join a sweet group of kids as they walk, explore, and discover the forest in this funny, fully illustrated book.
S is for S’mores by Helen Foster James. We love the Sleeping Bear Press alphabet books, and this camping themed one is no exception! Help your kids learn their letters while also exposing them to the beauty of nature and the fun of camping.
Best Early Reading Books about Camping
Recommended ages: 5-7
The Camping Trip that Changed America by Barb Rosenstock. Learn about the founding of our national parks as Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir spend an unforgettable few days in Yosemite. Accessible history with kid-friendly illustrations.
Pete the Cat Goes Camping by James Dean. Can Pete the Cat overcome his fear of Bigfoot as he hikes and explores? It’s a fun and engaging Level 1 reader (and one of my kindergartener’s favorites!).
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish. Amelia Bedelia wants to relax in the Great Outdoors with the Rogers’. She just takes everything too literally!
Chapter/Middle Grade Reader Books about Camping
Recommended ages: 8-12
The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This book was a classic even when I was a kid! Jump start a sense of adventure and resilience in your favorite outdoorsy kid by following along on Brian’s journey of survival.
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George. It’s The Hatchet, but with less peril for more sensitive readers. Sam runs away to a nearby mountain range for freedom and adventure, but he might be in over his head. Can he survive on this beautiful but harsh landscape?
The Tarantula in My Purse and 172 Wild Pets by Jean Craighead George. A nonfiction account of what it was like to grow up in author and biologist George’s family, this funny collection of stories covers the family’s pet owl, animal rehabilitation and their appreciation for nature. It’s a perfect read aloud!
Camp Out! by Lynn Brunelle. This book has EVERYTHING your kids could ever want: from constellation charts to variations on s’mores to nature-based art projects, your kids will never be bored in the woods again. We love this book so much that it stays permanently in our camper.
Camping with Kids Cookbook by Amelia Mayer. Get the kids involved in all aspects of your family campout with this fun, accessible cookbook. Even if you’re struggling to make s’mores, you’ll get step by step instructions for campfire cooking here. Yummy and kid-friendly!
Camping with Unicorns by Dana Simpson. My daughter LOVES the Phoebe and the Unicorn graphic novel series. If you have a girl in your life who is similarly obsessed, this book is a great addition to her collection.
YA Books about Camping
Recommended ages: 13-18
Survival Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival by Denise Long. Prepare your teens for anything with this hands-on book. Covering everything from shelter building to basic wayfinding, this guide is a great way to start conversations on how to deal when the worst happens.
Into the Wild by John Krakauer. Classic adventure non-fiction at its best! Krakauer dives into the short but fascinating life of Christopher McCandless, who left his family behind in Georgia to undertake a cross-continent journey to Alaska. McCandless ultimately lost his life, but his sense of freedom will linger with older teenage readers for a long time.
Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets by Chelsea Ichaso. Mystery meets the wilderness! This dark, but fun mystery follows teen Savannah as she embarks on a journey to solve the mystery of her sister’s accident. Will the local wilderness club’s latest adventure hold the key?
NOTE: An honorable mention that’s great for any kid (or adult!) are the Stikky books, which break down big concepts into bite-sized pieces. Check out my full review of both Stikky Night Skies and Stikky Tracks here.
A bundle of books is a great gift for kids road tripping to the best national parks on the East Coast or the best national parks on the West Coast!
3) Personalized camping chair
Recommended ages: 2-6
My kids adore things with their names on them.
First, that clearly marks which item belongs to each child (and stops the inevitable arguments!).
Secondly, personalizing an item helps it stand out. What kid doesn’t like something that’s a little different than everyone else’s?!
These sweet little camping chairs are perfect for car camping, RV camping, beach trips, or hanging out by a campfire.
They also come in 2 fun colors for even more customization, making these wonderful gifts for camping kids.
4) A day pack
Recommended ages: 6-18
My camping kiddos wearing their Kikki hiking packs on a trail in South Carolina
One important lesson about being outdoors that we’re teaching our kids is to always be prepared.
To accomplish this, we’ve bought them their own day packs so they can regulate their own water and snacks, and have emergency supplies should one or more of us get lost.
This decision has been life changing!
Instead of them asking us constantly to stop and grab a granola bar or hand over the pamphlet about wild mushrooms, our kids are now used to pausing on the trail and helping themselves from their packs.
There are some great kids’ packs out there from brands like Osprey, Columbia, Cotopaxi, and Deuter.
Our kids have these adorable Kikki animal packs from Deuter, and they fit our kindergartener perfectly with room to grow.
The packs are highly adjustable, so the pink one fits our tall 9 year old right now, but we anticipate having to upgrade hers in the next year or so.
We love that the Kikki packs are roomy with side pockets, and they have plenty of places to clip carabiners on the outside for additional accessories.
The shoulder straps are nice and padded, and the main compartment cinches shut with a toggle and with the overlaying topper.
They also won’t break the bank, which is why we recommend them for beginning hikers on a budget.
5) Melissa and Doug camper playset
Recommended ages: 2-8
This lightweight and adorable camper has been a hit with every kid that’s visited our house!
We even took it to my husband’s family’s beach week, and all of the kids—from the 2 year old to the 11 year old—couldn’t get enough of it.
The assembly and break down of the camper is a breeze, and we’ve taken it in our own camper for this reason.
It comes with a little license plate and map for a realistic, open ended play experience. It’s so much fun to listen to my kids pack their little camper, plan their pretend trips, and argue as they try to back it into a pretend campsite!
Looking for suggestions on where to camp with your family? Check out the best South Carolina state parks for camping!
6) Melissa and Doug campfire
Recommended ages: 2-6
If you can’t get into the woods soon, this adorable little campfire and s’mores set will keep your kids excited about future trips.
Let them assemble their pretend snacks, then “roast” them over the felt flames.
The marshmallows invert to go from uncooked to toasty, too!
These little bags of nuts from Target are great for stuffing into dry bags!
7) Dry bag with snacks
Recommended ages: 7-18
A dry bag packed with snacks is a great stocking stuffer or small add-on to another gift!
My kids discovered these in their stockings last Christmas, and they immediately added everything to their day packs.
Ensure that the snacks are easily portable: things like small packets of trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, or granola bars are perfect.
For even more fun, grab brightly colored dry bags. These will help the bags stick out in the dark interior of the child’s day pack.
8) Collapsible Hiking Pole
Recommended ages: 6-18
Our son with his hiking pole on the trail to Clingman’s Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
My then-5 year old spotted one of these collapsible hiking poles while we were visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he used nearly all of his souvenir money on it.
I might have questioned his purchase back then, but, more than a year later, I am completely won over.
This hiking pole is incredibly lightweight and easily hooks to our backpacks when not in use.
Plus, it’s fully adjustable, so it’s easy to stow when we don’t need it and it will grow for years with our son.
While he initially used it to poke his sister while on shorter hikes, he has now matured (a little bit) and (mostly) uses it to actually support himself with it while he walks.
Making sure that your kid feels the part is a big step in making hiking fun for your kids.
Don’t sleep on this sturdy piece of camping equipment for your favorite nature child!
9) Paracord bracelet with compass
Recommended ages: 8-18
A statement piece that also has survivalist features, a paracord bracelet with compass is great for older girls and boys.
My upper elementary aged daughter has one of these bracelets, and she loves practicing her navigational skills on it.
There’s also a built in whistle if she got separated from us. We recently practiced this skill while visiting Shenandoah National Park with our kids—perfect practice for a scary, real world situation!
Plus, the paracord could be cut and used for a variety of things in a survivalist situation.
10) Camping themed swaddling blanket
Recommended ages: 0-3
PIN ME!
For the youngest campers in the family, this sweet camping themed blanket is the perfect gift.
We went to a camping-themed baby shower not too long ago, and it was adorable.
This blanket was the perfect gift for the outdoor loving family, and I imagine that their baby will soon be hauling this blanket through the campsite!
Soft enough for newborn skin, but big enough for a preschooler to cuddle with, this blanket will be a welcome gift for years to come.
11) Walkie talkies
Recommended ages: 5-18
These are a camping must-have for kids!
My sister gifted a set of walkie talkies to my children a few years back, and they were an instant hit.
My kids love them so much that they use the walkie talkies to communicate even if they’re only a few feet apart. (Ridiculous, yes! But, at least, they’re not arguing…)
These are also great to take on hikes if one child wants to linger more than another. My husband will often take the more motivated kid hiker ahead on the trail a bit while I stay behind with the slower paced kid.
We can still communicate even in no-cell signal areas with the walkie talkies.
As a note, you’ll want to include a set or two of batteries in your gift as walkie talkies are notoriously bad about running through batteries.
12) Kid’s Hammock
Recommended ages: 4-9
Our kids aren’t ready for a full sized hammock (like our Eno hammock that my husband and I use), but they still love to relax in one once we set up camp.
For them, we prefer smaller hammocks that are still lightweight: our 9 year old can (mostly) hang something like this by herself, while our 6 year old still needs a little help.
But once we’ve gotten everything up, they will swing for hours in it.
A kid’s camping hammock like this one is great for backpacking (as a chair) or as a sleeping space when car camping.
13) Cute headlamp and lantern
Recommended ages: 3-12
We originally bought this owl headlamp and lantern set for our hurricane kit when we lived on the South Carolina coast, but it quickly became a kid favorite.
Once we moved it into the camper, it’s one of the first things that our kids ask for as the sun goes down at the campsite.
Perfect for late night trips to the bathhouse or as an added comfort light at bedtime, these lights are bright, effective, and last forever on a set of batteries.
In fact, we’ve had these for going on 3 years, and we haven’t had to change the batteries in either the headlamp or the lantern.
The lantern has 3 settings: a softer light in the owl’s tummy, a brighter light in the owl’s eyes, or both lights on at the same time.
14) A bug catcher kit
Recommended ages: 5-10
Fascinating, creepy, crawly, weird, and spectacular: bugs are always sure to get a strong reaction from kids!
If you know a budding entomologist, this inexpensive bug catcher kit is a great way to feed that interest. While the magnifying glass and tweezers are far from top-of-the-line, they’re great for kids who just want to get up close and personal with whatever snails, ants, worms, and more that they come across.
If you’re looking for a fun add-on to this present, grab a minnow net, too!
Our kids love to explore local waterways when we’re traveling, and these lightweight nets are perfect for small hands.
Another fun add-on to this camping present for kids would be the book Backpack Explorer: Bug Hunt by Storey Publishing.
The colorful photographs and easy to read text teach kids about everything from fireflies to bug signs to how to weave a web.
15) Binoculars
Recommended ages: 5-18
My son got his set of binoculars from a zoo we visited a few years back, and they are always among the first things he packs in his day pack for hikes.
Whether he’s using them to find a woodpecker on a nearby tree, or to simply accessorize his hiking outfit that day, binoculars make my 6 year old happy.
For younger kids, inexpensive plastic binoculars will suffice: they’re more interested in the novelty of them when they’re little.
For older kids, I’d suggest upgrading to a nice pair, as they’re more likely to use the binoculars to observe wildlife.
My daughter already has a nicer pair (see photo) that’s helpful in bird identification.
16) Trails Board Game
Recommended ages: 10-18
Great for rainy days in the camper or screen-free evenings by the campfire, this card-based game will be a hit with tweens and teens.
(It’s too hard for my kindergartener, but my 4th grader dives right in.)
Explore the U.S. national parks, hike on trails, and collect badges as your family remembers your own visits to these iconic places.
This game would also be a wonderful gift to a Scout leader or full-time traveling family!
17) Campfire Stories Deck for Kids
Get those little imaginations running wild with this fun, interactive campfire activity!
The Campfire Stories Deck prompts kids into making up inventive and unique stories with each turn.
My older child LOVES to read and tell stories, so she particularly enjoys this process.
It’s also great for less outgoing kids as they are given the key elements of their story through the cards they draw on their round.
What additions would you suggest for my list of best camping gifts for kids?
