How to keep the family happy on camping trips

I love taking my flock on holidays, but anyone who’s been camping with kids knows you can’t plan for everything.

One minute you’re admiring the sunset, the next you’re digging through bags for a missing sock, a crusty band-aid or something to appease a tired hatchling.

And if you’re travelling with a Ben – the kind of kid who thinks tents are a personal insult – then you already know half the trip is keeping everyone warm, fed and in good spirits.

Still, with a little prep and a few sanity-saving habits, family camping can be the kind of trip everyone remembers fondly, even the complainers.

Here’s what’s worked for us.

If your flock is anything like mine, you’ll hear, “Muuuummm, do you have a band-aid?” long before you’ve finished setting up camp.

Scratches, mozzie bites, stubbed toes – kids can collect injuries faster than we can find the antiseptic wipes.

I always pack a well-stocked first aid kit, plus a second, smaller kit that lives in the car or can be taken on bush walks.

There’s nothing worse than needing something right now only to remember it’s sitting back at camp.

Also, if anyone in your family takes regular medication or inhalers, make sure you bring more than you think you’ll need – especially for longer trips.

As for Ben? He insists he’s “fine” until he realises a bite is itchy… then suddenly it’s a crisis. Trust me – always pack the Stingose.

Long drives plus hungry kids plus a flapping tent equals chaos.

To save everyone’s sanity, I always bring a new activity, or treat, the kids haven’t seen before. Something they can use immediately, so the grown-ups can get stuck into setting up camp without clingy helpers underfoot.

On our last trip, a simple game of totem tennis bought us a blissful hour.

For pack-down days, I keep a book, a craft kit or a small magazine in reserve.

By the end of a trip, our kids sometimes slip into helper mode – but more often, they drift off to play, which honestly works too.

This is a game changer for families.

I keep two online grocery lists saved:

Nothing beats coming home tired and realising you don’t have to scramble for Monday.

Between kids’ bikes, bags, boogie boards and the “just in case” items, your vehicle will fill faster than you think. Knowing your:

…will save you from overloading the car or caravan.

Ben once insisted he “needed” to bring half his room because “camping is hard enough already”. That was the day we learned payload limits are not negotiable.

Your own running water makes a huge difference, especially after a sandy beach day or a muddy hike.Portable showers – electric or pump-style – can turn a gritty, sticky evening into something close to luxurious. 

It also keeps half the outback from ending up in your beds.

Not glamorous, but hands down one of the best camping hacks for families.

Everyone gets a drawer for clothes. They stack neatly, they’re weather-resistant under the awning, and at home it’s easy for each kid to carry their own drawer back inside to unpack.

They’ve also solved the issue of “how did you sneak half your wardrobe in here?”, which was becoming a specialty of our youngest.

We even use extra drawers for snacks, utensils and activities. Total game changer.

Camping becomes magical when kids know what to expect.

We always try to:

These moments become the heart of the trip – the memories they talk about for months.

Ben will tell you he “hates mornings,” but when it comes to post-hike treats? Suddenly he’s all in.

Rain happens. Boredom happens. And bored kids in a small space? Not ideal.

I always bring:

The kids use whatever they find around the campsite – sticks, rocks, shells – to make creations. It buys hours of peace, and they’re usually proud of their “art.”

Camping with kids will never be completely predictable – someone will lose a shoe, someone will be hungry five minutes after lunch, and someone will always, always need a band-aid.

But with a little preparation, a few good habits and an attitude that embraces the messy fun of it all, family camping becomes less about chaos and more about connection.

And even Ben will admit – once the tent is up (and complaints are aired), some of the best family memories happen out there.