Gifts for Kids Who Love Camping

How to pick a camping gift for a kid

• Give them a job, not just a thing. A magnifier makes them the bug finder. Roasting sticks make them the s'mores chef. Kids remember the role far longer than the object.
• Buy for the age they are now. A compass is frustrating at 5 and great at 10. Ages below are rough guides; you know the child.
• Add a reason to use it. The gift lands best with a plan attached: a backyard campout this winter, or a date for the first spring trip. Our backyard camping with kids guide is an easy first outing.

Prices change often in November and December, so we list price bands rather than exact prices. Check the current price before you buy.

Ages 3 to 6: sturdy and simple

• Carson BugView 5X Bug-Catcher Magnifier (under $25). A bug-catcher magnifier with a real glass lens and a handle small hands can hold. It turns “I found a bug” into a ten-minute look at legs and wings. Pair it with our free nature scavenger hunt card.
• CARPATHEN Smores Sticks (8-Pack) (under $25). Telescoping stainless sticks with dull tips and wood handles, so kids roast their own marshmallows from a safer distance. Adult supervision at the fire still applies at every age.
• THERMOS FUNTAINER Kids Food Jar with Spoon, 10 oz (under $25). A kid-size vacuum food jar with a folding spoon. Preheat with boiling water and it keeps chili or mac and cheese warm for a trail lunch, and it works in a school lunchbox the rest of the year.
• FUNZBO Kids Craft Supply Kit (Googly Eyes, Pipe Cleaners, Pom Poms) (under $25). Googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and pom poms. Add a pile of pinecones and it is a rainy afternoon in the tent sorted. Small parts, so keep it away from kids who still mouth things.
• Kelty Space Cadet Toddler Sleeping Bag (40°F) ($50 to $75). For a toddler who sleeps in the tent: an arms-out 40 degree bag for ages 2T to 4T, with a bottom that unzips into walk mode. See camping with toddlers for the rest of the sleep setup.

Ages 6 to 9: explorers

• EverBrite LED Headlamp, 5-Pack (under $25). Five headlamps with a red night mode. Give one to the kid and keep the rest for siblings and cousins, or split the pack across stockings. A light of their own is what makes the walk to the bathroom after dark feel brave instead of scary.
• Peterson First Guide to Trees (under $25). A pocket tree guide organized by leaf shape, so a kid can work out a tree on their own. Good for confident readers and for younger kids with a parent reading along.
• The Night Sky 30°-40° Star Finder (under $25). A rotating star chart: dial in the date and time and it shows what is overhead, no batteries needed. It pairs perfectly with night sky bingo and our stargazing with kids guide.
• Creativity for Kids Glow-in-the-Dark Rock Painting Kit (under $25). Glow-in-the-dark rock painting with a sealant coat so finished rocks survive the rain. A quiet activity for the hour before dinner.
• Caliart Sketching Kit with Nature Journal ($25 to $50). Colored pencils, a small watercolor tin, and a nature journal. Great for a kid who likes to draw, and it becomes a record of every trip.
• PartySticks Glow Sticks, 100-Pack (under $25). A hundred glow sticks for ring toss, glow tag, and marking tent lines after dark. Fun for a group of cousins; not for kids who still chew on things.

Ages 9 and up: real tools

• Suunto A-10 Baseplate Compass ($25 to $50). A clear, simple baseplate compass that is the usual first recommendation for learning to orient a map. Practice in the backyard first, then use it on a marked trail.
• Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks (under $25). The standard pocket guide to prints and other animal sign. Pair it with our free animal track ID card for the muddy edge of the campground.
• Celestron Outland X 8x42 Binoculars ($50 to $75). Full-size 8x42 binoculars for birds by day and the Moon and bright planets at night. Best for kids big enough to hold them steady, usually around 8 or 9 and up.
• Zebco 33 Spincast Telescopic Combo ($25 to $50). The classic closed-face spincast reel on a telescoping rod, pre-spooled. The closed reel avoids the tangles that end a beginner's day early, and younger kids can use it too with an adult helping. Many states let kids fish without a license while adults need one, but the rules vary, so check your state before the trip. Add Beginner Tackle Box Lure Assortment to round it out.
• Donner Soprano Ukulele Beginner Kit ($25 to $50). A soprano ukulele small enough to pack without a case and forgiving for a first instrument. Learn three chords at home and campfire songs follow.
• TECEUM 550 Paracord, 100 ft (under $25). Paracord for knot practice and rigging a clothesline at camp. Wrap it with a printed knot reference card.

The bigger gift: a sleeping bag that fits

If your child is still in an adult bag or a thin sleepover bag, a kid-size sleeping bag is the one bigger camping gift that is hard to get wrong. Kids lose heat in the empty space of an adult bag, and a bag sized for them is warmer at the same rating.

• TETON Junior 20°F Kids Sleeping Bag ($50 to $75). A 20 degree synthetic bag that fits kids up to 5 ft 5 in. Warm enough for spring, fall, and high-elevation summer nights.
• Retrospec Dream 25 Kids Sleeping Bag ($50 to $75). Rated to 25 degrees with an adjustable length that grows with the child, for kids up to 5 ft.
• Coleman Kids 45°F Sleeping Bag ($25 to $50). A 45 degree rectangular bag for summer camping and sleepovers, machine washable.

Temperature ratings and sizing for kids are covered in detail in the best camping sleeping bags for kids.

Gift bundles that work

• The bug detective: magnifier, pocket tree guide, and a printed scavenger hunt card.
• The night owl: a headlamp from the 5-pack, a star finder, and night sky bingo.
• The camp chef: roasting sticks, a kid-size food jar, and a recipe from campfire recipes for kids.
• The navigator: a compass, paracord, and the knot reference card.

Shopping for the rest of the family too? Start at the best camping gifts for families, or see camping stocking stuffers under $25 for more small gifts.

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