7 Best Kids Camping Tents

Camping With Kids

“Nature is an infinite playground for kids once they find their place in it.” — Joe Jackson

Spending time in nature is good for kids. Children learn a lot about the world by moving through it. The more you incorporate nature into your child’s experiences, the more their confidence in the wilderness, and themselves, will grow.

Outside’s online Gear Guy Joe Jackson believes a kid will figure out how to set up a tent if they are excited to, regardless of how easy it is or what doohickies are built into it. “My wife would set up a World War II-era wall tent to go camping with her dad when she was 11,” he says.

Here are some ways to help make camping a positive learning experience for kids.

Practice camping

Jackson suggests helping kids build skills from a young age. “They can learn how to tarp an area without a tent and the other adjacent skills that make camping easier,” he says.

To introduce the concept of sleeping outdoors, why not pitch a tent in the backyard and spend the night backyard camping together? That’s a good way to get kids used to the idea ahead of time.

Teamwork and responsibility

Assign kids age-appropriate camp chores so they feel useful. Besides building skills and confidence, Jackson says it helps kids take ownership of the trip.

“Even if they are too young to set up their gear, I would suggest having them be very involved in the packing — even having their own bag that they decide (at least partially) what goes in it,” he says.

Get kids involved

Jackson recommends finding ways to get your kids to explore an area, like creating camping games around spotting flora or fauna. When kids’ interests wane, Jackson finds that bringing along a bocce set can go a long way. Consider packing toys that complement outdoor play, such as magnifying glasses to spy on insects and binoculars for bird-watching.

Bottom line: It’s never too early to start camping with your children. When we get our kids excited about camping early on, we help create a generation of nature-loving trailblazers.