Family camping equipment makes camping fun!
Family camping equipment can be found in many places – online, in a store, and even on Craigslist or through garage sales. When shopping for equipment, it helps to already know what you want and/or need. Here are some of the pieces mentioned below. (You can also click on the bolded names, which will take you to that page on Cabelas.com, a great source of affordable family camping equipment.) Let’s begin with the family tent. When I was little, we didn’t have many choices for tents, and the tent we used was heavy and dark and small. Today, families can find family tents of many different sizes and shapes, and most of them come with rain flies and other amenities to make the camping experience enjoyable. Our first tent was made by Kelty. It had three ‘chambers’ and supposedly slept ten. In the front was a little ‘wet room’, where we could take off our shoes and any wet clothes before going through another flap to the main sleeping area. It also had a divider so we could section the tent off. 
Pros: The divider made it easier for us to sleep in the mornings, even after the kids woke up (usually the moment the light switched from black to gray). I could stand up inside it easily, which was nice, and the windows allowed a great breeze to flow through. Cons: The different shape (kind of a rounded triangle) made set-up a touch more difficult than it could have been – though my husband and I managed to get it down to a science after many uses. The first time we set it up, however, happened to be in the dark, and that didn’t work well! We used that tent for three summers – until the zipper broke (on the outer flap, so we could have continued using it without the wet room, if we wanted). We decided to buy a Coleman next, a family dome tent. It also has a divider, and it’s supposed to sleep eight.
Pros: There’s a porch (a flap which comes out and shades a good-sized area in front of the tent); I love that on sunny afternoons! The divider splits the tent right down the middle, which I also prefer. We can pop this tent up in minutes – usually fewer than ten.
Cons: It’s not as tall, so I can’t stand up all the way unless I’m right where the divider goes. Because the windows aren’t at interesting angles like they were in the other tent, the breeze doesn’t flow through as efficiently. Overall, I still think I prefer our current tent, but either is an inexpensive and feasible alternative to a car camper -- and is a good addition to your family camping equipment. Other family camping equipment you might want to consider includes the following: 
A ‘kitchen’: We were given an outdoor kitchen by friends. It has a little sink with a stopper and some tubing for ‘plumbing’. It also has a nice work space, where we usually put our Coleman stove (which is fueled by propane). The kitchen sets up easily and is a nice addition, but I think most people could also make do with a long table and a plastic bowl (for dishes).
A sun shower: I love my sun shower! You fill it up in the morning and then set it on a rock or somewhere in the sun. By the time we come in from our afternoon activities, the water is warm (sometimes even hot). I hang it from a tree branch and wash all the grime and sweat and sunscreen off. It’s my way of dealing with the aspects of camping I truly dislike (the dirt, the sunscreen/bugspray, the grime) -- and this makes it a truly invaluable part of your camping equipment. A stove or grill: We have a Coleman stove, as I mentioned above. It’s easy to use and works for most things. Ours doesn’t happen to include a grill, so if we want hamburgers, we have to fry them. There are also propane grills, however. We’ve used one before, but ours doesn’t light very well, so it’s more frustrating than not. I know others who have found ones which light with ease, though.
Sleeping bags: This is an obvious one – but many people wonder about the varieties of sleeping bags. We use mummy bags (two Kelty and one Coleman) and a Coleman regular sleeping bag, as well. Originally, we chose the mummy bags because they zip together (and for those of us, like me, who are cold-blooded, sharing a bigger bag with your partner really helps). The Eureka bags for kids are rated at thirty degrees, so that comforts me as to how warm they'll be. At the same time, I don't hesitate to add a thinner bag over those, like a blanket. Also, if you're like me, you might want an air mattress. I consider this an essential part of our family camping equipment. We got a queen-sized mattress (along with a battery-operated pump). For the kids, we have camping mats. 
For the non-mummy bag, I actually insert an indoor sleeping bag into the bigger, outdoor bag for added warmth. We’ve had some cold nights (upper 30s), and so far, the kids have kept nice and warm in our family tent! Be sure to check the temperature on the box/holder when you buy, however. If you live in a warm area where it’s unlikely to be colder than 45 degrees, I’d buy a bag which is guaranteed safe at least ten degrees lower than that. You can find sleeping bags almost anywhere, at any store which sells family camping equipment – we got our latest one at Target. A water cooler: We finally got one of these last year, and what a huge difference it’s made! Before that, we’d buy four or five gallons of water and take them with us. But a large water cooler (or a five-gallon plastic jug) is much easier. We use it for washing up, for mixing with juice, and for cooking. Plus, there’s usually some left over by the end of the family camping trip, and we can use that to help extinguish the fire. 
Lanterns/flashlights: These are the types of family camping equipment it’s easy to forget – but you’ll only forget once! We have a lantern which runs on batteries, and I like that. Our camping friends have a kerosene lantern, and that can also work well. Just be sure to take along extra batteries for lanterns or flashlights – and think about all the people who will need a flashlight, as well. We generally try to have a lantern and at least two flashlights as part of our camping equipment pile.
Food cooler: Our cooler is good-sized, and I’m glad! We have room to take all kinds of foods, and if you’re careful to move the cooler to the shady spots of the campsite during the day, your food should stay cold for the entire trip. Fortunately, this type of family camping equipment isn't easy to forget. Umbrella/Shade Source: We have a simple umbrella. It sticks into the ground if you brace it with rocks. On windy days, it doesn’t work very well, but if you’re looking at hot, still days, some kind of shade source is beneficial. Last year, we also got a canopy, which is nice too. 
Chairs: We got our chairs for our wedding. They’re basic chairs, and the only thing they’re missing is a cup holder (which would be nice to have). We got our kids’ connected chairs at Costco – they have cup holders, which the kiddos like. As you consider what types of family camping equipment your family might need, always remember to picture the different parts of your daily schedule -- and to remember that the outdoors provides beauty, but not much furniture.
Table: We finally got a camping table for this summer, and it's made things much easier! The friends we camp with also have tables, and we'll line them up and all eat together, which adds to the fellowship and fun of camping.
Porta-potty: If you prefer regular campgrounds, you won’t have to worry about this one. We usually camp on BLM land , which means we’re in charge of our own waste management (so we also have to remember a couple of good-sized trash bags). There are many options for an actual porta-potty, but I simply use a big pot which I picked up at a local Goodwill. I put a plastic bag (like a grocery store bag) and some paper towels in the bottom – and that works for me! However, many people like the convenience of a seat, and they're not very expensive. We still have the tiny porta-potty we bought for our kids when they were being potty-trained, as well. We take that with us for them, and it works quite well. If you need a porta-potty, you’ll also need a shovel to bury the waste. This is the kind of family camping equipment many don't consider -- and in the typical campground, it's not necessary, either. 
I hope this overview of some basic Family Camping
equipment is helpful. If you’re prepared, you can build a family fun time which will benefit everyone – an outdoor experience you’ll want to repeat as often as possible!
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