Our daughter is going to camp for the very first time this summer. It’s a day-camp, thank goodness (I’m not sure either of us is ready for sleep-away yet), but I’m excited for her to have that quintessential camp experience. If you’ve seen The Parent Trap or Wet Hot American Summer, you know what I’m talking about: arts and crafts, bug-bites, hiking, swimming, friendship bracelets. And while I’m busy hyping her up for the experience, I’ve also been obsessively researching the best camp gear to send with her each day...
So if you’re getting ready to send your kid off to camp or another summer adventure, I’ve got you! I curated a list of essential camp gear that I bought for my daughter and would recommend to other parents’ who are looking for the best camp outfits, hats, water shoes, sunblock, etc. for their little campers.
1. Stay Hydrated, Stay Happy: The Best Water Bottle For Kids
My kids are as bad about drinking water as I am—whoops! After a lot of trial and error, though, I found the perfect water bottle that they actually love and want to use through out the day because…
they come in different designs with characters they love (so they want to carry them around)
the spout is easy to open; even the baby can lift it up to get a sip
it keeps the water ice-cold even on the hottest days
I’m talking about the Simple Modern Kids Water Bottle with Straw Lid ($22), specifically the 18-oz insulated stainless steel water bottles. We love these so much that we’re on our third purchase, not because they wear out but because the girls’ favorite characters keep changing so we upgrade designs. You can put these in the dishwasher, although I found when I did this some of the artwork did start to chip a bit (which you can see in the photo at the top of the post).
2. Sun-Smart Hero: The Best Sunscreen Your Kids That They Can Apply Themselves
Do I really think my kid is reapply sunscreen at camp? Gosh, I hope so but probably not. The counselors promise to help with sunscreen on legs, arms and backs (we packed this one to make it easy) but we’ve been practicing with the Sun Bum Kids SPF 50 Clear Sunscreen Face Stick ($12) for her face and *hopefully* that means she’ll remember to swipe some on during the day. I feel like this is the best sunscreen for kids to put on themselves because…
can be applied to wet or dry skin
deodorant-like stick is really easy to use
goes on clear (so rubbing’s not that important)
Proud mama, look at that pro-level application 👏🏻👏🏻
3. Made For The Shade: The Best Hat and Sunglasses For Campers
I didn’t think about sunglasses for our kids until my optometrist pointed out that the small yellow spots on my eyes are actually photokeratitis—basically eyeball sunburns—that likely came from a childhood at the beach without wearing sunnies. Thanks, mom!
From that appointment on, I’ve tried to be as serious about my girls’ eye-health as I am about their skin-health when it comes to sun protection. With that in mind, we’re using this hat and sunglass combo for maximum coverage at camp this year…
I prefer trucker-style hats to traditional baseball caps for summer camp because they’re more breathable thanks to the mesh backing and dry a lot more quickly imo. My youngest, Chloe, picked out the rhinestone ice cream cone trucker hats from a cute kids store we go to in Brooklyn called Picnic but I’m also in love with all of these cute one from Feather 4 Arrow on Maisonette.
4. The Best Clothes For Day-Camp: Fashion & Functional Fits (My Daughter Loves To Wear)
Camp clothes need to be breathable, durable and fun all at the same time. Since I’m a frugal girlie who hates buying more than she needs—especially when it comes to kids’ clothing that gets outgrown or worn-out so quickly—I stuck with things my daughter owned already for the most part. That said, I wanted to treat her to one special new camp outfit and this Tie-Dye T-Shirt and Shorts Set ($24) from Dokotoo.
Update: My daughter’s been at camp for a two days now and most kids wear their bathing suits with shorts or a skort so they can run through the sprinklers throughout the day. She only had two suits that fit so I bought this BMagical 2-Pack of Swimsuits ($19) and I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality and she loves them.
5. Keep It Cool: The Best Freezable Snack-Pack For Kids
The day-camp my daughter goes to provides lunch, which feels like such a luxury. We’re packing snacks, though, and my girl loves her string cheese and yogurt to be ice-cold (just like her mama) so these PackIt Freezable Snack Boxes ($18) are a huge help. We love this company, we use the larger size lunchboxes for school. What I love about these smaller snack-packs….
freezer gel is build right into the bag; the whole thing is an ice-pack
buckle lets you clip it to the outside of a backpack
expandable, it fits way more than you’d expect (and it’s easy to wipe clean)
Update: I’ve added a little hand sanitizer bottle to the handle of the snack-pack since they seem to snack as they go and don’t always have access to a sink to wash hands — works like a charm!
I hope these recommendations were helpful and you feel ready to rock the day camp scene with this camp gear guide! Embrace the joy of creating magical experiences for your child—with products you trust and that they love to use—and don't forget to share your own tips and tricks with our vibrant community of moms. Happy day camping!
