Tips for Tent Camping With Kids and Dogs

Tips for Tent Camping with Kids and Dogs

11/10/2022

For the past year and a half, we've been saying that "once the weather was nice," which in Texas is about 6 days in the fall and about 6 days in the spring, we would go tent camping with the new tent I bought Marvin for his first Father's Day. Finally, this past weekend, we headed to Fredericksburg, TX, to break out the new tent and spend some time outdoors.

Packing List for camping with kids and dogs

For the campsite

Tent
Sleeping bag for each person
Pillow for each person
Air mattress(es) for the adults
Sleeping cot(s) or air mattress(es) for the kid(s)
Fitted sheets
Extra blanket for each bed
Folding lawn chair for each person
At least one lantern
At least two flashlights
Sunscreen
Bug spray
Citronella candles
Picnic blanket (lay this down on the floor of the tent wherever you will be walking so that at the end of your trip, you can gather it up and dump out any dirt, sand, grass, etc. that made its way inside the tent)
Paper plates and bowls and plastic cutlery (or reusable camping cutlery, plates, bowls)
Roll of paper towels
Hand sanitizer
Wet wipes
Anti-bacterial wipes
Thermoses or Yeti cups with lids for cold drinks (one for each person)
Cups with lids for hot drinks (one for each person)
Bath towels and wash cloths for each person
A quick-dry bag that you can use to carry towels and toiletries to the shower
Cooking and serving utensils
Cutting board and at least one knife
Dish soap, dish cloth, and dish towel
Tablecloth
Lighters and/or matches
Plastic bags for trash
Toiletries for everyone (deodorant, toothbrushes and tooth paste, shampoo and conditioner, body wash/soap, etc.)
Toilet paper
First aid kit
Medicines for everyone (take everything you may need for allergies, sore throat, heartburn, etc.)
High-quality cooler(s) with plenty of ice to keep your food and drinks cold

If you will have access to an open campfire:

Sticks for roasting hot dogs and marshmallows
Pie irons
Metal and/or cast iron cookware
Grate for over the fire
Metal percolator, if you are a coffee-drinker
Fire starters (store-bought or homemade)
Firewood and kindling
Rosemary to burn on the fire to keep bugs away

If you will not have access to an open fire:

Enamel camping cook set and/or cast iron cookware
Enamel percolator, if you are a coffee-drinker
Small camping stove
Small camping grill
Propane tank(s) (ideally with a Y-splitter to use one tank for both the stove and grill)

For the parent(s)

Shirts you can layer (short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters or sweatshirts)
Bottoms you can mix-and-match (a mix of shorts, sweatpants/yoga pants, and jeans, especially if you anticipate wide temperature swings)
Pajamas (again, in layers)
Socks and underclothes (in addition to regular socks, I also brought a pair of grippy socks for inside the tent)
Flip flops and/or shower shoes
Sneakers and/or hikers
Hat, Gloves, Scarf (if it will get cold at night)
Entertainment options (books, journal, card games, needlework, or whatever else you are into)
A bucket potty and large trash bags (admittedly, it's a little gross to think about, but trust me, if you end up far from the bathrooms on a cold night, you will be so thankful to have it!)

For the kid(s)

Shirts you can layer (short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, sweatshirts)
Bottoms you can mix-and-match (a mix of shorts, sweatpants, and jeans, especially if you anticipate wide temperature swings)
Pajamas (again, in layers)
Socks and underclothes (in addition to regular socks, I also brought a pair of grippy socks for Emmett for inside the tent)
Flip flops and/or shower shoes
Sneakers and/or boots
Entertainment options for inside the tent (books, card games, magnetic puzzles, etc.)
Entertainment options for outside (bubbles, sparklers, etc.)
A couple of comfort items (we brought a stuffed animal, a lovey, and a small blankie)
A small portable potty-training potty for young kids (older kids can use the bigger bucket potty)

For the dog(s)

Collar with tag and rabies vaccine information
Bed
Blanket
Squeaky toy
Small towel (in case the pupper gets wet)
Collapsible food and water bowls
Wet food and/or dry food in plastic containers with lids
Topical flea/tick preventatives
Sweater (if the temperature may drop)
Brush
Wet wipes (wipe the fur baby's feet and legs each time he comes in the tent so he doesn't track excess dirt into the tent)
Leash and harness
Poo bags (please be a responsible pet owner!)
Retractable dog tie out reel

Camping Menu

Here's a sample camping menu. Some of these we made on our most recent camping adventure. Some we have made in the past. Some we planned to make this time but didn't because we lost a day because of thunderstorms.
Drinks:

Bottled water (bring more than you think you'll need)
Your adult beverage(s) of choice (we brought a bottle of wine and a bottle of Scotch)
Coffee, decaf tea, hot chocolate

Snacks:

Fruit (blueberries, bananas, and apples are our go-to)
Pudding, yogurt, fruit, and/or applesauce cups
Crackers (graham and goldfish are our favorites)
Nuts (pistachios, almonds, or whatever your favorite happens to be)

Large Meals:

Steaks with corn on the cob and canned baked beans; S'mores for dessert
Beef stew with potatoes, onions, and peas; peanut butter and jelly toasted sandwiches in the pie iron for dessert
Catfish with Zatarain's rice and beans (with added smoked sausage and onion); baked cinnamon apples for dessert

Smaller Meals:

Hot dogs and chips
Chili
Pizza pies in the pie iron
Burgers and chips

Breakfasts:

Sausage gravy and biscuits with fried eggs
Stuffed French toast
Bacon, egg, and cheese bagel sandwiches
Omelets

General Tips for Camping with Kids and Dogs

Call ahead! We had originally intended to camp at Enchanted Rock Natural Area. I had read online that RVers must make a reservation but tent campers could not make a reservation. Then we arrived and they were completely full and, by the way, they do take reservations for tent camping. So don't trust what you read online, call ahead to see if you can/need to have a reservation and make your reservation if you do. If you can't make a reservation, I recommend calling the day of to make sure they are not full.
And on that note, have a backup plan. Fortunately, I had scoped out a couple of places when deciding on a suitable campground and we were able to go to our "plan B" - Lady Bird Municipal Park - where there was plenty of space available.
When you call to make sure there's room, also make sure you ask about fire rings or the lack thereof. We had planned to have fire rings because they have them at Enchanted Rock. But because of a burn ban, Lady Bird Municipal Park was not allowing open fires, so we had to scramble to get what we needed.
We found that having our larger meal for lunch made dinner easier when we were running out of light and winding down to relax before bed.
The key to eating well while camping is in the preparation before you leave your house. Crack your eggs into an air-tight container. Chop all your veggies and bag them up. Keep your meats frozen until you put them in the cooler so they will stay cold longer and help keep everything else cold.
We both enjoy a good beer from time to time, but opted for adult beverages that didn't need to be cold (red wine and Scotch) to free up space in the coolers.
Make sure you check the weather, but don't depend on it. And plan for wide temperature swings. When we went over the weekend, it was in the low 80s during the day and the mid 40s at night!
For older kids, consider giving them each an inexpensive camera and putting together a photo scavenger hunt. This will allow them to occupy both their bodies and minds while spending time in nature.
When camping with dogs, especially small dogs like our toy poodle Einstein, be aware of wildlife in the area. In Texas we have a plethora of snakes, many wet areas are homes to alligators, coyotes roam the wooded areas but are often seen wandering through subdivisions, and we have a lovely array of large birds of prey.
Also when camping with dogs, be aware of the plants on the ground. Our biggest complaint about Lady Bird Municipal Park was the complete absence of grass. The entire campground was just dirt and weeds with tiny prickers that kept getting stuck in poor Einstein's feet whenever we left our immediate campsite.
Plan your showers and bathroom breaks so that one adult takes the kid(s) while the other stays with the dog(s).
One thing we wish we would have taken was Emmett's small tent so that he and Einstein could hang out and play in it during the day. We ran out of room in our SUV, but if you have a kids' tent and room for it, I highly recommend taking it. All the card games and puzzles and such can be contained in their own little tent and the kid(s) will feel like they have their own space.
Be flexible. As with any travel plans, things do not always work out the way you think they will. We ended up at a different campground needing different supplies than we had planned for, and we left a day early because of thunderstorms. As Greek philosopher Heraclitus purportedly said, "The only constant in life is change." Plan ahead, but don't be upset if plans change.

I hope you find these camping tips helpful. We are hoping to make use of our camping equipment more frequently, so we may edit and revise this post as we come up with better ideas and more menu options. Feel free to drop a comment with your must-have camping essentials or favorite camping meals!