Love the outdoors and adventure in the mountains

I take my kids camping so they’ll know the Big Dipper really exists. I take them camping so they can hear real birds sing, not just cuckoos. But once I get out there, I realize I am no professional entertainer, I need these camping “toys” to help me. All of them fit into a kid’s backpack.

1. Camping Lantern

Kids just love carrying lanterns. For walking to the bathroom, finding the perfect marshmallow stick or just to get around camp after dark. Go with battery-operated lanterns because gas lanterns are hot, have a risk of fire, and not safe to use inside a tent.

2. Flashlight or, even better, Headlamps

Kids’ flashlights come in bright and cheerful colors. Many have cords to avoid losing or dropping the flashlight. My advice: get one for each kid. They’re not expensive, usually less than $10, and you spare yourself a lot of quarrelling. If your budget allows, consider a headlamp. It brings vision of brave cave explorers and Indiana Jones.

3. Bug Jar or Kit

Open a child’s eyes and curiosity to the critters around him. Coleman even has a tall, cylindrical bug kit designed to safely hold fireflies. At night the fireflies turn it into a twinkling lantern. How magical is that?

4. Compass

Compass for kids should be rugged, with clear markings. Show a kid how to use a compass with a map and he will learn a skill that’s handy not just for camping, but when he goes backpacking in Europe, or when he hikes up the Himalayans. You can get a basic camping compass for $10 to $15. Read more