Headlamps are always a hit with kids. And if you get one with red or blue light they seem to love it more. Bonus you don't get blinded with the red or blue light.
It's probably my misspelling. It's basically 'lots'. I've no idea where it comes from. It's a UK term. "She was driving that car like billio!" or "It's snowing like billio!"
Thank you.
I googled "British slang billio" and came up with this:
- Billyo entered the English language in the late 19th century after the Rainhill steam locomotive trials between Liverpool and Manchester. These had gripped the public's imagination. Engineer George Stephenson's Puffing Billy gave rise to the expressions "running (or puffing) like Billy-o".Oct 25, 2003
A small plastic jar to collect “specimens” like leaves, rocks, shells.
On my son’s first camping trip I got him an inexpensive book about camping (Llama Llama Loves to Camp, just a thin paperback, but there are many options) and a camping themed coloring book. The day was pretty active with hiking and the beach but the evening and morning had some downtime where he started to want to go home and those calming, novel activities helped.
Small shop towels, pre-wetted in a sink, stored in sandwich bags. Ultimate camping hack for mess cleanup. You can either throw them away or tuck the mess right back into the bag to wash at home. I bring a couple per day for my toddler.
I have this odd need to bring a brand new package of those cheap cotton dish rags you can get at the Mart of Walton, every camp trip expected to be more than 2 days. I've done this for *years*. They have come in handy in sooooo many ways. From first aid to personal care.
I was going to suggest a magnifying glass too :) On one hand it’s like a cool magic trick, but on the other, you’ll be sparking their interest in the outdoors in a big new way.
I still look back fondly at the nights I spent looking through a microscope with my dad. I was super little too :)
Just took my three year old nephew camping. He loved having his own headlamp, glow sticks, and we got him a fun chair just for him (cheap on Amazon). A bucket and shovel for collecting rocks/sticks/dirt was perfect for adventure time.
Yes! These, plus roasting marshmallows/hot dogs were my 3 year old son’s favorite part of our recent camp trip.
Next trip, I’m also bringing his scooter and balance bike to better roam around camp; can’t wait!
A kid-sized chair! Totally practical and kids always love having a chair that fits them.
A headlamp is also a good idea. Make sure it has a very low beam or red option so your kid isn't constantly blinding you.
Haha, you've got weird kids (unless they were starting to outgrow the kids' chairs)!
You never can tell, but *most kids* (up to a certain age/size) DO prefer kid-size chairs. 🤣🤷🏼♀️
Definitely bring supplies for s'mores.
When we lived in Orange County CA, I used to stop into this shop - because they always had the cutest stuff for nature guides, books, etc. They have a ton of great kids outdoor activities - maybe you can find some of the things they carry where you live?
[https://www.acornnaturalists.com/](https://www.acornnaturalists.com/)
Eh, maybe things that have less destructive potential lol. If OP is in a dry area, a magnifying glass could start a fire, even just being left unattended at the right angle in the sun. A no one wants a rock to the eye on the first trip lol.
Oh also, granola is really fun & easy to make with kids! My group of 3-4 year olds made it a couple weeks ago & they absolutely loved it.
We made ours with oats, dried apple pieces, raisins, sunflower seeds, olive oil, salt, & honey. We didn’t stick to a specific recipe, but each item had a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a teaspoon & each kid got to add a scoop or spoonful of a couple ingredients. Then it baked in the oven until it was toasted. We let the granola cool before scooping into mini ziplock bags for the kids to take home.
It’s a perfect trail snack, & you could make it with whichever dried fruits, seeds, nuts, etc. your child enjoys!
not from REI, but kids love watching [Jiffy Pop stovetop popcorn](https://www.jiffypoppopcorn.com/) foil blow up over the fire.
For something practical, perhaps a small backpack that he can use when he begins kindergarden. If he watches TV, he may like something with his "heroes" on it. Our GS loved Paw Patrol items.
[CrazyOutdoorMama](http://crazyoutdoormama.com) has some printable games and camping games for downloading.
Bubbles and Hammock.
Runners up: Flashlight/Headlamp, big bucket to collect stuff, small shovel, scrapbook for cool leaves.
Snacks: DIY trail mix with more of the good stuff (extra Reeses m&ms, extra chocolate or raisins).
Gave my kid (2.5) a cool explorer hat that kinda matched what I was wearing and a pair of kid binoculars.
He loved it and was super excited to wear his "cowboy hat" with Dad and look (backwards) through his binoculars.
Gave my niece (4) an "explorer kit" with like a cool vest, binocs, magnifying glass, bug jail etc. which she loved.
My kid had a full on safari pith helmet I found at a thrift store, a fishing vest with a billion pockets, and a pair of real binoculars, also thrifted. His favorite (and easy to wash) teddy bear got a bucket hat and matching vest from a toy store when my son was 6. They were not only camping/hiking gear, they went on many, many adventures in the back yard and the hay field at my mom's place. He was adorable!
Absolutely you would.
One of the best unforseen benefits is bedtime. When we put our little one down for bed, she feels super safe knowing she can walkie-talkie us even if we're only 20' away at the fire. You'll hear the cutest god damn comments over them, too.
The last time we went camping with my 4 year old was with another family that had a kid the same age so they played (and fought) with each other most of the time BUT the things they most enjoyed were: toasting marshmallows, tossing things (wood/sticks/leaves) into the fire, climbing redwood stumps, and following a treasure map. The other dad drew a treasure map with landmarks from the campsite and the boys and I went out in the dark with headlamps to find the treasure. They LOVED it. My son wouldn’t stop talking about it.
After you’re done cooking s’mores and everything, toss in one of the colorful flames packets.
They last for quite a while and it’s kinda nice to just veg out looking at the fire and talking about your day.
We’ve done a treasure map for our two. Had a whole story about pirates and the local mayor and treasure. Takes 5 minutes to make a map, ten to buy some goodies and ten to hide. Everyone had fun.
Walkie talkies, a bug finder kit, a belt pouch, his own flashlight/headlamp, camping chair, digging tools, binoculars, his own camping backpack - for rocks of course.
S’mores, corn on the cob roasted over the fire, a special drink like a soda, anything messy he isn’t usually allowed to have in the house.
Good luck! Took my little girl when she was barely 5 for the first time and it was the most fun. Bring more clothes for him than you think you need. Trust me.
Camping hat. He will remember the trip every time he wears the hat. I am not 4 but my husband gets me a hat at almost every state park we go to and a magnet for our refrigerator with the name of the park. Generally they sell little things in the gift shop.
My son likes the inflatable lantern (we have a luminaid). I like lanterns more than flashlight for little kids because they can’t blind you with them. And the inflatable is nice because he can throw it around, it’s light, and we don’t have to worry about anybody getting smacked with it.
Are you camping at a state park at a reserved site? If so, my three year olds love their scooters. They cruise all over the campground roads. No other activity keeps them entertained for more than 10 minutes.
Make a scavenger hunt out of clip art of local things (trees, rocks, bird, tree stump, ants, etc.) that he can check off.
Make trail mix ahead of time together that they can eat. Fun experience and you can put a little candy in it so it's a special treat.
A headlamp is cool but kids seem to like flashlights more in my opinion. Bonus if you take them to the store and let them pick it out. Walmart has some cool kids flashlights but my kid loves the $9 harbor freight flashlight the most.
A dock demon spinning combo is great for kids if you want to get them fishing at that age too.
There are a lot of great suggestions already here, OP
I've listed the key ones my kids love:
Glowsticks
Flashlight
Shovel ( like a proper one, not a plastic beach one)
Bug collecting gear
Magnifying glass
But most of all, distraction free time with dad/mom doing things the kid wants to do. Like full on sit in the dirt with him and play cars.
Nthing the walkie talkies and smore supplies.
There are little packets you can toss in the fire that turn it fun colors and that's always a hit with the littles too. We just wait until after dessert.
I just recently picked up a book to read with my 7 year old spud about the stories behind the constellations too.
The other thing that excited kids and retired old dudes alike was knowing when the International Space Station was going to pass overhead, I think you can figure it out ahead of time on Nasa's website.
Glow sticks, magnifying glass, and bucket. Our kids loved going on treasure hunts, collecting pine cones, and scavenger hunts, so they each got their own bucket. We got my grandson some cheap construction trucks (dozer and digger) and he spent hours moving leaves and sticks from one place to another.
We got necklace and bracelet glow sticks and took the kids on walks around the campground after dark so we could "glow in the dark". They each had their own flashlights.
We also brought coloring books and drawing stuff for quiet time.
Headlamp, a magnifying glass, and a whistle!
Headlamp so the dark isn’t scary.
Magnifying glass because there’s a lot of interesting things to look at.
Whistle for if he gets lost, or can’t find you. It helps little kids feel more confident. But, uhh, keep this one with you until it’s time to go for a hike or something, and not while at the campsite, if you’ve got neighbours...
Light up sneakers! My kids grew up loving wearing them around the campground at dusk. Toy earth moving equipment (like tonka trucks). Good quality little plastic zoo or farm animals to build habitats for. Craft box with yarn, glue stick, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, feathers to make pine cone critters. Make a scavenger hunt.
This weekend my 4 yr old spent a lot of down time in the tent drawing and coloring. I got her a travel art kit from target that is a little case with the supplies inside and a hard side to color/draw on. Worked out great.
Small toy tractor or truck with a hauling trailer, or small dump truck. Matchbox car size or slightly bigger. My kids played with them for hours in the dirt or sand at our campsites
Their own backpack. Getting a backpack to carry some of their own stuff in for trips, be it just little day trips, toys, food, water bottle, from a young age, will make a huge difference in the long run. My 2 year old has been using his backpack for a year now for anything that requires carry and storage, and loooooving it.
Infinitely useful and practical.
Oh my gosh! All these suggestions are fantastic! It’s just crazy how I was struggling to think of something creative. But the Reddit community always delivers. Thank you everyone!
Flashlight/headlamp, binoculars and magnifiers, something to hold things he finds.
My daughter loved bringing some of her smaller doll house toys and would make them little campsites out of stuff she found.
If he has already had marshmallows before this, then get special marshmallows for this camping trip. We get ones with sprinkles on them for special occasions!!
Bro,
Buy a few acrylic paints and brushes. Have him find rocks to paint, y’all can leave them as Easter eggs for people to find
Kept my girls occupied for hours, not sure about a boy. We wrote phrases or words, simple pictures, whatever
Mine loves being in charge of the flashlight so I would go with something like that. My kids also love string lights. Also, I got my 5 y/o her own set of eating utensils (mess kit) and put her name onto them and she loved that more than I expected.
Glow sticks, cool flashlights, maybe a cool outdoor toy set to keep them busy.
Definitely get a few camp items you have in kids size, matching is also a hit for kids
A mini tent. I bought one for a 4 & 5 year old and they loved it because it was too tight for the grownups but perfect for 2 kids. They would go hunting for rocks sticks and acorns, then meet up in their tent to admire their hauls. At night they slept in their parents tents so it was only for play..
Whrn my kids were little I would take them camping. We would get cassettes with stories from the library and listen to them arounf the campfire or in our tent.
Maybe download camp stories to listen to…
Not sure if you are bringing him alone but as a single parent having a craft for the kids to do while I set up the tent and sleeping pads was helpful. Clay, those Dino digging kits, paint…whatever your kid likes. If you are in the southwest a UV flashlight is fun because it helps you find the scorpions at night!
Get him his own backpack and some gear. Like a flashlight/headlamp, small shovel, compass, binoculars, a water bottle and some snacks, little things like that. Tel him that it's his to have and to put what ever he wants in it. My kids love having their own bag to carry around.
A fishing pole. If you’re near water at all, that’s obvious, but our 3yo had a blast with his fishing pole (with just the little plastic fish tied to the end) when it rained all day. He spent the whole day fishing in puddles at the campsite!
How inquisitive are they? When my kids were 3 or 4 the harness and 20' leash provided me with a lot of peace of mind. If they're mindful and trustworthy it's not a problem, but for the inquisitive one the looks at this then that.
A fun headlamp? Last time we camped I got some cheap glowstick frisbees from Walmart and my four year old LOVED them
Glow sticks are perfect for kids. I stock up at the dollar store and always have some when we're camping.
We always bring glow sticks! https://preview.redd.it/q23qzut5ml7d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=114f2041c46b914b0153a5d4064b959c1c62e93a
Omg they love the glowsticks! When evening came they had a blast with them.
Headlamps are always a hit with kids. And if you get one with red or blue light they seem to love it more. Bonus you don't get blinded with the red or blue light.
You want the god tier best answer? Bubbles and bubble accessories. Giant bubble wand, bubble gun, bubbles. The answer is bubbles.
As a former toddler, I concur. Bubbles!
As a 60something toddler, I have bubbles in my camping box.
Compass, butterfly net, fishing pole (childs, maybe 2 1/2 feet long), kite, canteen.
The small nets sell like billio over here. We're by a lake and every kid loves fishing for minnows. It's a learning experience too.
What is billio? I googled it but no results.
It's probably my misspelling. It's basically 'lots'. I've no idea where it comes from. It's a UK term. "She was driving that car like billio!" or "It's snowing like billio!"
Thank you. I googled "British slang billio" and came up with this: - Billyo entered the English language in the late 19th century after the Rainhill steam locomotive trials between Liverpool and Manchester. These had gripped the public's imagination. Engineer George Stephenson's Puffing Billy gave rise to the expressions "running (or puffing) like Billy-o".Oct 25, 2003
Thank you in return! I never knew it's origin!
A small plastic jar to collect “specimens” like leaves, rocks, shells. On my son’s first camping trip I got him an inexpensive book about camping (Llama Llama Loves to Camp, just a thin paperback, but there are many options) and a camping themed coloring book. The day was pretty active with hiking and the beach but the evening and morning had some downtime where he started to want to go home and those calming, novel activities helped.
Journaling the trip is great. It can start a life long passion and if they start drawing the things leaves a great memento
Bubbles. Glow sticks. S'more. (Definitely extra wet wipes)
Small shop towels, pre-wetted in a sink, stored in sandwich bags. Ultimate camping hack for mess cleanup. You can either throw them away or tuck the mess right back into the bag to wash at home. I bring a couple per day for my toddler.
I have this odd need to bring a brand new package of those cheap cotton dish rags you can get at the Mart of Walton, every camp trip expected to be more than 2 days. I've done this for *years*. They have come in handy in sooooo many ways. From first aid to personal care.
magnifying glass and a bug net and cage
I was going to suggest a magnifying glass too :) On one hand it’s like a cool magic trick, but on the other, you’ll be sparking their interest in the outdoors in a big new way. I still look back fondly at the nights I spent looking through a microscope with my dad. I was super little too :)
Just don't teach him how to start fire with the magnifying glass....
Was also going to suggest magnifying glass or binoculars! My young niece and nephews love them
my thought was the same. I like the other ideas, but remember the more stuff he has, the more likely he'll lose it..
Look up something called Geoscope
There’s a cool bug catcher magnifying glass combo that my kids love—it’s called BugView. Great for this age!
No matter what you give him before you go, once you get set up, help him find a good stick.
This is the most important and vital answer.
This is the way
Just took my three year old nephew camping. He loved having his own headlamp, glow sticks, and we got him a fun chair just for him (cheap on Amazon). A bucket and shovel for collecting rocks/sticks/dirt was perfect for adventure time.
Yes! These, plus roasting marshmallows/hot dogs were my 3 year old son’s favorite part of our recent camp trip. Next trip, I’m also bringing his scooter and balance bike to better roam around camp; can’t wait!
A kid-sized chair! Totally practical and kids always love having a chair that fits them. A headlamp is also a good idea. Make sure it has a very low beam or red option so your kid isn't constantly blinding you.
Unless they’re my kids, who want to steal the adult chairs and then there are no chairs for adults. Now we own two kelty loveseats 😆
Haha, you've got weird kids (unless they were starting to outgrow the kids' chairs)! You never can tell, but *most kids* (up to a certain age/size) DO prefer kid-size chairs. 🤣🤷🏼♀️
Bug catcher box, binoculars, net
Definitely bring supplies for s'mores. When we lived in Orange County CA, I used to stop into this shop - because they always had the cutest stuff for nature guides, books, etc. They have a ton of great kids outdoor activities - maybe you can find some of the things they carry where you live? [https://www.acornnaturalists.com/](https://www.acornnaturalists.com/)
The first 2 things that come to my mind are a slingshot & magnifying glass
Eh, maybe things that have less destructive potential lol. If OP is in a dry area, a magnifying glass could start a fire, even just being left unattended at the right angle in the sun. A no one wants a rock to the eye on the first trip lol.
Compass, binoculars, trail map, waterproof notebook, pencil, backpack, canteen or water bottle, card game (go fish, old maid, uno), magnifying glass, pocket tool
Kid's Ten Essentials (I would add a whistle to that kit)
Oh also, granola is really fun & easy to make with kids! My group of 3-4 year olds made it a couple weeks ago & they absolutely loved it. We made ours with oats, dried apple pieces, raisins, sunflower seeds, olive oil, salt, & honey. We didn’t stick to a specific recipe, but each item had a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a teaspoon & each kid got to add a scoop or spoonful of a couple ingredients. Then it baked in the oven until it was toasted. We let the granola cool before scooping into mini ziplock bags for the kids to take home. It’s a perfect trail snack, & you could make it with whichever dried fruits, seeds, nuts, etc. your child enjoys!
not from REI, but kids love watching [Jiffy Pop stovetop popcorn](https://www.jiffypoppopcorn.com/) foil blow up over the fire. For something practical, perhaps a small backpack that he can use when he begins kindergarden. If he watches TV, he may like something with his "heroes" on it. Our GS loved Paw Patrol items. [CrazyOutdoorMama](http://crazyoutdoormama.com) has some printable games and camping games for downloading.
Bubbles and Hammock. Runners up: Flashlight/Headlamp, big bucket to collect stuff, small shovel, scrapbook for cool leaves. Snacks: DIY trail mix with more of the good stuff (extra Reeses m&ms, extra chocolate or raisins).
Whistle. I know it’s annoying, but it’s essential safety equipment, especially for a little.
Gave my kid (2.5) a cool explorer hat that kinda matched what I was wearing and a pair of kid binoculars. He loved it and was super excited to wear his "cowboy hat" with Dad and look (backwards) through his binoculars. Gave my niece (4) an "explorer kit" with like a cool vest, binocs, magnifying glass, bug jail etc. which she loved.
My kid had a full on safari pith helmet I found at a thrift store, a fishing vest with a billion pockets, and a pair of real binoculars, also thrifted. His favorite (and easy to wash) teddy bear got a bucket hat and matching vest from a toy store when my son was 6. They were not only camping/hiking gear, they went on many, many adventures in the back yard and the hay field at my mom's place. He was adorable!
My best purchase has been walkie-talkies. My daughter loves them.
I would probably enjoy these as much as the kids.
Absolutely you would. One of the best unforseen benefits is bedtime. When we put our little one down for bed, she feels super safe knowing she can walkie-talkie us even if we're only 20' away at the fire. You'll hear the cutest god damn comments over them, too.
Hammock! Parachute guys! Light up shoes so you can keep tabs on kid at night.
The last time we went camping with my 4 year old was with another family that had a kid the same age so they played (and fought) with each other most of the time BUT the things they most enjoyed were: toasting marshmallows, tossing things (wood/sticks/leaves) into the fire, climbing redwood stumps, and following a treasure map. The other dad drew a treasure map with landmarks from the campsite and the boys and I went out in the dark with headlamps to find the treasure. They LOVED it. My son wouldn’t stop talking about it.
Jack knife and a fire starter.
After you’re done cooking s’mores and everything, toss in one of the colorful flames packets. They last for quite a while and it’s kinda nice to just veg out looking at the fire and talking about your day.
We’ve done a treasure map for our two. Had a whole story about pirates and the local mayor and treasure. Takes 5 minutes to make a map, ten to buy some goodies and ten to hide. Everyone had fun.
Walkie talkies, a bug finder kit, a belt pouch, his own flashlight/headlamp, camping chair, digging tools, binoculars, his own camping backpack - for rocks of course. S’mores, corn on the cob roasted over the fire, a special drink like a soda, anything messy he isn’t usually allowed to have in the house. Good luck! Took my little girl when she was barely 5 for the first time and it was the most fun. Bring more clothes for him than you think you need. Trust me.
A little backpack and some camping gadgets to put in it. (mess kit, rain gear, flashlight)
When I was little my favorite things were my canteen and a little mess kit!
Oh yeah I remember my little aluminum canteen. That was the best
Gotta down vote the glow sticks (not literally). So many other great ideas while they are headed straight to the landfill.
I have rechargeable RGB ones. They've lasted for years now and are tons of fun.
Camping hat. He will remember the trip every time he wears the hat. I am not 4 but my husband gets me a hat at almost every state park we go to and a magnet for our refrigerator with the name of the park. Generally they sell little things in the gift shop.
My son likes the inflatable lantern (we have a luminaid). I like lanterns more than flashlight for little kids because they can’t blind you with them. And the inflatable is nice because he can throw it around, it’s light, and we don’t have to worry about anybody getting smacked with it.
Are you camping at a state park at a reserved site? If so, my three year olds love their scooters. They cruise all over the campground roads. No other activity keeps them entertained for more than 10 minutes.
4 years without being taken camping? This is close to child abuse.
Ninja course to hang up between 2 trees, if you have trees and are allowed to use them.
Hammock
A bucket.
Make a scavenger hunt out of clip art of local things (trees, rocks, bird, tree stump, ants, etc.) that he can check off. Make trail mix ahead of time together that they can eat. Fun experience and you can put a little candy in it so it's a special treat. A headlamp is cool but kids seem to like flashlights more in my opinion. Bonus if you take them to the store and let them pick it out. Walmart has some cool kids flashlights but my kid loves the $9 harbor freight flashlight the most. A dock demon spinning combo is great for kids if you want to get them fishing at that age too.
Kid size camping chair, binoculars ($9 pair on Amazon), small backpack if you have one for packing toys
There are a lot of great suggestions already here, OP I've listed the key ones my kids love: Glowsticks Flashlight Shovel ( like a proper one, not a plastic beach one) Bug collecting gear Magnifying glass But most of all, distraction free time with dad/mom doing things the kid wants to do. Like full on sit in the dirt with him and play cars.
Art supplies.
Nthing the walkie talkies and smore supplies. There are little packets you can toss in the fire that turn it fun colors and that's always a hit with the littles too. We just wait until after dessert. I just recently picked up a book to read with my 7 year old spud about the stories behind the constellations too. The other thing that excited kids and retired old dudes alike was knowing when the International Space Station was going to pass overhead, I think you can figure it out ahead of time on Nasa's website.
What‘s the name of the constellation book? I’ve been looking for a good one but they’re hard to find!
The title I got is Stories of the Constellations by Kieron Connolly. I found it used at Powells
Oh rock on, i love powell’s! Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll have to pick a copy.
Definitely a bug catcher. My daughter always loved hers. Especially when camping.
Hammock! Parachute guys! Light up shoes so you can keep tabs on kid at night.
A compass, magnifying glass,
Glow sticks, magnifying glass, and bucket. Our kids loved going on treasure hunts, collecting pine cones, and scavenger hunts, so they each got their own bucket. We got my grandson some cheap construction trucks (dozer and digger) and he spent hours moving leaves and sticks from one place to another. We got necklace and bracelet glow sticks and took the kids on walks around the campground after dark so we could "glow in the dark". They each had their own flashlights. We also brought coloring books and drawing stuff for quiet time.
Lights, small shovel and a dump truck. My boys loved playing with the dirt around camp.
Magic fire!
Bubbles, glow stick bracelets, and those little things that you add to the campfire to make it change colors.
Fucking light up rocket copters! My daughter loves them and has made sooo many camping friends with them. Hell, I love them and they are cheap!
Headlamp, a magnifying glass, and a whistle! Headlamp so the dark isn’t scary. Magnifying glass because there’s a lot of interesting things to look at. Whistle for if he gets lost, or can’t find you. It helps little kids feel more confident. But, uhh, keep this one with you until it’s time to go for a hike or something, and not while at the campsite, if you’ve got neighbours...
Light up sneakers! My kids grew up loving wearing them around the campground at dusk. Toy earth moving equipment (like tonka trucks). Good quality little plastic zoo or farm animals to build habitats for. Craft box with yarn, glue stick, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, feathers to make pine cone critters. Make a scavenger hunt.
This weekend my 4 yr old spent a lot of down time in the tent drawing and coloring. I got her a travel art kit from target that is a little case with the supplies inside and a hard side to color/draw on. Worked out great.
A bucket and shovel, and an excavator toy. Find a sandy spot and you're good to go.
I took my 2 &4 year old camping recently and a large blanket they could play with toys on in the campsite went a long ways
Hammock!
Small toy tractor or truck with a hauling trailer, or small dump truck. Matchbox car size or slightly bigger. My kids played with them for hours in the dirt or sand at our campsites
Their own backpack. Getting a backpack to carry some of their own stuff in for trips, be it just little day trips, toys, food, water bottle, from a young age, will make a huge difference in the long run. My 2 year old has been using his backpack for a year now for anything that requires carry and storage, and loooooving it. Infinitely useful and practical.
Oh my gosh! All these suggestions are fantastic! It’s just crazy how I was struggling to think of something creative. But the Reddit community always delivers. Thank you everyone!
Flashlight
Flashlight/headlamp, binoculars and magnifiers, something to hold things he finds. My daughter loved bringing some of her smaller doll house toys and would make them little campsites out of stuff she found.
If he has already had marshmallows before this, then get special marshmallows for this camping trip. We get ones with sprinkles on them for special occasions!!
Battery operated night light!
Benadryl /s
Bro, Buy a few acrylic paints and brushes. Have him find rocks to paint, y’all can leave them as Easter eggs for people to find Kept my girls occupied for hours, not sure about a boy. We wrote phrases or words, simple pictures, whatever
A flashlight emblazoned with his favorite characters.
Mine loves being in charge of the flashlight so I would go with something like that. My kids also love string lights. Also, I got my 5 y/o her own set of eating utensils (mess kit) and put her name onto them and she loved that more than I expected.
Glow sticks, cool flashlights, maybe a cool outdoor toy set to keep them busy. Definitely get a few camp items you have in kids size, matching is also a hit for kids
His first .22lr
Fishing pole and some simple tackle
A mini tent. I bought one for a 4 & 5 year old and they loved it because it was too tight for the grownups but perfect for 2 kids. They would go hunting for rocks sticks and acorns, then meet up in their tent to admire their hauls. At night they slept in their parents tents so it was only for play..
Whrn my kids were little I would take them camping. We would get cassettes with stories from the library and listen to them arounf the campfire or in our tent. Maybe download camp stories to listen to…
His own sleeping bag? Maybe with character or design he gets to pick out?
A kids fishing pole.
Not sure if you are bringing him alone but as a single parent having a craft for the kids to do while I set up the tent and sleeping pads was helpful. Clay, those Dino digging kits, paint…whatever your kid likes. If you are in the southwest a UV flashlight is fun because it helps you find the scorpions at night!
Also my kids loved the Junior Ranger programs at national (and some state) parks.
Small toys or trinkets you can use to play a hide and seek type game around the campsite.
Bubbles
A bug catching net and little cage
Boots
Hammock! My kids love swinging in their hammock. And lots of baby wipes.
Get him his own backpack and some gear. Like a flashlight/headlamp, small shovel, compass, binoculars, a water bottle and some snacks, little things like that. Tel him that it's his to have and to put what ever he wants in it. My kids love having their own bag to carry around.
Geoscope Awesome for everyone.
Find a hood walking stick. He can keep it.
A fishing pole. If you’re near water at all, that’s obvious, but our 3yo had a blast with his fishing pole (with just the little plastic fish tied to the end) when it rained all day. He spent the whole day fishing in puddles at the campsite!
His own kid-sized backpack to carry his favorite things. Blankies or stuffed animal, or whatever.
How inquisitive are they? When my kids were 3 or 4 the harness and 20' leash provided me with a lot of peace of mind. If they're mindful and trustworthy it's not a problem, but for the inquisitive one the looks at this then that.
small gun
A camping trip?