We have spent many Easter celebrations at campgrounds across Virginia because the holiday usually lines up with the school spring break schedule. Despite that, the Easter Bunny always manages to find us. Traditionally, Easter baskets are filled with candy, but if you have children, you know that a sugar-filled child locked in a camper during a rain storm can wreak havoc on your rig and your sanity! For that reason, we “asked” the very generous bunny to start bringing child-friendly camping items, not just jelly beans and chocolate made in his likeness.
Here are a few of the items he has brought over the years that have helped avoid major meltdowns.
When we go camping, we try not to bring the iPads, so any outdoor games are always a good idea. These yard dice are always fun and I like to think of it as math disguised as a game. Many people bring corn hole boards, but we often run out of room and the boards are heavy, so this bean bag toss is a great replacement. It’s lighter and it can be broken down into a more manageable size. Kan Jam is a fun disc game for camping and we’ve also seen a lot of people bring it to the beach.
When the kids were old enough, we asked the Easter Bunny to bring them fishing poles, which they absolutely loved. The Lil Anglers Paw Patrol Youth Fishing Kit is perfect for beginners. They have boy and girl versions that we picked up at Dick’s Sporting Goods, but you can easily find them online. Even though their patience was limited for fishing, it was a fun family activity.
Whether it’s for a late trip to the bathroom or fun in the camper at night, a head lamp is always a good time. Kids young and old will get a kick out of having their own special hands-free light. We picked this version for the good reviews and flexible headband. It also came in blue and pink.
Inevitably, there are those days where you are stuck in the camper, and our kids love their backrest pillows. They can sit up comfortably in their bunks and draw or use them to lounge on the table when it’s converted to a bed. There are four of us, so when we are inside the camper for an extended amount of time we like to put the table down so everyone can have a seat in the main area.
As for coloring, my husband and I have an intense fear of the kids coloring on the camper cushions or table and it not coming off. For that reason, the kids get a set of these mess free coloring books and markers for almost every holiday. The person who invented these is a genius.
For smaller items, you can’t go wrong with bubbles, glow sticks, card games (UNO, DOS, Go Fish), sidewalk chalk or anything from the Target discount section at the front of the store. We’ve also done sun hats, sunglasses, rain boots, nets for catching bugs, and buckets for all their treasures. Note: as I write this, my child is asking for slime for Easter. Whatever you do, don’t buy slime! Happy camping!
Happy Family Camper Hacks 