7 Clever Things to Pack to Make Your Camping Trip Easy & Fun

You might not have thought of them, but these 7 items will help make your next camping trip easier and a lot more fun!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Duraflame. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.

Since renovating Our DIY Camper, going on camping trips has now become our favourite summer activity! Each time we go out, I've been getting better and better at packing things that we actually need and that make our camping trips more comfortable.

I've made a full RV Packing Checklist printable that you can download for free right here, but here are 7 more rather surprising things that you might want to pack on your next camping trip. They're things that I've added to our camping packing list that have made our trips a lot more fun and easy, which is helpful when you're camping with young kids like we are!

1: Duraflame Firestart Firelighters

I can't tell you how many times we've had to scrounge around for kindling or scraps of paper to start our wood campfires on camping trips in the past - it's so frustrating! Now, we bring Duraflame FIRESTART® FIRELIGHTERS along in the camper, and they make starting our wood campfires so easy and quick! They light with just one match, last up to 30 minutes, and using them to light a wood fire reduces emissions by creating a faster and more complete ignition of your campfire.

2: Baby Wipes

When soap & water are harder to come by, a package of baby wipes has been so handy for our trips! They're great to quickly wipe sticky post-s'more hands, or clean up little messes in the camper and around our picnic table.

3: A Musical Instrument

Throw a compact little musical instrument like a guitelele into your camper for tons of entertainment during your next trip! We loved bringing ours on our last camping trip because it was so nice to have some accompaniment to our campfire songs and work together to learn how to play it.

4: DIY Pancake Mix

Making pancakes from scratch while camping can be awkward and I don't always love the taste of store-bought pancake mix, so making your own pancake mix is a great option. I made some and put it in a lidded bowl for our last camping trip, and then I simply had to add some eggs, butter and milk to it when we were ready to make our pancakes. Here's a DIY pancake (or waffle!) mix recipe that I used that turned out perfectly.

5: Sports Balls

Packing all sorts of balls like a soccer ball, foot ball and baseball can offer hours of entertainment while traveling and at your campsite. We love playing catch with the girls, and we often get to know our camping neighbours by starting to toss a ball around and asking them to join in!

7: Foil Containers

There are so many delicious things you can cook in a campfire or on a camp stove using foil containers! They're such a great addition to your camping kitchen. So far, I've made scalloped potatoes, nachos and even rhubarb crisp in foil containers on our camping trips. Here are some foil pack recipes that could work great in these foil containers!

7: Duraflame Stax

Packing your own firewood can be heavy (and not even allowed at some campsites), so a great alternative is bringing some Duraflame STAX® CRACKLING FIRELOGS along on your next camping trip. They provide a really convenient fire experience and even have the soothing, crackling sounds of a wood fire! They're fast-lighting and made from 100% renewable resources. Simply stack 2 or 3 in your campsite firepit, light the wrappers, and you'll have a large, warm fire in minutes. So easy!

The more we camp, the better we've become at bringing items along to make the whole experience more easy & fun, and these 7 things are definitely some of our favourites!

Now tell me: What surprising things do YOU pack for camping trips?