Official packing lists often miss the things that keep kids comfortable in hot cabins and rustic tents. We asked seasoned camp parents to share the unlisted gear that saves their children from bugs, heat, and bad weather.
We asked parents who have been there for their best summer camp packing hacks. Their answers? Fans, fans, and more fans. (Photo: Getty Images (Maskot))
Published June 4, 2026 04:56AM
Summer Camp Packing Hacks
Nothing sends a parent into a midnight spiral quite like a summer camp packing list. Sure, the official printout covers the essentials—sleeping bag, bug spray, sturdy backpack—but it’s what’s not on the list that keeps you up at night. Will your kid need a bunk fan to survive a stifling cabin? What about a collapsible hamper, to quarantine all the mud-streaked and sunscreen-stained clothes? Should you throw in self-addressed stamped envelopes in hopes that this will be the summer they actually write home?
With summer camp season officially kicking off, we polled the seasoned parents of Outside for the genius hacks, smartest duffel bag inclusions, and sanity-saving tricks that have earned permanent spots on their packing lists. Turns out, fans are key.
We want to hear from you too: What’s your ultimate, unlisted summer camp packing secret? Drop your best tips in the comments.
Cabin Comfort and Bunk Organization
Cooling Comforter
A hot, stifling cabin is a nightmare—both for your kiddo and the poor counselors who have to endure them the next day.
“My oldest goes to a camp in Wisconsin and last year I discovered the Dream Valley Kids Outlast Cooling comforter (it comes with a pillowcase too),” says one Outside parent. “I don’t know how it works—but it is always cool to the touch and a huge game-changer for hot summer nights.”
Pop-Up Mosquito Tent
If your kiddo is heading to a rustic camp in the backwoods, bug spray isn’t going to cut it at night. One Outside staffer recommended a pop-up mosquito tent, like this one on Amazon.
“Cheap is good because it gets wrecked,” he noted.
Portable Fans (Clip-On or Solar)
Multiple parents waxed poetic about the perfect camping fan.
“A battery-powered fan with a clip is an absolute must for hot cabins and overnight comfort,” said one mom of an 11- and 13-year-old.
Another dad, whose son goes to Scout camp, swears by a solar-powered fan “for steaming hot tents.”
Utility Clips
Dirty laundry and damp towels tend to migrate to the floor (shudder). Arm your kiddo with a four-pack of basic over-the-frame hangers or clips so clothes and towels can air out in a more hygienic manner. And, for a pro-level parent hack, stuff an empty trash bag in their duffel for good measure.
“An actual laundry bag is good too but bedding and dirty clothes won’t all fit by the end of the week,” advises one mom.
Campfire-Ready Portable Chair
Sending your kid to camp with their own personal chair may seem like overkill, but it’s actually a secret weapon. The Crazy Creek Chair in particular packs down flat with carry handles, so it’s easy to transport from car to cabin, and cabin to campfire.
But don’t stow it in the attic with the rest of your kids’ annual camp gear once they’re back. The carbon-reinforced fiberglass makes this soft-looking chair surprisingly comfortable for adults of a certain age who can be wrecked by an evening of unsupported seating at soccer games or on other sidelines.
(Read our full review of the Crazy Creek Chair here.)
Weather and Water Protection
Sunscreen Kids Actually Want to Apply
Sunscreen: not exactly a revolutionary item in the summer camp packing canon. But sunscreen that your kids will actually apply when they’re out of your sight? Priceless—especially when they’re picky about smell, texture, and streakiness.
“My son, Beckett, and I typically opt for the 50 SPF clear kids lotion, which comes in a squeezable six-ounce bottle, goes on with just the right consistency, and rubs in without leaving white streaks everywhere,” says Abigail Wise, brand director at Outside. “It’s water-resistant up to 80 minutes and feels like regular lotion—not sticky or streaky.”
She also recommends the SPF 50 Clear Face Stick Sunscreen for quick, on-the-go reapplications (the stick format has the added bonus of being easier for little hands to apply).
“Much to my son’s relief, the Sun Bum formula is definitely not stinky; the brand’s tagline claims that it smells like summer. Spoiler: it totally does.”
One-Piece Toddler Rain Suit
As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear—and bad weather is bound to strike at some point during summer camp. For toddlers and younger kids attending day camp, one seasoned parent told us that the easiest solution is a one-piece rain suit that simply goes on over their usual clothes. Puddles, beware.
A Decent Pair of Swim Goggles
As tempting as it may be to buy the cheap goggles from the grocery store endcap, do yourself and your kid a favor and spring for the ever-so-slightly more expensive version. Cheap goggles are more likely to snap, leak, and irritate the sensitive eye area, one Outside parent told us. Even if you level up to the $16 or $22 options, you’re getting much more bang for your buck.
One more note: We highly, highly recommend doing a fit session with your kid before they leave for camp, complete with a backyard cannonball test.
