With the Fourth of July staring us in the face, I figured I would share some of our favorite camping items for family fun! These range in price and size but have each added tremendous value to our camping trips.

1. BugLit

This little LED “buggy” looking light is my newest favorite piece of gear…for all sorts of outdoor adventures. This small light can be clipped on the outside of a pack. With 4 mold-able legs, it can be attached anywhere, hung from a tent, fastened on handle bars, or used as a book light. And it is bright! I could see clearly 12-15 feet ahead of us, sometimes more. The best part? It weighs almost nothing and the kids can spend hours playing with it.

You can find them here: BugLit by NiteIze or at your local REI.

2. Mini Spoke Lights

No, not spook lights. But little LED lights that clip on to the spokes of your bike tires. Cute, inexpensive and fun for kids. These lights also serve a safety purpose when biking around camp at dusk.

You can find them here: See ‘Em Spoke Lights by NiteIze

3. Square Marshmallows

Am I the only one who had no idea they made square s’more marshmallows?! We tested them out last weekend. They are larger than the standard marshmallow, roughly equivalent to two normal jet puffed marshmallows and make a killer s’more. We found them at WalMart.

4. Bring the Bikes and a set of Orange Cones

Don’t forget the bikes! We recently added a set of soccer cones to our camping bins and they have equaled hours of fun. We had bike races and set up obstacle courses. Not only fun for all, but a great way to work on biking skills like balance, steering, turning, stopping, and moving over tough terrain.

See why we love Strider Bikes for the toddlers: Can Your 22 Month Old Ride a Bike? Yes, They Can.

5. Hammock

I’ve harped on this one before. But we LOVE hammocks. Any kind will do…personally we love our ENO hammock because at the end of the trip it packs down to the size of a grapefruit. Not only is it great for relaxing but our kids play on it like a swing. Just be careful with the younger kids, we’ve had a few flip out.

You can find ENO Hammocks here or at many local outdoor stores or REI.

Happy Camping everyone!