Fall Camping Tips When Camping with Kids

We are sharing our top fall camping tips when camping with kids because a little preparation can make a difference between fun and failure. Even if it gets a bit rainy or cool, you’ll have a great time outside with these lessons learned over years of camping.

tent in autumn with the text fall camping tips

Fall Camping Tips when Camping with Kids

Picture this: You’ve taken your 4-year-old camping in October in the Pacific Northwest and it’s an amazing trip. The forest is vibrant, alive with the sounds of forest creatures preparing for winter. You go to sleep under the stars, assured by the weather channel you have clear skies and…

You wake up to damp EVERYTHING and a rushing river outside your tent. #goodtimes

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots, we share our tried-and-true camping tips and hacks because camping with kids in tow can be hard! A little preparation and foresight can make the difference between fun or failure.

Below are our top tips for when you go fall camping with kids. Getting out during Autumn is a great learning opportunity for everyone but it is a little different than camping in summer.

brightly colored leaves on the ground in a fall forest

Book the “Right” Site When Fall Camping

If you’re camping with kids, the campground and campsites can make all the difference for a trip. Fall camping is unpredictable and that weather makes it important to have rainy-day accessible activities. These can be as simple as some of what we shared in our camping with kids tips or as involved as planning day trips.

What You'll Find On This Page

Clothing and Personal Gear

Fall camping brings cooler temperatures at night while still getting comfortably warm during the day. Plan for a light sweatshirt in addition to any camping clothing. Additionally, rain boots or muck boots are a good idea if you’re in an area that could get rain in the Fall.

I’m in Seattle, so in addition to our normal summer camp kit we pack:

rain boots
tennis shoes
extra socks
raincoats or ponchos (great to go over packs when hiking in the rain)
extra towels
hat (to keep the rain off the face)

Food / Hot Food Items

Hiking and exploring during the day is hard on kids. Warming up by the fire is great but so is a nice, hot meal. A hearty dinner can make a difference in attitudes, so plan on bringing or making food items like chili, hearty soups, and hot breakfasts.

Absolutely prep your food as much as you can. I recommend to go camping with a few of these foil pack camping meal recipes. You’ll be able to have hearty breakfast and dinner items on hand that can be easily (and quickly prepared).

Horizontal six image collage of campfire meal ideas with text which reads 15 foil pack meals for camping. — From chicken and beef to veggie-filled ideas, these foil pack camping meals are sure to please.

Overnight / Sleeping Outside During Fall

If you camp with a roll and a light blanket during the summer months, Fall is the time to break out a sleeping bag. The kids will love snuggling and zipping themselves up, but the real benefit is that everyone will be warm enough to get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re camping with kids, bring long-sleeved, full-length pajamas. Another one of our fall camping tips is to “gift” some new fuzzy slipper socks. Kids love them and you can get them at the dollar stores.

Campsite Preparation

When camping in the Fall, consider prepping your campsite a bit differently than in summer. Bring along tarps – and extra tarps. The ground might be damp when you make camp and a tarp underneath the tent base might be the extra barrier that allows you to stay dry.

Even waterproof tents will benefit from a ridgeline or an extra tarp draped over the top. Making a cover for a picnic table is something we do often in order to have a nice dry spot when it’s raining.

If you know you’re going to get rain, it’s a great opportunity to teach the kids to dig out a moat around the tent. ;)

close up of red orange and yellow leaves with a forest background and text which reads how to make camping with kids in the fall a success

Firewood and Starters

On our very first Fall camping trip, we had perfect weather – such luck! But, we didn’t take into account that it rained right before we got out to the middle of nowhere and that all the wood was wet.

It’s not the end of the world, but it makes camping with kids a lot easier when you can start a fire as the sun goes down. Bring a bundle of wood and some starters to help make it easier on the grownups that first night. This is one of the most helpful fall camping tips!

Please Share or Share This List of Fall Camping Tips

Your shares are how we grow and we are sincerely grateful. Please save these to a camping pin board or share on social media.

photo of white tent in foggy forest with the text how to camp with kids in autumn

Sarah Nenni-Daher creator of Ruffles and Rain Boots in black shirt against greenery background.

Meet the Creator

Hi there, I’m Sarah Nenni-Daher. I’m a crafty gal and always have at least 14 projects going at once. I am a crafter, designer, DIYer, and pattern maker. I share my creations here and in the Ruffles and Rain Boots® Shop.

Here at Ruffles and Rain Boots®, you’ll find DIY gnomes, crafts, gifts, cupcakes, laser crafts, and so much more. I love sharing video tutorials over on YouTube and chatting with other crafters in my Facebook groups. We’d love to have you!