If you are looking for tent camping equipment for your family, there’s plenty of options available in stores today. Some camping supplies are specifically for camping such as propane griddles and sleeping bags.
Some camping supplies are just regular household supplies remarketed to campers. How did we get by without a camping broom and dust pan?
Each family’s camping trips are different. When looking for supplies, focus on the priorities and circumstances your family has for the trip. And then, use your imagination.
For example, my family likes tent camping and we have a toddler. That’s what you call Adventure Camping!
We like to camp in State Parks so we setup our tent on a pad. These pads are usually covered with rocks and gravel. Even though our tent has a floor, the rocks are very sharp and can hurt your feet when you walk across the floor. To remedy this problem, we bought big foam floor tiles from a wholesale club. You see these tiles sometimes at preschools.
The foam floor tiles worked great for our family.
- The rocks don’t hurt your feet when you are in the tent.
- Our toddler now has a place to crawl (and attempt to walk) around.
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The big kids enjoyed putting together the huge foam puzzle.
Foam tile flooring may not be for everyone, but it has worked great for our family. And who knows, you may find them in a sporting goods store soon. Just look for camping foam floor tiles!
I’ll see ya by the campfire.
Tiffany
What about your family? What are some of the ideas and tips you use to make your tent camping trips more enjoyable?
UPDATE: Many of you have asked where these tiles may be purchased. You can find them on Amazon HERE.
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I LOVE this idea. Genius! Going to buy some foam squares the next time I hit the store. Thanks!
Thanks, Melissa. We actually tried the rolled up foam first for a couple camping trips. Of course, it kept rolling back up, even though we put camping gear on top to stabilize it.
Oh yes! We have the very same mats we bought for a completely different reason…then we realized they would be a handy addition to our tent set up. They add just enough extra padding to make those rough gravel pads sleepable with our backpacking mats. They take up precious space in the roof box but they’re well worth a good night’s sleep.
Great idea! I think we even have some of those stored somewhere. But we’ve been using an area rug that we replaced in the living room. Works great and is easily shaken for easy clean up at the end of the trip.
It makes for a cozy setting when it’s time for the kids to go down for the night. We have pockets/sleeves on the sides of the tent walls that perfectly hold the potable DVD player. Movie nights are a breeze!
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We haven’t tried movie night while camping. We usually try to unplug, but that would be a good idea in case we are ready for the kids to calm down. A movie always grabs their attention. Thanks, Tim!
I picked up some of this flooring from Sams Club for the campout with my 8 yr old son. We loved it! Great idea. Made it very comfortable!
Glad it worked for you. Thanks for stopping by Billy!
I just came across this ideal & love it. Don’t where to find it. any suggestions? Or who makes them so I can google.
We bought ours at Sams Club several years ago. They were inexpensive and they still work great. I don’t see them online at Sams Club currently. There are several different ones on Amazon. I looked up “foam floor tiles for kids” or “foam floor tiles for playrooms.”
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=playroom+foam+tile+puzzle
Hope this helps!
Great Idea Tiffany!
Thanks Paul. It was actually my husband’s idea. We ran across these while we were out shopping a couple years ago. But I will be glad to take the credit;)
Brilliant! My daughter is only 8 month now, but next summer she’ll be mobile!!
The tiles actually work well for infants who are crawling. It gives them a good place to crawl around at the campsite.
How do they hold up to moisture? Our pads and sleeping bags are always wet with dew in the morning. Do these get really wet?
They have never gotten wet. We use them inside our tent that is closed up at night.
i have some in my kitchen because i seem to spend most of my time there doing dishes or cooking(mr mom) water does not seem to bother them
This is a great idea! I remember crawling across the tent once & really hurting my knee on a rock under the floor. Then worrying about the babies/toddlers doing the same thing. I need more paddin when I sleep nowadays, but I would still use this for more comfort.
This look like a very good idea. I am wanting to try it this summer. About how many of the foam tiles fit in your tent?
These tiles are 25″ x 25″. Use that measurement to decide how many tiles you will need for your tent.
big lots and harbor freight have these but they are charcoal with diamond tread but much cheaper on your budget
Camping is not meant to be easy. If you take all that useless crap: mats, dvd players, etc. etc. then might as well stay at home. Camping is supposed to be a time to take part in nature and to get away from technology and the fast paced world we live in. You people have no idea what camping is really about.
Awesome idea! We just happen to have a few of these for sale.
http://www.greatmats.com/products/dense-foam-mats.php