DIY Dollar Store Camping Kits for Kids!

Make your next trip extra special with these DIY Camping Kits for Kids – all using items from the dollar store!

DIY Camping Kits for Kids

I am all about memory making. It seems the older I get, the more I emphasize the importance of making memories with our kids.

I mean, I know we all have amazing cell phones and tablets and we use those devices diligently to capture our every moment…but, let’s face it…how often do we actually print those photos out for our later reminiscing enjoyment?

So, with that in mind, and an upcoming camping trip to Oregon, I started thinking about ways I could encourage the little ones (ages 10, 7 & 4) to capture their memories, old school style. Dollar Store, here I come!

I already kind of had an idea of what I was wanting, and when I walked into the Dollar Store there it was…all their back-to-school items were sitting right there in the front.

• journals for writing out the activities and adventures they had during the day
• pens
• crayons for drawing pictures or creating leaf rubbings (simply put the leaf under a sheet of paper, then use the crayon to rub over the top)
• tape, for taping down anything they might find while they were out and about, or even for saving ticket stubs and receipts from special activities
• and highlighters – because 4-year-olds love to highlight

This was a good start, but I needed more…

• pencil bags

I loved these little bags. Not for holding pencils, but for collecting leaves, rocks, flowers and any other treasures they might find.

• games

I found some fun little games that I knew they would enjoy. For Snakes & Ladders and Checkers I just opened up the boxes and put all the items in a Ziploc bag – easy way to prevent losing little pieces!

• glow sticks

Our family loves glow sticks. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that each night the kids use a glow stick to sing a few songs in their room before bed. I was also excited to get some extra glow sticks for Glow in the Dark Ring Toss! I bought two glow stick batons (to put in the ground) and then the larger glow stick necklaces. What a fun game to play at night with the little kids and the teenagers!

• Tootsie Pops

One of my favorite items for long car rides, for sure! How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

Now for some sort of container to hold it all together…

• shoe boxes

I wanted something colorful and with a lid, so I went down the sock aisle where I know they have plastic shoe boxes. These were perfect!  Everything fit nicely and neatly inside each box and I added a few extra snacks as well.

The kids loved them! They collected all kinds of items and wrote down different things they did each day. I promised to print them some pictures so they could tape those down as well. They even decided to make this into a summer journal, which made this mama’s heart very happy!

I love that they are taking time to document their special moments. But more importantly, they are learning to cherish memories, and hopefully, when they have kids, this will be something they can do with them.

The best part was all of this was so inexpensive to put together! Going on vacation is already an expense so I knew if I wanted to do my memory making project I was going to have to keep it cheap. Seriously, the Dollar Store makes these little extras so affordable!

Happy trails!

And if you love Dollar Store shopping, check out this post: 11 Online Dollar Stores with Fantastic Deals