Looking for easy, no-fuss toys to take on a camping trip this summer? I can relate. My family loves to go car camping (that's driving to a campground, sleeping in a tent, with access to bathrooms). In fact, we planned just such a weekend away over this summer vacation: swimming in the lake, canoeing and hiking, eating hot dogs and s'mores... but at some point, the kids will need a distraction all their own. And that's where having a stash of easy-to-pack toys that don't rely on technology come in.
Plenty of parents know what I'm talking about. As the KOA's 2019 North American Camping Report found, there are an estimated 7 million new camping households since 2014. Interest in camping continues to grow each year, especially with millennials who want to get up close and personal with the great outdoors, according to Forbes. And why not? Families can benefit even more from taking camping trips together, as multiple studies have found: The more time you spend with your kids in nature, the better for everybody. New types of experiences like "glamping" and "van life" offer still more vacation alternatives, which are also more affordable compared to far-off getaways.
So it definitely shouldn't break the budget to throw a few more toys on your shopping list. And, speaking of value, just about any of the toys you buy to take on a camping trip can be used again.