Disclosure: This post is sponsored. While I was not paid to write this post I did receive product from Kohl’s.
The giveaway has closed. Thanks to all who entered.
I know many families who camp with little kids. Some as young as three weeks old. I applaud you parents out there who are so adventurous and have this camping thing down. Josh and I on the other hand do NOT have this down yet. We decided to play our first family “campout” safe and pitched our tent in the backyard.
This tent is not like any tent I remember from my camping and backpacking experience. It set up quickly and features a built-in closet with shelves and hanger bar to organize gear and clothes. It easily fit a queen size air mattress plus the two sleeping bags for the kids.
The kids favorite was the air mattress. And it wasn’t because it was super comfortable but because they treated it like their own personal trampoline. Josh and I didn’t have a problem with them jumping on it all because it is made that well. No need to worry about the mattress deflating.
Since we didn’t have any sleeping bags for the kids we ordered them each their own kid size sleeping bag. They look so cute in them and the kids seemed really comfortable.
We knew that our backyard family campout would be a big success in the eyes of the kids and to keep the fun times rolling we set up their very own Kids Coleman Wonder Lake 2-Person Dome Tent indoors. For the price (under $35), this tent is pretty awesome. If you were going backpacking or didn’t mind sleeping close to another person this tent can fit two adults. There wouldn’t be room for anything else in the tent with you but I mention it because it is well made and would work if you are on a budget or looking for a small easy to assemble two person tent.
Lastly we received this amazing Coleman lantern. This lantern has 4 detachable side panels that can be used to light up separate areas of your campground or combined for a more traditional lantern experience. When I told Josh I had ordered a lantern he wasn’t super thrilled until he took it out the box and actually saw how it worked. It runs off batteries and offers up to 75 hours of light.
For our backyard campout we grilled hotdogs and had chili but the highlight of our camping food was our oven made s’mores. They are super simple and easy to make. I was even able to find some GMO free marshmallows!
To make oven baked s’mores preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay 1/2 of the graham crackers on a cookie sheet. Top with chocolate pieces to cover. Use kitchen scissors to snip the marshmallows in 1/2 horizontally. Place the marshmallow halves on graham cracker. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining graham crackers, pressing down slightly to make a sandwich. Serve immediately, while still warm.
Now that we have done this backyard campout I feel a little more at ease to graduate ourselves to actually going camping in the woods.
Thanks to Kohl’s you have a chance to win a $50 gift card! You can check out their awesome selection of camping gear and let me know what you would purchase if you win! That is all you need to do to enter. Tell me what you would get if you win! Also I would love to know have you gone camping with your kids? Or where is your favorite place to go camping or hiking?
Good luck!
Winner is Amanda S., please check your email and respond back in 24 hours. Thanks to all who entered.
So fun, Tamara!! We are hoping to do some camping this summer! I need to get a couple sleeping bags, we’ve always just packed blankets. 🙂
Hi Tamara! I would totally get the lantern. It’s awesome!!!
I love that huge tent! We would have to have that for our family.
Awesome blog post Tamara!
We are beginners at hiking and camping, but we love going to The Natural Bridge in Payson. I definitely want to get the air mattress, all the ones we’ve had deflate in the middle of the night! Not fun!
Looks like fun! Your kids are getting so big! My daughter is 6 and we haven’t been camping with her yet, but this makes me want to take her.
We love to camp and get the boys out of the city! I never tried camping with a baby, but have been doing it for a couple of years now with the boys (3 and 5 year) and it’s always a fun get away! We still tent camp and did buy a huge castle to have room for the kids, dog, clothes etc. We don’t have a built in closet like this tent though! What a great idea! Our favorite place to go is up North of Strawberry, AZ out into the public forest land to get away from everything! A forest to explore, dirt to play in, no distractions, endless sky of stars, and yes some awesomely, scary sounds at night :). If I won the $50 I’d get that awesome lantern for sure. We have a couple small ones, but this one that has the ability to detach the side lights would be so helpful! Always love reading your blogs!!
Loved reading this! Makes me want to plan another camping trip! When camping we use a coffee percolator, but if I won the $50 Kohl’s gift card I would definitely buy the “Coleman 10-Cup Portable Propane Coffeemaker”. This would making our family camping trips even better!
I think the Coleman Camper’s Tool would be good to have on hand.
I would get an air mattress.
I would buy a new lantern and sleeping bags!
I would put the gift card towards the Insta-Bed Raised Pillow-Top Air Bed
I would definitely buy a nice set of cooking gadgets for cookouts!
I would buy a new sleeping bag!!
I would have to say a camping bag for sure
I would get a new tent for our incoming summer camping trip.
I would get a sand/dirt mat for the front of the tent entrance to keep debri out of the tent
I’d like a couple of Picnic Time Big Bear Camp Chairs!
How fun!! Both Robert and I grew up camping, but haven’t gotten up the courage to take the girls yet. It would be a hard choice between the beach sun shade, instant canopy, or a hiking backpack for me!!
I think I would buy air mattresses and lights, but I should ask our main camper, Mike! He is taking the big kids in two weeks camping. We will probably do a family camping trip this summer. Colton and Brooklyn both love to camp!
I would get the lantern as my grandsons love to camp and I have bought them a lot of things but never a lantern.
I would buy an Air Mattress.
I would get the Insta-Bed Raised Pillow-Top Air Bed – Queen. I wanna sleep comfortably when I camp!!!
I would get a tent
I would buy an air mattress…they’re handy!
new sleeping bags!!
definitely a tent!
I would love the Coleman 8 person instant tent! It looks very easy to set up and super roomy!
I would buy a new sleeping bag,
I would buy the Chef Buddy Portable Grill & Cooler Set.
The lantern looks amazing and could be used for so much. Our son needs his first sleeping bag still so I would probably need to get him that.
I would put it towards a new, bigger tent. Mine is on it’s last leg and I would love a new one to bring my son camping.
Definitely the tent! Or the lantern.
I need a good flashlight!
I’d go for the lantern!
I would buy a new sleeping bag for my son.
We would put the gift cards towards a tent.
I have honestly never been camping. My family couldn’t do it with my brother in a wheelchair. I’ve never had a desire to do it either but my husband loves to so I think getting a new tent for us would help. :o)
I’d buy the Coleman Roadtrip Party Portable Propane Grill.
I’d get that fancy Coleman Lantern with the panels.
a tent would be great!
I would buy a sleeping bag.