My RV Trip Packing List With Kids

When we packed for about two weeks in a rental RV with our two kids, I kept telling myself one thing: However I load this RV is how I am going to have to unload it—and I did not want that to be a nightmare.

That stopped me from packing for every possible scenario. Everything had to earn the space it took up, and everything needed somewhere to live once we were inside the RV.

This is the list I would use if we did the trip again. It includes what we brought, what I wish we had brought, and a few additional things worth considering depending on the season, campsite, and storage space in your RV.

For more about the systems that helped us live in the small space, read what made two weeks in a small RV with kids easier.

First, check what the rental includes

• ☐ Pots, pans, and cooking utensils

• ☐ Plates, bowls, cups, and silverware

• ☐ Coffee maker or kettle

• ☐ Bedding and pillows

• ☐ Bath and kitchen towels

• ☐ Camp chairs

• ☐ Leveling blocks

• ☐ Electrical cord and any required adapters
  

Driving, safety, and communication

• ☐ Phone mount for driving

• ☐ First-aid kit with bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze, pain relievers, tweezers, and a thermometer

• ☐ Daily medications and a few extra doses

• ☐ Car seats—ask the rental company in advance how and where they can be installed in that specific RV

• ☐ Walkie-talkies

• ☐ Emergency contact information

• ☐ Copies of insurance and rental documents

• ☐ Basic roadside kit, if one is not included
  

Power, internet, and lighting

• ☐ Charging cords for the cab and living area

• ☐ Multi-port USB car charger

• ☐ Rechargeable power bank

• ☐ Extra batteries

• ☐ Flashlights or rechargeable lanterns

• ☐ Headlamps

• ☐ Small rechargeable nightlight or dimmable lamp

• ☐ Bluetooth speaker

• ☐ Starlink internet setup and its charging cords

We brought Starlink for internet, and it was worth it. Campground Wi-Fi and cell service can be inconsistent, and I needed a reliable connection so I could continue collecting content during the trip.

If you have questions about how we used Starlink in the RV, leave them in the comments. I would be happy to share more about our setup and experience.

Sleeping and bedding

• ☐ Fitted sheet for every mattress or convertible bed

• ☐ Duvet or comforter for every bed

• ☐ Favorite sleeping pillows

• ☐ Pillowcases and spare linens

• ☐ Extra blankets

• ☐ White-noise machine, if your kids use one
  

Clothing and laundry

• ☐ Labeled fabric clothing-storage boxes that fit the RV cabinets

• ☐ Weather-appropriate clothing and layers

• ☐ Pajamas, socks, and underwear

• ☐ Rain jackets or windbreakers

• ☐ Compact or collapsible laundry bin

• ☐ Small container of powdered laundry detergent or premeasured detergent sheets
  

Kitchen: cooking and serving

• ☐ Cast-iron skillet or one versatile pan, if cookware is not included

• ☐ Tongs, spatula, serving spoon, and can opener

• ☐ Cutting board

• ☐ Kitchen knife with a blade cover

• ☐ Stainless-steel plates, bowls, and utensils

• ☐ Coffee mugs

• ☐ Kitchen towels

• ☐ Oven mitt or heat-resistant pad

• ☐ Salt

• ☐ Pepper

• ☐ All-purpose seasoning

• ☐ Ketchup

• ☐ Hot sauce

• ☐ Soy sauce

• ☐ Any other condiments you regularly use

Stainless-steel dishes were easier to clean than plastic and did not add the risk of broken dishes inside the RV.

Food storage and kitchen cleanup

• ☐ Food-storage containers with locking lids

• ☐ Freezer- and quart-size resealable bags

• ☐ Aluminum foil

• ☐ Clips or airtight containers for opened snacks

• ☐ Paper towels

• ☐ Dish sponge or small dish brush

• ☐ Biodegradable dish soap

• ☐ Full-size trash bags

• ☐ Small shopping-bag-size liners for the RV garbage bin
  

Water, food, and hydration

• ☐ Reusable water bottles

• ☐ Electrolyte packets

• ☐ Adult snacks

• ☐ Kid snacks

• ☐ Small cooler or insulated tote for day trips, if there is a convenient place to store it in the RV

We did not need an additional cooler, but it could be useful for day trips. I would only bring one after deciding exactly where it will be stored.

Bathroom and personal care

• ☐ RV-safe toilet paper approved by the rental company

• ☐ Bath towels—our family brought six or seven

• ☐ Bath mat

• ☐ Plastic bathroom caddy with drainage holes

• ☐ Body wash

• ☐ Shampoo and conditioner

• ☐ Toothbrushes and toothpaste

• ☐ Biodegradable hand soap

• ☐ Wet wipes

• ☐ Body wipes for freshening up between showers

• ☐ Shower shoes or water-safe flip-flops

• ☐ Microfiber hair towel

• ☐ Any other daily toiletries
  

Kids' everyday items

• ☐ Portable kids' potty

• ☐ Foldable step stool

• ☐ Kid cups and feeding items

• ☐ Comfort item for each child

• ☐ Sun hats and sunglasses

• ☐ Sunscreen

• ☐ Kid-safe insect repellent

The portable potty was especially helpful when we were on the road, not hooked up at a campsite, or trying to conserve water.

Kids' entertainment

• ☐ Toniebox and charger

• ☐ iPad with movies and shows downloaded before the trip

• ☐ Headphones

• ☐ Coloring books and coloring pages

• ☐ Crayons or washable markers

• ☐ Bedtime books

• ☐ One small lidded box of monster trucks and construction toys
  

Cleaning and organization

• ☐ Removable Command hooks in a few sizes

• ☐ Portable handheld vacuum and charger

• ☐ Dustpan and small brush

• ☐ Cleaning wipes

• ☐ Bucket or washable bin for shoes

• ☐ Outdoor RV mat

• ☐ Indoor RV slippers or washable slides

• ☐ Reusable cleaning cloths

• ☐ Labeled fabric clothing bins

• ☐ Compact laundry bin

• ☐ Bathroom caddy
  

Front-area caddy

We did not bring a caddy for the front of the RV, but I would add one next time for:

• ☐ Charging cords

• ☐ Bluetooth speaker

• ☐ Adult snacks

• ☐ Hand sanitizer

• ☐ Sunglasses

• ☐ Keys

• ☐ Campground passes
  

Campfires and outdoor time

• ☐ Camping chairs, if not included

• ☐ Firewood—it was more expensive to buy at the campsites

• ☐ Fire-starting flint or long lighter, where campfires are permitted

• ☐ Fishing gear and required licenses, if fishing is part of the trip

• ☐ Small outdoor toys that can get dirty

• ☐ Daypack or child carrier

• ☐ Picnic blanket or small ground cover

• ☐ Bikes or scooters and helmets, if you know you will use them

Check local fire restrictions and firewood-transport rules before bringing wood across state or regional boundaries.

Small problem-solvers

• ☐ Disposable gloves for campsite or RV utility tasks

• ☐ Scissors

• ☐ Painter's tape and permanent marker for labels

• ☐ A few zip ties

• ☐ Small roll of duct tape

• ☐ Reusable grocery bags

• ☐ Small sewing kit

• ☐ Printed reservation details in case cell service is unavailable
  

Before loading the RV

• ☐ Measure the cabinets, closet, shower floor, and spaces where bins or caddies will go

• ☐ Confirm where every packed item will be stored

• ☐ Label storage containers before loading them

• ☐ Download shows, Tonie content, maps, and apps before leaving home

• ☐ Check the weather for every major stop

• ☐ Confirm campsite fire restrictions and laundry availability

Every RV, campsite, season, trip length, and family is different, so use this as a starting point. The goal is not to bring everything. It is to bring the things you will actually use without making loading, living in, and eventually unloading the RV harder than it needs to be.