the ultimate eurocamp packing list for holidaying with kids

Packing for a Eurocamp Holiday and unsure what to pack?

Whether you’re heading to France, Italy, or Spain, this complete Eurocamp packing list will help you avoid overpacking while making sure you don’t forget the essentials. From self-catering tips to toddler must-haves, we’ve camped at nearly 100 different campsites (many of them Eurocamps) and have finally learned what’s actually useful to our packing list and what we can ditch.

In this packing guide I’m going to tell you everything you need to pack for an enjoyable family holiday with Eurocamp. We’ve also included a free downloadable checklist at the bottom to make your packing totally stress-free.

Eurocamp Essentials and Documentation

Lets start with essentials like holiday documents, passports, etc. The things you absolutely need to remember when packing for your Eurocamp holiday.

Important travel Documents

• Booking confirmation with EC phone number

Your Eurocamp booking confirmation will be needed when you check in. It’s a good idea to print this in case of phone issues and make note of the Eurocamp phone number in case you need to contact the staff on-site.

• Passports

Make sure these are in date. Your passport should be no older than 9 years and 6 months from the issue date.

• GHIC and health insurance info

Make sure you have adequate health insurance before you travel this means applying for your GHIC cards as well as buying comprehensive travel insurance from companies like Confused.com

• Driving License and Insurance documents

Essential if you’re hiring a car or driving abroad. Make sure you are fully insured to drive abroad and what level your insurance allows.

• Wallet/money/cards

Most Eurocamp parks accept card but we have been caught out on occasion by cash only tolls, shops and more. Mike still uses a wallet that can carry cash like this one.

Self-Catering Packing Must-Haves

Even if you’re staying in a premium mobile home, there are some Eurocamp self-catering essentials you’ll be glad you brought.

Kitchen essentials & Food Items

• Dishcloth, sponges, Washing up liquid & bin bags

Eurocamp should provide a small essentials pack including these products but they are unlikely to last the entirety of your stay and sometimes we haven’t received the pack in the first place. Also, Fairy liquid is far superior to any European washing up liquid so stock up before you come. We like to buy big bottles and decant them in to travel size packs. This fairy bundle pack is a great offer to stock up on.

• Tea Towels and oven glove

Occasionally we have received a silicone oven glove but I can’t get on with it. I definitely prefer bringing my own. Also, tea towels aren’t provided and with young children I get through about 30 a day, so definitely pack some.

• Tupperware, foodbags, clingfilm, etc

I don’t want to be wasting food on holiday. I pack bag clips, tupperware, sandwich bags and all of it. They’re also helpful for picnics and eating away from your accommodation.

• Multi Surface wipes or cleaning products

I like to keep on top of the cleaning so we don’t get charged at the end of our stay. Multi surface wipes are great for a quick once over but not so much for the environment. We like to mix between wipes and cleaning cloths and sprays.

• Kitchen roll

I can’t live without kitchen rolls, especially when I don’t have the capacity to wash all the tea towels everyday.

• Condiments, herbs, spices, Oil and coffee

Whilst you can buy most of these while you are a way, if you have the ability to bring them you can save money and wastage by bringing them with you. This handy bag is made especially for packing condiments on a camping holiday like Eurocamp.

• Salad bowls

We hate the tiny provided bowls and love making giant salads. We bring some easy to pack metal and bamboo bowls and each have a salad in them.

• Water bottle

Reusable bottles are great for days out, sitting around the pool and saving time on washing up all those tiny glasses. Our water bottles even came with a handy insulated bag and strap making it really easy to take out and about with us.

• Vitamins

If you take them, don’t forget them just because you’re on holiday. Keep those immune systems strong especially when travelling.

Bed, Bathroom, Toiletries and Health Essentials

• Bedding & Towels

If you don’t want to pay to pre-book them via Eurocamp you can bring your own. However, this isn’t always feasible if travelling via public transport.

• Bath mat

There is a horrible plastic one provided a lot of the time but it is not nice. It’s squeaky and foamy and I much prefer my own soft towel bath mat.

• Toiletries

Toothbrushes, pastes, hair stuff, shower gel, all the essentials need packing. If you are flying you can pack travel size and save some space.

• Toilet roll

This should be provided but can often be forgotten. Bring a roll for emergency use until you can get to a shop.

• Hairdryer and straighteners

Ok, these aren’t essential but I do like to bring them in case I choose to make an effort randomly. Hair dryers used to be provided but I have noticed more often than not these are no longer around.

• Makeup, jewellery & face creams

Just like the previous, not essential but good if you fancy making an effort and maintaining your skincare routine on holiday.

• Sun creams

This is essential. Not only should UV be worn daily anyway, but the weather in mainland Europe is generally far superior to the UK. We have all been burnt, don’t make the same mistakes as us.

• Medicine and first aid kit

Including after-sun if you are as stupid as us. It’s important to carry a first aid kit, especially when travelling with children. We also like to make sure we have calpol and cough medicines too.

• Hairbrush, bands, accessories

We have two daughters and a lot of hair…enough said.

• Sanitary products

Bring plenty as the campsite shops may not have your preferred brand

• Razors

Gotta keep that bikini line trim at the beach right? 

Eurocamp Clothing Essentials

Your Eurocamp holiday packing list should include a mix of layers, swimwear, and comfy shoes.

• Everyday comfortable clothes

We live in shorts, t-shirts and comfy clothes for the majority of our holiday. Most of my clothes are from Fatface, Next and Marks and spencer. They are comfy, have long inner thighs to stop the heat chafe and suit me. Mike will wear anything blue and the girls I like to dress in JoJo maman Bebe clothes or hand me downs! Campsites can be messy, so we tend to take less of our “best” clothes and stick to the middle of the road clothes while we’re away.

• Evening wear

Occasionaly we’ll dress up in an evening, but it’s not expected. Nobody would judge you for going out in your shorts or jeans. Casual is the standard on campsites.

• Multiple beach and pool outfits

If you have a pool on your Eurocamp park and a beach nearby there’s no doubt you’ll have to rotate your swimwear. Make sure you pack a few pairs each. I tend to wear whatever swimsuit I find, I don’t overly care about the fashion aspect. However, I love finding gorgeous rash vests for the girls. If you’re a guy, Stick around to the bottom of this post as there’s a handy note on mens swimwear.

• Flip Flops and comfy shoes

We live in trainers for hiking and walking and flipflops or Birkenstocks for everything else. There really is no need for anything else.

• Laundry detergent and colour catchers

We often have to do washing on the campsite so we will bring a travel size laundry detergent either in a bottle or capsule form and some colour catchers. As the washing machines are paid, we don’t split the loads, we put everything in one drum and hope the colour catchers do their job. So far so good.

• Weather appropriate seasonal wear

If you are travelling in Spring or Autumn you may need to pack more layers than those holidaying in Summer. We like thermal under layers that take up less space than bulky jackets and coats.

• Pyjamas

We can’t go away without some comfy, homely bed ware, in a mobile home or tent the night can be colder than expected so pack appropriately. 

• Gym & sportswear

Great for getting involved in some of the many campsite entertainment activities. I’ve joined in with colour runs, yoga, zumba and more.

• Glasses/sunglasses/Googles

Protect your eyes from the weather and the pool water.

• Lake shoes

If we are staying on a campsite with a lake or river we like to pack our lake shoes for walking in.

• Pack’macs

Some holiday destinations are known for having luscious weather one minute then an intense downpour the next, foldable/packable raincoats are definitely a win. 

• Backpacks

For days out when you need to pack picnic, nappies, wipes and more, don’t forget a backpack

Baby, Toddler and Childrens Packing List

When travelling with children, your Eurocamp checklist should include toddler-friendly cutlery, snacks, pool toys and everything else I’ve listed below.

• Milk bottles, formula Nappies and wipes

All the baby essentials. Bring familiar brands if your unsure how baby will react to different ones.

• Bibs

Messy children are hard to clean up. We even bib up our 5 year old on holiday to try and protect some clothes

• Sack’n’seat

An easy-to-pack solution for feeding toddlers on standard chairs. These sack’n’seat style foldable high chairs are lifesavers on days out.

• Sleepsac and bedding

Keeps your children warm and familiar with their bedtime routine.

• Soft toys 

Can’t go anywhere without our heard of Jellycat bunnies.

• Floats and armbands

Pool safety is important, floats and armbands still need constant supervision, but they still help.

• White noise machine

We don’t go anywhere without our white noise machine especially if we are staying on a lively Eurocamp park where there is likely to be noise late at night.

• Black out blinds

Many mobile homes will provide blackout blinds but not all of them. We say every time we need to remember to bring our portable black out blinds but always forget.

• Foldable stroller or baby carrier

Depending on how you are travelling a foldable stroller or baby carrier will be the best way to get your baby or toddler around. We love our cabin size pushchair and carrier.

• Kids cutlery and cups

If your children are likely to struggle with adult size cups and cutlery make sure you remember to pack some for them.

• Toys, books and activity packs

Our favourites to pack are colouring books, Dobble and I’m currently in the process of designing my own camping activity pack. Let me know on my facebook group if you’d be interested.

• Bikes and scooters (don’t forget helmets)

If you are travelling via car then many Eurocamp sites are bike and scooter friendly. Make sure you bring a helmet. I am astounded by the amount of campsite kids without helmets on.

• Headphones and tablets

Great for downtime or emergency entertainment when everyone’s tired. Our headphones are by Pogs and they have great volume seatings for children and are wired, with removable AUX so the children are less likely to break them, and if they do, we can change the cable.

Items You’ll Be Glad You Brought

• Plug adapters and Multi-socket

You’ll need a 2-pin european plug and to make life easier we like to plug our UK extension lead into the 2 pin so we can plug everything into the extension.

• Electrical appliances

Some people bring portable grills others bring airfryers, you may be advised not to do this based on the campsites ability. Many heavy electrical appliances will trip the campsites electric. We’ve had this a lot during cold weather when everyone is trying to use heaters.

• Camera equipment

As we film Youtube videos to capture memories with our children, we obviously pack a lot of filming equipment. You may just want to use your mobile phone or a digital camera for those holiday memories however I would absolutely recommend a go-pro for filming waterslides.

• Picnic blanket

For meals away from the mobile home we like to pack a cosy picnic blanket to sit on.

• Lighter

In case the BBQ or gas hob ignition doesn’t work we always have a lighter to hand.

Flying VS Driving To Eurocamp What changes to make to your packing

Depending on whether you are flying or driving to your Eurocamp holiday there will obviously be a few amendments to your packing. 

If you are flying To Your Eurocamp Holiday

• Weigh up the cost and convenience of paying for an extra suitcase for linen and towels or hiring them from Eurocamp
• Don’t bring bikes and scooters, many eurocamp campsites will hire them or there will be bike hire nearby.
• Bring a limited number of clothes and wash half way through your stay
• Check our post on the Eurocamp sites closest to airports for car-free holidays

If you are driving To Your Eurocamp

• You can pack everything but the kitchen sink, that is until your car gets too full and the roof box is almost exploding.
• Remember to bring your European car safety equipment. We’ve written a post about the driving rules in Europe, you might want to read it before you go.

The list above contains pretty much everything we pack in the car, but there are a few optional extras we pack that make our life easier.

Optional Extras To Pack & Make Life Easier

• Foldable wagon

If you’ve read our essential camping accessories or our feature in The Sun newspaper, you’ll know we love our Decathlon Trolley. This handy bit of kit is great for beach trips, hauling luggage and transporting children out for ice-cream.

• Travel Mugs

We like to pack our chillys mugs so that we can walk around drinking coffee looking pretentious. No, but seriously – it is nice to make coffee on the go, especially when children wake up bright and early to go out.

• Overdoor hooks

Many Eurocamp accommodations have limited hooks for towels and coats. We’ve found that bringing our own overhead hooks has made life so much easier and kept our Eurocamp mobile home a lot tidier.

• Squash and sugar free fizzy drinks

These are really hard to find in mainland Europe so you may want to pack your own. There are plenty of fizz, but low caffeine and low sugar is hard to find. Squash on the other hand is replaced by sugary syrups in France.

Don’t forget your Speedos and Swimhats

If you are travelling to France and you are male you’ll need to remember to pack your speedos. There are many reasons for this but I’ve explained it all in this handy post about which Eurocamps do not require the speedo rule.

Then, if you are travelling to Italy, you’ll need to remember a swim hat. Whilst it’s not obligatory on all campsites there are quite a few that have this rule.

What NOT to pack for your Eurocamp Holiday

A common mistake on any Eurocamp packing list is overpacking — here’s what you can leave behind

Things You Don’t Need to Pack for Eurocamp:

• Hairdryers & kettles – Most Eurocamp mobile homes are well-equipped with these basics. We’ve found that if we don’t have a hairdryer or kettle we can ask the Eurocamp reception and they are happy to get one for us.
• Too many clothes – It’s easy to overpack. Most sites have laundry facilities, and you’ll be living in swimwear and comfy clothes anyway. We tend to pack around 3 days worth of clothes and then use the washing facilities. This usually costs about 6 euros a load.
• Heavy kitchenware – You won’t need pots, pans, or a slow cooker (unless you really want one)! Your accommodation includes basic cookware (though we do recommend bringing a sharp knife).
• Bed linen and towels (maybe) – You can add these to your booking if you are happy to pay the rental price, however, if you are trying to Eurocamp Holiday on a budget, I would recommend packing these. Price up whether it’s cheaper to add an extra suitcase to your booking than it is to hire linen.
• Books and board games (in excess) – You’ll likely be out and about most of the day. One book or a tablet loaded with games is usually enough. However, for rainy days we do like to have a few smaller/travel size games. You can usually also hire games from the Eurocamp receptions.

Save your suitcase space for essentials you can’t get on-site — like your favourite snacks, kids’ comforts, or extra swimwear.

What’s Provided in Your Eurocamp Accommodation

It’s easy to think that you need to bring everything but the kitchen sink when travelling to a self catered accommodation, but thankfully Eurocamp provides so many basics to get you started. So here’s what’s included in your Eurocamp Accommodation.

• Beds, Mattresses & pillows

These are all provided, but you will either need to bring your own bed linen or pre-book linen when you book your stay (unless you are booking Ultimate or premium exclusive accommodation where linen is included). The linen packs will not come ready made on your bed (except for Ultimates) so you’ll still have to make beds on arrival.

• Fridge Freezers

These are usually a decent size if staying in a mobile home however, some of the pre-erected tents have smaller fridge freezers.

• Cooking facilities

All mobile homes and tents will come with a hob and microwave however ovens, gills, toasters and bbq’s are not guaranteed. 

• Kettle

These are usually stove top whistle kettles, but some of the higher tier mobile homes have coffee machines and electric kettles instead

• Utensils and Kitchenware

Basic cutlery, utensils, crockery, pots and pans are available but we have always found the knives not overly sharp and the chopping boards to be a horrible glass. We often bring some of our own kitchen equipment (which I’ll get to in the packing section).

• Dishwasher

These are available in some of the higher end accommodations. You can see what mobile homes provide dishwashers in our Eurocamp Accommodation guide.

• Air conditioning, heating or fans

Air conditioning is only available if you have booked it, otherwise you’ll have heaters or fans available for your accommodation.

• Living Room & Bedroom Furniture

There are numerous cupboards, wardrobes, bedside tables and storage areas available. In the living room you’ll find table and chairs and a sofa (which can often turn into a sofa bed)

• Cleaning Equipment

To keep your eurocamp accommodation clean Eurocamp provide a broom, mop and bucket, dustpan and brush, sink bucket and drainer.

• Safety Equipment

If you’re staying in a eurocamp mobile home it will be kitted with a fire blanket, smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher.

• Cleaning Products

As standard we have received a sponge, cloth, washing up liquid, toilet roll and antibac cleaner. However, there have been many occasions where we haven’t received this Eurocamp holiday essentials pack. If this is the case, make it known to the Eurocamp reception and they should help provide you with some basic cleaning products to keep your accommodation clean.

• Outdoors equipment

Outside you’ll find more tables and chairs, a bbq if permitted on your campsite/with your accommodation type and a bin.

If this all seems a lot to follow, don’t worry – I’ll add a downloadable list version at the end of the post.

Optional Eurocamp Extras You Can Pre-Book (Paid and Unpaid)

If you’re still wondering if you’ll need to pack the baby’s cot and high chair, here’s where you’ll find out!

• Baby extras

These need to be booked in advance. They include high chairs, bed rails, changing mats, potties, baby baths and of course cots. These are free of charge but Eurocamp cannot guarantee availability unless these are pre-booked. Cot mattresses are also not provided alongside the cots, so you may want to bring some soft packable blankets. Cot linen is chargeable.

• Linen and Towels

The prices for these can be steep so I often recommend holiday makers bring their own if possible (obviously not that feasible if you are flying). Find out the prices here

• Welcome Packs

These are great if you are arriving at a Eurocamp park late and won’t have time to get to a shop. They contain a few essentials like coffee, jam and wine. Click below to find out the current prices and what’s new in the packs!

Free Eurocamp Packing Checklist PDF

Want to make sure you don’t forget a thing?

Download the Printable Eurocamp Family Packing List in PDF which we’ll send straight to your inbox.

Eurocamp Packing FAQs

More Eurocamp Tips and Planning Resources

We have a wide range of hints and tips for staying with Eurocamp holidays and some of these pages could help you pick your next holiday, check them out

• Eurocamp holiday guide 
• Eurocamp accommodation guide
• Best Eurocamps in France