Our family’s pretend camping kit: five years later
From basement campsites to backyard birdwatching, this toy kit has stayed part of our kids’ play for about five years.
This review describes a kit our family owns and uses. The Amazon link below is a paid affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Camping starts in the basement
We bought this MITCIEN pretend camping kit for when the kids want to camp in the basement or their bedrooms. Five years later, they still use it, and we would definitely buy it again—especially as a gift.
The tent has held up just fine. It gives them a place to make their own little campsite without needing a trip away from home.
The pieces our kids keep using
The toy campfire
The toy fire gets the most use. Its sound feature no longer works after about five years, which is the main drawback we’ve experienced. The kids still enjoy playing with the fire even without the sounds.
The lantern
We actually bring the toy lantern on real camping trips. It is noticeably dimmer than a real camping lantern, so we use it as a supplemental light for the kids rather than our main campsite light.
The binoculars
The kids regularly use the included binoculars to look at birds and squirrels in our yard. That connection between pretend camping and watching real wildlife is one of my favorite things about the kit.
Would we buy it again?
Definitely. With a tent that has held up and several pieces that still get used after five years, it’s a gift we would happily give another family.
Our take: A lasting favorite for indoor camping and backyard play. The sound feature has stopped working on our toy fire, and the lantern has limited brightness, but our kids keep finding reasons to use the kit.
We bought our kit about five years ago. The current set may differ, so check the listing for its included pieces and age guidance. This is a pretend-play kit; our experience does not establish that the tent or other pieces are suitable substitutes for outdoor camping equipment.
See the MITCIEN camping kit on AmazonA simple backyard extension
After setting up a pretend campsite, try a short wildlife watch through a window or outside together. Ask the kids to point out one bird, one squirrel, or one thing they hadn’t noticed before. The campsite can be imaginary; the discoveries can be real.
Try a simple bird walk or explore the feeders we use in our backyard.