مدونة

The best toys for a UAE camping trip with kids are the ones that work in sand, in the dark and without a plug: a torch each, a ball, a beach set for digging, a pair of binoculars and a pocket card game for the evening. Pack light, pack things that survive sand, and leave anything with a screen or a small loose part at home.

As the weather cools, a lot of UAE families start planning their first desert or beach night of the season. This guide covers what is actually worth packing for the children, what to leave behind, and how to do a practice run in the garden first.

Contents

• Start with a camp-out at home
• After dark: torches and glow
• Sand play that suits the dunes and the beach
• Active games for the daytime
• Exploring: binoculars and nature spotting
• Evening games around the camp
• What to leave at home
• Common questions

Start with a camp-out at home

The single best piece of camping advice for young children has nothing to do with the desert. Do a night in the garden, on the balcony or even in the living room first.

A first night in a tent is new in every way: the dark is darker, the sounds are different and the bed is on the floor. A child who has done it once at home, with the bathroom ten steps away, arrives at the real campsite already knowing what it feels like.

A children's play tent makes this easy. The Space Tent pops up indoors or outdoors, and it doubles as a reading den for the rest of the year. For the trip itself, Bestway family tents and camping beds are in the Outdoor Adventures collection.

After dark: torches and glow

Darkness is the part of camping children remember most, for better or worse. One torch per child solves most of the worse.

• A torch of their own. Not a shared one. A child who controls their own light is far less likely to be frightened by the dark. The Bluey Colour Change Light and Sound Torch suits preschoolers who already know the show.
• For toddlers, the VTech Spin and Learn Colours Torch is chunky enough for small hands and doubles as a learning toy at home.
• A glowing ball. The Kickerball Glow Soccer Ball turns the hour after sunset into the best game of the trip, and it is easy to find in the sand afterwards.

Pack spare batteries in a sealed bag, and keep anything battery-powered out of a hot parked car between trips.

Sand play that suits the dunes and the beach

Children will play in sand for hours with almost nothing, which is the good news. The bad news is that toys designed for a sandpit often snap on firm desert sand.

What works: a simple, sturdy set with a bucket, a spade and a couple of moulds. The Sandy Beach Toys Set and the Dino Beach Set are both light enough to throw in the car without a second thought. The full range is in Beach Play Sets.

Two tips from experience. Damp sand builds and dry sand does not, so a bottle of water for the bucket turns a pile into a castle. And brush everything off before it goes back in the bag, because sand that travels home ends up in the car for months.

Active games for the daytime

Midday can still be warm early in the season, so the active games belong to the morning and late afternoon. A ball is the one thing every camping family packs, and for good reason.

• A football. The Kickerball Swerve is designed to curve, which keeps older children busy trying to bend it around a tent.
• Bubbles. On a calm evening, bubbles over the sand are hard to beat for under fives. The Spidey Bubble Slinger is a favourite with preschool Spidey fans.

Keep the sun in mind even in the cooler months. Hats, water and shade breaks are part of the game plan, not an interruption to it.

Exploring: binoculars and nature spotting

The desert and the coast are full of things to look at once children know where to look: birds, tracks in the sand, the moon rising, a distant camel. A pair of binoculars turns a walk into an expedition.

The Discovery Mindblown Kids 4x Binoculars are made for children's hands and faces, which matters more than magnification for a seven year old. Make a simple spotting list before you leave: a bird, a track, a shell, a star. Ticking things off keeps a walk going far longer than "let's go for a walk" ever does.

Evening games around the camp

Once it is dark, the trip slows down, and this is where a card game earns its space in the bag. It needs no table, no power and no instructions once everyone knows it.

• UNO Express is the travel-size version, built for 2 to 6 players, and it fits in a pocket.
• The classic UNO card game is the one most children already know, so nobody has to learn rules by torchlight.

Storytelling, star spotting and a quiet round of cards is a better end to the day than any screen, and it is usually the part children ask to do again.

What to leave at home

• Anything with lots of small parts. Sand swallows them. Building sets and blind-pack collectibles stay home.
• Slime and dough. Sand gets in and never comes out.
• Precious favourites. If losing it would ruin the trip, it stays in the car or at home. Bring a second-favourite soft toy instead.
• Too much. One bag of toys for the whole family is plenty. Children find most of their entertainment in the place itself.

A simple packing list for the children

• One torch per child, plus spare batteries
• One ball
• A bucket and spade set
• Binoculars
• A pocket card game
• A familiar soft toy for sleeping
• Hats, water bottles and a light layer for the evening, which can be cooler than parents expect

Everything above is available online with delivery across the UAE, or in Colorland Toys stores. For more ideas for the cooler months, see our age-by-age guide to outdoor toys.

Common questions

What toys should I pack for desert camping with kids?

Keep it to things that survive sand and work without power: a torch for each child, a ball, a sturdy bucket and spade, binoculars and a pocket card game such as UNO Express. Leave toys with small parts at home.

How do I prepare a young child for their first night in a tent?

Do a practice night at home first, in a play tent in the garden or living room. A child who has slept in a tent once already knows what to expect when you reach the campsite.

What age can children go camping?

Families camp with children of every age, but the toys change. Toddlers need a familiar soft toy, a simple torch and sand play under close supervision. Children from around five can join in with ball games, exploring and card games.

How do I keep sand out of the toys?

Choose simple plastic toys without small parts, brush them off before packing up, and keep a separate bag for sandy toys so the car and the rest of the luggage stay clean.

Are battery toys a good idea for camping?

Torches, yes. Pack spare batteries in a sealed bag and do not leave battery-powered toys in a hot parked car. Most other electronic toys are better left at home.