My husband and I took our twin sons on a cub scout campout recently (the second time in 18 months that we’ve spent the night in the woods with 30 little boys) so we know what “the essentials” mean to us: Food. Shelter. Water. Airbed. Body pillow. (Am I the only one who expects to get a good night’s sleep in a tent?)

But here’s the reality: When it comes to camping with kids, you’re gonna need some specific items.

Aside from sunscreen and bug spray, don’t leave home without these 10 unexpected must-haves:

1. Glow sticks

   I don’t know what it is about them, but kids cannot get enough of these colored plastic light sticks. Walmart usually has half an aisle of cheap glow necklaces, wands, bracelets and other silly glow-in-the-dark stuff you can scoop up for your kids to inevitably use as weapons in their pursuit of Jedi mastery.

2. Well-named snacks

   The trick is to put the kids’ munchies in a paper sack or plastic baggie and call them “extra special camping fun treats” or something with lots of adjectives. This works well for road trips, too. I fill bags with fruit, crackers, applesauce, popcorn, gum and leftover candy from the most recent holiday if I’m feeling extra generous with the sugar. These “super cool snack packs” will fill in the gaps between meals and incite your children’s love for comparison as they argue over who got the better gum flavor.

3. Baby wipes, beach towels, paper towels 

   All of the above. You can rest assured someone will eat dirt, “fall” backwards into the mud or end up with a beard made of grape jelly. You’ll be glad to have more than one level of absorbent material to choose from.

4. Inclement weather entertainment

   I’m suggesting playing cards, board games or books for when it unexpectedly rains and you’re stuck inside the tent staring at each other. That’s exactly what happened to us on our recent campout and the twins were unfortunately not as excited as we were about using the raintime for naptime. And hey, if you get lucky with great weather, a game of charades or Twister is bound to be a little more interesting around a campfire.

5. Robust first-aid kit

   Don’t skimp on this, my friends. I took a homemade mini kit with “just the essentials” and forgot the tweezers. When one of our boys got a deep-set splinter in his finger, we had to wait in line behind the kid who fell into a cactus for the community tweezers. True story.

6. Tampons

   The fancy first-aid kit you’re gonna bring won’t come with these so add a couple, will ya? There’s nothing better for a bloody nose. And if you’ve got a snoring companion in the tent, use the pink Buck knife your husband gave you as a joke for Christmas to cut a tampon into quarters because they make decent ear plugs in a pinch. (Who knew that knife would be so darn useful?)

7. Small plastic baggies

   There might be a feather on that hike, Mama. Or a really cool rock, Dad. Flowers and acorns and twigs! Oh my! Your kid is probably gonna discover something fascinating, so you can either give new meaning to the phrase “walk with nature” or you can bag it. Bonus points if you turn this inevitable discovery mission into a “wild scavenger hunt for brave explorers!” See what I did there?

8. Foam floor tiles

   You know the ones that fit together like puzzle pieces? Pull ’em straight from the playroom and line your tent for a softer underbelly and crawl-friendly surface for the littlest campers.

9. The “Thing” That Your Kid Cannot Sleep Without 

   Is it a bunny blanket? A Strawberry Shortcake pillow? A stuffed hedgehog? Don’t leave home without the lovie. For real, y’all.

10. S’moreos 

    Skip the traditional graham cracker combo and recreate everyone’s favorite campfire treat with marshmallows and chocolate stuffed inside an Oreo cookie. Yeah, baby.

Did I mention snacks?

What are your unexpected essentials for camping trips?