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Hiking and camping as a family is a fantastic way to build lifelong memories, share learning experiences, and grow closer. But camping with kids does come with some challenges. If you’ve never camped with kids before, the team at Care.com has some excellent expert advice to help you stay safe and have a positive experience.
One thing experts all agree on is that, when camping and hiking with kids, they need a flashlight. A flashlight can help them navigate a campsite in low light conditions, allow them to read without illuminating the whole tent, and even be used for fun activities like shadow puppets.
Should a child lose their way by accident, a flashlight becomes crucial safety equipment, helping to keep them safe and helping adults find them. It’s a kid’s camping essential.
Best Hiking and Camping Flashlight for Kids
Editors Choice: Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight with Carabineer Clip
The Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight is a rugged flashlight that resists impact and floats in water, making it a great camping companion for kids.
The shock absorbing rubber also gives you a comfortable, secure grip on the flashlight, even in damp conditions It has four super-bright LED bulbs that create 55 lumens of light, shines light for over 31 meters in distance, and lasts for nearly 9 hours on one set of batteries. The built-in carabiner clip allows you to easily clip it to a bag or belt loop so it won’t get lost.
The Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight comes with the 3AA batteries it needs to operate, and comes in bright colors kids will love, including purple, neon green, blue, pink, and yellow.
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- Rugged, shock and impact resistant construction
- Floats in water
- Soft and comfortable grip
- Shines for nearly 9 hours
- Super bright beam over 31 meters
- Carabiner clip secures it easily
- Small size is good fit for kids’ hands
- Comes with batteries
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- Not designed to last for years of use
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Important Features in a Camping Flashlight and Headlamps for Kids
When considering the best flashlights for kids, we looked for some crucial features.
Easy to Use
A child’s physical dexterity changes rapidly, so what’s easy for a six year old isn’t always easy for a four year old. But we look for big buttons that move easily, so kids can feel the buttons in the dark and are confident with their flashlight.
Rugged and Durable
All outdoor equipment needs to be rugged, but kids’ belongings need to be especially so. A kid’s flashlight should be able to be dropped, squashed, crushed, and gotten dirty and keep going.
Appealing
Let’s face it, kids love flashlights. They are a staple of late-night sleepovers, reading in bed, pillow forts, and back yard tents, and offer hours of amusement. When a child has a flashlight of their own, in the color or shape and size that appeals to them, they are more likely to take care of it and keep it with them.
Safety Features
Naturally, the primary reason kids need a camping flashlight or headlamp is for safety. It shouldn’t have small parts. It should be reliable. It should have a clip, strap, or lanyard that makes it easy for kids to keep with them at all times. We also like camping flashlights for kids that have flashing or SOS features as an extra safety precaution. Some of our top picks aren’t suitable for very young children, so be mindful of your own safety requirements as well.
Alternative Top Hiking and Camping Flashlight for Kids
Wakeman 3 in 1 LED Lantern
The Wakeman 3 in 1 LED Lantern is a great camping accessory for kids of all ages. It’s a flashlight, a lantern, and a side panel light all in one, so you can use it for all your camping activities. It’s compact, lightweight, easy to use, and rugged, so it can withstand all your outdoor adventures.
The Wakeman 3 in 1 LED Lantern is a multifunction light with three lighting modes in one. At just 3.25 x 8 x 4 inches, and .4 pounds in weight, it produces 30 lumens of light. It can be used as a lantern, reading light, or flashlight. It requires 3 AA batteries, and comes in neon green, pink, or purple.
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- Versatile light can be used in wide range of ways
- Lightweight and compact
- Kid-friendly size and colors
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- Not rugged enough to withstand rougher kid play
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BLITZU LED Headlamp Flashlight for Adults and Kids
The super bright BLITZU LED Headlamp Flashlight for Adults and Kids gives you hands-free light whenever you need it, with a tiny headlamp that won’t weigh you down or be uncomfortable. It has 7 lighting modes, including distress modes, and it’s waterproof, impact resistant, and compact. It’s a great way for kids and adults to stay safe while camping.
The BLITZU LED Headlamp Flashlight for Adults and Kids is a compact headlamp that weighs just 2.2 ounces. It is made of durable, nontoxic materials, so it can easily be tucked into a bag or pocket when not in use and has an IPX5 certified waterproof rating. The headlamp adjusts to a 45 degree angle for great visibility in different conditions, and comes with a comfortable, stretchy headband that easily adjusts to fit kids and adults.
The headlamp has 7 different lighting modes, including low, medium, high, or flashing white light, and solid, flashing, or SOS red light. It provides up to an incredible 165 lumens of light and can illuminate large areas. Red light modes allow you to preserve your night vision and see clearly without disturbing others, while dim light makes it a great reading lamp, and flashing modes can be used in an emergency.
The BLITZU LED Headlamp Flashlight for Adults and Kids is made and tested in the USA and requires 3 AAA batteries. It comes in hot pink, camouflage, jet black, acai purple, pearl white, or sapphire blue colors with matching headbands. It is backed by a money back guarantee and lifetime warranty.
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- Compact and lightweight
- Rugged and waterproof materials that are nontoxic and kid-friendly
- Comes with comfortable adjustable headband
- Powerful 165 lumens of light
- Adjustable light angle and 7 lighting modes
- SOS and emergency light modes for safety
- Lifetime warranty
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- Headband may slip or be uncomfortable, especially on small kid-sized heads
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4 Pack Emergency Whistle with Survival LED Light
Experts recommend that kids always carry a whistle and a flashlight when camping, in case of emergencies. With this emergency whistle + LED light combination and included lanyard, it’s easy for kids to wear it around their necks and always have it, just in case. And they come in a set of 4, so you can protect the whole family.
The 4pack Emergency Whistle with Survival LED Light is large enough to not create a choking hazard for small children and has a short lanyard to reduce the risk of getting caught. It produces a 100dB whistle, loud enough to be heard for a great distance. It has 8 LEDs with three lighting modes: low, high, and strobe, to help you see at night or signal for help.
The survival whistle with LED light requires a AAA battery, which is included. The set of four comes in red, blue, black, and green. The whistle can also be easily detached from the lanyard and carried in a pack or pocket. It is backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
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- Compact and lightweight
- Safe for children to carry and use
- Combines emergency light and whistle
- Loud whistle and bright light for extra security
- Three lighting modes for versatility
- Comes in a set of four
- Batteries included
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- No SOS lighting mode
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Sun Company Lifelight Animal Carabiner Flashlight
These adorable little animals also happen to be super bright LED flashlights, with a fun design and convenience that will appeal to kids of all ages. The carabiner-style tails clip easily to a belt loop or keychain, so you never have to be without a light source, and the rugged design is durable enough to outlast all your camping adventures. It’s more than a toy flashlight; it’s an adorable way to make sure that kids always have a source of light while camping.
The Sun Company Lifelight Animal Carabiner Flashlight is recommended for kids ages 6 and up, although the cute little animal designs will appeal to younger children. When the button is pressed, the animal’s mouth opens, and a super bright beam of LED light emerges.
The animals have carabiner-style tails designed to clip onto keychains, belt loops, and other convenient areas, so you always have a flashlight when you need one. They are made of plastic, with a rubber coating that is durable and impact resistant, and hand-painted.
They come with batteries, and the batteries are replaceable, so you can enjoy these animal flashlights for years. The Sun Company Lifelight Animal Carabiner Flashlight comes in your choice of a blue frog, blue lizard, dolphin, green frog, green lizard, orca, red frog, or shark design.
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- Compact and lightweight
- Rugged and durable
- Carabiner tail clips onto bags or clothing
- Appealing design
- Battery included
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- Does not throw a beam of light very far
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VADIV Hand Crank Flashlight Solar Powered Emergency Torch
It’s never a bad idea when in the outdoors to have a flashlight that doesn’t require batteries. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but this flashlight from VADIV uses solar power and hand crank power to create light. It’s also compact, rugged, and easily clips to a pack or a keychain. It’s an excellent backup option in case of low batteries or outdoor adventures that go on a bit longer than planned.
The VADIV Hand Crank Flashlight Solar Powered Emergency Torch is a compact 8 lumen LED flashlight, with an internal battery that can be recharged with the built-in solar panel, or by turning the hand crank. It’s an efficient system that generates an hour of light by turning the crank for 6 minutes.
The flashlight is small, at just 4.92 x 1.77 x .91 inches, and weighs less than 4 ounces, so it’s easy to carry in a pack or pocket. It also has a convenient carabiner clip that allows you to attach it to a bag, belt loop, or key chain.
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- Flashlight that doesn’t need batteries
- Can be recharged by solar power or with the hand crank
- Produces long light with just a few turns of the crank
- Compact and portable
- Rugged construction
- Carabiner clip to attach to bags or clothing
- Easy to use
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- Doesn’t throw a beam of light very far
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Best Hiking and Camping Flashlight for Kids in 2020
Final Thoughts
Best Overall
Our top pick for the best camping flashlight for kids is the Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight. It’s compact and rugged and comes in kid-friendly colors. It floats in water and produces a bright beam of light for a long time. It’s an extremely kid-friendly, camp-friendly flashlight.
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Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight with Carabineer Clip
The Dorcy 55 Lumen Floating Waterproof LED Flashlight is a rugged flashlight that resists impact and floats in water, making it a great camping companion for kids.
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Honorable Mention
If you don’t have a hand-crank flashlight as part of your emergency camping supplies, the VADIV Hand Crank Flashlight Solar Powered Emergency Torch is a great choice. It’s simple enough for kids to use, and a great option in the event of battery failure, power outages, or other situations where you need light quickly.