As I'm starting to plan for my first trip with my son this year, I have found it interesting that I won't be using much for gear that is designed/sized for kids. Clothes are the obvious one, and he will use his backpack from preschool but that's about it. I guess I should include things like a couple of small toys we will probably bring to make a LNT compliant "construction site" and a kids book or two.

Almost forgot as I was typing this out that he will have a kids sized spinning rod as well.

What kind of gear have you taken that is kid specific, or maybe things you would only bring if kids are joining the adventure?

Good questions!

If I'm going with my younger daughters, I've brought...
1) a bug net for under the tarp
2) swimsuits
3) crawdad trap
4) their favorite books
5) coloring pencils and nicer drawing paper
6) pullups (when they were a lot younger)
7) their favorite foods and/or funner to cook food :)
8) extra GoPro batteries with more chargers than I would bring alone
9) roll out camp pads for outside of the tent (have also worked well in the canoe when the littler kids are tired but we need to keep on moving)
10) warmer clothes than I think
11) first aid kit is more kid-friendly - silly graphics on the bandaids, the itch cream that works best for them, kid doses of medicine, etc.)
12) I now only bring single barbless hooks - learned by experience
13) their favorite snacks (but I sneak them into the food vault so there are surprises when needed)
14) a paddle that fits them
15) rain gear coat, pants, and poncho
16) thermacells for the latrine, and in general too. I don't bring them when I go solo.
17) a simple nap hammock
18) their own head lamps
19) their favorite water flavoring packets
20) a water filter pump and a gravity filter (they like pumping water and it's a task they can do to help)

I'm sure there is more...here are a few pics with some of the stuff above.

almost forgot...card games!

YetiJedi: "almost forgot...card games! "

Fantastic list, thank you!

I will definitely be putting more of an emphasis on bug management with little man in tow. I grabbed a NoBugZone CT11 for a great deal and it's begging to be used for the first time this spring. I already added my thermacell to the list following your great trip in the potty thread.

I'll be adding a CCF pad to the list as well. A very underrated piece of equipment imo.

Regarding #12, I hope your daughters weren't involved in that learning experience! If so, it doesn't seem it deterred them, and I'm sure the lesson will stick...I'll add it to my "gear list" to make sure I pinch all of my barbs. We will probably stick to simple live bait rigs so this should be pretty easy.

I haven't started the trip menu planning yet, and that may require another thread! Obviously a very subjective topic, but would be interesting to hearing what others like to take. It certainly will have to differ pretty significantly from the freezer bag cooking I usually do.

I haven't looked a lot, but I haven't stumbled across much for kids sized paddles, particularly for a 5 year old. I don't really expect him to meaningfully contribute at this point, but would like to have something that is a good fit so he can start to learn. Curious to hear what others have used...I may have to look into making one, which I don't think would be too difficult. I have a nice piece of cherry scrap that may fit the bill nicely.

Yetijedis list is great. Pretty much everything I thought of when I read your post is on his list.

My girls would each bring 1 stuffed animal and Bruin will this year on his first trip.

Bending Branches Twig paddles are great for kids. Bruin uses the one his sisters used when they were little.

Make it his trip as much as you can. I always include them on the planning and let them make decisions during the trip. Picking campsites, when we fish, eat, what we do etc. I also tell them I will only over ride their decision or not even give a choice when safety is involved and that hasn’t happened often.On Big ducklings first trip she wanted to go out fishing right after eating dinner and I said know because I could see a storm coming. She was mad but later said “you were right dad” because 30 minutes later it was raining sideways as the storm hit.

Edit. Just thought of something else while typing. Unless they are in the tent they always have a whistle around their neck

For a paddle we used BB Twig, 42" when our kid was 4 and 48" for the next 3 years. Length was okay, but the paddle's way too heavy for sustained paddling (like few minutes in a row). If you happen to have one, bent-shaft carbon paddle of the same length could reduce the weight by almost 50%.

Pretty solid advice here already.

One item I am sure to let my kiddos bring is a gear item of their choosing that I might not necessarily need to bring (within reason). It has helped get them engaged in the packing/planning process and they get excited about using it in the wilderness.

I second the games and toys. We usually bring UNO or other smaller packable games. I have a collapsible cribbage board I've started teaching my oldest how to play on. My two boys also are sure to fill a small compartment in their packs with something like army guys or others that can get wet.

Size appropriate rain gear is a must and I've had good luck with collapsible plastic paddles that I would normally use as a backup paddle. Since they don't usually paddle the entire way, these have been sufficient.

Don't forget to have realistic expectations about your trip. I found out pretty quickly like all things with kids that things don't always go according to plan. Have fun out there and enjoy your first trip with him!