Scouting America asked ChatGPT to create a packing list for a family of four traveling by car to a state park in North Texas in March. Russ and Rose Hunsaker, co-chairs of Scouting America’s Camping and Trekking Committee, offer comments.
The AI-generated packing list is below.
Click here to download and print for your next outing.
Shelter and sleeping
- Tent with stakes and guy lines
- Groundsheet or footprint
- Sleeping bags rated to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit (March nights can dip.)
- Sleeping pads or air mattresses
- Pillows from home (worth the space they take up in the car)
- Extra blanket for kids or around the fire
Clothing (per person)
- Two daytime outfits
- Warm layer (fleece or hoodie)
- Puffy jacket or insulated vest for evenings
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Pajamas, including one warm set
- Underwear and socks (extra pair)
- Sturdy shoes or sneakers
- Sandals or easy camp shoes
- Hat and sunglasses
Camp kitchen
- Cooler with ice packs
- Easy meals already prepared (think tacos, pasta, foil packets)
- Snacks you don’t mind getting dusty
- Refillable water bottles
- Camp stove or grill
- Fuel
- Lighter or matches
- Cookware (pan, pot)
- Cutting board and knife
- Cooking utensils
- Plates, bowls, cups, cutlery
- Paper towels
- Dish sponge and small bottle of soap
- Trash bags and zip-top bags
Food extras that save sanity
- Coffee setup you actually like
- Breakfast you can make half asleep
- Marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers
- Extra snacks for kids between meals
Camp comfort
- Camp chairs
- Picnic blanket or ground mat
- Headlamps or flashlights (one per adult, at least)
- Lantern for the table
- Portable phone charger
- Printed reservation and map (in case of spotty cell service)
Weather and environment
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Lip balm and lotion
- Small towel or wipes for dirty hands
Toiletries and health
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Baby wipes or body wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Basic first-aid kit
- Any daily medications
- Tissues
Kid-specific sanity savers
- One comfort item per kid (stuffed animal or blanket)
- Weather-appropriate sleepwear
- Simple outdoor toys (ball, flying disc, bubbles)
- One quiet activity for downtime (books, cards, coloring)
Optional but nice
- Binoculars for bird watching
- Camera
- Hammock
- Extra tarp (shade, wind block or emergency rain cover)
The experts weigh in
The Hunsakers were impressed.
“The list is very comprehensive, will fill up the back of your car or truck, and help you have a comfortable family camp,” Russ Hunsaker said.
For a family heading out for two nights with a car nearby, this list covers the basics and leans toward comfort over ultralight minimalism. That is not a bad thing when camping with younger children.
What AI missed
Our camping pros noticed a few gaps. “The AI list put together everything except the kitchen sink,” Russ Hunsaker explained. “No, really — it missed something to wash your dishes in!” The pair also pointed out that while the list included a printed map, it left off part of what Scouting teaches as one of the 10 outdoor essentials. “It misses a compass … and whistle,” Russ Hunsaker pointed out. (A whistle is part of the Cub Scout Six Essentials.)
A whistle, the duo emphasized, is a must for kids in case they get separated. Russ Hunsaker also noted one safety concern: “Dragging a blanket around a fire could be quite a fire hazard!” And one practical reminder: “We’ve never been on a campout with our family where we haven’t generated garbage that we needed to manage.”
Add garbage bags to that packing list too!
How to use AI to help you camp
When using an AI tool like ChatGPT, your prompt should be as specific as possible. Location, time of year, length of stay and destination — forest, lake, mountain, state park, etc. — are important to include. Camping during New England mud season or northern Utah snow is very different from North Texas in March.
Also, while AI gives you a solid starting point, it doesn’t know that your kids really hate cold mornings, that you’re not you without a midday protein bar, or how sibling dynamics work around a campfire.
“It will give you the generic needs for camping and not the specific, personalized needs of your unique family,” Russ Hunsaker concluded.
A final word on safety
Safety is always an important factor when camping. As you plan your trip, remember that Scouting America always advises reviewing the Guide to Safe Scouting for additional safety guidance.
