Kids will definitely get dirty while camping. That's kind of the point. Let them run, splash and roll around in the dirt all day! You're an A+ parent if you take a wet wipe to their face at night and call it a bath. Camping and clean really don't mix. But you can pretend to have it under control by bringing a few extra back-up pairs of clothes for them.
Word to the wise - save at least one set of clean clothes for the trip home. It's always nicer to travel in clean undies (you can quote me on that).
This list was made for a 3-4 day camping trip. Don't let the set of 5 t-shirts fool you into thinking that it was made for 5 days. Their clothes will get wet and uncomfortable by the means of some expedition. You'll want to be adequately prepared for a quick outfit change mid-day.
Products I love for kids:
Every kid needs their own flashlight on the camping trip. It makes them feel really important. I love each of the tools in the Carson Adventure Pack! Not that my 4-year old could possibly understand a compass but pretending is always a great game.
We have nightlights at home and I wanted to find something that would work in the tent. Something fun but not too bright. Diateklity has a great night light with brightness control. I wish it came with batteries though. Who wants to recharge their camping necessities each morning? We're supposed be be unplugged! I guess it's better for the environment though. Another option without brightness control is the Big Agnes MtnGLO tent light. You can run it on batteries or recharge with a USB source.
Sunglasses can be difficult to find for the littles as well. REI has some pretty inexpensive options (around $20) and a range of sizes. My daughter loves her lavender shades.
For the basic camping trip without a ton of walking or hiking planned, I'll just pack the clothes that the kids already have or go to the Goodwill and grab a bunch of used clothes.
If we're doing a more intense hike, I like them to have a few pairs of nice wool socks and quality shoes. The price of shoes at REI is pretty comparable to other department stores and the quality is a lot better. In other words, Merrell is worth 10 extra bucks.
