3 Best Tent Lights for Camping with Kids

LED Camping Tent Lights

“What is the best tent light for you?”
Finding the best tent light is easier when you make the choice personal.

The best light for a large tent may not be the best one for a small 2-man tent. And the brightest tent light/lantern may not be the best choice if what you really need is one that can be a nightlight for young kids.

Consider what you want a tent light to do for you. How will you be using it?
Primary tent light considerations:

Brightness – Do you want to use it for reading in bed? Just light to see your way around the tent? A nightlight for the kids?
Size and placement – Do you have room for a combination tent light/lantern? A place for it to sit, or do you need to hang it?
Length of use – Will it be on for a long time, or just brief intervals? *this will determine the importance of the power supply
Settings or modes – Do you need high and low light settings? Do you need a nightlight setting? Do you want amber or red/green night vision settings?

And most importantly, consider safety and durability
You know the kids will want to handle and play with the tent lights. Make sure they are sturdy and have no sharp edges.

Answer those questions first – then you will know which of these tent lights might be the best tent light for you. (and the kids)

“Traditional” LED camping tent lights

Usually small, and hangs from, or clips to the tent.
Better models include amber or red/green light capabilities for night vision, or nightlight use.
Usually used for brief periods of time.
Usually uses AAA batteries

Note: **All links are my own affiliate links to product examples on Amazon – my preferred camping equipment and supply source

#1 co-Pick* – *with nightlight

Coleman CPX 4.5 LED Tent Light

Recommendation: ★★★★ A Good Buy
Sugg. Retail: $24.99 Amazon price: $19.26

The Coleman CPX tent light was a co-pick for the #1 tent light choice because it has an amber light setting that can be used as a night light. It ranked as the top pick because this is about tent lights for kids, and it was the only light reviewed that had a nightlight setting.

Features:

Flexible Power runs on 3AAA batteries (included) or the Coleman CPX 4.5 Rechargeable Power Cartridge
Adjustable bright (3) white LEDs or (2) LED amber night light setting
Magnetically attaches to any tent (or metal surface)
Multi-axis rotation allows the light to be aimed precisely at any location in the tent
Color-changing LED battery meter

Energizer Carabiner LED camping tent lights

#1 co-Pick* – *without nightlightEnergizer Carabiner LED Tent Light
Recommendation: ★★★★★ A Great Buy
Sugg. Retail: $21.99 Amazon price: $9.99

This tent light would be the hands-down #1 pick for a light for small tents – if, we weren’t talking about kids that might need a nightlight too, and if we were only talking about small tents. You will love the Energizer Carabiner Area light. It is so cool looking, so convenient, so versatile, and so well-built that your other tent lights will become back-ups.

A Big Plus! The on/off switch is intuitively placed where you would expect it to be – and – is easy to operate with gloves on.
Features:

Offers three light modes: 360-degree area light, high/low, and directional flashlight
Designed to easily clip on tents, backpacks, and anywhere else you need it
50 lumens of light output (that’s brighter than you think)
Run time of 5 hours on 4AAA Energizer Max Alkaline batteries (included), water-resistant – IPX4

To repeat… it comes with batteries included!

Coleman Micro-packer LED camping tent lights

#2 Pick* – *without nightlight

Coleman Coleman Micro-packer LED Tent Light

Recommendation: ★★★★ A Good Buy
Sugg. Retail: $24.99 Amazon price: $10.37

Coleman has another winner with this sturdy 360° light. The bright yellow color makes it easy to find, and a sliding reflector turns it into a forward-projecting light. (almost like a flashlight}.
The Micro-packer is another good tent light for small to medium-sized tents. It can even work as a personal lantern light in a large or cabin-style tent.

Features:

Two bright, long-lasting, 0.5-millimeter LEDs provide a surprising amount of light
Reflector slides up to project forward-shining beam for flashlight-style use; collapsible design folds down by half for packing
7.5-inch tall lantern weighs just seven ounces, including batteries
Compact, space-saving lantern runs up to 15 hours on three AA batteries

See all available camping tent lights

From LED nightlights to full light tent lanterns

Here are some other examples of camp lighting gear.

Camping Headlamps	Camp Hat Lights
Camping Flashlights	Kid’s Flashlights
Battery Lanterns	Camp Glow Sticks

Here are a few more pieces of camping gear you might be interested in:

The “Infamous” Boy Scout Handbook

Of all the camping books available to tell you how to do this or that, none have been around as long, as tested, updated, and revised to reflect new knowledge as the official Boy Scout Handbook.

Consider how ideal it is for camping with kids:

It is devoted to outdoor activities for and about kids!
It is extensive in its coverage, and is written to be understood by kids and adults alike.
Its camping first aid section is more appropriate and situation-specific than any other book on the market. (an opinion of course)
Check out the Boy Scout Handbook