Holidaying Without the Plastic Tat: What Works for Our Family

In raising my family, I do my best to avoid single-use plastic toys and crafts that create unnecessary waste—items that often end up in the bin after just one use. Once you've had this paradigm shift, it becomes hard to unsee how deeply entrenched our reliance on plastic really is. This can be especially challenging when camping or holidaying with other families. For many Millennial (Generation Y) and Gen Z parents, plastic consumption is still very much the norm. It's sobering to remember that half of all plastics ever made were produced in the last 20 years and that plastic use is accellerating!

Having recently returned from a half-term camping trip, which I wrote about in my previous blog post, When Tablets Stay Packed, I observed how it took a number of days for the kids to detox from screens, and to unlearn the constant need and expectation to be entertained—and detox from the dopamine cravings they’re used to, from over-scheduled and tech-saturated lives. For us as a family living in the city, camping is about giving the children a chance to spend whole days outside, under wide open skies, to be un-busy and free to roam. To appreciate what fun can be found when life slows down, and when stimulation isn’t just handed to you.

But what struck me whilst camping with other families, was how often well-meaning parents fed that dopamine craving with anything new — impulse plastic purchases offering instant gratification that often lasted only minutes and that seemed to constantly appear, as if from Tardis like tents. First came the balloons, which burst and left fragments strewn in the grass. Then the neon party sticks that glowed briefly before fading. Then came the flashing robots, abandoned quickly when the novelty wained. A mega-pack of bubble wands followed, left empty and discarded across the campsite and thousands of plastic jewel stickers used to decorate shoes appeared as a craft activity—but which will fall off at the first drop of rain. As a parent that practices mindful consumption, and intentionally avoids impulse-driven consumption, it felt blindfully relentless.

Then there was the clearing up responsibilities when it came time to leave. When I asked all the kids to find all the bits of plastic in our camp area scattered amongst the grass, it was met with distain, avoidance, mockery and disrespect that made me feel both anger and sadness and evidenced just how far we still have to go. I was proud that my own two sons willingly searched and picked the plastic up.

Here's the things I pack for a camping trip - a few tried-and-true alternatives that align with my plastic-free values and allow children to detox from screens and dopamine cravings. These not only last longer, but they also invite creativity, connection and calmer play. Here’s what I love to bring for a more sustainable, dopamine-reduced holiday:

🌿 Outdoor Exploration & Fun

Encouraging children to interact with the natural world helps them develop curiosity and confidence. We always pack:

• Magnifying glasses and periscopes – for inspecting leaves, insects and enjoying the freedom of outside.

• Nature scavenger hunts and tree identification cards – either printed out or improvised based on the landscape (e.g., “Find something spiky, something soft, something red…”).

• Stargazing Card Kit - for a cloud free night when the stars can be seen with the naked eye. Encouraging them to look up! Identify constellations, phases of the moon and find planets easy to spot in the sky.

🏃‍♂️ Classic Games for Outdoor Spaces

These stand the test of time and require no batteries, screens, or landfill-bound plastic:

• Frisbees (made from silicone)

• Boules / Petanque set

• Skittles or Hoopla 

• Simple ropes and skipping ropes – for tug-of-war or mastering skipping.

  
  

💧 Water Play (Reusable-Environment Friendly Only Zone)

Water play doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense:

• Reusable water balloons – soft fabric ones that can be soaked and used over and over.

• Giant bubble kits – we use biodegradable soap mixes and keep the wand year after year (Dr Zigs)

• Gelli Snowball kits – great sensory fun, and completely safe for nature. (Zimpli Kids).

  
  

🎨 Plastic-Free Crafts

Crafts can still be fun without leaving a trail of microplastics behind:

• Pressed flower art – a favourite after a nature walk

• Paper Stickers

• Card games

• Giant colouring sheets - great for a group

  
  

🧺 🧺Other Favourites in Our Family’s Kit

These bits have earned their place in our regular camping box:

• A mud kitchen kit with stainless steel pots, jugs, spoons and little tin cups – hours of imaginative play, especially when paired with flower petals, leaves and twigs.

• A kite – lightweight, packable and endlessly satisfying when the wind's just right.

• 'Just add water' painting sets – clean, compact and mess-free.

• A football – simple joys win out every time.

In the End, It's Not About Perfection

I know we can't control what others bring or how they parent. But we can model another way—one that teaches our kids not only to tread more lightly but also to find delight in simplicity. When toys aren’t designed to entertain them endlessly, they learn to engage with the world differently. They invent, collaborate, explore. They slow down. They relax.

Sure, our camping gear might not light up or offer that dopamine buzz, but what it does offer is the opportunity to build deeper memories—ones not powered by batteries or dopamine hits, but by immersing in nature, imagination and connection.

If you're looking to move towards more thoughtful, plastic-free holiday choices—items you can pack year after year—I hope these ideas spark inspiration. Joy doesn’t have to come from endless “instant new” stuff that lasts a few hours. It can be found in the time shared, a handful of well-chosen toys that invite open-ended play, and the stories that unfold around the campfire.