The camping checklist with kids added: what changes by age, the comfort items worth the space, and how to split the packing so one person is not carrying the whole trip.
There is no minimum. Infants camp comfortably if you plan for warmth and sleep, and the first trip is easier at any age if it is one night, close to home, and at a campground with running water.
Insulated pad first, then a bag rated below the forecast low, then a warm hat and dry sleep clothes. Children lose heat faster than adults, so a layer that would be enough for you is often not enough for them.
One night, under two hours from home, in a reservable campground with toilets and water. Arrive with at least three hours of daylight left. Judge it on whether anyone wants to go again, not on how much you did.
Plan normal meals plus roughly double the snacks you would eat at home. Cold air and constant motion make kids hungrier, and a snack solves most meltdowns faster than a conversation.
Pick a site within sight of the toilet block for the first few trips. Bring a headlamp for night trips, keep wipes and sanitizer at the tent door, and where there is no toilet, carry a trowel and pack out paper.
