what to take and what to leave behind when packing for summer camp
The thought of summer camp can excite even the littlest campers, but the preparation of it all can exhaust even the most prepared parents. As a director at Rockbrook Camp for Girls in Brevard, North Carolina, Charlotte Page hears from a lot of them. She says the stuff kids need isn’t that different from home, but admits the process can seem daunting.
The first item you’ll need to find is a trunk, a hard-sided, sturdy box that will act as a cabinet, dresser and bench for the weeks your child is at camp.
Charlotte says the list of things to put inside that trunk is a lot more specific than the one her parents got in the mail. She credits advances in outdoor gear. Like instead of packing the cotton sweater that kept her warm on rainy days years ago, she suggests picking up a fleece jacket that won’t get so heavy with water. Today’s list also includes a stadium seat instead of a sit-upon and a headlamp instead of a flashlight.
Charlotte invites parents to call the camp and ask questions, like what the camp provides. Rockbrook’s packing list includes a sleeping bag and a tennis racket, but it also provides that kind of stuff for parents who ask. Also, think about substitutions. If the camp calls for a poncho, a rain suit may also work.
The director’s big suggestion is for parents and kids trying to find the perfect outfits to pack. She says leave the nice stuff at home and bring last year’s grubbies. All that outdoor fun will leave any shorts and shirts you pack looking pretty ragged anyway. Also, be sure you know how often the camp does laundry. Rockbrook does the wash every week, so campers need enough clothes to last that long. Pack a laundry bag to throw all that stinky stuff in.
Most places tell campers to leave technology at home. Smartphones, hand-held video games and tablets take kids away from the natural surroundings their parents sent them to enjoy. (Besides, many camps don’t even have enough electrical sockets to charge everyone’s gadgets.) Phones can prolong homesickness because campers don’t adjust to camp right away and are slow to find independence.
Rockbrook suggests keeping in touch with your kids the old fashioned way, with letters from camp. To be sure you get a couple, send stationary along with self-addressed stamped envelopes in a waterproof pouch to keep the envelopes from sealing themselves shut.
Share your summer camp prep tips. Until then, pack up for some happy camping.