Whether you’re sending your child to overnight or day camp, here are some popular things to put in their bags this year.
Dave Devey, director/owner of Falcon Camp, says every camp should have a packing list with the recommended things a camper should bring to camp.
“Packing lists will vary a little bit from camp to camp, depending on the type of program it is, and how long a camper is staying,” Devey says.
He says each camp is going to give a suggested clothing list to each family, and it’s essential to follow it because that camp knows the appropriate clothing items kids will need at camp – whether that’s sleepover camp or a day camp.
“Unless there’s a uniform at the camp you’re going to, everyone is going to say bring this many T-shirts, this many pairs of socks, bring this many jeans, and that kind of thing,” he says.
When it comes to packing the bag, he says there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
First, don’t pack too much, because the more things you have, the more things you have to keep track of, and the more likely you are to leave something behind, or lose it at camp.
He also advises putting a camper’s name on everything. Some labels can be ironed on, or you can use a permanent marker, and it doesn’t have to be their full name, it can be initials. Something your child will recognize.
“If you have a 10-year-old, they are going to recognize their favorite T-shirt if someone holds it up from the lost and found, and says whose T-shirt is this?” Devey says. “They are going to recognize that shirt, but if someone holds up a bath towel you left at the lake, they don’t have a clue what their towels look like, or what their pillowcase looks like, and things like that. So, you want to put a recognizable name on everything. You want to label everything, including shoes, tennis rackets, raincoats – and everything you bring to camp. There’s a better chance of it coming home with you if it has a name on it.”
Devey adds kids may want to bring something from home that’s comforting, like a stuffed animal, or a picture of their family.
“If you have a favorite stuffed animal, or something that you sleep with, it’s fine to bring that,” he says. “Most campers do bring something like that. You don’t need to be afraid that you’re the only one that’s going to have a stuffed animal on your bed, or maybe a picture of your family on the inside of your suitcase or trunk, or something that you can look at. If you’re missing your mom for a minute, you have something to hold onto. Something like that is perfectly fine for us. Many of our counselors will bring something on opening day, and some of them will have a stuffed animal on their bed, so if you walk in with yours, you’ll feel comfortable right away because you see your counselor has a stuffed animal, too.”
He urges families not to pack anything expensive such as a camera, watch or jewelry, or anything that would be devastating to lose.
“Things do get lost at camp,” Devey says. “You change your clothes several times a day, so if you drop something, it’s not like it’s in your room, and it rolled under your bed, and you’ll find it in three weeks. So, don’t bring anything of monetary value, or anything with a strong emotional attachment. Leave those things at home.”
Another thing to keep in mind, when you look at the clothing list, for example, is at summer camp, you’re going to be outside, you’re going to possibly get wet, muddy, or dirty, and that’s part of being at camp.
“If you’re going horseback riding, you’re going to get a little bit of dirt on you. It’s OK, or if you’re going on a hike or going swimming, you might get wet,” he says.
Some camps might have a dress-up night, so a camper may want to bring one nicer outfit, but the majority of the time do what the camp suggests, and don’t bring fancy, expensive clothes.
Devey says to keep in mind that each camp knows their programs, and they know what a typical child will use throughout their time at camp.
Many camps also have gear, or items on hand for campers to use, so if you need a tennis racket, or a fishing rod, there’s one available.
“If you have one you want to bring, and if you’re comfortable with your own, you are welcome to bring it, but you don’t have to go out and buy one,” he says. “Every camp might be a little bit different in that regard.”
Day Camp Essentials
Natisha Bowling, senior vice president of youth development at YMCA of Greater Cleveland suggests that parents talk to their kids about the camp experience before they go.
“Talking to your child is good practice,” she says. “It just puts them in the right headspace and gets them ready for an enjoyable experience, so they know what to anticipate. A talk, letting them be a part of packing their bag, and getting them ready for camp is instrumental in it being a great transition from home to camp, and from camp to home,” she says.
Traditional day camps and specialty camps, like those offered at YMCA of Greater Cleveland, might require a camper to wear a camp T-shirt every day.
“It’s designed for their safety, so they can be connected to their particular camp by the color of the T-shirt as well as what’s on the T-shirt. This identifies them as being with us,” Bowling says.
Camps conduct all sorts of outdoor events and field trips, and things of that nature, so safety is a top priority. So, wearing the required shirt at a camp like the Y is a really important part of the camp experience.
At camps, like the YMCA, the campers spend most of their time outdoors, so, sunscreen is another must-have on their camp packing list.
“I always recommend that campers bring their sunblock, so they make sure they can protect themselves from the outdoor elements because we spend a lot of time out there, and they can re-apply it,” Bowling says.
Also, for kids who are moving around, exercising, or swimming outdoors, the sunblock may need to be re-applied several times each day.
For swimming, Bowling says to pack necessary gear like a swimsuit and towel, but it’s also important to have discussions with kids about water safety.
At day camp, another important thing children need to bring is their lunch and a water bottle. Bottles can be refilled with water throughout the day, as needed.
“At our pre-camp orientation with the parents, we talk about a healthy lunch for them, and providing them with the fuel that they need to have a great day of physical fitness, running, and swimming,” Bowling says. “What they consume is fueling their bodies, so it’s really important that they have all the food groups.”
Most camps have policies about electronics and smart devices and many want your child to leave those at-home.
Bowling says this is one of the biggest challenges or struggles they see at camp, because no one wants to be away from their phones or smart devices for the entire day, but it does interrupt their ability to interact with others when they are glued to a device.
“We know we live in an age of technology, and all the kids have on a watch or a phone, but it’s really problematic, because sometimes it gets broken, sometimes they lose it, or it gets used for inappropriate things, and that puts a lot of stress on our camp counselors to stay on top of that,” she says. “So, we prefer for them not to bring it, and we encourage parents to be a part of separating them from that technology at least while they are at camp.”
She also advises parents to attend the pre-camp orientation.
“Not only does the camp orientation provide you with a packing list, and the camp expectations, and the rules and things of that nature, but it also allows you to start to develop a relationship with the camp counselors, and the director, who is over the camp,” she says. “So whatever your child’s special needs are, you are able to share them at that time, so we make sure we’re ready to meet your child’s needs.”
