Now that I know where my child is going to camp, the next big decision is, WHAT DO I PACK FOR CAMP?!  The good news is—you probably have many things you need already!  Take the camp packing list (usually found on the website or in the welcome packet) and see what you have around the house first before rushing off to buy everything.  See if the camp suggests living out of a trunk or packing in duffle bags that they will stow during the session.  Remember, you want your child to have fun and not worry about ruining anything, so send older clothes.  I used to tell my kids to leave their socks at camp!  They get so filthy, they would never come clean again and most likely, they will bring back someone elses!! Ask the camp how often they offer laundry service.  Most likely, you will only need to pack enough clothes for 1-2 weeks. Depending on the climate, your child may want to layer up in the morning and evenings.  They will probably shed that sweatshirt very quickly as the day warms up but it feels awful good in the morning for breakfast or around the campfire at night! Some camps have special dress up days, so you might need a special outfit or a costume for a themed event.  Find out if there is a color war and pack handkerchiefs in those colors, so your child is ready! Most importantly, label everything! Even with labeling, your child will come home with someone else’s clothes and your kids clothes will end up somewhere else!  After your child comes home from camp, pack away things in the duffle or trunk for next summer! (flash lights, fans, laundry bags, water bottles, old towels). When next summer rolls around (and it comes quick!) you will be that much more ahead of the game!

Bottom line is, CAMP is one of the BEST times of your child’s life, make packing easy, fun and part of the camp experience!!