21 Summer Camp Packing Tips for Newbie Parents by
Rhonda Franz
Are sending your child to (gulp!) overnight camp for the first time this summer? No worries. The kids will have fun; it’s the parents who need the peace of mind. Getting the right items packed should help alleviate a little anxiety. This collected and curated advice about what to pack comes to you from parents who have been there, done that (and a few who were campers themselves). These tips might be the only packing list you need. 1. Be sure to check the camp rules for what to pack and what not to pack. 2. If rules allow, include surprise snacks and gum among your child’s suitcase or bag for him to share.
6.
Pack a roll of toilet paper. Or two.
7.
Don’t forget to include a laundry bag.
8. Label EVERYTHING. Kelly Mayfield takes advantage of personalized iron-on clothing labels (available online) when her daughter goes away on a trip. 9. Include a notebook and pens/pencils for writing, drawing, and exchanging contact information with other kids. Teacher Julie Kohl points out that for today’s kids, a “calling card” with social media handles is probably in order. 10. Find as many cheap clothes from thrift/ secondhand stores as you can and send those: you'll be concerned less when those clothing items don’t make the return trip. The most important thing to come back home is your child. (continued on Page 12)
3. Pack extra towels. Amanda Horn, mom of three boys, suggests more than one towel as a necessary addition to the suitcase. You won't be sorry. 4. Tuck a few personal notes among your child’s packed belongings. The mother of three girls, Ashley Greer, says this is a nice way to let children know you’re thinking of them. 5. Pack contingency items like aloe for sunburns and ointment for bug bites. “Send the items they’ll need when they don’t use the items you send,” says Brittney Lee, current mom and former child camper. www.okanaganchild.com
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