Kathy Buckworth unleashes her best secrets for getting kids ready for camp

Whether the kids are going down the street, across the province, staying for the day or sleeping over for the month, getting them ready for summer camp can be both a physical and mental challenge for parents.

As a mom who has sent four kids to pretty much every type of camp, here are some “camp hacks” to make it easier.

1. Take time to review the camp equipment and supplies list well in advance. Some camps require T-shirts to be ordered or specialized items. From Experience: finding a mesh laundry bag at the last minute can be tricky.

2. Buy a new knapsack or identify a particular trunk for each child to take to camp. From Experience: kids fight over everything; what makes you think they won’t fight over who gets the blue trunk?

3. Get the kids involved in the packing of clothing and supplies, particularly for sleep-away camp. They should be responsible for checking off all the items on their list and packing them. From Experience: my 12-year-old son neglected to pack pants last summer. I shipped his pants. He won’t forget this year.

4. Label everything. Order pre-named labels in every size, and label every sock, shoe and pencil. From Experience: Have you been to a school lost and found? Camp ones are the same, only covered in dirt.

5. Pre-address and stamp envelopes so the kids can easily write to you if they will be sleeping away at camp. From Experience: pre-write, “Dear Mom. I am having a great time.”

6. Stick to the camp hours. If kids are supposed to arrive and leave at a certain time or have parents visit at a certain time, show respect for the camp counsellors by being on time. From Experience: parents who show up unannounced always result in tears one way or the other.

7. Review the camp agenda with the kids before they go. Ask them if they have any particular concerns about certain activities, and try to alleviate the concerns before they go. From Experience: not all kids like horseback riding. Enough said.

8. Avoid tears and disappointment before you get to the camp by reviewing the policy on technology and phones. Most sleep-away camps will not allow them. From Experience: heard of a mom trying to sneak one into camp, inside her child’s teddy bear. Not cool.

9. At the end of the season, make the kids empty their knapsacks or trunks and wash clothes, water bottles, etc. Put them away for the next camp. From Experience: Mould. Mildew. Febreze.

10. Above all, consider each child and the type of camp each will learn from and enjoy. Camp is not one size fits all. Neither were the pants I sent my son.

Kathy Buckworth is the author of I Am So the Boss of You: An 8-Step Guide to Giving Your Family the ‘Business.’ 

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