There are tons of camp packing lists out there – but here’s a list of some useful things you may not have thought about.
1. Glow bracelets.
For campers afraid of the dark. Once it’s “lights out” some kids may feel uneasy. Send them with a pack of glow bracelets. Each is bright enough to give them comfort, without being so bright that it bothers bunkmates.
2. Spare sleeping bag.
Do you have a bed wetter? Camps can set up the perfect arrangement to ensure privacy and confidentiality around this issue. Send your child with two identical sleeping bags. The spare can be kept in the camp office. Each morning when campers head off for breakfast, a staff member can inspect the bed wetter’s sleeping bag. If there has been an accident, they can replace the wet bag with the clean one. This routine means the child is never required to report a bedwetting; it just gets taken care of. Simple and respectful.
3. Stationery with pre-stamped envelopes.
Encourage kids to write home by sending them off with all the supplies they need. And be sure to send them mail too.
4. Spare glasses or contact lenses.
Get your children’s eyes checked before they leave for camp so you have a recent prescription in case you need to buy and courier them replacements.
5. A headlamp.
If you have a kid who likes to read in bed, a headlamp beats any old flashlight by providing hands-free light for your little pageturner. It’s easier to focus on the words on the page if they’re not trying to hold a flashlight at the same time.
6. Odds and Sods.
Don’t forget the bits and pieces that kids miss at camp: nail clippers, safety pins, sticky tape, craft supplies and a deck of cards.
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