For five weeks during the summer, I swam in the lake, learned to canoe, kayak, sail and whitewater raft, learned to rock climb, rode horses, went on so many hikes and made a lot art projects, some of which I still have today.

One of my favorite things about summer camp, besides all of the activities, was making so many friends and seeing them year after year. I loved the songs we would sing around the campfire at night or while hiking along the trails. I was also a part of the mountaineering program and did many 3-day backpacking trips and even did a 5-day, 39-mile hike/backpack along the Appalachian Trail!

These memories will always be special to me. Which is why I am sending my children to sleep away camp, so that they can create these kinds of special memories themselves. Camp is a place where you can be yourself, and just be a kid. Especially now days, spending time in nature and time away from screens if so beneficial.

We started sending Jack to summer camp when he was 10 years old. It was a one-week sleep away camp on Catalina Island. It was a little nerve-wracking - and maybe always will be for us with his peanut/nut allergy - but, he loved it and did great! He begged to go back the next summer, and also got Riley on board. Unfortunately, the next year was 2020, so their summer plans were derailed. The following year, we sent them to a two-week summer camp. They both got their feet wet with a longer sleep away camp and really got to experience what camp is all about. It was actually Riley’s first time at a sleep away camp and she loved it! They both couldn’t wait to do it again. This summer, I wanted them to experience a camp closer to what it was like for me in the North Carolina mountains. It was so special to me growing up that I want them to have that same thing. I found a wonderful camp that they will be going to for two-weeks and we can’t wait!

I have spent several weeks packing for camp. I use one extra large duffle and one medium (carryon size) duffle for each child. The camp provides a comprehensive packing list and suggests using a trunk or footlocker to pack everything. I prefer an extra large rolling duffle, like this one

or the one from LLBean. I like the Gonex one better because it opens like a trunk, but they are both great and hold up really well! The extra large duffle is the same size as a typical camp trunk, but it’s much easier to ship from California. Plus, we use the duffles when we travel other places, so it makes more sense for us. You can pack in either a duffle or a trunk, and I have friends that use trunks and ship them, (some not fairing so well.)

Typically, the campers will use their trunks like a ‘dresser’. I pack a smaller duffle with all of their clothes that they can use a their dresser.

The larger camp duffle is packed with bedding, towels, shower caddy/toiletries, sleeping bag, riding helmet/boots, water shoes/sneakers, etc.

When I went to camp, I had a trunk and a duffle, but we drove to camp. I also found that the trunks were’t used so much as dressers, but more like footstools to get up to the top bunk or chairs to hangout on. Unless you’re buying a high-quality trunk, it’s not going to hold up. As for the duffle, most of it gets unpacked - bedding, towels, shower caddie/toiletries, riding stuff, etc. and the duffle can just slide under the bed.

Here is what gets packed into the camp duffles:

TIPS FOR PACKING:

Don’t buy new clothes or shoes for camp - unless you have to, then go to Target or Walmart. Their clothes (and shoes) are going to get dirty…some you might just want to throw away. I pack the clothes that probably won’t fit them by the end of the summer, which is a great time to shop for back-to-school clothes!

Before anything gets packed - label everything! And I mean everything. I get custom stickers with their names on them to make it a little easier. You can get these from Amazon. And, for socks, I just put their initials on each sock with a sharpie.

A few things that I pack that aren’t on the list:

• Bunk Organizer - goes on the side or headboard of their bunkbed to keep their book, flashlight, chapstick, journal/pens, water bottle, etc.
• Crazy Creek Chair - if you don’t know what this is, your child will definitely want one for the next summer.
• 
• Bandana - they put a hat on the list, but I think a bandana is so versatile. I remember wearing bandanas all the time when I was at camp.
• Pre-addressed and stamped envelopes to yourself and family members. It will just make it that much easier for them to send letters from camp.
• I also include a journal with fun pens. Each day they have quiet time to read, write or take a nap. They might like the time to write down their experiences at camp.
• 
• A few photos from home with some washi tape to hang them above their bunk, may help with homesickness and be comforting to your camper.
• I make a small first-aid kit with tissues, wipes, bandaids, tweezers, after-bite (because there are lots of mosquitos!), etc, so that they don’t always need to run to the nurses office for something minor, like a cut, scrape, blister, etc.
• Don’t bring body sprays, they will attract bugs! Just pack deodorant.
• Sometimes the camp will allow care packages - sometimes not. If they do, you can include things like:
  • • • cards/card games
      • fun pens
      • Bubbles
      • Glow bracelets
      • Chapstick
      • Mad libs
      • Small stuffed animal
      • Book
        
        If they don’t allow care packages, put some fun things in a gallon zip lock bag with a note and put it in your child’s duffle. When they arrive at camp, they will have a little something special waiting for them. In my daughter’s duffle, I also include a little friendship bracelet making kit that she can share with her bunkmates.
• One thing that was on the camp packing list this year, that I haven’t seen on any other camp’s packing list, was an extra large zip lock bag. Have you ever seen one of these? You can practically fit your whole body into one! They are HUGE. And, they are so needed on the last day of camp when your camper is packing up to go home. There will be wet stuff - towels, swim suits, shoes, etc…and you will want them in a plastic bag and not just packed with the rest of your stuff. I wish I had known this the first time Jack went to camp. His duffle smelled like the bottom of the ocean - on top of everything in his duffle was a wet towel and wet-wetsuit…yuck. Trust me, you will want the extra large zip lock bag - and maybe some extra gallon size bags too. The camp duffle might not smell great when it gets home anyway…but you can try to keep it from a toxic level of gross.
  
• Print an extra packing list to put inside your trunk/duffle - it will make it easier for your camper to pack everything back up. Chances are they didn’t help you pack the camp trunk/duffle in the first place. This will minimize anything being left behind.

We use a shipping company (ShipGO) to send their duffles to camp so that they are there upon arrival. (Get $20 off with this link: http://share.shipgo.com/6grlJr) It’s super simple when you’re flying across the country. After camp, the duffles are then shipped back to our home.

I hope these tips were helpful! Wherever you send your child to camp and for however long, may they return from summer camp with some awesome memories that they will never forget!