Here is a short list of essentials for all overnight campers, whether you are heading off for one week or seven. While most of the items, if not all, are on the packing list your camp sends out, these are the items I most often see forgotten.
- Laundry bag—even if laundry won’t be done while your camper is at camp, it’s helpful to have a separate place to throw dirty clothes other than under the cot.
- Sneakers, or to some Tennis Shoes—if your camper will be on a tennis court at all then ensure she has appropriate footwear. At home she may wear sandals everywhere, but at camp she will need sneakers around camp and sometimes court shoes for the tennis courts.
- Water bottle—often you can purchase one with the camp logo, but having a water bottle is handy whether your son is planning on joining in on hikes or just wants to have water next to his bed at night.
- Pre-addressed envelopes—not only does having address labels increase the chances that your child will write you (or his cousin, grandfather, little sister), but it GREATLY increases the odds that the address will be sufficiently legible to make it through the postal system.
- Headlamp—juggling toothbrush, toothpaste and a flashlight isn’t easy. Get a headlamp in addition to or in place of a flashlight.
- Sunscreen and bug spray that your child can apply. If you have a young child then it’s easier to apply stick-based sunscreen on her face, rather than lotion.
