Preparing Young Campers For Sleep Away Camp
Dear Parents,
Are you preparing a young camper for their first night away at camp this summer? This summer we are offering a one-night and a two-night option for campers as young as incoming first graders. As a mother, I realize just how young that really is. I have an incoming second grader who will be participating in the one-night camp for the very first time. As we are gearing up for summer we have some things we are working on to prepare her to be successful.
Shower Time
At Camp, they will have to fully shower themselves without someone helping them. So we are working on applying and washing out shampoo, conditioner, and body wash without my help. This also comes with knowing the difference between shampoo & conditioner as she is still learning how to read.
Drying off and getting dressed before leaving the bathroom area. At home, it can be common for kids to run through the house partially or not all dressed for bed. At camp, we need campers to practice a little modesty and not run streaking through the cabin.
Bed Time
This is probably the hardest one at my house. Our daughter has never been a good sleeper. So we are working on a bedtime routine that doesn’t take hours and her ability to go to bed alone. At camp, we provide a box fan in each room as white noise and for extra cooling comfort. If your camper can only sleep with music or a certain amount of light, this would be a place to spend some time in preparation.
Campers are also not allowed electronics or screens, so if TV or phones are a part of their routine then they will need some practice without them.
If your child has never spent the night away from you or minimal nights away, make sure to practice this with a trusted adult in their life before you send them to camp.
Food
Is your camper a picky eater? Mine is. We are working on adding variety, and flexibility to her diet. Along with this, we are working on being polite and advocating for herself. We don’t want campers to be rude or throw a fit if they don’t like something and we also don’t want them to go the whole time without a meal because they didn’t ask for something else. Help your camper know what foods they are willing to eat and how to ask their adults nicely for a different option.
Swimming
Our pool staff are all Red Cross Certified Lifeguards. This means they have put in the work and done the training to ensure your child’s safety in and around the water.
As a parent and a former Lifeguard, I am always cautious about sending my child to a pool without me. I’m not the most trusting, so to ease my mind I have made sure that my child is independent in the pool. Since I don’t trust easily at the pool we have taken extra care and training in the staff we choose to place at the pool!
If your child is not independent in the pool then we recommend you send them with a life preserver that they would be comfortable wearing in front of their peers. They also need to know their limitations and should stay in the part of the pool where they can be independent.
Making Decisions
This may seem like an odd one, but your camper will be given opportunities to choose what they want to do, what snack to eat, and other various places to make a decision or have an opinion. Not all children are well versed in this as many of us parents make most of their choices for them. It would be good for them to practice making decisions from time to time.
Responsibility
Campers are in charge of their own belongings and making sure they have what they need each day. Counselors do a lot of reminding but ultimately it is the camper’s responsibility to know where their stuff is and take it with them. Make sure your camper knows what items they are bringing with them. If you fully pack for them and don’t have their name on everything they may not realize that the blue towel at the pool is theirs.
Campers must also share their living space with other children and clean up after themselves. If your child is a natural tornado like mine maybe some practice in keeping stuff contained would be beneficial. You could even practice putting all of their things in a suitcase for a couple of days and have them try living out of it.
Special Needs
If your camper has any special needs like Autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, Diabetes, Asthma, etc. Make sure they are in a good place and functioning well within their abilities. They will need to know what they need and how they usually take care of it. Our medical staff will understand the prescriptions they take and will be able to medically take care of them but there is a comfort and best practices that your family discovers along the way that our counselors will not know automatically.
Camp is a very stimulating environment. Your camper will be most successful if they are developing tools to help them function when things are chaotic or not their normal. It is also helpful if a camper knows how to tell an adult what they need before they crumble. Our counselors are adaptive and willing but they aren’t parents and information is key.
We are working hard to prepare camp for your campers this summer. Now is the perfect time to prepare your camper for camp. If you are doing something special to prepare your camper this summer, we would love to hear about it!
Darci Utt, Program Director & Mother of Two