Preparing for Camp: Family Conversations for a Successful Camper Experience
At our overnight summer camp, we believe that campers have the highest potential for success when families collaborate with us to prepare their children for the unique camp experience. These pre-camp conversations help ensure that your child is ready to thrive in an environment built on independence, teamwork, and social interaction. Here are four essential topics to discuss with your camper to help them prepare for the adventure ahead.
Independence & Self-Advocacy
Camp provides a unique opportunity to foster independence in young people. While our staff is always available to support campers, we also encourage campers to take responsibility for their own basic physical needs at an age-appropriate level and advocate for support when needed.
Hygiene and Self-Care
Good hygiene is an important part of maintaining physical health and meeting social expectations. Discuss with your child how to take care of their hygiene needs while at camp, including brushing their teeth, showering, and using deodorant. Remind them that the camp environment may differ from home, especially with shared bathrooms and showers, so it’s helpful to have strategies for managing any discomfort they might feel in these new settings.
Campers should be aware they will need to bring their own soap, shampoo/conditioner, toiletries, towel, and clean clothes when heading to the showers. While counselors can help them navigate this, campers should practice planning ahead to be prepared.
Consider asking:
"What can you do to make sure you keep up with brushing your teeth and showering at camp?"
"How do you feel about using a different bathroom or shower than the one at home?"
Keeping Track of Their Belongings
Managing personal belongings is another key area of independence at camp. Talk to your child about how they typically react when they misplace something meaningful and what steps they can take independently to locate it (like checking the lost and found!). Help them understand the importance of taking responsibility for their things, from clothing to special keepsakes, to avoid loss or damage.
While packing, consider together which special items from home would be comforting to bring, while also preparing for the possibility of these items getting misplaced. Encourage your camper to feel empowered to keep track of their items with the support of their counselors if needed.
Consider asking:
"What would you do if you misplaced something important at camp?"
"Which items from home will help you feel comfortable but aren’t so special that you’d be too upset if they got lost?"
Self-Advocacy
One of the most important skills camp can nurture is the ability for your child to advocate for themselves. This means learning to express their needs and preferences clearly and respectfully to their counselors. A great conversation to have before camp is the difference between requests versus demands and how to balance wants versus needs.
Helping your child recognize when it’s appropriate to ask for assistance—whether they’re feeling homesick, confused, or simply need extra help with an activity—will build their confidence and ensure they feel supported.
Consider asking:
"How do you feel about telling a counselor when you need help with something?"
"What’s the difference between asking for something politely and demanding it?"
By working together to prepare your camper for the challenges and responsibilities of camp, you’re setting them up for a successful, confidence-building experience.
2. Attention, Listening, & Follow Through
Camp offers a balance of fun and freedom, but it also comes with rules and expectations that ensure everyone’s safety, well-being, and enjoyment. Following directions, especially when safety is involved, is crucial. Though camp life is different from school, the same importance of listening and following through on instructions applies, particularly in activities that require focus, such as swimming, hiking, or using equipment.
Safety and Participation
Discuss with your child why listening to counselors and staff is key to keeping themselves and others safe. Encourage them to think about strategies to manage frustration when asked to follow directions or participate in activities they might not initially enjoy. Whether it’s taking part in a non-preferred activity or waiting for a favorite one, learning how to handle these moments is a valuable life skill.
You can talk about ways they handle these situations at home or in school and how those strategies can be applied at camp. Encourage them to think of camp as an opportunity to grow by trying new things, even if they aren't excited about every activity.
Consider asking:
"What will you do if you're asked to do something at camp that isn't your favorite?"
"How do you usually deal with frustration when you're asked to follow directions?"
Listening Skills
It’s helpful to reflect on past experiences where your child may have had difficulty listening to a teacher, coach, or older family member. How did they overcome that challenge? Remind your child that respectful listening is not just about hearing instructions—it's about being present and engaged, which helps create a positive and cooperative environment.
Discuss moments where they’ve successfully navigated a similar challenge, and how they can bring those same skills to camp. This prepares them for the communal aspect of camp, where teamwork and communication are essential.
Consider asking:
"Have you ever had a hard time listening to someone like a teacher or coach? How did you handle it?"
"What can you do at camp to make sure you’re really listening when someone is talking?"
Leadership Through Listening
Even if your child is not usually in a leadership role, camp provides a unique chance to model good listening and follow-through behaviors for their peers. Encourage them to see themselves as a leader by showing others how to listen respectfully and meet expectations. They can demonstrate responsibility not just for their own actions but for contributing to the overall camp community.
Consider asking:
"How can you be a leader at camp by showing good listening skills?"
"What’s one way you can help your cabin or group have fun while following the rules?"
3. Communal Living & Shared Space
One of the most meaningful parts of camp is the opportunity to share a living space with peers, creating close bonds and lifelong friendships. However, communal living also requires learning how to respect others, share space, and navigate conflict in a healthy way. These experiences help campers develop important life skills in cooperation and empathy.
Sleep
At camp, bedtime routines may differ from those at home, which can be a challenge for some campers. Whether your child has attended sleepovers or traveled before, discuss strategies they can use to cope with varying bedtime routines and comfort levels. If your camper finds it difficult to sleep, encourage self-soothing strategies, such as deep breathing, visualization, or bringing along a favorite comfort item from home. These can help your child adjust to the camp environment and fall asleep peacefully. Our counselors are happy to read a bedtime story, too!
Consider asking:
"What do you think will be different about bedtime at camp, and how can you handle that?"
"What helps you relax and fall asleep when you’re in a new place?"
Personal Space & Quiet Time
Sharing space with other campers is a big part of the camp experience, and it’s important to talk to your child about respecting personal space. Depending on whether your child tends to be more extroverted or introverted, they may experience different levels of comfort being surrounded by peers at all times. For campers who might need a break from constant socializing, activities like reading, journaling, or drawing can offer a quiet moment of reflection. Make sure they know it’s okay to ask for personal time and to bring items that help them feel grounded when they need a breather.
Consider asking:
"How do you think you’ll feel about being around other campers all day?"
"What can you do to give yourself a break if you need some quiet time?"
Bathing
The camp environment is more rugged than home, and our bathhouse, though private, is communal. It’s essential to discuss the importance of respecting privacy and boundaries in these shared spaces. Talk to your child about the need for personal hygiene while also emphasizing the respect they should show to others in the bathhouse. Additionally, encourage them to voice any concerns to a counselor if their own boundaries are ever crossed. This will help them feel secure and comfortable in communal settings.
Consider asking:
"What are some ways you can respect other people’s privacy in the bathhouse?"
"How would you feel about speaking up if you ever felt uncomfortable?"
4. Camp Social Environment
At camp, we emphasize the core value of inclusivity, creating a community where all campers are treated with kindness and respect. Some campers arrive already knowing many others, while some may not know anyone. Our goal is to ensure that every camper feels welcomed and included, regardless of their starting point in the social environment.
Navigating Social Comfort Zones
Camp is a great place for your child to meet new people, expand their social circle, and grow in their ability to form new friendships. If your child has experienced starting something new—whether it's a school, team, or club—talk about how they navigated those situations. Remind them of the strategies they used to meet new people and make friends, and encourage them to apply those same skills at camp.
If your child is returning to camp and already knows other campers, challenge them to branch out of their comfort zone. Show leadership and kindness by making an effort to include new campers or those who might be shy.
Consider asking:
"What was it like meeting new people in other places, and how can you use those experiences to make new friends at camp?"
"If you already know people at camp, how can you help someone who doesn’t?"
Peer Influence
Camp provides an opportunity for your child to develop independence, including how they make decisions in group settings. It’s important to talk with your child about handling situations where peers may not be behaving appropriately. Empower your camper to make independent choices about their behavior, even if it means stepping away from a group. Discuss ways they can stay true to their values and be an upstander rather than a bystander when they see peers being mistreated. Encourage them to speak up to our staff if they need help or see someone who does.
Consider asking:
"What would you do if you saw someone being unkind at camp?"
"How can you make sure you’re making your own choices, even if others are not?"
Respecting Differences
Camp is a place where differences are celebrated, and respect is the foundation of our community. We teach campers the importance of showing respect to their peers, counselors, and all community members, just as they would at home or in school. There is zero tolerance for teasing, bullying, or any kind of harassment. It's important to discuss with your child how to be respectful, both in their words and actions, toward everyone they meet at camp.
Consider asking:
"How can you show respect to people who might be different from you?"
"What will you do if you see someone being mistreated?"
Body Safety & Personal Boundaries
At camp, campers spend a lot of time together, and physical affection, like hugging, can be a common and enjoyable part of the social environment. However, it's important to help your child understand the concept of respecting personal space and boundaries. Encourage them to speak up if they don't want to be touched or if they need more physical space, and to be mindful of their friends’ boundaries as well.
We have specific safety policies at camp that help ensure everyone’s comfort. While staff will discuss these policies with campers, it's helpful to start these conversations at home.
Consider asking:
"How do you know when someone needs personal space, and how can you ask for it if you need it?"
"Why is it important to follow the camp rules about personal boundaries?"‘
Final Thoughts
By having these conversations ahead of time, you are setting your child up for a smooth and enriching camp experience. Encourage them to embrace the opportunity to grow, both as individuals and as members of the camp community. We're excited to partner with you to make sure your camper has an unforgettable summer!
We’re always here to help! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team before camp begins. Together, we can make this summer the best one yet!
