Preparing Kids for Summer Camp
We’re deep into packing to send my girl to overnight camp for a week, and we’ve been doing some other things to make sure she’s prepared too. Any new camp can be a big deal for a child, no matter how old they are. It means new people, different schedules and expectations, and situations that they’ll have to figure out. Going to camp is a great opportunity for children to build independence and learn more about themselves, but it can also bring a lot of anxiety. Here are some of the things to consider as you prepare your child for any new camp experience.
Know your child. A shy child will need more practice starting conversation and making friends than an outgoing child. Following directions can be more of a challenge for some children than others. And still other children may need more support adjusting to a new schedule. My daughter in particular tends to have a hard time keeping track of her belongings, so we’re taking time to label everything and packing extras just in case something that she needs gets misplaced.
Think about new situations. If your child is attending an overnight camp for the first time do they know how to manage getting themselves to sleep? If they’ll be at a new day camp what will the lunch experience be like? Will they be packing lunch for the first time, or eating foods that are new to them? Do they know how to put on their own sunscreen or bathing suit? Is the pick up routine different than they’re used to? All of these are situations that you can talk through and even practice before camp.
While it’s tempting to talk through every possible scenario, there is such a thing as giving a child too much information. Thinking about all of the different possibilities can heighten unnecessary anxiety in some children. Part of camp is also giving children the opportunity to work through things on their own. They can’t do this if we tell them exactly how to handle every possible situation.
Part of preparing kids for camp includes preparing yourself! Sending your child off to a new experience requires you to trust that they’re ready, and that you’ve done your job well (You have, I promise!).
If you’re looking for some fun camp supplies to surprise them with, check out this post!
