Tis the season to begin preparation for your child’s next camp adventure!

As the anticipation mounts, it’s especially important to ensure your camper is prepared as possible for their stay away from home. All the amenities your child has handy around the house will not be as readily available at camp unless they complete that one all-important, oft-neglected task: plan ahead in packing their bag.

Here are some tips to ensure your camper’s bag is up to par come departure time:

• As camp approaches and your child goes throughout their daily routine, encourage them to pay attention to the things they use so they know what to pack. The last thing we want is stressed-out parents running around last-minute, trying to think of things their camper may have forgotten.
• Make a list. This may sound rudimentary, but you’d be surprised how many people fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to packing and then forget what they put in the bag and what has yet to go in. Make a list and then check items off as they disappear into the labyrinth that is your camper’s bag. Organization is key!
• Categorize your list. This makes it easier not to accidentally pass things over in one long running list. Suggested categories include clothes, outdoor gear, and toiletries.
• Download our suggested packing list to double-check for items that may be missing from your camper’s pack.

The One All-Important Thing You Must Not Forget!

The most common mistake we find with packed bags is that they are not labeled with names or group names.

It is essential for all parents to write in big, dark letters the name of their child and the name of their group on all packed bags.

In addition, the packed bags (that you label) should be soft trunks or duffel bags – this will accommodate for limited storage space at camp.

All campers traveling to camp via airplane or bus need to ship their bags via Camp Trucking, a delivery service like UPS and FedEx that services the entire country plus Canada. Camp Trucking is much more affordable than these other carriers and will pick the bags up from your home and drop them off at the end of the camping session.

We hope your camper is as excited as we are for new and exciting experiences this summer! Just remember: the organized camper is a prepared camper, and the prepared camper is a happy camper.

For more information on camper baggage and preparation, in addition to Camp Trucking sign-up forms, check out our camper baggage instructions.