There is so much that goes into preparing your children for camp. You don’t know until you’ve been through it! During this preparation time, it is important to make sure that both you and your child are involved to make it the best overall experience. We understand that there are a lot of different components that go into getting your child ready for the weeks ahead.
If you are having trouble trying to figure out where to even start preparing for your child’s upcoming adventure, we have provided some of our best tips and tricks to help you and your child get ready for an amazing summer at camp.
Having your child practice a good hygiene routine without having you around.
While your child will certainly get assistance from his/her counselors at camp, it’s good for your child to start learning to do some of these hygiene tasks themselves while still at home. This will not only help them feel more confident, but they will also start to grow to be more independent. Before they go to camp, try and create a list of important daily tasks they should be doing like brushing teeth twice a day. Turn this list into a game to see who can complete the list first so they do not see it as a chore.
Involve your child in the preparation process for their time at camp.
Not only will they start to become more excited for their time at camp, but they will also not worry about missing an important item to them such as a special stuffed animal, blanket, etc. This will also help them to start growing a sense of independence as they are not having everything done for them.
Let your child borrow your confidence about camp.
Children take their cues from parents. Avoid asking your child if they are worried about camp or if they will miss you. But do have conversations about what they are looking forward to and/or what they might be nervous about in terms of camp. If you personally used to go to overnight camp, you could share some of your favorite stories to help get them more excited to go. Remember, the more confidence you show in the camp and its leaders’ ability to take good care of your child, the more confident your child will feel about separating from you.
Prepare items that will help your child feel less homesick.
Sending your child away for summer camp is a big deal and could possibly make your child anxious. In order to help your child feel a little more comfortable when they are away, you could print pictures of the family, encourage writing letters, etc. This will help your child feel more connected to you while they are away. You could even get them some fun stationery items to help get them excited for writing to you while they are away like these:
See our full collection of stationery to write from home here!
Go visit the campsite before your child leaves for the summer.
If possible, visit the camp ahead of time! By going to visit the camp, it can help to better prepare your child for what to expect. This can alleviate any built help stress your child may have had for not knowing what they were going into. Also, by physically seeing where they are about to spend their summer, it will help get them excited for what’s to come. Can’t get there physically, check out the camp’s website. Most have videos, photos and even recordings of staff, campers and parents to help you get a feel for the camp’s atmosphere.
Sending your child away to camp for the summer may be stressful for both you and your child at first, but by following these tips it can help better prepare both of you for a great summer. Before you know it, your child will come home with so many amazing memories and stories that they will be eager to share with you!
If you are having trouble trying to figure out where to even start preparing for your child’s upcoming adventure, we have provided some of our best tips and tricks to help you and your child get ready for an amazing summer at camp.
Having your child practice a good hygiene routine without having you around.
While your child will certainly get assistance from his/her counselors at camp, it’s good for your child to start learning to do some of these hygiene tasks themselves while still at home. This will not only help them feel more confident, but they will also start to grow to be more independent. Before they go to camp, try and create a list of important daily tasks they should be doing like brushing teeth twice a day. Turn this list into a game to see who can complete the list first so they do not see it as a chore.
Involve your child in the preparation process for their time at camp.
Not only will they start to become more excited for their time at camp, but they will also not worry about missing an important item to them such as a special stuffed animal, blanket, etc. This will also help them to start growing a sense of independence as they are not having everything done for them.
Let your child borrow your confidence about camp.
Children take their cues from parents. Avoid asking your child if they are worried about camp or if they will miss you. But do have conversations about what they are looking forward to and/or what they might be nervous about in terms of camp. If you personally used to go to overnight camp, you could share some of your favorite stories to help get them more excited to go. Remember, the more confidence you show in the camp and its leaders’ ability to take good care of your child, the more confident your child will feel about separating from you.
Prepare items that will help your child feel less homesick.
Sending your child away for summer camp is a big deal and could possibly make your child anxious. In order to help your child feel a little more comfortable when they are away, you could print pictures of the family, encourage writing letters, etc. This will help your child feel more connected to you while they are away. You could even get them some fun stationery items to help get them excited for writing to you while they are away like these:
See our full collection of stationery to write from home here!
Go visit the campsite before your child leaves for the summer.
If possible, visit the camp ahead of time! By going to visit the camp, it can help to better prepare your child for what to expect. This can alleviate any built help stress your child may have had for not knowing what they were going into. Also, by physically seeing where they are about to spend their summer, it will help get them excited for what’s to come. Can’t get there physically, check out the camp’s website. Most have videos, photos and even recordings of staff, campers and parents to help you get a feel for the camp’s atmosphere.
Sending your child away to camp for the summer may be stressful for both you and your child at first, but by following these tips it can help better prepare both of you for a great summer. Before you know it, your child will come home with so many amazing memories and stories that they will be eager to share with you!
No comments:
Post a Comment