How to Prepare Your Child For Camp

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!

Camp 2021 Preview

There was plenty of heartbreak and disappointment in 2020 due to the pandemic and all of the events that were cancelled as a result.  One of those disappointments was that many of our children were not able to attend sleep away camp – something that they look forward to year after year and hold so close to their hearts.  Since many missed camp in 2020, camp for this summer is more anticipated than ever. Camp Season 2021 just might be the best summer yet, and we’re sure they’re really going to appreciate being there! 

 

More Than Paper prides itself on being a provider of a lot of really great camp gear!  Not camp gear like flashlights and sleeping bags, of course, but the fun stuff like camp stationery, laundry bags, shower caddies, personalized pillowcases and things to make packing easier – like accessory labels and clothing stamps!  Here’s a roundup of all the things we love for summer camp 2021. 

 

1.     Fill-in Camp News Notepads.  For any parent who has sent their child to camp before and received no letters home, this one is for you! Now there’s just no excuse.  These fill-in pads prompt your camper to write a letter and give you actual information about bunkmates, the food, favorite activities, the weather, and more.  You’ll get real information from you camper. Wouldn’t that be nice? They also come with envelopes and include free personalized return address labels for your camper.  We recommend you pre-address and stamp a few to yourself and Grandma and Grandpa.  

Want more? Here are some other great camp notepad sets to consider here! 

 

2.     Peel & Stick Clothing and Accessory Labels.  If you’ve sent your child to camp before, you likely know the pain of writing your child’s name with a laundry marker onto every single item of clothing. Or perhaps you’ve ironed on labels to everything they own.  Finally, there’s a solution that doesn’t require ironing or writing names over and over again! Meet these peel & stick clothing and accessory labels.  These include 90 labels and can be used for clothing but also things like goggles, flashlights, sports equipment, toothpaste, shampoo bottles and more. You can choose your own background color, too!   

And if you want to reflect your child’s style, there are many with patterned backgrounds too! Visit those here. 

 

3.     Clothing Stamp.  Another alternative to iron-on labels or laundry markers is the clothing stamp.  It is a self-inking fabric stamp with a permanent imprint. Perfect for labeling the bottom of white socks! The ink lasts for hundreds of washes so you don’t have to worry about fading while the kids are at camp!  

4.     Clipboard Cases.  Personalized and practical - when rest hour comes around and it’s time to write, these clipboard cases are perfect!   The case opens from the bottom and they can store stationery, pens, postage stamps and accessories.  You get to choose the case color and background image, as well as supply the name.  The background options are adorable, and kids will be encouraged to break this out and write a letter home! 

 

5.     Water bottles.  Another fun accessory to send your camper to camp with is his/her own personalized water bottle.  We love these options shown here.  A water bottle at camp is a must! Make it cute and easy for them to spot against everyone else’s water bottle. 

 

6.     Shower Caddy.  We are all about convenience and this personalized shower caddy allows your camper to organize their shower toiletries and conveniently carry them back and forth from cubby in their bunk to the shower house!  

 

 

There you have a few of our favorite camp products for the Summer of 2021.   Your camper will be organized and ready to go in-style.  We can’t wait for this summer and to make it great.  What about you? 

 

Share your favorite products for camp on our Facebook page or leave a comment here on our blog. Is there anything that we are missing that you find helpful when sending your kids to camp?  Have you bought something before that you would recommend? We’d love to hear from you!

 

 

Visiting Day Gift Ideas

Are you headed to camp visiting day in a few weeks?  With all those weeks your camper has been gone, we know that you are looking forward to seeing him or her! The tradition of bringing favorite foods, goodies, new clothes, and small sentiments from home is one we love. We also love the idea of bringing your camper a gift that they'll continue to use after you've gone. (Since candy, cookies, snacks, and other contraband will be confiscated!) 

Bring your camper something they'll really love and shop from our great selection of camp products and gifts from More Than Paper. 

Choose from Personalized Rainbow Loom Kits - they're still one of the most popular gifts and hottest teen "toys" out there.  Or choose from Color War Clothing that they'll surely use when Olympics breaks out.  Your camper may love these comfy and cute Camp Pride Socks, too!  You can't go wrong with the fashionable and fun MOGO Charm Bracelets.  So what will it be? 

Hurry! Get your products in time for visiting day and be sure to shop More Than Paper now! 

Camp Pride Giveaway

More Than Paper is excited to be doing a giveaway on our Facebook page! 

Show your camp pride by answering: "What camp do your kids attend or what camp did you go to? 

Let us know by commenting below or posting a picture of your child's camp to our Facebook page.  Each comment and each photo will be entered to win a package of camp stationery. Ends 5/16 so comment now! Click here to comment on the post.