We just achieved a new milestone in our household: our older son, almost 8, just finished a week at Cub Scout day camp.  He is excited, he is exhausted, and he has an amazing sense of accomplishment.  And that’s exactly what it was – an accomplishment!

Spending hours away from home can be a bit stressful for children, especially with their first experience.  Granted, my son had been in public school all year, so he was accustomed to a longer day away from the laid back nature of home.  But camp is different.  The rules are different, the kids are different, the adults are different, and the activities are (thankfully) different.

How can you prepare your child for their first “camp” experience?  Here are a few things I learned along the way:

  1. Let the child help prepare for their camp.  My son and I went over the checklist we were given by the camp and packed his backpack for the day, checking each item off of our list as we completed it.  My son learned that there is a lot of preparation to get ready for this wonderful time, and he also knew exactly where the sunscreen and his water shoes were in his backpack!
  2. Find out what to expect.  Since the day camp my son went to was close to our home, we drove over there a couple of days earlier to see where camp would be.  And, while that isn’t always possible to do, look up information about the camp.  Browse pictures of the grounds and any stories of past experiences and share them with your child.  If you can find a map, print a copy for your child and let them work with it for a bit.  Can they find the entrance to the camp?  Where will you be picking him or her up and dropping off?  Any special features, such as a lake, a pavillion, or a hiking path?
  3. Waylay that anxiety.  As the day draws nearer, many children may feel a bit anxious about leaving home to the great unknown.  Talk to your child and let them know that it is okay to be nervous.  Let them know how confident you are that they will have a wonderful time (otherwise you wouldn’t let them go!).  Be careful, though, not to set up the camp to be an ideal experience; every program will have some ups and downs.  Ours was a bit of disorganization at check in, but I had prepared our son to expect things to be a bit catty-wompus the first day until everyone knew the routine.
  4. Give your child a proper send-off.  If you are dropping your child off at camp, make sure you try to personally meet the people who will be taking care of your child for the day.  When your child sees this relationship form between you and their leader, they will feel more comfortable about the entire experience.  And, if you aren’t able to drop your child off (carpooling, etc), send them off with a big hug, a loving kiss and a smile to last them all day.
  5. Debrief as soon as the day is done!  One of the best things we did for our son when he finished with camp each day was to give him our undivided attention as soon as he got home.  After all, I had previously enjoyed an entire day with just one child to tend to, spending 45 minutes to an hour talking to our camper about his adventures, questions, discoveries and stories was definitely a must-do.  Our son knew that we were excited for him, too, and he was even more enthusiastic the next day.  And, it gave us a great opportunity to address any questions or issues that might have arisen during the day at camp.

Camp can be an amazing experience in a growing child’s life.  Taking a few steps to ensure its success will pay off in the long run.  If you have any great tips to add, feel free to join in and comment!