13.Pack with your child.Be sure he or she knows where all their items are located.A child may feel lost at camp if they can’t find their soap, stamps, socks, etc.

14.Buy a shower caddy without a solid plastic bottom.The water needs to drain out of the bottom, or it will be gross!

15.Send liquid soap — not a plastic soap container.A soap dish doesn’t drain the water (see tip #14 above)!

16.Wide-mouthed water bottles are better than the narrow-top kind because campers can put ice into a wide-mouthed one.Better for a long, hot hike. 

17.Send anything glow-in-the-dark.It’s always fun at lights-out time!

18. Buy a silver permanent marker now!The stores always sell out of them right before camp trunks leave.You need silver to mark anything black.

19.You may want to send an inexpensive water-resistant watch to camp.It helps the child manage his schedule.

While They are Away

20.Phone calls are best scheduled early in the day, so that the camper has a full day of activities afterwards.Night phone calls can sometimes lead to tears at bedtime.

21. Remember that a lack of letters from your camper is not always a bad thing!If they don’t write, they are probably having a lot of fun.You should, however, try to write at least every other day.Getting mail at camp is a big event.

22.Don’t send all of their disposable cameras at once — they will use all of the film available!A better idea would be to send one or two cameras at the beginning and, on visiting day, bring the balance.You can take the cameras they have used, develop the pictures, and send them to camp after visiting day.

When They Come Home

23. You won’t believe how much dirt can follow campers home! Unpack the camp trunk outside or in a spot where you can shake out each item.

24.Pack away any labeled socks and underwear that you think will fit next year.It will save you the trouble of having to label new ones.