Dd will be going to a week long sleep-away camp in about a week and a half. This will be her first time going away to camp and we aren't sure what all she needs to take with her. Any moms of seasoned sleep-away campers here that can give me some ideas of what she will need? Here is my list so far:

sleeping bag or sheet set
pillow
soap
shampoo & conditioner
towels & washclothes
toothpaste & toothbrush
hair brush
sun screen
bug spray
t-shirts
shorts
pjs
swimsuit
beach towel

By Cybermommyx4 on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 05:18 pm:

More undies and socks than you think she will need .....afterbite......aloe gel (if she does get a sunburn)...pens/paper and stamped envelopes or postcards...camera?....autograph book for new friends to sign and put names/addresses, etc....small container of laundry soap in case she needs to hand wash something...extra swimsuit....extra towel.....water shoes....

By Trina~moderator on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 05:19 pm:

Did the camp provide a list of suggestions? I think you've covered the basics. Things not listed that DS took to Nature's Classroom:

disposable camera
blank journal
paper and pen/pencil
two addressed and stamped envelopes for home

Will she need jeans and a sweatshirt or jacket in case it gets chilly? What about a packable rain coat?

How about shoes, socks, sandals?

By Mom2three1968 on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 07:13 pm:

Rain poncho, flashlight and extra batteries if they go out on walks at night. Water bottle or canteen.

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 - 11:34 pm:

For Emily going to horse camp, she needed heeled shoes, long pants (she has riding pants), and riding helmet, but you won't need those.

Ditto on the sweatshirt. Wisconsin evenings can be chilly.

A disposable camera is nice, too. I think I sent along some first aid cream, with the numbing stuff in it, for mosquito bites, but I don't think she used it.

Emily needed socks, inside her riding boots, too, and when I was a kid, we HAD to wear socks, at Girl Scout camp.

By Kaye on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 08:24 am:

I always follow the list closely.

The only real thing I add is one of those blank notebooks, one year she wrote in it like a journal, one year she took notes of songs, one year she came home with addresses and phone numbers, but it has always been used.

Also read on their website a list of activities. Do they have a theme dinner, or such. One place we went had a cowboy night but it never mentioned to bring dress up clothes.

Also label label label and don't send your best stuff, something will more than likely not make it home.

By Debbie on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 08:49 am:

My boys are going to a day camp for a week. The camp sent me a list of each item they would need for camp. Ditto on the labeling, and not sending her best stuff. The list we got said the kids would get dirty, so wear old clothes!

I hope she has a great time!

By Marie on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 09:29 am:

a definate must is a small first aid kit. We just got back from camping and ds fell and took a huge piece of skin off his knee and I had no first aid kit so I ran back into town to find one.

By Tunnia on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 11:02 am:

Thanks for the suggestions! There are several items that I would not have thought to include. Unfortunately, the camp's website does not have a list. It would have been so helpful if they had.

By Tayjar on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 04:51 pm:

Remind her to wear her swim shoes or flip flops in the shower. And, if she is in the woods, I'd pack bandanas or a hat so she doesn't get ticks in her hair.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, May 22, 2008 - 06:30 pm:

Hoofbeat Ridge Camp Info

They are in cabins, so have a little room for storage. My nieces went to the camp, before Emily did, so we had pointers. She has a little 3-drawer container, on wheels, that she takes with her every year, to hold some of the stuff she uses more often. Some kids bring big trunks!

By Andyjoy on Friday, May 23, 2008 - 12:15 am:

I would add snacks: juice boxes, granola bars, beef jerky, dried fruit, PB or cheese cracker sandwiches, etc. Every camp I went to had candy and sodas in the canteen, but I usually wanted something with more substance to snack on between meals!

Also, I would add:

chapstick with sunblock
nail clippers
cheap wristwatch in case it gets lost or damaged
plastic trash bag for dirty clothes

Don't forget to label everything you possibly can with her name!

By Andyjoy on Friday, May 23, 2008 - 12:16 am:

One more thing--a hip pack or mini backpack for excursions where she needs to carry a few things with her and have her hands free.

By Kaye on Friday, May 23, 2008 - 07:48 am:

sunglasses with a strap and a hat

By Texannie on Friday, May 23, 2008 - 08:10 am:

I know most camps my kids went to had sort of a mail center set up where you could pre-send your letters and care packages. One week isn't usually long enough for the mail system to maybe get one letter there. I would write a postcard everyday saying things like "Hi, its' Monday. how was your first day? I know you are having fun.' "Today is Tuesday. I know you are having more fun than I am" stuff like that. (you never want to talk about the fun things you are doing without them). Then you could drop them at the camp mail center with the day you wanted each one delivered. Same with care packages. My kids usually went two weeks so I had care packages for them about every two days. It would be things like stickers, gum, goldfish, nail polish, bubbles, silly string...nothing major.

Plastic ziplock bags of various sizes are good.

By Dawnk777 on Friday, May 23, 2008 - 07:48 pm:

At the horse camp where Emily goes, they don't want you to bring snacks. She's never complained that she was hungry. I think they feed them pretty well.

I don't know if we sent a letter the last time Emily was there. I'll have to try to remember this year. This is the last year she can go.