Sending your child to an overnight summer camp is a big decision and may be overwhelming at times. Being prepared helps!
1. Your child will adjust, so relax and enjoy your freedom.
Adults see children tethered to their screens and reliant upon them to manage their lives. Suddenly they are dropped off at a screen-free, overnight summer camp, not to return home for two, four, or sometimes eight weeks. How do we do it? Well, actually, kids are naturally resilient and able to adjust to change, especially when they feel cared for. One big way we help them adapt is by eating made-from-scratch foods as a family, one of the several effective parenting tactics to we use to help kids succeed. We also prevent homesickness with the help of supportive counselors keeping them active and engaged with the outdoors.
2. Pack light.
Don’t overthink the packing list. It has been optimized over several decades to provide an adequate list of gear. Be sure to label every item with name tags or permanent marker. If you are wondering how to pack, we also have a packing guide that goes into further detail. First-year Voyageurs often arrive with too much stuff, and most of it sits at the bottom of their trunk for the entirety of their stay. Plus, anything your camper forgets can either be purchased in the Camp store or picked up by one of our staff members in Ely.
3. You’ll frequently see your child enjoying camp.
Our media crew takes pictures daily, uses waterproof cameras on trips, and shares them on our SmugMug page. Videos are compiled after each round of camping trips and shared on Facebook and Instagram. You’ll almost feel like you were right there with him!
4. Your only communication will be old-fashioned letters.
The loss of instantaneous phone contact will take some adjustment, but there’s something about physically holding a handwritten letter that feels… meaningful. Before camp, prepare your child to write home by teaching him how to address envelopes or– better yet– by stuffing envelopes into his luggage with addresses and stamps already in place.
5. Your child will come back a better person.
The rugged curriculum and program that Camp Voyageur founder Charlie Erdmann created in order to “make better people” has stood the test of time. Last year, we celebrated our 70th year. A few of the proven ways camps can transform your kid’s life are:
- Unplugged and outside, a screen-free summer camp experience forces kids to socialize and learn experientially about group dynamics.
- Getting kids outside amongst trees, water, and open skies develops new avenues of learning and engagement with our world that education within four concrete walls simply cannot.
- In-camp recreational sports get kids into shape for wilderness adventures.
- Small accomplishments on wilderness trips become the foundations of newfound self-esteem.
- Challenges promote growth and personal growth is cultivated by trip leaders who care.
Now, hopefully, you feel like a prepared parent! Questions? Contact .
You might also like:
