Last Minute Tips Before Heading Off to Day Camp
June is here, and that means many KC kids will be heading out to day camp. I am not a camper by nature. But as leader of my daughters’ Girl Scout troops, I felt an obligation to be a day camp leader for several years. And while I can’t say it was the most enjoyable experience ever, I did learn a few things. Before sending your child off to day camp this summer, here are a few things to keep in mind to help make day camp a success!
Fill ’er up. Be sure to send plenty of water. Looking back at the four years I volunteered at camp, I realized that the record high temps for those summers occurred while we had day camp. It’s going to be hot, your camper is going to be active, and water is a key component to keeping your kiddo happy and healthy throughout the day.
Freeze a towel. Find a golf towel or something of a similar size. Wet it, wring it out, fold it, place it in a zip-close baggie and place in the freezer. The next morning, place it in your camper’s lunch. By midday, the towel will have thawed just enough that your camper can place it around his neck. It’s built-in air-conditioning that really helps when the temps soar.
Dress them right. I was always a bit taken aback by what some kids wore to camp. Campers need to be dressed to spend the day outside, prepared to do a lot of walking. That means ONLY closed-toe shoes, preferably tennis shoes, shirts with sleeves and longer shorts. Leave the cute sandals and tank tops at home and don’t wear anything new. Chances are very good you may want to trash some of the clothes after camp ends.
Pack a snack. Send an extra snack with lunch. Kids are famished at the end of the day, and a small snack on the bus ride home can help ward off the grumps at pickup time. Also be sure the lunch you send is substantial, because campers work up big appetites.
Spray all over. Coat them in the morning with sunscreen and bug repellent and then send it with them so they can reapply throughout the day. Nothing ruins a week at camp faster than a lack of sunscreen on the first day. And there will be bugs. Lots of them. Do a tick check each night after camp. True story: I was in the outhouse with a child who commented, “Look at that big ant!” to which I replied, “That’s not an ant. That’s a really big tick.”
Send a bandana and Lysol. Strangest tip yet, I’m sure, but I am here to tell you those outhouses and port-a-potties stink with a capital “S.” My co-leader and I had it down to a system. Wrap bandana around nose and mouth. Open door to outhouse and spray away. Let it sit for a minute and then send child in (with mouth and nose covered) to take care of business.
Find a backpack. Send a cinch sack or something along those lines to hold water bottle, extra bug spray and sunscreen, frozen towel and individual wipes. While there will be areas to wash hands, a sanitized wipe is a good idea. Also, throw in a travel-sized hand sanitizer. The backpack will also come in handy to carry around any trinkets collected or crafts made throughout the day. Clean it out each night and restock for the next day.
Lenexa mom Margaret Sarver is not sorry that her days as day camp leader have come to a close.