The Survival Guide for Sports Moms

Going to Camp

Camps are a great way for your child to learn many lessons. Independence, techniques of the game, self reliance, organization and discipline.  Exposure to is also one of the reasons you might be considering a camp if your child is high school age. In any case, camps are a fun and rewarding experience if you know what to expect and what to take along. The camp you are going to should provide a list of necessary items but I have always sent these extra things along and they really made the boys camp experience a lot nicer. I hope these tips will help you be better prepared for camp and make your child and you more comfortable.

• Save the zippered plastic bag that comforters come in. These make excellent towel, blanket and linen carriers for camp.
• Another good thing to send is a mattress cover. Most camps are held at a school or college and the campers stay in dorm rooms that have been used recently.
• You might want to buy a solid air freshener. Dorm rooms can be musty smelling.
• Be sure to put their name on everything! Even if they are going with close friends items get mixed up and the kids can end up with clothes, etc., that does not belong to them.
• Small container of laundry detergent just in case they run short of clean clothes.
• Plastic bags or laundry bag for dirty and or wet clothes.
• Money. Just enough for their turn buying the evening snack, pizza! Most of the time the local pizza delivery place will be ready for the camps to begin and are very happy to oblige.
• Sports drinks, bottled water and snacks. After registration we always went to a local grocery store and pick up some of their favorite drinks and snacks. This will cut down on too much junk food and you won’t have to send extra money for these.
• Don’t worry about an alarm clock. The coaches usually have their own way of waking up the campers. And some kids might have one on their cell phones if allowed by the camp.
• Expect to buy the camp ball or many other items at registration. They will usually give each camper a “free” t-shirt, but they will have other items smartly displayed.
• Swim trunks or suits, beach towel or extra towel for swimming, and a small container of rubbing alcohol to put in their ears after swimming. You could buy the brand name after swimming drops, but rubbing alcohol is the same and much cheaper.
• Sunscreen. I would be sure to have a dry run on how to apply. Ears and back of neck have been a problem for my campers in the past. 
• Broken in cleats. Do not send new cleats or any other new footwear. Blisters are pretty much a sure thing if they are not broke in. If they need new ones, buy them at least 2 weeks in advance and let them wear them several times. Send an extra pair if they have one. Sometimes their favorite ones might get wet and not be dry by the next day.
• Band aids or new skin spray just in case you do not follow the previous rule. 
• Over the counter medications such as anti acids or headache medicines. I would only do this if they are old enough to understand the proper dosage. Sometimes the heat or the cafeteria food can be hard on the head and stomach.
• Decks of cards, magazines or any inexpensive games. Be careful sending game systems or DVD players. They could be damaged or stolen.