Attention College Freshmen/anyone Feeding Themselves For The First Time

Can you post a really good packing list? including some fun items or things I would never think of. Thank you so much!! your blog is great and helpful

Thank you anon! I’m glad that you like my blog!

Here’s my packing list/suggestions.

Clothes:

Socks. A lot. Fun socks, if you can.

Old camp t-shirts. I pretty much wear only camp shirts, and you’re guaranteed that they’re camp appropriate.

Shorts and pants, in whatever style floats your boat. I like cargo - cargo shorts, cargo pants. They’re comfy and all the pockets are really useful. I also wear jeans a lot too. Make sure your shorts aren’t too short, especially if your camp has a stricter dress code.

Overalls. Comfy, lots of pockets, and fun.

A swim suit or two (depends on how much swimming there is at your camp).

Swim shirt (everybody)/swim shorts (peeps wearing the one-piece swim suits). This is a matter of personal preference, but I really like having extra covering and it’s less to put sunscreen on. Plus, less of a chance of sunburn. 

Hats. Sun hats, ball caps, beanies, weird hats, etc. 

Bandannas. I have a thing for bandannas, so I bring a bunch, but not everyone does. I use them for headbands, as a hair cover/hat, as a decoration. They’re super useful. 

A couple of sweatshirts/flannels/sweaters.

A long sleeve shirt (or two)

Raincoat! 

A regular coat (unless your regular coat is also a 

Shoes! Hiking boots, sturdy sneakers, flipflops for the shower, whatever sandals/water shoes you can have at waterfront.

PJs/sweatpants. I am forever happy that I brought sweatpants to camp last summer.I also have a rubber duckie onsie. I don’t actually sleep in it, it’s just for dress-up days.

Weird clothes you have laying around - I’ve got a cape, a Harry Potter tie, purple tie-dyed leggings, costume jewelery, extra crazy mismatched socks, and a crazy abstract space dress (it was part of a Luna Lovegood cosplay). 

*these clothes reflect the camp that I work at, which gets really cold. You might need to adjust if you work in somewhere really hot/muggy all the time. Also, we have a fairly conservative dress code. 

Other stuff

A headlamp AND a flashlightI have a lantern that I use in my tent and I really like that too.

Sunscreen, bugspray, chapstick (lots of chapsticks, you will loose them)

Your general toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste/toothbrush, hair brush, sanitary items, etc)

Stationary/notebooks, envelopes, postcards, and stamps

A camera!

Your trusty sleeping bag, a pillow, and perhaps a blanket too

A sturdy backpack

2 towels - one for lake, one for showers

2-3 water bottles. No they don’t need to be name brand Nalgenes, just make sure they’re sturdy and don’t leak. Bonus points if you put stickers on them.

Sunglasses

Laundry bag

Rubbermaid tote (to put all of this in)

Mess kit (if you need one)

Comfort items - I posted about self-soothing a little bit ago. I bring things like tea and a stuffed bunny. I’m bringing a few sensory items to put in a place that all the CITs can get to too.

Lotion. With all the hand washing and sanitizing, your hands will dry out. 

A journal. I write down the funny things and the things that I need to tell someone, but can’t for confidentiality reasons. 

A clipboard. I like the ones that close and open. They’re waterproof and hold a lot of stuff. My phone actually fits into mine along with a ton of paperwork. I also decorate it with camp photos, camper notes, and stickers. 

Sharpies

A multi-tool (think heavy duty Swiss army knife). Ask about your camp’s policy. 

Hairbands - if you have long hair

Kleenex packs to stash in your backpack.

I might come back and edit/add to this later.

Logic Games for Camp Counselors

Counselors love to use these logic games as a way to pass time and keep campers engaged and having fun during down time. All of these are mind games in which the rules are ‘hidden’ from the players, that is, until they figure it out! Make sure to instruct them not to yell out the rule once they figure it out (unless the game calls for that), so as not to ruin the game for others. Depending on the game, make sure that you let campers ‘run it,’ state the phrases, try the actions, etc. once they begin to figure it out so they don’t get bored. If no one is figuring it out, try telling a person or two to get the ball rolling. Have fun!!

STICKS

Sitting in a circle on the floor, grab a bunch of sticks or wood chips. Tell campers that you are going to do something with the sticks and they have to guess the number your are thinking of based on your actions. Make a picture with the sticks (a house, a number, a letter, a pile, etc.). The number you are guessing is revealed by how many fingers you are holding out once you complete your stick picture. I like to sit criss crossed apple sauce and then place my hands on my knees. If I hold out two fingers in each hand, the number is 4, or one hand with five fingers and the other with none is five, etc. Have campers guess the numbers and tell them if they are right or not. If you think they have figured it out, let them try being the one with the sticks. 

MAGICAL UMBRELLA

Start by saying the riddle “um. I have a magical umbrella. It’s *insert color or pattern here* and when I spin it around it turns *insert different color or pattern here.* What color does it turn next?” The key is to say ummmmm before saying the riddle (magical UMMbrella) Have campers guess, and tell them if they are right or wrong. Then let them try ‘holding the umbrella.’ Play around with crazy patterns like purple with green dinosaurs on it, orange polka dots, etc. 

GREEN GLASS DOOR

Campers try to guess what can or cannot go through the green glass doors. Say “I can bring puppies through the GGD but not dogs.” The key is that words with double letters can go through (kittens but not cats, apples but not oranges,  boots but not shoes, etc.)

FOUR IS THE MAGIC NUMBER

This game starts with a certain number that eventually breaks down into the number four. The goal is figure out how the numbers are being broken down. “twelve is six, six is three, three is five, five is four.” The next number is the # of letters in the previous number. The word twelve has six letters, six has three letters, three has five letters, five has four letters. Every beginning number eventually breaks down to the number four. 

PICNIC

This is a simple game, but can be difficult to catch onto the rules. Can also be fun to play as a name game as you get to know each other and remember names. Start by saying “I’m going on a picnic and I’m bringing a *insert object that starts with the same first letter as your name*.” (Emma and eggs, Courtney and cookies, Samantha and sandwiches.) Have campers try this one and tell them whether or not they are able to bring the object the say until they figure it out. 

THE ROSE 

This game can be played many ways with different objects. Say “If I have a rose and I give it to Courtney and she gives it to Samantha and she gives it to Emma, who has the rose?” The person who has the rose is the first person to speak after you finish saying the question. So if you ask the question, and Courtney says “it’s _____,” then you could say “no it’s you Courtney.” This one can be a little slow at first until a few people pick up on it, but then it’s super fun! One of my favorites!

PAY ATTENTION (or LISTEN)

Say “Pay attention. If those (point to them) are shoes, and those are shoes, and those are shoes, are these shoes?” Point to a few pairs of shoes, and then for the last object, you can either point at shoes or anything else. The key is to say the phrase ‘pay attention’ before you speak. If you do, than the answer is yes, if not, the answer is no. So if you finish by pointing at a real pair of shoes, but you don’t say ‘pay attention’, then they are not shoes. But if you point at a tree at the end and say ‘pay attention’, then the tree is shoes. 

GHOST CHAIR

This one is a bit difficult. Set up chairs like musical chairs. Pick a chair to assign as the ghost chair, but don’t tell anyone. Explain that there is a ghost in the room. Have everyone sit in a chair. Mentally note who is sitting in the ghost chair. Have everyone move to a new chair. Ask who the ghost is standing in front of. Let them guess, and tell them if they are correct or not. The ghost is standing in front of whoever was sitting in the ghost chair before you all moved chairs. 

JOHNNY WHOOP 

Hold your hand up. Make a specific pattern of touching your fingertips and sliding your finger along the curve between our forefinger and thumb. When touching the tips of fingers, say “Johnny,” but when sliding along the curve say “Whoop.” When you are done, drop your hands and clasp them together.  Remember the pattern you made, and do it the same way every time. Have campers try to copy you and tell them if they did it right or not. The key is not to correctly replicate your patten but to clasp your hands after finishing it. 

RIGHT PARTY 

Say “I’m throwing a party, but it’s not just any party, it’s the right party at the right place at the right time with the right people and the right snacks and the right clothes.” Then explain what you will be wearing to the party. Have campers try and tell them if they are allowed to wear it to your party or not. The clothes allowed to the party are whatever the person to your right is wearing. 

ONE UP ONE DOWN 

Only one of three phrases can be said. But only one of them is correct at a given time. Both up, one up one down, and both down. It depends on how your arms are positioned when the phrase is being said. So if the person’s arms are both hanging down, the correct phrase is both down, etc. Have campers try and guess which one to say and tell them if they are allowed to say it or not. 

WITCH WRITING 

You have to have at least one friend playing that knows the rule to get the ball rolling. Tell campers a story that explains how you met a witch and learned the secret language.Send the friend out of the room. Decide with the campers which word you are going to write and try to get the friend to guess. Call them back in. Use the secret witch writing to write the word and have the friend guess. She will get it right, keep playing until campers begin to figure it out. It involved random scribbling and pounding your hands against the table/ground. Vowels are represented by the number of pounds. 1 pound=A, 2 pounds=E, 3 pounds=I, 4 pounds=O, 5 pounds=U. Consonants are represented by the first letter of the phrase in-between pounds. The random scribbling is just to confuse people and has no meaning. Example: the word is ‘guide”. Say “Going to start now” Random scribbling with a pencil. Then pound your hands 5 times.  Random scribbling. Pound your hands 3 times. Random scribbling. Then say “Don’t get confused.” Random scribbling. Then pound your hands 2 more times. 

CROSSED/UNCROSSED (or OPEN/CLOSED) 

This game can be played with sticks or pencils (scissors for open/closed). Have everyone sit in a circle. You are going to pass two sticks to the next person either crossed over each other or just parallel to one another. The person receiving them has to say if they are receiving the sticks crossed or uncrossed. The position of the sticks does not matter, only wether the giver is sitting with their legs/ankles/arms (pick one) are crossed or not. This game works better when siting on the ground than at a table. 

MAN IN THE MOON 

Grab a stick and draw a picture in the dirt while saying “This is a man on the moon. He has a face, a mouth, a nose and two eyes.” (Draw those things) Before doing/saying this, do a small action such as touching your ear, flipping your hair, scratching your knee, etc. Have campers try and tell them if their man on the moon is correct. The drawing does not matter, only that they repeat the same small action beforehand. 

PLATES/CUPS Grab a few cups or plates and a small object that fits underneath it. You need a friend who knows the rule to get the game started. Decide on a code word with the same number of letters as the number of cups you have. (if you have four cups, use the word corn, which has four letters) Share this word with everyone, but don’t explain how to use it. Lay the cups out in a horizontal line. Only the friend will understand at first but the plate to the far left (the friend’s point of view) corresponds to the first letter of the code word, so C. The next cup is O. The next is R. The next is N. Again, the campers do not know this. Send the campers and the friend away or have them close their eyes. Put the small object under one of the cups. Call them back. The friend will guess which cup it is under. She will know because the cup it is under corresponds to the first letter of the first thing you say when they come back. So if the first thing you say is “Really think about it, and tell me which cup,” then the object is under the cup that is R, or the third cup. 

PSYCHIATRIST

This game is fun, but once the participant figures out the rule, the game is over because they have to say it out loud. That is…. until someone new wanders up and wants to play and doesn’t know the rule. Pick a participant and send them away. Explain the rule to everyone else. The person is going to come back and ask them questions. The first person to be asked  a question is to answer with the words “i don’t know” no matter what the question is. After that, the next person to be asked a question is to answer with the answer that corresponds to the last question. Call the person back into the group. Explain to them that they are a psychiatrist and this group has a problem and they have to figure out what it is. They are to go up to people and ask them simple or yes or no questions. When they think they know the problem, guess it out loud. Example: Psychiatrist to person A: Is the sky Blue? Person A: I don’t know. (this will confuse the psychiatrist, tell them to move on to next person) Psychiatrist to person B: What color is a cow? Person B: yes. Psychiatrist to person C: What is  my name? Person C: black and white. and so on. 

ROAD TRIP 

This one is difficult and takes a while to figure out. You are going on road trip and going to tell your campers where you went and how long you stayed there and they are to figure out where you are going next. The answer is revealed by the pathway of your trip. Letters are the first letter of where you went. Vowels are how long you stayed. (A-1, E-2, I-3, O-4, U-5) Example: I started in Delaware and stayed for 2 days, then I went to Nebraska, then Vermont where I stayed for 2 weeks, then I went to Rhode Island. Where do I go next? Answer= Denver. 

BLACK MAGIC

One person is sent away. The rest of the group decides on an object among them to be the magic object (a hat, shoe, shirt, backpack, water bottle, etc.) Call the person back. Explain to the person they are to pick an item from a list you give them that is the magic object. They are to figure out that the object is whichever one comes after a black object. The other objects can not be black, because that would disrupt the game. Continue to list off a bunch of items among you, pointing at each, one of them being the object chosen after a different black object. Example: “Is the magical object her shoe, his sunglasses, my foot, his hat (which is black), that water bottle, or the sky?” Answer= the water bottle because it came after the black object.

HOW MANY BEARS?

Make up a story about bears, and finish by asking how many bears there are (have it make sense with the story). The answer is dependent on how many words are used to ask the question. Ex: How many bears are there?-5, What number of bears are there?-6, How many bears?-3, etc. 

THIS CAN HAS FIVE SIDES

This game follows the same rules as the bear game. Grab a can and pass it around, having campers tell each other how many sides it has. The number of sides is dependent on the statement. Example: This can has five sides-5, Two sides-2, I think that this can has 8 sides-8, etc. 

DOES THE BOAT FLOAT? 

This game is similar to the umbrella game. Here’s how it works. Say “Okay,” then grab a stick or use your finger to draw an imaginary boat in the air. Ask “Does this boat float?” Let campers guess yes or no and tell them if they are correct or not. The key is wether or not you say ‘okay’ before you draw the boat. Let them try drawing boats once they think they have figured it out. 

WHOSE TRIANGLE?

This game is almost identical to the boat float game, but draw a triangle between different people as your stand around in a circle. You can also play this game like the rose game, where whoever speaks first is the owner of the triangle. 

FLASHLIGHT DANCE Again, similar to the boat float game. Pick a phrase or acton (saying okay, clearing your throat, flipping the flashlight in the air and catching it, etc.) that must be performed before the dance. Grab a flashlight (this game is obviously for night time) and perform (or don’t) the action and then proceed to do a dance with the flashlight. Ask the campers if your dance was real (performed the action) or made up (did not perform the action). 

what to do when everything’s a mess

Wash your hair. Don’t worry about all those articles online about the best haircare products of 2019 and whatnot, get in, wash it like you usually do, get out. Leave it to air dry, it’s less work for you.

Brush your teeth. Even if you brushed them this morning and are probably going to brush it tonight, do it anyway. Especially if it’s exam time, all that tea or coffee you’re most likely downing (props to you if you only study with water) probably makes them feel kind of gross.

I know most of these lists tell you to run a bath, but let’s face it, for those of you who even have a bath in the first place, the thought of filling that tub and sitting there in complete silence for a couple hours seems like a trek. And ironically exhausting. So instead, just brush your hair, take a nap (set a nice soothing alarm) and once you’ve gotten out of bed, wash your face or at least splash cold water on your face.

CLEAN clean clean clean CLEAN. Easier said than done, but at least start by clearing one messy component of your area; it could be your floor, your desk or your bed. You don’t need to clean and re-organise your entire room marie condo-style for you to actually have a reason to take the time to clean in the first place. A little goes a long way, and you don’t ALWAYS need to do the hard yards ya know.

I would say read a book, but sometimes your brain is melting or buzzing so it can’t really focus on anything lengthy. So instead, find someone reciting a poem online, and just listen to it. I recommend Jeremy Irons and his voicing of tons of T.S Eliot poetry, or Allen Ginsberg reciting his own poetry (Howl is a classic).

If you’re one of those people who drowns their sorrows by listening to music, don’t listen to music!! Don’t reinforce your pain!! So to that I say, listen to a podcast. If the classic podcast genre of true crime is a little too stressful and you’ve already cried twice today, listen to interviews with actors, screenwriters and directors. It can be really refreshing to listen to people you already enjoy the content of talk about their work. I recommend Awards Chatter and Happy Sad Confused.

Stop staring at screens! Just physically sit outside for a bit, you don’t need to go for a jog or do a general workout, just…sit. People-watch, try and memorise the exact scene in front of you, from the mis-en-scene to all the colours and sounds and the way the sunlight feels on your eyelashes. Write it down if you want to, you could even denote a single notebook to your little outdoor descriptions. Or just write on a napkin. To each their own.

Have you eaten today? And I mean something hearty, something that isn’t primarily made out of air and salt. Something that falls under the umbrella of snack does not count; meal is more like it. If not, eat. Preparing food might feel exhausting, but so’s going a relatively long amount of time without something nutritionally substantial.

If you’re feeling emotionally heavily, get out a notebook or even just a scrap of paper, a pen and cry until your eyes are as blurry as can be. With tears down your cheeks, scribble out how you’re feeling. Don’t bother with how neat or messy it is, whether the sentences even stay on the lines, it’s not about being aesthetic. In fact, it’s about being as messy as possible. Let all of it out, and let is act as a physical manifestation of what’s going on in your head. Don’t fight it or deny it, relieve yourself by both constructing and understanding yourself. 

“Having seen firsthand the way some counselors struggle to connect with their campers — to create money in the bank with them — I have put together the following list of practices that can help you do just that.

Take turns sitting next to different campers at each meal. Change it up so you get to hang out with all of your campers.

Make a point of walking and talking with one, two, or three of your campers together while going from one activity to another. This downtime is often when you hear more from your campers about what is going on among them as a group. It gives you the opportunity to connect with them more like a peer (even though we know you are not their peer). If you tend to walk alone or with other counselors, you are missing an important opportunity to connect with your kids.

Sit with different groups of your campers during rest hour and either talk, play a card game, or engage with them in some other quiet-time activity. Again, especially in the first few days of a new session, this is a terrific chance to connect more informally with your kids. If you tend to sleep during rest hour, once again you are missing a key opportunity to create money in the bank with them.

Make a checklist of things that you know about your campers. For example, do you know the favorite camp activity of each of them? Do you know if they have a pet at home and what their pet’s name is? (Talking about pets, who occupy a special place in many kids’ hearts, is an especially great way to make a more personal connection with most any camper.) Do you know what they are most looking forward to doing while at camp? Did they read an especially terrific book during the school year? What about a movie? A new hobby? A place they went on vacation? All of these are “keys” to connecting with your campers.

After a few days, check your list of “keys” (if you email me, I can send you my version of this handy bunk or cabin group list) to see which kids you seem to know well and which ones you still don’t have much of a connection with. Sometimes, seeing it written out on paper helps to focus where you may need to place more of your attention as a way of getting to know certain campers better.”

Camp Playlist

Every camp staff knows the struggle of finding camp-appropriate music to jam to. So here’s my playlist of camp-appropriate songs (which I play while driving).

“Best Day of My Life” by American Authors

“Pompeii” by Bastille

“All American Girl” by Carrie Underwood

“Bubbly” by Colbie Calliat

“Bright” by Echosmith

“Immortals” by Fall Out Boy

“On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons

“Don’t Stop Believin’“ by Journey

“Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall

“Ho Hey” by the Lumineers

“Whole Wide World” by Mindy Gledhill

“Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield

“Home” by Phillip Phillips

“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten

“Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts

“Brave” by Sara Bareilles

“Geronimo” by Sheppard

“Anthem” by Superchick

“One Girl Revolution” by Superchick

“Shake it off” by Taylor Swift

“Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon

“Firework” by Katy Perry

“Story of My Life” by One Direction

“Renegades” by X Ambassadors

(various Disney songs)

Alright camp people of Tumblr, add on your favorite camp-appropriate songs.

Practice SELF CARE!

How many times can you wear it between washes?

Via

Small Ways to Make a Camper Feel Important and Loved

Make them a friendship bracelet or put a wrap in their hair!

Plan a small activity based around one of their interests! Maybe a comic drawing contest, have the cabin choreograph and perform a dance routine together, or mini cooking class.

If they have a good idea for a devotional, let them lead it! 

Have them help you set up for a later activity or event if they are uninterested in the current one. 

Let them braid your hair!

Loan out your crazy creek for a few minutes! 

Give them tiny awards or certificates of achievement! Ex: cutest outfit of the day, best swimmer, most hydrated, etc. (Just make sure that each camper in the cabin gets one throughout their stay so they don’t feel left out.)

Write short, personalized notes to each camper in your cabin to take home and read later. Tell them how they inspired you!

Talk to them about any personal things you can relate to them with. Ex: similar interests, where you’re from, what you wanna be when you grow up, etc. 

Sit in the middle of the table at a meal and let a camper sit at the end.

Compliment them on their usage of core values. Ex: “I thought it was really cool and responsible of you when I noticed you picking up trash along the trail earlier without being asked.”

If they give you a drawing or letter or make you a friendship bracelet, attach it to your clipboard or backpack to carry it with you everywhere. 

New Counselor Packing Tips

Hiring season for summer camp is in full swing, and there are a lot of folks they’ll be counsel just learning they’s be counselors soon! Being a camp counselor is one of the best, most rewarding experiences out there, and that’s super exciting; but it’s hard to know what exactly you should bring and know before diving in. 

Here are some packing tips to get you started.

Clothes

Pack about enough base outfits to last you two-three weeks, depending on how long you’re going to be there. (2-3 months, or a summer season, should only need 2 weeks of base outfits)

Shirts

Bring a few extra

Look for thin material, short sleeve/tank tops over long-sleeves (you can wear a sweater instead of a long-sleeve).

Flannels are never a bad idea!

Pants & Shorts

Whatever you can wear more than once, at least one pair of sturdy jeans.

Look out for big pockets! You can never have too much pocket space.

Undergarments

Bring about a week’s worth of extra underwear and socks

One or two pairs of brand-new, never-worn, super-comfy socks you can bust out near the end of the summer on a particularly exhausting day.

Look for comfortable and sports bras over under-wires and push-ups.

Jackets & Sweaters

Two-three jackets: one for rain, one for warmth, (optional) one for style.

Looks for sweaters you can wear under your jackets for more warmth, and light sweaters good for stuffing in a bag or sleeping in overnight. No more than 4-5 of these.

Pajamas

Two or three comfortable pairs, at least one pair of sweats for sleeping outside

Shoes

Invest in at least one pair of good shoes! You’ll be on your feet a lot.

Chacos, Keens, or Tevas are all good hiking sandals that most camp people swear by. I bought Chacos three years ago, and they’re still in great condition with fantastic fit and support. 

Water-tight shoes are important and will save you from squishy feet if it rains.

Backup sneakers/walking shoes in case your’s get wet.

Flip-flops or shower shoes for showers.

Nice insoles for later in the summer will help you with burnout.

Something you can tie-dye: should be white, simple, and cotton. Polyester and active-wear fabrics won’t hold dye.

A set (or two) of nice/dressy clothes for breaks and staff events.

Swimsuit: modest, and bring one even if you don’t think you’ll use it.

Living Space

Bedding

A sturdy and warm sleeping bag (invest in a good one: my favorite ever is from L.L. Bean and has a flannel lining for maximum comfort).

Comfortable sheets: check with camp on how big the bunks are.

Top sheet can sometimes be sacrificed as a window cover/drapes.

Good pillow

Just bring one, but INVEST

Extra blanket

Something heavy and warm is good, even if it’s hot where you’re going or you run hot. 

Laundry bag (can be used as extra packing space)

Fairy lights, small/portable lamp, and/or multiple night lights

Fairy lights are good for making a space feel more homey, lamps can be taken outside for campouts, and night lights are great for camper cabins and bathrooms. 

Hanging shelves or pop-up bins for storage.

Shower mat (if your cabins have showers- be sure to check).

(Optional) Alarm clock with radio

Books

Something for you to read during breaks/before bed, maybe 1-2 books per month

A book with plenty of short stories to read campers to sleep with

I personally used “The Tales of Beedle the Bard”; just check which stories are camp appropriate before cracking them open.

Air freshener

Extra stuffy for homesick campers

Toiletries:

Small tote & shower caddy- look for fabric and canvas over hard plastic.

Extra toothbrush

Tums/Anti-Diarrheal (camp food is a gamble)

 Bag balm

Tons of extra hair ties

Whatever you use at home (shampoo/conditioner, body wash, wash, etc.)

Towels

One for showering, one for the beach, plus a wash cloth.

If you have glasses, croakies.

Lock box for any valuables you have to bring + personal meds.

Electronics

Extra charger for your phone

Power bank for your phone

Otterbox or Lifeproof phone case

Bluetooth speaker (for breaks, cleanup, and if your camp allows phone music), or radio or CD player with speaker

Headphones + backup headphones

Downloaded music, podcasts, movies, etc. 

Musical instrument if you have them

Something silly! A large flag, costume item, silly hat, etc.

One or two of these is plenty

Backpack & Daily Use

Bring something school backpack-sized, with lots of extra pockets. North Face makes amazing backpacks with hip & chest straps for excellent weight distribution. Also good are fanny packs (trust me), and smaller day packs.

Watch

Look for digital, waterproof watches, with alarms. Bonus if you can light up the face to see it in the dark.

Consider bringing a backup

Clipboard

Either get one that opens & closes (translucent is best), or a plastic sheet/folder to protect papers.

Sunglasses (polarized is good)

Sunscreen (+ backup)

Bug spray

Nalgene, camelback, or other good, high-capacity, sturdy water bottle.

Metal and glass should be avoided. Metal especially gets bent up very quickly.

Travel mug

Duct tape

Start with a big roll, get more later if needed.

Bungee cords (optional)

Pocket knife or multi-tool (check local laws on pocket knives)

Lighter (+ extras)

Flashlights or headlamps: 2-3

Hand sanitizer/baby wipes

Kleenex/napkins

Chapstick galore (bag balm also works for this)

Camera: small, durable, consider disposables.

Depending on climate: fan, minifan, and extra batteries.

Bandanas 

Keeps the sun off you, can be soaked in water & placed on neck to cool down.

Hat (for shade)

Umbrella (for keeping the rain or sun off you & campers)

Writing/drawing supplies

Pens, markers, and sharpies you don’t mind lending out

One or two good mechanical pencils + eraser

Sharpies (lots)

Paper you can give to campers for on-the-spot drawing

Notebook/sketchbook for doodling and taking notes: small and spiral-bound is good.

Envelopes and stamps for sending letters

Tape, scissors, and a glue stick.

Sturdy deck of cards

I like to tape up the edges with duct tape or painter’s tape to prevent wear & tear

Friendship bracelet & lanyard supplies

Hemp, embroidery floss- a big pack off amazon is good- and maybe some plastic beads for decorations

Plastic string for lanyards

If you don’t know how, now’s a good time to teach yourself.

Durable fidget/stim toys

Good for campers with attention, hyperactivity, or sensory regulation

This is my favorite store for these toys!

Tea packets

Caffeinated black tea

Ginger tea for nausea

Hand/toe warmers

First Aid kit:

Aloe vera (for sunburns)

Band-aids (+ extra) (fun designs and characters are the best)

Alcohol swabs, antibiotic ointment

Safety pins, tweezers, and scissors

Gauze (many varieties), Q-tips, and cotton balls

Gloves

Ear plugs

Personal meds (first-aid kit should be locked if you have these)

Incl. ibuprofen or another anti-inflammatory pain med.

Emergency supplies:

A bit of rope

Fire starter (in case your lighter(s) go out)

Mirror (for emergency use)

Extra cash + quarters

Compass, whistle, emergency blanket

If you have room: 

Extra pair of socks, underwear, and a very light, thin, small shirt.

Extra Tips

Overpack on:

Thin t-shirts and tank tops

Socks & underwear

Pads & tampons (If you need them)

Good shoes

Bandaids

Sunscreen

Flashlights

Sharpies

Tape (masking tape, duct tape)

Sunglasses

Chargers

Lighters

Pack less:

Non-essential items like hand/toe warmers, stim toys, writing utensils, and paper.

Art supplies, books, recreational activities that take up lots of space/weight

Purses, scarves, and fashion-only items.

Decorative items

IF YOUR CAMP PROVIDES THEM: first-aid and emergency supplies

When packing:

Choose thin, small, lightweight items over bulky and heavy items. 

Thin fabrics for clothes, towels, and bedding

Look for items that do multiple jobs

Roll clothes instead of folding or stuffing.

Waterproof bags & bags that you can compress to remove excess air

Use these for clothes, bedding, towels, and stuffies.

Bags within bags to keep like objects together

Use bags with a purpose at camp (backpacks, hiking packs) for travel & packing.

Pack things inside other things: nalgene bottles can hold writing utensils, shoes can hold rolled-up socks, etc.

Wear your bulkiest items on the trip there & back (boots, thick jeans, long-sleeve shirt, bulky sweaters, bulky/for-warmth jacket).

Minimize the number of things you’re carrying on the trip there.

Good luck, and please add on if you think of anything else!

Hey! So I just got hired as leadership director at a new camp and I feel super anxious and unqualified for it. I’ve been a uc and a ul but I’m still very nervous to have this new leadership position. Do you have any advice/wisdom/literally anything pls help

Hello anon! Sorry it’s been a bit, I’ve been on a 2200 mile road trip with my best friend. 

First, congratulations! My summer as leadership director was my favorite summer ever and I look back on it fondly. I do remember feeling overwhelmed and underqualified when I started too. I had only ever been a UC at a day camp, so this was a big change. 

I think my biggest piece of advice is to take time and bond with your kids. Learn more about them than their names and where they’re from. And encourage them to bond with each other. Your goal should be to make a community, and you should be part of it. And the friendships they make with each other will last for years. 

One of your jobs is to be a mentor. You’re teaching them things, yes, but they are also learning by your example. They’re going to pick up on the things you do, good and bad. They will know when you are happy, when you are stressed, when you are excited to be somewhere, when you would rather be curled in your sleeping bag instead of chugging coffee in the vain hopes of waking up. So be conscious of that.

CITs are older, so they want to be seen as mature. So being honest with them is really important. Like my year we were all very clear with the CITs that being a counselor, while very rewarding, is stressful. And they learned that first hand, but we didn’t sugar coat it much if at all. When they decided to prank me by making me think one of them cut their hand open (like bad), we had a very frank discussion about why that wasn’t a good choice and what it really feels like when you think one of your campers is seriously injured. When we did night debriefs and they inevitably turned the question back on me, I answered. And when they saw that my eyes were puffy because I had been crying on my break and they asked about it, we talked about that too. Obviously I did not tell them all of the things that happened at camp or were happening with me, but I did try to be as honest as possible with them.

Part of your job that you might not have thought about is that it is now your job to protect your CITs. I love all the counselors at camp and they are absolutely, 110% wonderful. But their priority is their own campers, not necessarily the CITs. So it’s your job to make sure that they don’t get thrown in over their heads because that can happen. We as counselors get thrown into all sorts of situations, but we have admin to help out. That’s your responsibility to your CITs. 

I love the CITs so much and I hope that you will have as great an experience as leadership director as I did. You’re always welcome to message me too. I wish you the best of summers.