The Advice Corner: How do I prepare my child for summer camp?
Summer camp can be an exciting experience, full of new opportunities, new friendships, and new skills. Parents sending their child to summer camp for the first time may find themselves wondering, how do I prepare them?
This month’s question: My child will be attending summer camp for the first time. How can I prepare them for this experience?
Angela Cowan, JFCS Counseling Program Manager:
We’ve reached that time of year when the snow is melting, the temperatures are warmer, and the days are getting longer. For many, spring break is upon us, and parents of school-aged children may be starting to think about summer camp.
Whether you are looking at day camps or overnight camps, summer camp provides the opportunity for children to disconnect from screens and devices, build social connections, and learn new skills.
How can I prepare my child for summer camp?
Summer camp can create lasting memories for your children; preparing them for camp can take many forms. When thinking about the ways to prepare kids for camp, I think of safety, setting/managing expectations, and managing emotions.
Safety
Camps require parents and medical providers to complete medical forms. Make sure the medical forms are completed and submitted in a timely manner, and that camp staff are up-to-date with any changes to your child’s health and medical needs.
While at summer camp, your child may be exposed to new environments – this includes being out in nature for longer periods of time and being in or near water. Talk with your child about safety in these new environments and making safe decisions. For example, when outside for long periods of time, they may need to re-apply sunscreen and they may need to use bug spray.
Create a summer safety kit with your child and provide the opportunity to have your child practice using this kit prior to starting camp. The safety kit could include items such as sunscreen, bug spray, water bottle, etc.
Set and manage expectations
Familiarize yourself with the rules of camp and talk with your child about the camp expectations and rules. For example, most camps are screen-free environments. Explaining to your child that they will not have access to screens while at camp can ensure they are not surprised on the first day. It can also provide space to talk about the opportunities your child will have while at camp.
Another consideration are bus rides to camp – they can be long at times, and it can be helpful to discuss the bus rides with your child and different activities they may do on the bus. If your child is not used to riding the bus, then consider making a trip to the bus stop before the first day of camp.
Managing emotions
Whether your child is attending day camp or overnight camp, it can be helpful to assess them for signs of anxiety or concern about attending camp or being away from home. Planning a visit to camp or driving by the camp before the first day can help ease anxiety about being away from home in a new environment.
Setting up time for you and your child to shop for items they’ll bring to summer camp could be a great way to get your kids excited for camp and help them feel prepared. Giving your child space to pick out these items can also be empowering!
Setting aside time for you and your child to look at the camp calendar so they can identify an activity they are looking forward to can aid in decreasing feelings of anxiety and increase feelings of excitement.
Talk about emotions that may come up for your child while they are at camp. They may experience feelings of sadness, worry, anger, and homesickness in addition to feelings of wonder, excitement, and happiness. Discuss the possibility of experiencing more than one emotion at a time and that it is normal! For example, your child could feel happy to be at camp and also miss their family. Explore ways your child has navigated difficult emotions and managed multiple emotions in the past and create a plan together for how they can navigate these emotions in the future.
If your child is attending overnight camp for the first time, it is a good idea to make plans for them to spend the night away from you prior to the first day of camp. Practicing beforehand can make the transition from being near you to being away from you easier.
If you are looking for more support or are interested in exploring parent coaching, reach out to us: lpersky@jfcsmn.org, 952-542-4825, or fill out the parent coaching interest form.
The Advice Corner
At JFCS, professional staff work to support and empower families at all ages and stages. We know that parenting is the most amazing and most challenging job around. Whether you are navigating toddler tantrums, trying to get your teen to put their phone down and connect with you, or trying to juggle hectic schedules, you are not alone. We will provide responses from a variety of staff, each with unique expertise, background and perspective. Please let us know if you have questions you would like us to highlight. We want to hear from you! Questions will be posed anonymously. Please email questions to: lpersky@jfcsmn.org