Posts Tagged ‘packing for camp’

TOP 5 REASONS TO PACK ACCORDING TO THE PACKING LIST:

Tuesday, May 20th, 2014

Every year, Camps send out packing lists with suggestions of what and how much to pack.  It’s important to stick to the packing list, since the lists are normally catered to your specific camp! Camp Directors have been sending out these lists for years, and make sure to update them according to what they know works for their campers! Here are the Top 5 Reasons to pack according to the packing list!

5.) Space is limited at camp! While your child may have their own room, closet and bathroom at home, at camp they are going to have to share these spaces. Your child will be living in a bunk with several other campers, as well as  several counselors.

4.) Required Items vs. Optional Items! There are going to be some items that are absolutely required, and you don’t want to be leaving those out of your child’s trunks. Uniformed Camp logoed T-shirts for specific events during camp are usually required. Optional items are generally items that are provided by camp, but some campers prefer to bring their own equipment such as lacrosse helmets.

3.) You don’t want to over pack! You know how when you go on vacation, you always seem to have more things to put fit in your suitcase than when you arrived. Well the same thing happens at camp! You want to be sure to leave a little room in those camp trunks for the end of the summer, so all of their projects & souvenirs from trips can make it home safely.

2.) Labels, Labels, Labels! There are A LOT of kids at camp, and a lot kids bring very similar, if not the same items. This is why everything brought to camp MUST be labeled. We know that you don’t want your child to lose anything at camp and this is the best way to prevent that from happening.

1.) Check what items are not permitted in camp! You want to be sure your camper doesn’t bring any items that are not allowed in camp. Along with what to pack, your packing list normally will have a list of prohibited items that should not come to camp with your child.

The Other Packing List

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

It’s hard to believe that spring is here and camp is only a couple of months away.  If you haven’t started shopping around for packing list items already, chances are you’ll begin doing so soon.  Of course, every parent is aware of what’s on the official list.  But there is another packing list for camp, the unofficial one that includes items that come in handy for showing spirit, dressing up, birthday celebrations, and just taking advantage of opportunities to dress in silly outfits.  Your child may have already handed you a list of these items, but lest you doubt or are the parent of a new camper, here is “The Other Camp Packing List…”

Tutus. Nowhere outside the Bolshoi is a tutu a more valuable part of a girl’s wardrobe. From fairy outings to talent shows and even showing team spirit, tutus are a staple in camp wear.

White shirt for tie-dying. Tie-dying and summer camp are synonymous. No matter which camp your child is headed to, it’s a given that at some point during the summer, there will be a tie-dying activity.

Mismatched Socks. You can buy them mismatched or just take mates and mix them up. The crazier the pattern, the better.

Decorative Duct Tape. Think it’s only for handymen and hardware stores? As if anyone would repair anything with polka dot duct tape…At camp, it comes in handy for things like turning t-shirts into tank tops and making costumes.

Cool Letterhead. Camp is one of the few places at which people actually still write letters by hand…and getting those few precious words on interesting letterhead is all the more special.

A Crazy Hat…Or Two! Yes, some days at camp--in fact most days--this is acceptable garb.

Temporary Spirit Tattoos in Camp Colors and Logos. What better way to show team and camp spirit? Goes well with tutus, mismatched socks, and crazy hats, too.

A Stuffed Animal. Let’s be real. Most of us slept with a favorite stuffed animal into our college years.

Mustaches . It’s a camp thing!

Reading Material. It may be against your best hopes, but sending your child to camp with a bit of reading material could result in a positive outcome. Children have adequate time to read at camp. And without television, internet, and iPods, many of them do. Joke and puzzle books are particularly good bunk activity and conversation starters.

What’s the Weather Like?

Sunday, March 3rd, 2013

The popularity of summer camp has spread in recent years, now regularly attracting children from all regions of the United States and abroad.  For many of these campers, it’s their first trip to the Northeastern United States.  So, naturally, one of the most common questions we get at Camp Starlight is about the weather.  We’re not just saying this because we’re camp people: There couldn’t be a more perfect place to spend a summer than Northeast Pennsylvania!

The mountain air is clean and crisp!  Many of our campers and staff members frequently comment on how nice it is to be free of the smog of the big cities in which many of them live.  During the day, the temperatures are typical of summer weather.  Because Camp Starlight is in the mountains and borders a lake, the temperatures tend to be a few degrees cooler than in lower lands.  However, the summer sun still shines very brightly on the vast majority of the days, and it can get a bit warm.  We encourage campers to stay well hydrated, though, and wearing sunscreen is a must!  Shorts and tank tops or t-shirts are usually the most appropriate daytime attire.

We think that perhaps the best part of getting to spend our summers at camp, however, are the evenings. Temperatures cool down just enough to make most nights perfect for campfires and outdoor activities.  Most campers take a sweatshirt to their evening activities. They may not always need one, but it’s a nice thing to have around just in case.  Our favorite thing about nights at camp, though, is the sky. Because our camps are in rural areas, there is very little light pollution, so you can actually see the stars!

It rains very seldom at camp, but the advantage of being on a mountain is that the water drains downward and it’s seldom wet for long—just long enough to make the grass a little bit greener.  While most of the country struggles with being not too hot or not too cold during the summer months, the weather at summer camp in the Northeast Pennsylvania is just right!