READY FOR CAMP?

The team at Skyland Camp & Retreats is excited to welcome you and your camper this summer! And whether you’re coming to Girl’s Camp or an Adult Camp, you or your camper may be feeling a little nervous before heading off on a new adventure.

For more than 100 years, Skyland has welcomed countless first-time and returning campers who had butterflies about being away from home. Here’s how you can prepare to have the best camp experience possible.

TALK ABOUT MISSING HOME.

It’s totally normal for your camper to miss home while at camp, especially during Girls Camp. We like to create a distinction between “missing home” and “homesickness”. Missing home is like a headache – almost everyone gets a headache from time to time, just like almost everyone at camp will miss home from time to time, and while headaches are annoying, you can still enjoy your day. Homesickness is like a migraine – it’s a more rare experience that not everyone will feel and it hurts so much that it’s difficult to enjoy your day. Skyland’s staff is specially trained to support girls in navigating this part of the camp experience – and you can help her too!

Before heading off to camp, parents can review calming routines like reading a book before bed or bringing a favorite stuffed animal. Many campers miss their pets most of all! Sending pictures of their pet can help when they’re missing home. Another great coping mechanism is a countdown. Remembering that camp is finite and will soon be over can help campers enjoy every moment of her camp experience while easing the feeling of missing home.

Remind your camper her camp counselors can help, and that it’s likely they ALSO experienced missing home when they were young.

PREPARE TO SLEEP AWAY FROM HOME.

Bedtime is often when camper’s concerns arise, so offer your camper some tips in case they feel anxious about falling asleep in a new environment. If she’s coming to Girls Camp, let her know that there will be at least two counselors with her each night, as well as other first-time AND returning campers. If she can’t sleep, she can ask a new friend for support, read a book with her flashlight, snuggle up with her favorite stuffed animal, or ask a counselor to comfort her.

If your camper has never slept away from home, we highly recommend practicing sleepovers with friends and family before camp.

STAY IN TOUCH.

Remind your camper that she can keep in touch with you during camp. She can send letters to you every single day, through Skyland’s daily Mail Call. She can also look forward to receiving your letters while she’s at Skyland. Give friends and family the camp address so she can receive letters, and take some time before camp to pick out stationery together, and stamp and address the envelopes so it’s easy for her to write home, or to friends and family. You will also be able to send her emails, which get printed every day for Mail Call.

PACK TOGETHER.

One great way to help your camper prepare for camp is to tackle the packing list together. Take your camper shopping for any new items that may be needed, or let them pick out a new special camp blanket or comforter. Label items together so they’ll feel confident that nothing will be lost (this step is very important!). Help your camper arrange their suitcase so they can keep track of all their belongings AND so they can pack their suitcase without you at the end of camp. The more your camper is involved in preparation, the more comfortable she’ll be once she arrives at Skyland.

HOMESICK AND HAPPY.

The book Homesick and Happy, by Michael Thompson, PhD, is a wildly popular book for first-time camp parents, as well as returning families.

NOTES FROM THE CAMP BUNK.

Homesick and Happy is a great read for parents, but what about for campers? A 12 year-old camper named Eden Martin wrote a brilliant book to help first-time campers prepare for their new adventure (Michael Thompson, author of Homesick and Happy, even reviewed it!). The book is titled Notes from the Camp Bunk: A Guide for First-Time Campers, and we highly recommend it!

CALL US.

Any time. Skyland is here to support you and your family as your prepare for camp. We can connect you with other parents, other campers, Skyland’s summer camp director or a camp counselor. (828-279-6826)