Getting psyched about your child’s summer camp visiting day?
You should be, it’s an important part of the camp experience.
However, many of us aren’t quite sure exactly how to act and what’s expected of us when that day comes.
It’s quite fortunate, then, that you stumbled across this article. Read on and we’ll show you how to make sure that you and your kid have the best visiting day possible!
Check Camp Rules Beforehand
You should know the policies in place at the summer camp you’re headed to before you go.
Do they allow outside snacks?
Can you leave the camp with your child during the visiting day to go get lunch?
What’s the policy on electronics?
Most people will be familiar with the policies in place at the summer camp their kid is attending just from packing beforehand.
In any case, you may want to give yourself a short refresher before you leave. It’s just smart to pre-empt any problems that might crop up.
An embarrassing moment from a parent can certainly put a damper on summer fun after all. If in doubt about anything you are or aren’t supposed to ring just give the camp a call beforehand.
Take It Easy on the Gifts
Many camps have a policy that doesn’t allow campers to keep food through the end of the day. More than one parent has been bummed to find out that their carefully crafted care package ended up in the trash.
You’ll also want to make sure that you’re not bringing in anything which is prohibited in the camp.
There’s usually a good reason for this, depending on the type of summer camp your child is attending. For instance, there’s reason to believe that unplugging from electronics is quite beneficial for a kid.
You may also want to see how many bunk mates your child has and bring a small gift for everyone to keep other children from feeling left out.
Look at the Schedule for Summer Camp Visiting Day
Some camps have visiting days which are pretty much open season. Show up, spend a day with your kid while they’re at camp doing whatever you’d like, and then go home.
Many camps will have something more structured in mind, however. Sometimes this will include activities, meals, and other cool stuff to do but it still might be tightly scheduled.
Make sure that you know your arrival time and what’s planned for the day ahead and it’ll make things go much smoother during the trip.
You should respect the schedule as much as possible, including arrival and departure times. The policies are in place for a reason and sleepaway camps are meant to help your child be more independent so hanging around for longer than allowed will be counterproductive.
Who’s Coming Along?
Make sure that you know who’s invited beforehand. Some summer camps will only allow parents, others might allow extended family. Some even have special sibling sleepover nights.
However, even if the options available to you it may not be wise to bring along everyone in the family. In addition to creating a logistical nightmare, many kids might find themselves more homesick than usual when a whole bunch of the family shows up.
Keep in mind that toddlers and infants, even if invited, may not be up for a full day of fun in the summer sun. Elderly relatives, like grandparents, should also carefully evaluate whether or not they’ll be up for it.
Book Hotels In Advance
Many camps are situated closely with other camps in the same vein. Sometimes they’ll even have the same visitor’s day!
If you’ll be staying at a hotel or other nearby facility to save yourself the long drive home for the evening then you should book your room at the earliest opportunity.
As long as you have the schedule it’s really not too early. Just think of how many people are going to be trying to get last minute accommodations!
If you’re smart you’ll avoid the rush and make sure that your preparations have been made well in advance of your child even leaving for camp. Plus it’s one less thing to worry about when the time for visitor’s day comes.
Managing Homesickness
Quite often when a child is staying away from home for an extended period, particularly if it’s their first time, you’ll find that they end up homesick.
There are a lot of different strategies to helping your child stay self-assured while they’re on their sleepaway.
One of the best ways to avoid this is to not overwhelm your child with news of home. They’re bound to be homesick to some degree and if they find out they’re missing out on all kinds of news and happenings around the old homestead it’ll just make it worse.
If your child begins to openly show homesickness reassure them about their remaining time at camp. It won’t be that long and imagine all the fun they’ll have!
Your attitude will be the lead they follow, so make sure to present a good one and let them know you’ll be waiting when they get home.
Most Importantly… Have Fun!
Attending a summer camp visiting day is an essential part of the overall experience for a sleepaway camp. It lets your child know that you’re interested and gives you some time together in the middle of the trip.’
As long as you carefully consider everything before you leave you’ll be in good hands. Early preparations and preparing for homesickness are the most important parts of the process, but be sure to brush up on camp policies before leaving.
The most important thing is to have fun, however, so quit worrying and get out there!
Are you looking for a sleepaway camp in your area? If so, be sure to check in with our summer camp advisors!
