Packing for Summer Camp

I'm sending kids to camp for ten years and I've developed a whole bunch of little tricks.

 the first thing is to label everything. Do not send anything to camp without their name on it. When it comes to toiletries I put everything in Ziploc bags.  You don't want to be packing anything loose or open toothbrush toothpaste sunscreen shampoo body wash especially what I've learned over the years and especially with the boys less is more anything that's essential that they can't share with their friend like toothbrushes.  

 Lot of people ask how do I know what to pack how much to pack if I showed you my kids camp clothing list nobody's going to go to camp with two towels.  as your kids get older particularly you need to pack more.  they have socials or dances they usually need sort of one nice button-down shirt or two shirts like that couple pairs of jeans some sweatpants .

all I send for example for Footwear is two pairs of running shoes and one pair of showers slash beach shoes and it does get chilly at camp so either you have to send some kind of a padded bet or a winter jacket they say five t-shirts I usually pack 15 or 20 t-shirts.

 Most of the camps those showers are not in the cabins so it's important to get a shower caddy and they keep all their toiletries in one place.  Again anything you can do to make it easier for your kids to not lose their things.  When you're packing the duffels it's important to make sure that you outline the sides of the duffels with things that would be barriers so I usually use the sleeping bag the pillow and some rolled up towels and then I can make a base let them help you they don't necessarily need to do the packing but make sure the kids involved so you can say okay in this bag is your X Y & Z and they know exactly where to find it make sure everything's really easy to unpack make sure the linens are in one place and the clothing is in another and make sure you provide a nice cushion for all the breakable stuff any type of communal toy that they can get together and play together increases that sense of community and they become such a cohesive unit one more thing my kids camp lets us send is camp chairs it's really cute you go up to camp on visitors day and all their chairs are lined up in front of their cabin so they can sit like old men and watch the world go by.