Camp Necessities


Written By Jamie Lober

When it comes to camp necessities, consider where your child is going.  “With Western Montana weather, it gets warm during the day but chilly at night,” said TJ Charlson, camp director at Camp Paxson in Missoula.  Make sure he brings appropriate clothing and find out the camp’s policy on food.  “Since Montana is rural, we find that food attracts animals but we have situations where students have special diets and we store food for them in a safe location,” said Charlson.

If your child will be outdoors, keep health and safety in mind.  “You should have sunscreen, towels, a swimsuit and a change of clothes,” said Angela Difronzo, lead instructor at Infant Aquatics in Bozeman.  A healthy snack may also be helpful, as kids get hungry from exercising.

Let your child’s counselor know that you want to stay in touch with your child.  “Mail from home is wonderful and kids love getting things,” said Chris Nelson, registrar at Big Sky Bible Camp in Bigfork.  If you are sending a letter, do it early so your child receives it before camp is over.  If you are including surprises, be sure there is enough to share with their cabin-mates.  “Some popular things are comic books, puzzles, magazines, flashlights, journals, stuffed animals and stamps,” said Maria Schugel, American Camp Association Northland section executive.

If your child will be at a day camp, find out what is recommended.  “I give parents a materials list and they buy the things,” said Shannon Klem of Shannon’s Sewing Studio in Bozeman.  Sometimes bringing something small and familiar from home makes camp easier.  “Parents might send a snack, water bottle or light sweater,” said Klem.  Avoid sending your child with electronics as they may be stolen.

Encourage your child to capture memories.  “Sometimes parents send a disposable camera,” said Shirley Hummer, campus director at the Children’s Oncology Camp Foundation in Missoula.  Camp necessities and care packages are individualized.  “Everybody knows their kids the best and knows the types of things they would like,” said Schugel.

© 2011 Jamie Lober. Jamie Lober, author of Pink Power (http://www.getpinkpower.com), is a nationally known speaker dedicated to providing information on women’s and pediatric health topics.  She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .