Setting Her Up for Success

Talking Points to Cover With Your Camper

  • Camp is an Adventure: Talk about what camp will be like and what she’s excited to try.

  • Her Feelings are Normal: Whether she’s nervous, excited, curious or anxious, all of it is common. Let her know most campers feel this way too.

  • Counselors are There to Help: Make sure she knows her counselors care deeply about her safety and happiness. She can go to them about anything. Remind her that counselors can only help if they know what’s going on. Provide her examples of why she might approach a counselor (illness, friend troubles, help brushing her hair — truly anything!).

  • Bedtime Will Feel Different: Let her know that bedtime at camp may feel new at first. Reassure her that counselors will help her settle in with care and structure, and again, she’s not the only one feeling this way.

  • We’re Proud of You! Tell her how proud you are of her independence, celebrate her willingness to try something new, and remind her that growth happens outside her comfort zone.

Tips to Set Her Up for Success

  • Practice independence at home: Try different bedtime routines, encourage falling asleep more independently, and practice small moments of separation to build confidence.

  • Mentally prepare for check-in day: Keep check-in day confident, calm, and upbeat (even if it’s hard!). Plan for drop-off to be brief.

  • Ease the Transition Away From Screens: Camp is a screen-free environment, and big transitions can be challenging. Heavy screen use can make emotional regulation and transitions harder, so we recommend limiting screen use in the week up to camp.

  • Simulate Camp at Home: Camp out in the living room, arrange a sleepover with a friend, practice showering independently, share highs and lows at the end of the day.

  • Share Important Information With Us: Please get in touch with us in advance about anything that may impact your child’s experience, including:

    • Food or eating concerns

    • Sleep habits

    • Mental or emotional health

    • Physical or medical needs

    • Transitions or recent changes at home

To best support your child, it’s important that we have accurate and complete information about any emotional, behavioral, medical, or physical needs she may have. Sharing this information helps us respond with intention and care, increasing her chances for a positive and successful camp experience.

Your child’s privacy matters deeply to us, and all information is handled with care and confidentiality

Please Do NOT Make a
“Pick-Up Deal”

This is one of the most important things you can do to support your child. Please do not promise your camper that you will pick her up from camp if she feels homesick, sad, or uncomfortable.

While this comes from a place of love, it can unintentionally set your child up to struggle. When a camper knows there is a guaranteed “way out,” it can:

  • Prevent her from fully engaging in the camp experience

  • Make it harder to work through normal feelings of discomfort

  • Make it more challenging for us at camp to support her

  • Interrupt the natural (and healthy) process of growth, problem-solving, adapting and building resilience

We see this every summer: some of the most homesick campers in the first few days are the very same campers who do not want to leave at the end of the session. Pushing through those early feelings is often where confidence and joy begin.

Some Final Reassurance

Camp is a place where growth happens in meaningful, lasting ways! It builds independence, confidence, and resilience. While being apart for the first time can feel hard, this experience is an important and positive one. If questions or concerns come up, we’re always here to help.

For more tips, we recommend the book Homesick and Happy.