What to Bring to Summer Camp

If you’re questioning what you should pack for summer camp, we’ve got you covered. 

Summer camp is truly exciting for kids. It’s a great opportunity for them to meet friends, explore new interests, and enjoy time outside. It’s no surprise campers will be looking forward to it, but for parents, it can be stressful to prepare for your child’s summer away (especially with a first-time camper). To make things easier for you, we’ve put together the ultimate packing list. It includes everything you won’t want to forget when packing for a summer of adventure. 

Before You Go

First-timers: At Brooks School Summer Programs, we have a lot of activities for our campers.  Everything from archery and swimming to arts and crafts and tennis. We recommend exploring our activities pages and learning about everything that might happen on a typical day. This should give you a better idea of what items you need for summer camp. 

When it comes to getting ready and making sure you have everything, here are some great steps you can take to make sure you’re all set:

• Review the daily activities schedule
• See what Brooks School Summer Programs has planned on the events calendar
• Read the Family Handbook

Following these first steps will help you and your camper prepare for the types of activities at camp, know what special dress-up days and special events are planned, and make sure you have everything you need.

Talking with other families: Our Facebook page makes it easy to reach out to other families to get the inside scoop on the upcoming sessions and see photos from camp. The Parent Portal is a great tool to manage your child’s registration. Here you can review your child’s registered sessions, add extended day or bus transportation, or submit a friend request.

Asking questions: We always encourage our prospective campers and families to reach out to us if they have any specific questions. Our Contact Us page makes it easy to get in touch with camp staff, and we always make sure we get back to you with detailed answers to give you peace of mind. If you still have questions after viewing our packing list below, feel free to send them our way!

Health and safety preparation: Visit our health & safety page to see how The Camp Health Center plays an essential role in maintaining a safe environment. In addition to packing any necessary medications for your camper, become familiar with our staff and their training, as well as how we handle food allergies, medications, and COVID-19 precautions. 

Pack Your Bags

Now, the fun part—let’s get down to exactly what you should bring to summer camp. Here’s our list of essential and recommended items to send off with your camper for the season: 

Essentials Items for Summer Camp

Medications – this may be obvious, but make sure you’ve dropped any medications your child requires at the health center before your child arrives at camp. Our health center is open every day from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. It is also a great idea to ensure your child’s medical information is up-to-date on the Parent Portal.

Towels – We suggest you pack two towels so your camper can rotate them between swim lessons and free swim.

Shoes 

• Closed water shoes for wet outdoor activities
• Flip flops for showering and going to the pool 
• Athletic sneakers for various activities and sports
• Rain boots are great on those rainy days

Clothing

• An extra pair of socks or underwear is always something handy to pack each day
• Swimsuit and goggles – we wouldn’t want your camper to be left out of our swimming activities. 
• Layers, layers, layers – be sure to pack a sweatshirt or light jacket. Layering is important to adapt to the weather and when going from outside into air-conditioned spaces.
• Wear comfortable clothing each day. Campers are very active when visiting multiple activity areas throughout the day.
• A hat and sunglasses to protect your camper from the sun. 

Backpack or drawstring bag – a bag will be super helpful for your camper as they go from one activity to the next around camp. 

Other Must-Haves & Suggestions

• Sunscreen
• Bug spray 
• Reusable water bottle
• Extra Ziploc bags (for storing wet things)
• Lip balm

Ready for An Incredible Summer?

We hope this packing guide has helped ease some of your pre-camp stress and answered some questions you may have had. Now that we’ve gone over what to pack, it’s time to get started! We’re looking forward to welcoming your camper this summer. 

Remember, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Brooks. We’re committed to making you and your camper as comfortable as possible during their summer with us. If you haven’t already, check out our Enrolled Families Resource Page to access information like schedules and calendars, the family handbook, and much more.