My son is at Boy Scout camp for the first time this year…for 10 days! I assure you, this momma had a hard time letting go. BUT, he was beyond excited to spend time exploring the great outdoors with his buddies so I held back the tears.
He will eventually get a little homesick, so it was important for me to reassure him we are thinking of him by sending a fun camp care package. Who doesn’t love getting a treat especially made for them?! If you have a child going to camp this summer, continue reading to get ideas to ensure you have a happy camper!
Camp Care Package Ideas:
1). Favorite snacks
It’s great to include prepackaged snacks that you KNOW you kiddo will love. Only include snack items that are not temperature sensitive. Chocolate would not ship well in the heat! Sealed items are best to avoid messes, but mostly to avoid attracting pests or critters at camp.
It’s important to obey camp rules as some camps do not allow food, so certainly check this before sending the package.
If snacks are allowed, here a few suggestions:
Trail mix
Popcorn
Individual packages of crackers or chips
Beef jerky
2). Gum and mints
Sugar free gum and Altoid mints made the list for one of our care packages this year. I’m certain (not so certain!) my son is brushing and flossing two times daily;-) But, I imagine his tent mate would appreciate fresh smelling breath.
3). Mad Libs, Comic Books, or Joke Books
Kids will not likely have much down time with all of the planned activities. But, in case they should, any of these books could encourage fun interaction with friends. Be sure to include a pencil if they didn’t already pack one.
4). Glow Sticks
If the camp allows them, glow sticks make everything a little more exciting at night. This is a treat that can be easily shared!
5). Magazines
If you child has a hobby, include a hobby specific magazine to give them a few hours of reading material. This is a fairly inexpensive item that can be thrown away after reading or passed on to another child to enjoy.
6). Disposable Camera
Many camps do not allow for iPhones or other electronics. A disposable camera would capture the memories to enjoy for years to come.
7). Sudoku, Crossword, or WordSearch Puzzle Books
This too could be easily used alone or shared with friends. As previously mentioned, be sure to enclose a pencil or pen if you aren’t sure they have one!
8). A Deck of Cards or Other Travel Size Games
Cards can provide hours of entertainment. There are also lots of other small travel size games they could enjoy during downtime at camp. Their small size would make it easy for them to throw in their bag for the trip home.
9). Individual Tissue Packages
Extra Kleenex is never a bad idea when camping outdoors!
10). Sunscreen Sticks and Chapstick
The kids will likely be spending a lot of time outdoors! Extra sunscreen and chapstick might come in handy and ensure they avoid a nasty sunburn.
11). Water Balloons
If these are allowed at the child’s camp, water balloons can provide a lot of entertainment on hot summer days!
I hope this gave you some great ideas to make your child love their camp care package. Do you have a child that is going to camp this summer? If so, I hope they have a blast!
I get to see my kiddo tomorrow for parents’ day…I can’t wait! We’ll find out just how much he enjoyed his care packages!
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April
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Great ideas! My daughter just went to camp for her first time. I’m going to use some of these ideas for her next summer!
Thanks, Amanda! My son got back today and said he loved his packages! I think they were for me as much as for him;-). I hope you found some ideas for your daughter for next summer. Thanks for stopping by!
Great ideas, April. This flooded back memories of letters my parents wrote to me before I left (1 to open every day). The disposable camera idea is sheer brilliance!
Thanks, Karen! This definitely took some pre-planning! I had to make a secret trip to the post office before he even left;-)
The mints! That is a great idea. I bet everyone would enjoy getting those. The glow sticks are a good idea too. I’ve yet to meet a kid that doesn’t love those. I’ll keep this list handy for when my kids go to camp.
Thanks, Kim!
Those are some great ideas! Especially the glow sticks and balloons. Camp was always so fun, I hope he has a blast!
Thanks, Eryn! He had a great time!
As always, very thoughtful ideas.
Thank you, Stephanie!
What fun ideas! I never even thought to send care packages when my kids were at camp. I’ll bet your son’s friends were envious!
Thanks, Diane! I think he shared😊