How to Stay Connected to Your Kids at Camp

summer-campAccording to the American Camp Association, participating in a summer camp can help your kids flourish like no school, sports team, or other activity they do. For many children, camp is one of the best parts of their summer, and they look forward to it all year long. While your kids are away at summer camp, you may want to stay connected with them in some way, even though they are away from home and out from under your diligent supervision. But what is the best way for parents to stay in touch with their kids who are away at camp?

Today’s summer camp is not the same as it was a generation ago, when going away to camp, whether for a couple of weeks or the entire summer, was a very different story. Back then, the only way to stay connected was through a phone call (usually reserved for a Saturday afternoon, unless there was an emergency) or a handwritten letter, sometimes with ink smeared from either sweaty hands or the occasional homesick tear.

In today’s technologically rich world, there are many ways to share the camping experience with your kids while they are away. Many children, some as young as kindergarten age, have cell phones. This can be a great way to keep tabs on your kiddos when you are not with them. Some camps have rules against kids carrying cell phones on their person, believing that having it in their pocket detracts from the whole “learning how to be away from your parents and still survive” part of summer camp. However, many will allow the children access to their phones on the weekends to make a call home and touch base with mom and dad, and letter writing is usually highly encouraged.

One girl’s camp offers newsletters, one-way email, and online photos to give parents three ways to stay in touch with their child’s daily activities. Camp counselors write a daily update on camp events that offers parents the chance to share in their child’s Thank you notes from Current Catalogaccomplishments while at camp. Once the campers are bedded down for the night, photos of the day’s activities are uploaded for parental viewing, and can also be downloaded or purchased as prints.

Going away to camp can be a great time to teach your child the value of a handwritten note. Talk with your child about how much we all appreciate a thank you, and let them pick out a set of note cards that express their personality. Taking the time to thank their camp counselors, the lunch lady, and other campers will help teach them communication skills they can draw upon for years to come. Shop Journals at Current CatalogConsider packing a personalized journal for your child to catalog their camping experience. This is another way they can share what camp was like with you when they return.

For many children, “sleep away” summer camp is a time to be part of a select group of kids sharing a similar experience, getting outside their comfort zones, trying new things, challenging themselves, stretching their abilities, and succeeding in an environment that is very different from their everyday lives at school and at home. Camp can be a time of great growth and accomplishment for kids, and can offer parents a break from daily child care activities. Experts advise parents to try and avoid direct daily contact if possible, unless your child has special circumstances that require it, as this could encourage homesickness. Camp can be a great tool to help your child develop a little independence and self-confidence that will serve them well through the years.