Hi there! It’s Melissa, and I am here to take your packing worries away. I have been going to camp for a Very. Long. Time. I have two children that have gone to Lake Owego Camp and Camp Timber Tops and a third still at CTT. Packing for camp shouldn’t be scary, it should be easy, fun and it also means CAMP IS HERE. Once that trunk is packed, they are on their way! Let the summer begin!
The first thing you should do is click on the CURRENT FAMILIES tab on the home page of our website and go to our Camp Store: http://www.bunkline.com/products.asp?dept=53 Here you will find a packing list that will guide you and your camper on what, and how much to pack. I recommend involving your camper or, at least, lay everything out and before you pack it in the bag go over everything with him. Let his habits and interests be your co-pilots. Use this list; try not to pack more than what is on it because it just won’t fit in their cubby and shelf space. Laundry gets sent out once a week, so they really only need about 10 days worth of clothes.
The most important thing to think about… IF HE DOESN’T WEAR IT AT HOME, HE’S NOT GOING TO WEAR IT AT CAMP. If he likes tank tops instead of t-shirts, pack him tank tops. If he likes performance shirts, like under armor, pack him those. If he only wears sweatpants, don’t pack him 4 pairs of jeans. Don’t over pack. Not only is there not enough room for it, but your camper needs to be able to see and recognize everything in his cubby.
Owego campers love to show their camp pride. They love wearing anything that says Lake Owego on it. The summer of my son’s 1st year at camp, he was 8; I think he wore the same Lake Owego blue official and Duke Lacrosse shorts nearly everyday. His favorite sport was lacrosse and his favorite lacrosse counselor gave him the shorts. He came home in it and would not take it off until school started. He may have even worn it on the 1st day of school. I used to sneak in his room at night, grab it off his floor, and wash it. So, that being said, check out our official camp clothes in the Camp Store and make sure he has what he needs based on the list and what sports he plans on playing. Basketball Jerseys, Pinnys…We play many inter-camp sports against other camps and they must wear a camp official when leaving camp grounds. We also have many adventure trips going out, daily, like canoeing, climbing and biking and camp officials are necessary for these trips as well.
If this is your camper’s 1st summer, you have the additional task of setting up his bedding and linens for, hopefully, many summers to come. This small space is like his room at home. But, its still camp, and they will be throwing their smelly, dirty, tired bodies and gear down on their beds but they will also be falling into it at night and it will be their one and only space of their own. Don’t spend a fortune but make it comfy. Add a soft blanket, or send his favorite stuffed animal from home. My son took his “ly-ly” from the time he was 8, through the next 9 years. Well maybe not the last couple 🙂
LABEL, LABEL, LABEL EVERYTHING! Remember, they are in charge of their “stuff”. Although we have an impressive ratio of campers to staff, we stress independence and expect the boys to keep track of their belongings. Most campers have a blue or black duffle bag, most campers have a blue or black rain jacket, and EVERY CAMPER has a blue and white official. Once again…LABEL, LABEL, and LABEL EVERYTHING! Every sock, every shoe, every piece of sporting equipment… LABEL. Our campers our so busy, running form one activity to another it is easy to leave your water bottle on the basketball court, your tennis racket in Arts & Crafts, your towel at the adventure course…
Don’t forget:
-Sporting equipment for their FAVORITE sports. If they have never played a sport before, they don’t need to bring equipment for that sport. We will provide them with whatever they need. Refer to the packing list for options.
-Something fun to wear for the 4th of July if they are 1st session campers or funny hats or costumes for lip syncs, bunk activities and Owegoween. If you don’t have it- they can always make something in Arts & Crafts.
-A nice old-fashioned book to read and maybe some playing cards.
-Stationary to write home. It’s a good idea to pre-address and stamp a few so they can just write a quick note, anytime.
Please forget:
-Electronic equipment that does anything but play music.
Melissa recommends:
-A couple of plastic shoebox-sized containers to keep their underwear and socks organized and as a catchall for things they might put on top of their cubby. You can actually pack these, filled with their contents, in their soft trunks and they can pull them right out and place them in their cubby. You can buy these at Target or Walmart for about $1-$2.00.
– Another small plastic container with a lid that they can throw all of their keepsakes in. Letters from home, riflery targets, Art projects…this should be small enough to fit under their bed and has a handle on the lids to carry on the bus home. I pack my daughter’s toiletries that she won’t bring home in it and once she unpacks those, she has the empty box, ready to fill. Plus, its so much fun to go through this box when they get home.
-Throw dryer sheets at the bottom of the camp trunks and duffles. It makes everything smell great and, believe it or not, they repel bugs. Tell your camper to use them to line his cubby.
Well, I hope I have eased your mind about packing and please email me, Melissa@lakeowego.com or the office, info@lakeowego.com if you have any questions or concerns. Happy Packing!
