Preparing for your child to go to summer camp

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your child’s trip to summer camp!

Should you send your child to summer camp or not? This can be a topic for debate. Summer camps can be a rich and fulfilling experience from several points of view – they help your child to become more responsible and independent, so we say YES! But of course everything must be well prepared so that neither of you feels under pressure and for the trip to go smoothly. Here is some advice on how to organise your child’s trip to summer camp!

Choosing the right camp

In order for your child to enjoy his or her stay and for you to feel comfortable while they are away, you need to be sure that the camp you are sending your child to meets your expectations. Word of mouth is a good way to choose; you can also go online or to your local authority or perhaps to your child’s school. Be sure to listen to your child when deciding which camp suits him or her best, the one at which they will have the most fun. Now find out about the different kinds of stay that exist (language, sport, arts and crafts) and decide together about what suits you both best. Then check the elements such as the location, the kind of accommodation, the people in charge and the programme before making a final decision.

The important documents

Before leaving, give your children the documents that they will need to present during their stay at camp. These may be medical documents specifying allergies or which vaccinations have been performed, some form of ID, a parental consent form authorising them to leave the country if they are travelling abroad and a certificate of aptitude to practice a sport or to swim. Put all these documents into a sealed document holder and make sure that they are all present and correct when your child sets off. You can also scan and save them in the Coorganiz App!

The suitcase

Prepare the lightest suitcase possible; don’t forget that your child is going to have to carry it. Most camps provide a list of what your child will need – go through the list together while you are packing. Stick with comfortable clothes that don’t take up too much room and it doesn’t matter if they get dirty. Pocket money is not obligatory but it will allow your child to bring home a souvenir or in case of emergency.

The day of departure

When the big day comes, check that you have everything (suitcases, important documents…) and leave in plenty of time to prevent worry about missing the train or the bus. This also gives you time to talk to the people in charge so that they can reassure you! Prepare a small backpack with something to keep your child amused on the journey, along with a little snack and a bottle of water.

On site

Send a postcard on the first day to find out if they are having fun. They will enjoy telling you about their adventures and their new friends, so put a card in the suitcase so that they can reply to you. Catch up with your child on the telephone, but never more than once a day or for too long so that they make the most of the stay and don’t think about missing you too much.

With all this, your child’s trip should go smoothly and this holiday will allow him or her to discover somewhere new, develop their independence, do some great activities and make new friends!

When they get back, they will be delighted, and so will you…. you will have missed them!!