Preparing for Camp
So… you enrolled your camper at Twin Creeks! What comes next?
Here are some steps we suggest to prepare campers and family members for next summer at Camp Twin Creeks:
Watch Camp Twin Creeks Videos
Head to Youtube – search CTC and watch camper videos – and fun old promo videos. For a real giggle, search for Camp Minnehaha and see what Camp used to be like!! (For more on our history, check out Our History and Our Traditions)
Read Up!
For Parents: Check out this book for parents, Homesick and Happy.
For Campers: Another book suggestion, Notes from the Camp Bunk, this time for the camper, written by a camper 🙂
Set Expectations
As a parent, be confident and excited. A nervous child might need to borrow some of your confidence every now and again!
Talk about missing home, normalize it. Discuss a plan to cope with that (such as talking to a counselor, staying busy, interacting with a new friend). Everyone misses home each summer.
FYI: very few campers are ever truly homesick, refusing to participate/eat etc.
And lastly, don’t waiver or provide any option to not attend Camp. This will be hard at times, hence the growth that comes from the camp experience, and remember this is what all of our kids truly need.
Start Thinking About What to Bring
Start to Pack!
…Kind of. Silly hats, halloween costumes, fun shirts are perfect for Wacky Wednesday! Something green and white for Olympics…
Start Sharing Camp Together
Share the camp emails we send with friends and family members still finalizing summer plans; follow us on Instagram too and share those posts.
Connect With Other Camp Families
Ask us if there are other new families in your area. Consider a playdate before the summer. Join us at one of our Enrolled Families Events!
Watch "The Parent Trap"
Believe it or not, The Parent Trap still offers one of the best representations of summer camp.
Avoid the others such as Ernest Goes to Camp, Meatballs, Hot Wet American Summer etc.
Grab Your Camp Gear!
Visit our camp store to check out useful and cool camp swag. Only 1 item is mandatory, everything else is optional!
Use Our Available Online Resources
Check out our First Time Camper & New Family Resources!
Don't Hesitate to Reach Out
Finally, never hesitate to reach out and ask for guidance and advice. We’ve been through this many times before and like to think we know a thing or two about preparing for sleepaway camp. It’s a pleasure when we get to help a new family and a new camper prepare for their first summer!
Have Questions?
For more information on any of these points please feel free to call to chat or set up a time for a personal visit in your home. Thank you!