Flexibility is Key

It’s not that the clothing itself needs to be flexible (although that is helpful!), but campers wear the same clothes for a variety of different activities. For the purposes of clothing, camp is divided into two areas: "water or not water" (Water Patrol). Campers pretty much wear the same thing for all activities that don’t involve water. So with that in mind, modest, lightweight athletic clothing is the best option. Campers are outside going from activity to activity for the majority of the day. We think it works best to send a clean shirt for every morning they are at camp, plus an extra three (for a total of nine for a typical camper). We also recommend a fresh pair of shorts for each day of camp.

Ziplock Baggies

Try packing your camper’s clothes into large ziplock baggies and labeling them by day. We try to prevent it from happening, but sometimes you see photos of younger campers in the same outfit a couple days in a row. When everything is in one bag it’s so easy to grab it in the morning, get changed, and go. Label Everything-We know it sounds crazy, but sometimes campers lose items. We want to prevent this as much as possible! If you label initials on clothing tags, inside backpacks, inside shoes, on the exterior of laundry bags, and anywhere else you can, you’ll ensure your camper gets home with (hopefully) everything they brought.

Plastic Trunk

It’s certainly not required, but we recommend using a plastic trunk (they’re about $20 at Target and Walmart) rather than a suitcase or duffle bag. It’s easier to organize and clean after camp is over. Plus, if they are fifteen inches or shorter, they slip under our bunk beds easily. Many campers choose to decorate their trunks for camp with paint pens, which is a fun project for a summer’s day before camp starts!

Wet Clothes Bag

Send a trash bag or laundry bag for wet clothes. There’s nothing worse than opening your camper’s trunk and being bombarded by the smell of mildew and wet clothes. Try and save yourself the hassle by packing some bags for wet clothes and explaining how to use them to your camper.

Shoes

The most important thing about shoes is making sure your camper has at least one if not two pairs of closed-toed options. Because of terrain, campers are only allow closed-toed, backed shoes to be worn during the day, except when walking to and from the lakefront. Shoes get dirty quickly at camp, so avoid packing brand-new shoes. They will not look new by the end of the week!

Bedding

This ultimately is a matter of personal preference, but we recommend regular twin-sized sheets and a blanket over a sleeping bag. They’re a little more work to set up, but so much more comfortable for five nights. If you do opt for a sleeping bag, make sure it is not meant for sleeping outside in really low temperatures and therefore too warm. 

Fans

In the spirit of going to camp, our cabin villages do not have air conditioning (sadly). We provide one box fan for each cabin, and our staff makes sure, weather depending, on placement in the cabin for maximum air flow. We suggest our campers bring a personal, portable fan for their bed to keep cool or a larger fan to share! Plugs are few and far between, so if it does require plugging in, please bring an extension cord and/or power strip.​