Your Ultimate Summer Camp Packing Tips

With school holidays around the corner, UK parents are increasingly turning to US-style summer camps to keep their children entertained. Camp provides children with an incredible opportunity to learn and grow while having fun and collecting memories that shall last forever.

How to pack for summer camp?

Our first advice would be to always pack with your children. Far from seeing it as a waste of time, see it as a time investment that will allow them to take responsibility and start  being able to prepare their things by themselves. Also, they will have an idea of what is in the rucksack.

If the camp organisation has given you a list of important things to carry, follow it step by step. Maybe some things seem superfluous to you, but the organisers’ experience is proven!

An opportunity to learn and grow

Trips are an outstanding opportunity for the children to get out of their comfort zone and learn new things.

Camp-prep could include spending some time checking out the map and understanding how far away they will be going. You could also browse the internet together to see some of the main attractions they will be visiting near the campsite.

What to pack for summer camp?

Here’s our list of necessary things so that your little one is ready for action! Ready to meet these camp essentials?

Must-have camping clothes

You have to check with the children how many days they will be away from home and ask them to prepare, at least, a change of underwear for each day. Also, you have to take a look at the weather forecast and decide how many long or short sleeved t-shirt you will pack, as well as trousers vs shorts.

As it is always a good idea to put on some jacket for the night as well as the raincoat, you can mark them super easily and without sewing with the no-sew hanging loops. They are put in a click and thus they will be able to hang their clothes on campsite pegs.

Most summer camps have a farewell party in which children are expected to dress nicely, so make sure you throw in a nice pair of trousers or a beautiful skirt. It’s also important to add an empty bag for dirty clothes, a hat and a swimsuit just in case.

We all know how camp clothes come back. Patches are a must to cover holes or simply to decorate your children’s clothes! Stikets iron-on embroidered patches are perfect for pants, shirts, blouses or dresses. They will allow you to decorate, personalise a garment or cover a hole or a stain that doesn’t come out.

Suitable footwear for camp activities

Always opt for shoes that have already been used at least a couple of days to make sure they are comfortable. It’s also very important to label the shoes, since other kids may have similar ones and you don’t want shoe mix-ups! This is where Stikets shoe labels come in handy. Plus, even though kids will probably wear trainers most of the time, remember to add some nice shoes to match the clothes of the farewell party.

Personal hygiene

For daily hygiene you will need to pack a toiletry bag with some personal hygiene essentials: toothbrush, toothpaste, bath foam, shampoo, soap, brush, small towel, hair bands for those who need it, and wet wipes for any occasion. Our tip would be to pack shampoo samples so that the toiletry bag doesn’t end up too bulky.

For bedtime

At night, in addition to pyjamas, remember to put a small pocket flashlight. It will be useful to read or go to the bathroom at night. For the youngest ones, even a stuffed animal can be a good idea to help them feel more secure and fall asleep. It can also be useful to have a small bottle for day outings or simply to have near the bed.

Personal effects

Depending on the age of the child, you can ask him to choose a book or take a notebook with pencil, for travel or night time. As for technological devices, it depends a lot on the criteria of each family. Don’t forget they are expensive items and can trigger conflicts in the group. In any case, if you decide to put them in your backpack, it’s a good idea to warn the reference adults so they can give their approval. An exception to the rule can be a cheap camera, even one-time use, so you can take pictures.

A little surprise

One thing you will love is that you put them in your backpack or inside a book, some card with a sweet phrase to remind you that we love you more than anything.

Tips for a functional backpack

You need to take into account the rucksack should never exceed 20% of the child’s weight. Here are some techniques to make it as functional as possible:

1. Divide items in separate bags (personal hygiene bag, sleeping bag, underwear bag…)

2. Sort the clothes according to their use: sports bag, bag for cold days…

3. Don’t tie anything out the rucksack, which can easily come off.

4. Make a small backpack with what your child will need for the trip and a big one with all the rest.

5. Use samples of bath foam and shampoo so you do not have to load too many products.

6. Towels are very bulky, so it’s a good idea to replace them with a microfiber sports towel.

7. Let your child carry his rucksack at home for a while to make sure he will be able to handle the weight.

Label everything with your children’s name and contact information

Summer camps ask for absolutely all belongings to be properly labelled, including footwear. Clothing labels, name stickers for objects and Stikets shoe labels are ideal for this. The iron-on labels are ironed in 8-15 seconds and resist washer and dryer. Shoe labels are adhesive and are also extra resistant.

If, on the other hand, you do not like ironing and you want to be more practical, you can use stick-on clothing labels that are easy to apply. All you have to do is press the label firmly against the garment and you’re done. Its high adhesion allows it to stay on the clothes without any problem.

Stikets name stickers for objects are another essential for labelling any kind of personal items: flashlights, water bottles, umbrellas, pool glasses and anything you can think of. They resist the dishwasher and the outdoors without any problem.

ame labels stikets

At www.stikets.co.uk you will also find luggage tags, ideal for camp rucksacks or backpacks. Stikets SOS luggage tags carry a QR code. Thanks to this, if someone finds it they can contact Stikets and we act as an intermediary between the person who has located the lost object and the owner. We’ll bring your lost luggage back to you for free!

Stikets identification bracelets are perfect for the little ones. Personalise them with your contact information for added peace of mind.

At Stikets you have several Label Packs that will allow you to save more than 40% compared to buying the same products separately.

Surely with these tips your children will leave for summer camp better prepared, so their stay away from home will be easier and you can enjoy it to the fullest. A summer of non-stop fun awaits!