Summer Camp Care Package Ideas

Written by Sue Kirchner

Both of my kids are leaving soon for summer camp and they’ll be gone for two weeks. Since this will be the first year that my daughter is going away for camp, I wanted to do something fun to let them both know that I miss them. I asked some of the older neighbor kids who have gone to camp before for ideas as well as collecting a few of my own to create a summer camp care package.  I’ll mail them right when they leave so that it will arrive at about the halfway mark of their camp sessions. 

Here were the ideas I gathered but I’d love for you to add more ideas in the comments below.  Some of these ideas may lean more towards girls or boys but I’m not going to make that call on your behalf. You choose!

For Entertainment

• Candy (while not my first choice I recently talked to some neighbor girls who were at summer camp a few weeks ago and this was their first choice for a care package.)
• Comic Books
• Bubbles – you are never too old for bubbles
• MadLibs
• Temporary Tattoos
• Fake mustaches
• Gag gifts (World Market has a bunch of weird toys)
• Pack of cards
• Glow sticks to wear around the campfire
• Lego Mini figures
• Sudoku books or puzzles
• Simple Magic Trick kits
• Spa in a box – send nail polish, nail polish remover, files and cotton balls in a box with enough for the whole cabin to paint their nails one night (call ahead to the Camp to see if this is OK)
• Friendship bracelet kits
• A Frisbee or Nerf football

For Comfort/ Convenience

• Extra Lip Balm
• More bug spray
• More hair scrunchies – because I’m sure the ones you packed are lost by now
• Reading light
• A new pillow case (the old one might be skanky by now)

For Memories

• Pillowcase with a Sharpie pen for autographs
• Scrapbook so they can get autographs, mailing addresses to keep in touch, and add photos to the book when they come home to remember their fabulous time at camp
• Disposable camera
• Memories from home - a photo of their pets with pawprints at the bottom as if the pets signed it

So, what other ideas do you have to include in a Summer Camp Care Package that would earn me some major Fun Mom Points?

For more ideas on how to have the most fun summer ever, check out ChocolateCakeMoments.com or my Summer Family Fun Boardon Pinterest. 

************ Sue Kirchner is a family fun coach, kids party planner, and weekly contributor to Patch.com. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on TV, newspapers, magazines, blogs, as well as her own family fun site ChocolateCakeMoments.com.