Whether you’ve been to sleepaway camp before, or are spending the summer away from home for the first time, whether you’re the latest in a long line of Watitoh campers, or the first in your family to go to camp, whether you’re from New Jersey or Florida, we bet you’re as excited for the summer as we are— maybe even more! I am sure you may have some questions like, what should I bring to camp or how will we celebrate my birthday? Please find below some packing and other tid-bits that may be helpful. We can’t wait for you to get to camp in June and are ready for you to be a part of our summer family!
- You will write lots of letters this summer! It’s a good idea to print out address labels for the people you’ll be writing most frequently (Mom, Dad, grandparents, your best friend). That way all you have to do to address the envelope is peel and stick! (Mom and Dad, cool stationery makes it more fun to write home… and don’t be surprised when unfamiliar stationery shows up in your mailbox. Lots of campers love to trade with their friends!)
- Label everything—we mean everything! You already know you need to put your name in all your clothes (including socks and underwear). But
don’t forget about flashlights, softball gloves, riding pants, soccer cleats, lacrosse sticks, books, bedding, clipboards… Stuff gets left around camp all the time and when your name’s in it, you know it’ll get back to you. (Be sure to put your name on your tennis racquet, not just the cover.
- Summer birthdays are a big part of the camp experience and we want your camper to be excited about his/hers! If your child will be celebrating his or her birthday at camp, please feel free to send a birthday package for her to enjoy. Please note that homemade food and baked goods that come from a source that we don’t have all listed ingredients WILL NOT be distributed.
Be sure to follow the packing list when getting ready for camp. We do have special events at camp like that we like to get dressed up for. For example Red, White and Blue Day on July 4th (you will be put on a red, white or blue team), Square Dance (we wear western wear stuff like bandanas and denim) and of course Color War (you will be on a green or tan team)! If you have a question about an item you’re considering bringing that isn’t on the list, please feel free to call or e-mail and ask us!
- Every summer some campers bring valuables and jewelry to camp, and every summer something turns up missing. Please don’t bring valuables, expensive clothing, or nice jewelry to camp! It is so easy to lose or damage and we would feel terrible if you lost a favorite bracelet or expensive piece of electronics.
- When you’re packing footwear for camp, keep in mind that you’ll need a couple of pairs of shoes for different purposes. Most of the time you’ll wear regular sneakers, but you will also need flip-flops or beach shoes for the waterfront and waterproof shoes for when it rains. Also, don’t forget a pair of shoes to wear for the banquet(s)! And speaking of rain, please remember to pack a raincoat!
- It is very important that our package policy is followed. Parents and family members are allowed to send a package, the size of an average shoe box, with magazines, small games, etc…Please refrain from sending large amounts of food, as it will not be delivered to the bunk. A small treat is permitted as long as it follows the guidelines of our nut policy. Grandparents and family members, other than parents, tend to be our biggest offenders! Please let them know the camp policy.
Your bed area is your home away from home! Feel free to bring photos of family and pets with you to camp and/or small posters of favorite movies, musicians, and sports stars. We want you to look up at the wall, next to your bed, and feel the com- forts of home!
- Do you sleep with the same stuffed animal or blanket every night? Bring it with you to camp! Plenty of campers bring a special something to sleep with at night. If it will make you feel better having it with you so bring it up on the bus!!
- Camp is a place to disconnect from technology for the summer! If an item can send or receive emails, phone calls or access the Internet IT IS NOT allowed at camp. Please know that if an iPod or MP3 player has the capacity to play videos or play games, ALL VIDEOS & GAMES MUST BE REMOVED BEFORE CAMP.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to call us at 844-WATITOH (928-4864).
