Preperation for First Time Campers

Here are some hints and suggestions to prepare and empower your child for their experience at Bauercrest:

1. Sign your child up for swim lessons before camp to increase their endurance and familiarity with a variety of strokes. Remind them that swimming in a lake is different than swimming in a pool.
   
2. Have your child spend a night or two at a friend's home. Pretend that they are off to camp. They need to pack their own bags and only call home if there is an emergency. As a "camp" parent, you could tuck a letter into their bag.
   
3. Pretend that they are at camp and need to make their own bed, pick up and put away their own clothes, brush their teeth, wash and comb their hair, etc…
   
4. Review making healthy food choices and the importance of drinking plenty of liquids
   
5. Practice letter writing and addressing envelopes. Do they know proper postage?
   
6. Make a letter writing packet with your camper. Include pre-addressed stamped envelopes, pencil/pen, paper, etc.
   
7. Discuss the activities they might want to try
   
8. Help your child set some personal goals
   
9. Practice making new friends - talk about how to do this with specifics
   - Smile and say "hello"
   - Ask them to walk with you
   - Ask them to sit by you
   - Move over to include them
   - Ask them questions about themselves – Where are you from? What are your favorite activities?
   
10. Practice having "rest period", a ½ hour quiet time after lunch where campers are on their beds. Campers are generally found reading, drawing with markers, playing card games or brain teasers, writing letters, beading, doing work puzzles, etc… (Electronic games are not an option.) Put together a rest period kit of fun things to do!