7 Camp Shopping Tips

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Whether you’re a parent that’s sending your kid off to camp for the first time or you’re a seasoned parent of campers, it’s time to get serious about camp shopping.

Now, if you thought that the hard part of camp shopping is over you might be in for a surprise.  Sure you’ve already shopped for the big ticket item, which is the right camp for your kid.   You did your research and spent time looking at all the reviews.  You spoke to parents that have sent their kids there in previous summers and then discussed the options with your kids.  You compared prices, checked out websites, spoke to camp personnel, haggled for a better price and paid the bulk of the sum. 

I wouldn’t fault you if you’re thinking that you’re just left with some minor stuff to buy before your kids head off to camp.  But hey, if you checked out your camp’s suggested packing list you know that your camp expenditures aren’t done yet.

Before you sweat it, check out our camp shopping tips so that you won’t be caught unawares.  We’ve been there, on both ends of the camp shopping experience and quite frankly we’ve made it fun and memorable.  Remember that forewarned is forearmed.  Budget yourself properly and plan accordingly and you can turn this into a pleasant experience for you and your child.

So here we go…

7 Camp Shopping Tips in a Nutshell

CAMP SHOPPING EXPENSES SHOULD BE FIGURED INTO THE COST OF CAMP WAY BACK IN THE BEGINNING, BEFORE YOU CHOOSE A CAMP - This way you don’t get overstrain your budget when you actually need to prepare for camp.

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DON'T GO SHOPPING BEFORE PREPARING A LIST! - Otherwise you’ll find yourself buying lots of non-essential items and impulse purchases.

REVIEW THE SHOPPING LIST WITH YOUR CHILD BEFORE GOING SHOPPING - This way your child will not have unrealistic expectations and you’ll avoid a showdown in the store.

GIVE YOUR KID A BUDGET AND LET HIM CHOOSE SOME STUFF – Sure, it’s your money so you get to choose how to spend it.  But if you allow your kid to purchases specific items on his own (within a budget of course) you’ll be killing two birds with one stone.  You’ll be teaching him independence & basic economics while ensuring that you’ll have a very happy kid who probably won’t give you too much grief for other items that you’ll be choosing on your own.

GET A SEPARATE SET OF "CAMP STUFF" LIKE LINENS, TOWELS, CERTAIN TOILETRIES ETC. - It’s a worthwhile investment especially if you anticipate additional summers in a sleepaway camp.  Anything that goes to camp has a chance of getting ruined, lost or misplaced.

INQUIRE ABOUT YOUR CAMP'S UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS - Does the climate require additional gear?  Is there a lot of outdoor activity?  Does your child need his own sports equipment? Etc.

ENJOY THIS PRECIOUS TIME WITH YOUR KIDS! - You’ll never get it back.

Most importantly, of course LABEL ALL THEIR STUFF that you buy with our camp labels so it has a chance of coming back home.

For even more camp shopping tips check out this webpage.

Happy Camp Shopping!

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