![]() Though it’s made for adults, you could buy it for a tween or teen knowing that they could use it for many years to come. If you want to get a new bag, the REI Co-op Siesta Hooded 20 is the top pick in Wirecutter’s guide to sleeping bags. There’s no reason a kid can’t use an adult-size sleeping bag-and we have advice on how to wash a sleeping bag, in case you have one in the back of the garage that’s a bit musty. Your kid may be happiest packing their comforter from home, or you may already have a sleeping bag in the family that they can bring along. When it comes to items like a sleeping bag, an oversize duffle, or a trunk, you might be able to borrow them from a family member-you’ll know they’ve already been road-tested, and you won’t have to shell out for what could end up being a one-time use. That’s a great way to get blisters,” Colgan-Snyder says. “I’ve had parents go out and buy brand-new hiking boots and use them for the first time at camp. Camp is not the place to break in new gear-especially footwear. But in general, older clothes are ideal for the day-to-day. “You feel okay with it coming home gross.” There are exceptions: My sons’ current camp has a “jazz night” worthy of a nice collared shirt, and some camps may hold dances or other celebratory events that kids will want to get spiffed-up for. “Don’t bring your brand-new white Air Jordans-bring shoes you’re okay with getting banged up and muddy,” Thomas says. Your kid shouldn’t be heading to camp with clothes or belongings that they (or you) would be upset to see damaged. ![]() He also somehow managed to lose his twin fitted sheet. After my then-8-year-old spent two weeks at camp, he arrived home with no fewer than half a dozen items of clothing labeled with other kids’ names. But even if you follow that advice like a pro, expect that your kid may not return with their original inventory intact. “If you want to see the sock again, write their name on it,” Thomas says. You can order custom labels with your kid’s name on it (I’ve used Label Daddy, a pick in Wirecutter’s guide to the best labels), or you can simply use a Sharpie to write your kid’s name or initials on tags. “The flashlight from your first-aid kit under the sink is probably going to be just fine.” Remember that if you do forget to pack something, or if it’s not just right, it won’t be the end of the world. “The reality is, you probably have some of this stuff around the house,” he says. You live more simply … and realize that you don’t need all the comfort or material things that we have at home to be happy or be secure,” says Jess Colgan-Snyder of Camp Hawkeye, who nonetheless advises against skimping on socks and underpants: “Those are the things that go missing the most, or get dirty.” Parents can be inclined to take the packing list overly literally or to assume that they have to buy everything from scratch, says Camp Duncan director Bobby Thomas. “One of the things I really love about camp is that you have to downgrade. But the experts I spoke with agreed that it’s best to take a reasonably casual approach. Many camp packing lists are extremely long and specific-eight pairs of shorts, three bathing suits, two hats. We’d love to hear your own summer-camp packing tips and suggestions for fun extras in the comments section below. ![]() We also have guides that might help if your kid is headed to day camp this summer and needs basics such as a kid-size or full-size water bottle, a lunch box, a hiking backpack, sunscreen, bug repellent, swim goggles, or a great sun hat, rash guard, or swimsuit. The advice below is focused on packing for sleepaway camp. ![]() Of course, you should use your camp’s directions as your primary guide, but we hope that our suggestions here streamline your shopping experience and point you to versatile, well-made items that will last for many seasons to come. Most camps send out their own packing list-some overwhelmingly detailed, others head-scratchingly vague. “Camp provides a safe environment where parents can let their kids be independent and try things outside of their comfort zone.” ![]() “I think kids need overnight camp-and parents need kids to go to overnight camp-more than ever,” says Jess Colgan-Snyder, assistant director of Camp Hawkeye in New Hampshire, where campers ages 7 to 15 most typically spend four weeks each summer. Over the next couple of months, parents will be poring over summer-camp packing lists and loading kids up for sleepaway camp. ![]()
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