3 Ways to Communicate With Your Child At Summer Camp

When you send your child to summer camp, you may be concerned that they will get homesick or simply wonder what they are doing at camp. Since many camps do not allow campers to have cell phones, you may wonder how you will communicate with your child while they are away. While camp is a good opportunity for your child to practice their independence, there are still several ways that you can communicate with them while they are at camp.

Write Letters

The most traditional way to communicate with your child while they are at camp is to send letters and encourage them to write you letters. This is a good option if your child has a longer camp session that lasts multiple weeks or the entire summer.

To encourage your child to write back to you, include several self addressed, stamped envelopes in their luggage.

Send E-mails

A quicker way to communicate with your camper is to send e-mails to them. Most camps accept e-mails from parents through a general camp e-mail address, with your child's name as the subject line. These e-mails are printed out once a day and handed out during mail call.

An e-mail can be an excellent choice if there is exciting news that your child was waiting for, such as a birth in the family or an acceptance into another program. It can also be a good option if you get news from the camp director that your child is homesick.

Talk Through the Camp Director

If your child is severely homesick, most camp directors will call you to let you know. They may ask for you to pass on a secret message to your child through them to make them feel better or they may ask for you to talk to your child briefly.

If you have an emergency at home or are overly concerned about your child, you can call the camp director to check on your child and get a message to them when necessary.

Even without cell phones, there are several ways that you can communicate with your child while they are at camp. However, your communication should always encourage your child to focus on and enjoy their time at camp.