Nightly Devotions and Tuck-ins - New Camper Blog Series
Welcome back, new camper families! We’re so glad you’re here for week two of our New Camper Blog Series. If you’re the kind of parent who likes to read ahead (or re-read things at midnight while staring at a packing list), our New Camper Blog archives are full of helpful posts we’ve shared in previous years for first-time families. Take some time to explore and make sure you are caught up from our post from last week with advice from last year’s new camper parents.
Today’s topic is one of the most meaningful parts of camp - nightly devotions and the famous “Greystone tuck-in.” Let’s dive into some details!
The end-of-day rhythm at camp
After a full day of classes and a delicious dinner with friends, our campers will head to Evening Program. After this fun event wraps up for the night, girls will make their way back to their cabin, which becomes their “home away from home” for the session.
The cabin bedtime routine looks a lot like what you’d expect with a little extra camp fun mixed in. Girls brush teeth, change into pajamas, fill water bottles, and yes, sometimes there’s even a quick dance party while counselors work to move everyone into a general direction of bedtime. Then, the Lights-Out bugle blows, and campers climb into their bunks as the cabin starts to settle down for the night.
Nightly devotions
Every cabin ends the day with a short devotion led by one of their counselors. During the devotion, the counselor sits on the floor with her flashlight and shares a brief, uplifting devotion that points girls to the good news of the gospel. These devos could be a story from the Bible, a chapter of a book, a meaningful verse, or a specific topic, like kindness.
Greystone devotions always include Scripture and a prayer, and they are planned by our staff to be age-appropriate. We want these nightly devotions to be encouraging, hopeful, and focused on the goodness of God. We support our counselors with many resources as they are planning these devotions, sharing with them books and specific devotion ideas, as well as one-on-one support as they’re planning. Often, the most meaningful devotions are the ones that come straight from what’s been on a counselor’s heart that day!
For many girls, this is a favorite part of the Greystone day. Nightly devotions are a familiar ending that helps remind campers of what is true, shared by a staff member that the campers look up to (their counselor!).
The Greystone Tuck-in
And then comes the part that so many campers (and parents!) end up talking about: tuck-ins.
After the devotion, the counselors make their way around the cabin - bunk by bunk - to “tuck” each girl in. These aren’t literal tuck-ins, but instead more of a touch-base at the end of the day. Each counselor will pause for a brief moment at each bed, asking about the camper’s day, listening to a quick highlight (or a worry, or a funny story), and reminding each girl how glad she is to have that camper in her cabin. Then, the counselor will offer a warm goodnight and move to the next bunk.
It happens quickly (counselors are trying to make it around to every single camper before the Taps bugle blows), but it is a special and intentional way to end the day.
When the Taps bugle finally blows, the cabin is quiet. Campers are settled and ready for sleep, surrounded by a cabin full of friends. It’s a sweet way to end the day!
If you’re a parent wondering, “How will my daughter feel at night when I’m not there?” We hope this post will reassure you that your daughter is well loved at the end of every day. Nightly devotions and tuck-ins reflect what we believe camp is about: pointing girls toward the Lord and building the kind of relationships that make camp feel like a home away from home. We can’t wait for your daughter to experience it here with us!
