What Last Year’s New Camper Parents Want You to Know - New Camper Blog Series

Hello new camper families! We are so excited to welcome you to our New Camper Blog Series - your weekly dose of “inside camp scoop” as we count down to the summer. Over the next several weeks, we’ll tackle the questions you’re already asking (and a few you don’t even know to ask yet!) so that you feel prepared and confident heading into your daughter’s first summer at Greystone.

And what better way to kick things off than with advice from the people who were just in your shoes last year: our new-to-Greystone parents from last summer, sharing their best tips and tricks.

Let’s jump into their incredible advice, straight from parents who were in your shoes just one summer ago.

Start with this: Relax; it’s going to be great!

If there’s one theme that showed up again and again from last year’s new camper parents, it’s reassurance:

“Your daughter is in the best hands.”
“RELAX…your camper is happy, safe, and loved!!!”
“It is truly magical…your girl is going to have the most special experiences and memories.”
“Best decision ever!”

One parent summed it up perfectly: “you may feel nervous about the separation, but Closing Day stories and that big grin will make it all worth it.”

Read everything (yes, ALL the things)

You’ll start hearing from us often in the next few weeks, and while not a surprise, our new camper parents offer these friendly reminders:

“Just take it all in and read the updates!”
“Read all the information…everything is there.”
“Read everything you can: blog posts, emails…and you will be more than prepared.”

Multiple parents specifically said the daily blog posts during the summer were so helpful (and sometimes included details they didn’t catch elsewhere). We’ll post an update blog each day of your daughter’s session, and it’s a great idea to go ahead and subscribe to our blog so you are ready for the summer.

And if you’re a “save it for later” person, another parent had a genius tip: keep a folder (or a big Ziploc) with everything Greystone sends so nothing important disappears right when you need it.

Finally, one tip we will add: if you’re looking for some camp info and don’t know where to look, just Google it (that age-old tip applies here!). For example “Camp Greystone packing list” or “Camp Greystone birthdays” will often take you right where you need to go.

Penpals: remind your daughter to write

If you haven’t heard about Penpals, this is one of our favorite camp traditions. Your daughter will receive a Penpal in the next few weeks, which is the name of a camper coming to her same session this summer and in her same grade. Please have your daughter write her Penpal before camp; she’ll have an instant camp buddy before she even arrives!

And, last year’s parents would also like to gently (and enthusiastically) push you to make sure your daughter writes her Penpal.

“I loved the Penpal…it gives them a familiar person when entering camp for the first time.”
“Write your penpal at least twice.”
“Exchange video texts…it’s so fun for them to recognize each other when they get there.”

Several parents recommended swapping phone numbers so girls (and moms!) can say hello before camp.

We also offer a Parent Penpal program that we’ll email you about in a few weeks; this is a chance for new camp parents to connect with returning camp parents before the summer. And as one returning mom from last year says (in all caps): “SIGN UP for Parent Penpal!!!”

Packing: follow the list

Packing for camp was the #1 topic parents mentioned, so you’re not alone if this feels like the biggest mountain.

Here’s some crowd-sourced packing wisdom:

“Follow the packing list!!!!! It did not steer us wrong.”
Pack early (and yes, someone said to add a lice-check to your packing timeline, and we couldn’t agree more!).
Be ready for all the weather: cool, warm, rainy…sometimes in the same week.
Multiple parents wished they’d packed more warm clothes/long pants than they expected (this usually applies to Junior Camp, so check the weather before your session begins!).
“Most of their clothes will end up damp/wet.” (And just know: that’s part of the camp fun.)
Using big Ziploc bags got multiple shout-outs; but parents use them in different ways. Some parents pack their daughter’s outfits in individual Ziploc bags (shirts, shorts, socks, underwear) for easy finding. Other parents realize that girls like the freedom to choose clothes themselves while at camp, so don’t use them at all. Some moms send big Ziplocks for packing wet things at the end of the summer, and still other moms only use Ziploc bags for packing underwear and socks to keep those organized.

A few ultra-specific “wish I’d known” packing tips:

Save your luggage tags (to put on your packaged luggage) in a safe place. These will be mailed about 3 weeks before your session begins, and you’ll attach these to your luggage for Opening Day.
If you’re coming for Junior or August, one parent recommended sticking with duffel bags (instead of a trunk) to make it easier (we agree here too!).
And, the Crazy Creek chair parent (and camper!) fan club is real. Many girls bring one to use at camp, even though we consider it an optional item.

Also worth reminding: as many parents mentioned, you don’t need to buy “new” everything. Parents encouraged keeping it simple and focusing on the gift of camp itself (once again, we agree!).

Drop-off and the first couple days: prepare yourself (and maybe grab some tissues!)

Parents were (wonderfully) honest about this part:

“Drop off on Opening Day is much harder on us than them!”
“Bring tissues for yourself…”
One practical note: send your daughter in appropriate shoes; the arrival soccer field can be wet with morning dew.
And on the camper side, a really helpful reminder from moms who have gone before you: when preparing your daughter, remind her that it’s normal to miss home at first, especially in the first couple of days. Remind your daughter that she can have fun and miss home at the same time. (Also, we’ll have a New Camper Blog post about Homesickness closer to the summer, so be looking for that one.)

(Another note: if your camper has Opening Day swim test nerves, you’re not the only one. A few parents shared that it was totally fine, and their daughters did great.)

Staying connected: blogs, photos, and letters help more than you think

A lot of parents shared how connected they felt, even with limited contact:

“The blog posts and professional photos truly help us feel connected.”
Use the email option during your session.
Mail tip: Several parents said it helps to have letters ready at drop-off, especially for shorter sessions, so your camper has something waiting right away.

One honest note a parent offered (and we appreciate it): some days you may see fewer photos of your camper than you hoped. If that ever happens, don’t worry! Your daughter is having so much fun she just might have missed the camera.

The “why we do this” reminder:
One parent shared a line their daughter said after camp that makes all of us working at Greystone so very happy: “I don’t always feel like I belong at school, but I felt like I belonged at Greystone.”

We hope ALL of you will hear this from your camper when they return home!

That wraps us up for our first week of our New Camper Blog series. If you’re a brand-new Greystone family: we’re so glad you’re here. Keep following along with us, keep asking questions, and get ready - your daughter is going to have the most wonderful, joy-filled summer at camp. We can’t wait!