Packing

Packing for camp is so much fun and adds to the excitement and anticipation of the summer, but sometimes it can be overwhelming. We have compiled a complete packing list of all your child’s needs for their time at camp, and remember if they forget ANYTHING we will do all that we can to get them what they need. We are committed to treating your child like our family.

What do I pack? Here, we wanted to give you some tips and ideas so you can start thinking about how to organize your camper’s items:

Packing List

Remember to pack white shirts and khaki or white bottoms for special ceremonies.
LABEL EVERYTHING – Permanently write, or better yet, use sewn or ironed-on labels that include the first and last name.
DON’T pack anything of value – things do get lost, damaged, and/or borrowed. Old t-shirts, sweatshirts and shorts are quite the style at camp!
Think LAYERS. Even in the peak summer months, mornings and evenings can be chilly. It’s common for the day to start out in the 50’s – 60’s and then heat up to the 80’s during the afternoon.
West Michigan has a temperate climate. It’s normal for it to shower during the early afternoon, and usually coincides with rest hour. Still, a rain jacket is a must!
TRUNKS or suitcases work best for clothing, and duffel bags for linens. Girls live out of their trunks and most prefer the traditional hard trunk. However soft trunks and plastic bins ones work just fine. Duffel bags can be stored under their beds.
Flip Flops can only be worn in the showers or on the beach at the waterfront, never to/from activities. Camp appropriate footwear needs to strap all the way around your feet. Tennis shoes and Crocs will meet this standard. Many counselors/campers prefer to wear Chacos or Tevas (open toe shoes that strap all the way around) while at camp.

Is There a Laundry Service?
Laundry is only available for our campers staying for Holdovers between sessions 1 and 2, 2and 3, 3 and 4 and between sessions 4 and 5. We provide this service free for our campers for Holdover between those sessions.

For our one or two week campers, there is no laundry service available. Please plan enough clothing to prepare your daughter for her full stay at camp.

We allow each camper to bring one trunk and one duffle or two duffle bags to camp. If you are looking for a trunk, we recommend Everything Summer Camp

Are electronics, games and iPods allowed at camp?
It is our goal to get girls outdoors, playing and enjoying this beautiful world around them. We want them making friends, talking, laughing and enjoying their time as a child without the distractions of technology. We ask that you partner with us in this effort to keep our camp as tech-free as possible.

Please do not bring cell phones, digital cameras, video cameras, Laptops, iPods, TVs, DVD players, Nintendo’s, PlayStations, XBOX, PSPs or other gaming equipment. If you insist that your child travel with one of these items, we will ask to collect it when she arrives at camp and lock it in the camp safe. Camp Newaygo cannot be responsible for these items being left in the cabin or lost.

Cell Phone Policy
At Camp Newaygo we have a “no-cell phone” policy at camp. Aside from the fact that cell phones are expensive and can get lost, stolen or damaged, there is a fundamental problem with campers having cell phones that is TRUST. When children come to camp, they and you are making a leap of faith. As children learn to trust other caring adults, they grow and learn to solve some of their own challenges. This is a one of the greatest benefits to camp. However, contacting you by phone essentially means they have not made this transition. It prevents us from getting to problems that may arise and addressing them. Please partner with us on the “no cell phone” policy. Let your camper know you trust camp, and you trust them to follow the rules at camp.

No Digital Cameras
Many newer digital cameras have internet capabilities and to protect the innocence of your child, only disposable cameras will be allowed on camp. We sell disposable cameras in the camp store for less than $10. You can get any disposable camera developed onto a digital CD for $6 at any Walgreens. We do have a staff member taking photos every day, and post an average of 100 photos per day on our password protected gallery.

We love taking photos of the campers, staff, and all of camp, including its picturesque setting. But as you know, for every 100 pictures you take maybe only a few are really good. So we try to have a good eye, and to be judicious editors of our photo collection to save you time and to add to the pleasure of seeing pictures. Here’s what goes into our thinking:

Quality Control: Cameras frequently catch people with awkward expressions on their faces. We try to only post good photos that campers will be proud of.
Limited Photographers in camp. Our photographers are doubling as counselors and other staff, so naturally photography emphasis changes from day to day. And then those photographers still need to upload, edit and post the shots. Our first priority is the high quality of the camper experience, meaning that chronicling the experience has to be fit in where we can.
Camper Preference: Some girls come running to the camera, smile and pose ready, but others just don’t love being in photos! (in fact, they may go running in the opposite direction!). We would never force a camper to have her picture taken, so we do our best to honor and respect if a camper prefers to stay out of the limelight.
Camp Outs: We do our best to provide cameras to our staff members when they leave camp for multiple nights, to help capture these experiences, however, we are limited in our number of cameras. If you are interested in donating an old digital camera to Camp Newaygo, please connect with us!

Please Do…

Check the website for photos. The website can be accessed HERE. You will be given the password upon registering for camp.
Give out the photo website to family members
Show your daughter the pictures when she gets home from camp
Trust that we would connect with you immediately if we had any concerns about homesickness, or your child’s camp experience.

Please Don’t….

Call the office and request a photo of your child
Think that if you don’t see your daughter in a photo, assume she’s not having fun. She’s probably SO BUSY having fun we couldn’t get her to hold still long enough for a photo
Worry that your daughter’s facial expression in a single photo expresses her feelings about camp. Is she not smiling on the sailboat? It could be because she’s trying to focus on the wind.