10 TO DO'S FOR MAINE CAMP SUMMER

May 28, 2025

Summer camp is less than a month away, and Maine Camps can’t wait to welcome our campers!! Here’s a list of to do’s for parents in the home stretch:

  1. Forms:

Make sure all forms are complete and submitted including medical forms and camper profile forms. Camper profile forms are important so directors and counselors know about campers’ likes, dislikes, fears, goals, and more! Many Maine Camps use programs like CampMinder, Campsite, and Ultra Camp, which make submitting info in the portal easy.

  1. Medication:

Camp families work with camps to send campers’ meds for safe and seamless administration. Maine Camps have well staffed and well equipped health centers onsite and support from partners including The Camp Doctors and Community Care Rx.

  1. Communication:
  • It’s nice to write and send a letter in early June so it will be there when your camper arrives.
  • Make sure your camper has stationery and pens to write letters. Include an address book or address labels so your camper can easily send letters home, to grandparents and/or whoever else. And buy and pack stamps. (Note - you may not receive a glut of letters home; while campers do write - and especially younger campers must write home, they are fully engaged and busy at camp.)
  • If your camp posts photos, be sure to sign up in the portal to have access to view.
  • If your camp enables letters to be emailed to campers, make sure your account is set up and that you’ve given access to grandparents or anyone else who may want to write.
  1. Trunks:

Make sure you’re set with service to transport your campers’ trunks to/from camp. Many camps use Ship Camps.

  1. Packing:
  • Make sure you’ve reviewed your camp’s packing list so your camper has all the necessary items (clothing, footwear, sports equipment, trip gear, etc.).
  • Even non-uniform camps require campers to have some camp clothes for trips out of camp. A great feature of buying from the outfitters is they can label clothing for you, including all the socks! Many Maine Camps work with outfitters including: Amerasport, The Camp Spot, and TGI Promo. The outfitters sell many fun items, too, including stationery, headlamps, fans and flashlights, water bottles, fuzzy shorts, playing cards, little stuffed animals, and more.
  • Some additional recommendations include Tyed with Love (tie dye apparel), Campfire Player (camp-approved music player), and Crazy Creek (lightweight portable chairs for campfires and beyond), StickerBeans (rhinestone collectible stickers, including Maine Camp-themed).
  • Label everything!! We use Mabel’s Labels, Label Daddy, or use a Sharpie marker.
  • You may want to pack clothes in big, reusable Ziploc bags within the trunks in case there’s rain in transit.
  1. Transportation:

Make sure your camper is all set with transportation to/from camp. Work with your camp to set this up. Popular options include plane rides to PWM or BOS, or buses. A great agency that works with many Maine Camps is Atlas Travel. (They can also help parents plan trips for them while the kids are away at camp.)

  1. Visiting Day:
  • If your camp has Visiting Day as many do, make sure you’ve booked your hotel (and rental car if you’re not driving).
  • Some parents like to stay at hotels and inns close to camp while others prefer to stay in cities like Portland or Freeport, or in coastal resorts to enjoy restaurants, beaches, active adventures, and sights before or after Visiting Day.
  • Some parents come for a day or two and others like to make it a vacation to relax, enjoy, and explore different parts of Maine. Here’s a list of some: https://mainecampexperience.com/plan-your-trip/places-to-stay-in-maine
  1. Family:
  • The end of school is a hectic time with busy schedules. Plan now so you know you have time to see any family and friends you’d like to see before your kids head to camp.
  • Work with your child to print a few pics s/he might want at camp. Some campers like them in a little album. Others like them in an envelope with some sticky FunTak to hang by their bed in the cabin.
  1. Emotional preparation:

Watch the webinar and read great blogs for MCE by Dr. Tracy Brenner about preparing your child for camp:

  • Preparing Canpers and Parents for a Successful Camp Summer webinar: https://mainecampexperience.com/camp-preparation/dr-tracy-webinar
  • blogs like Emotional Prep for Suummer Camp: https://mainecampexperience.com/blog/2025/5/emotional-prep-for-summer-camp
  1. Tuition: Settle any remaining tuition balances.

Get excited!! Your child is in for so many amazing experiences!

Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools: Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child? Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks). It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates. Then you can research these camps in more depth. Next, be sure to contact our Maine Camp Guide, Laurie to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.

Tagged with

Back to Blog