Summer Camp Packing List, by Age

Most camp packing lists are generic and over-inclusive: a long checklist that's the same whether your kid is six or sixteen. The reality is more useful by age. A six-year-old at day camp needs different things than a thirteen-year-old at sleepaway, and the difference isn't just clothing size.

This guide is organized by format first, age second. Use it as a checklist your kid can help build — which is itself part of the prep, especially for first-time sleepaway.

1Universal essentials (day or overnight)

These show up on every list, every camp, every age:

• Refillable water bottle. One per kid, labeled with their name. A 24oz minimum; 32oz preferred. Disposable plastic bottles don't last a day at camp.
• Sunscreen, SPF 30+. Spray bottles are convenient but mineral stick or cream provides better coverage for faces. Two bottles for a week of camp, one for a few days.
• Hat. A wide-brim is better than a baseball cap for sun protection, but kids actually wear baseball caps. Pick what your kid will wear.
• Closed-toe shoes that can get wet. Crocs, Tevas, or old sneakers. Most camps require closed-toe for activity safety; flip-flops are for the cabin only.
• A bandana or small towel. Useful for everything from sweat to drying off after the splash pad to cleaning glasses.
• Labeled clothing. Sharpie + masking tape works for day camp; a laundry marker on the tags is better for overnight. Lost-and-found is a black hole.

2Day camp specifics

For a typical day camp (drop-off at 9, pickup at 4):

• Backpack big enough for: water bottle, lunch, swimsuit/towel, and any take-home crafts. A school backpack is fine.
• Lunch + a substantial snack. Unless the camp provides lunch (some do; check). Pack high-protein and easy to eat fast — kids don't get long lunch breaks at most camps.
• Swimsuit + towel. Even if today's activity isn't swimming, most camps have a daily water-play moment.
• A change of clothes. Especially for younger kids (under 8). Mud, paint, water — something will happen.
• Insect repellent (DEET-free for under-2; CDC says under-12 stays under 30% DEET).
• Any medications in a labeled ziplock with dosing instructions. Hand them to the camp nurse/admin at dropoff, not the counselor.

What NOT to pack for day camp:

• Phones (most camps prohibit them; check the camp's policy and follow it even if your kid pushes back)
• Toys, stuffed animals (lost-and-found targets)
• Expensive sunglasses (they will be lost)
• Money beyond emergency cash ($5 in the backpack pocket, if anything)

3Overnight camp specifics

For a 1–4 week overnight session, on top of the day-camp essentials:

• Bedding. Sleeping bag (rated to camp's overnight low temp; most US camps need 30°F-rated for safety even in July nights) OR camp-issued sheets + a comforter — check the camp's packing list.
• Pillow + pillowcase.
• 2–3 towels. One for showers, one for swimming, one for backup.
• Laundry bag. Mesh is best — wet swim stuff can air-dry inside. Label it.
• Toiletries kit. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant (if age-appropriate), shampoo, conditioner, soap or body wash. All travel-sized.
• Flashlight or headlamp + spare batteries. Headlamps are better for reading in the cabin after lights-out.
• A book or two. Camp downtime is real. Books your kid actually wants to read, not aspirational ones.
• Stationery + stamps. Pre-addressed envelopes to home (and maybe to a grandparent) make first-time letter-writing easier. Even older kids appreciate having stamps ready.
• A "comfort item" — small, easily packed, important. A small stuffed animal, a photo, a fidget. Not optional, even for older kids, even if they say they don't need one.

What NOT to pack for overnight:

• Phones or any internet-connected device (almost universally prohibited)
• Anything you can't afford to lose
• Anything expensive that signals wealth (designer items, jewelry beyond the bare minimum)
• Snacks (most camps prohibit food in cabins because of pests; if your kid has dietary needs, coordinate with the camp directly)
• Hair products beyond basic care — kids' hair gets wet, gets in a hat, gets messy. Let it go for a week.

⚠️ Read the camp's packing list before this one. Different camps have specific rules — some forbid aerosols, some require closed-toe shoes for everything including evening activities, some provide bedding. This guide is general; the camp's list is authoritative.

4By age

Preschool (ages 3–5)

This is almost always day camp. Pack heavy on backups and light on expectations:

• 2 changes of clothes (not just one)
• Pull-ups or swim diapers if your kid is recently potty-trained
• A small stuffed animal for nap time (if the camp has nap time — most preschool camps do)
• A photo of family in the backpack pocket (for emotional regulation mid-day)
• Less independence than the camp asks for — preschool counselors are used to packing-and-unpacking for each kid

Elementary (ages 6–10)

Day camp + some early sleepaway. The big shift: your kid starts being responsible for their own backpack. Practice this before camp:

• Pack with them, not for them. Let them choose which shirts, then show them the checklist.
• Teach them what each item is for so they understand the system.
• Label everything. Multiple times. They will lose things and a Sharpie'd-on-the-tag name is the only thing that brings stuff back.
• For first sleepaway: pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelopes to home are a kindness. Kids this age want to write but freeze when they're alone with a blank envelope.

Tween (ages 11–13)

This is the age your kid takes over packing entirely. Your job becomes supervisor, not packer:

• Provide the checklist and the bag; let them pack.
• Inspect the bag silently before zipping it up. Note what's missing but ask "did you remember toothpaste?" instead of adding it yourself.
• Tweens benefit hugely from being trusted to manage their own gear at camp. It's a developmental milestone, not a packing problem.
• Add a few things they'll resist: a book they'll secretly read, a letter from a parent for mid-week. They'll appreciate both.

Teen (ages 14–17)

Hands off. Teens pack like adults — sometimes badly, mostly fine. What you can usefully add:

• A discreet check-in: "Got your meds, IDs, and cash sorted?" That's it. They've got the rest.
• An honest conversation about phones (most teen-age sleepaway camps still ban phones, and your teen needs to know what the actual policy is, not your interpretation of it).
• Some emergency cash they don't have to ask you for. $20 in a sock somewhere. They'll appreciate the trust.
• If they have allergies or a medical condition: confirm they can speak for themselves about it to the camp nurse, not just rely on the form you filled out.

5The labeling reality

Camp lost-and-found is a wall of unclaimed sweatshirts and water bottles. Most of it never gets reunited with its owner. The fix is boring but works:

• Sharpie the kid's first name (and last initial for sleepaway) on every clothing tag, water bottle, towel, and backpack tag.
• Pre-printed iron-on labels (Mabel's Labels, Stuck on You) are worth the $20 if you'll do this multiple summers.
• Photograph the contents of the bag before they leave. When something disappears, you'll know what to look for.

✅ The single best labeling trick. Put your kid's name AND your phone number on the inside of expensive items (winter coat, water bottle, retainer case). Don't put it externally — that's a kid-safety issue. But internally, on the tag, it solves 90% of lost-and-found mysteries.

6The "what NOT to pack" universal list

Apply at every camp, every age:

• Anything expensive your kid can't afford to lose. This includes AirPods, smart watches, anything designer, jewelry.
• Anything that requires charging. Devices, headphones, Kindles.
• Cleats, performance gear for "off-program" sports. Wait until you know what the camp actually provides.
• More clothing than the packing list says. Overpacking is the #1 mistake. Trust the list.
• A "just in case" first aid kit. The camp has one. Yours adds redundancy you don't need and bottles the camp can't track.

A last note

Packing is part of the prep, not separate from it. The best first-time sleepaway parents pack with their kid over several evenings — not in a frantic hour the day before. Each item gets a brief explanation; the kid handles each item; everything goes in the bag together. By the time the bag is zipped, your kid has done a mental walk-through of their week at camp without you having to script it. That's the real goal.