How to Prepare Your Child for Summer Day Camp: A Guide for Parents
What you should know before drop-off day
Summer day camp is one of the best parts of childhood. New friends, new skills, a whole summer of something to look forward to. But for a lot of families, especially first-timers, the weeks leading up to camp can feel just as stressful as finding the camp in the first place.
This guide covers everything: getting your child emotionally ready, what to pack, how to handle the hard drop-off mornings, and how to make the whole summer run more smoothly.
Start the Conversation Early
Do not surprise your child with camp two weeks before it starts. Give them time to get used to the idea.
Talk about what their days will actually look like. What time do they start? What activities will they do? Who else will be there? Kids get anxious about the unknown, so the more familiar camp feels before they walk through those doors, the better.
If the camp has a website with photos or videos, go through it together. Let them ask questions. Let them be nervous. That is completely normal.
Let Them Have a Say
Kids who feel like camp was their choice do better at camp. Full stop.
If you are still deciding, show them a few options that match their interests and ask which one sounds most fun. Even small decisions, like picking out their own water bottle or choosing which hoodie to bring, give them a sense of ownership over the experience.
When kids help pack their own bag (with your supervision), they know what they have and where it is. That alone takes a lot of anxiety out of day one.
Go With a Friend
If you can make this happen, do it. Having a familiar face at camp makes everything easier, especially for kids who are shy or nervous about new situations.
Talk to the parents in your school community or neighbourhood group chat. Find out where other families are sending their kids and see if the timing lines up. A lot of Toronto camps run multiple sessions throughout the summer, so there is usually flexibility to get two kids into the same week even if you did not plan it from the start.
A few things to keep in mind: make sure both kids are registered for the exact same session, not just the same camp. And remind your child that going with a friend is a bonus, not a reason to only stick with that one person all week. The whole point of camp is meeting new people too.
Practice Independence at Home
Camp counsellors are there to support your child, but they will not remind them to drink water, reapply sunscreen, or put on a dry shirt after swimming. The more your child can manage on their own before camp starts, the more confident they will feel once they get there.
In the weeks leading up to camp, have them make their own bed, pack their own lunch, and keep track of their own belongings. These are small things but they matter a lot when your child is navigating a full day without you.
Build the Right Expectations
Be honest with your kid. Some days at camp will be incredible. Some days might be hard. They might not love every activity. They might have a disagreement with another kid. That is all normal and it does not mean something is wrong.
What matters most is that they know who to go to when something feels off. Make sure they understand that their counsellors are there to help them, not just to run the schedule, but to actually listen if they are having a tough day.
The Packing List
Keep it simple and practical. Here is what your child needs for a day camp:
Clothing
Comfortable t-shirt and shorts they do not mind getting dirty;
A hoodie or light sweatshirt for cooler mornings;
Broken-in running shoes, not brand new ones, not sandals;
A swimsuit and towel if the camp has water activities;
A change of clothes in their bag.
Daily Essentials
Reusable water bottle, a big one;
Sunscreen in lotion or stick form, not aerosol;
Bug spray if the camp is outdoors;
A healthy lunch that does not need refrigeration. Most day camps do not have fridges;
Nut-free snacks. The majority of Toronto camps are nut-free facilities.
Health
Any prescription medication must be in the original pharmacy bottle with your child’s name and dosage printed on the label. Camps cannot administer medication without this.
Let the camp know in writing about any allergies or health conditions before the first day, not at drop-off.
Label Everything
Every single item needs your child’s name on it. Water bottles, shoes, towels, lunchboxes, hoodies. If it does not have a name on it, assume it ends up in the lost and found.
Leave at home: Phone, tablet, toys, or anything expensive.
Drop-Off Day
Keep your goodbye short and confident. Kids take their emotional cues from you, so if you look worried and linger at the door, they will feel worried too.
Say goodbye warmly, remind them of something fun they are looking forward to that day, and leave. It sounds simple but it genuinely makes a difference.
If your child is upset at drop-off, trust the camp staff. They have seen this hundreds of times. Most kids are having fun within twenty minutes of the parent leaving.
At Pickup
Avoid asking “did you have fun?” as your first question. Kids often give one-word answers to that and you learn nothing.
Try asking something more specific instead. What did you have for lunch? Who did you sit with? What was the weirdest thing that happened today? You will get much better answers and a much clearer picture of how their day actually went.
If Your Child Says They Do Not Want to Go Back
Give it a few days before you read too much into it. The first week of camp is an adjustment for almost every kid. Tired, overstimulated, and a little overwhelmed at the end of a long day is not the same as genuinely unhappy.
If after a full week your child is still dreading it every morning, that is worth a conversation with the camp director. Ask for their honest read on how your child is doing during the day. Often what a child says at 5pm is very different from how they actually spent the hours between drop-off and pickup.
The Bottom Line
The best thing you can do to prepare your child for summer day camp is start the conversation early, keep your expectations realistic, and let them feel like they had a say in the decision.
A little nervousness on day one is completely normal. By the end of the first week, most kids do not want it to end.
Looking for the right day camp in Toronto or the GTA? KikiPlan helps families build a full week-by-week summer schedule matched to their kids’ interests, budget, and neighbourhood. Launching September 2026. Join the waitlist at kikiplan.com