Helping Your Child Cope with Homesickness at Sleepaway Camp: Tips & Tricks for Parents

June 9, 2025 by Ronit Lubell Leave a Comment

Sending your child off to sleepaway camp can be a bittersweet experience. You’re excited for them to grow, explore, and make new friends—but it’s completely natural to worry about how they’ll handle being away from home, especially if homesickness kicks in.

The good news? Homesickness is incredibly common—and usually temporary. With the right support and preparation, most kids adjust within the first few days and go on to have a fun, fulfilling camp experience.

Here are some practical tips and tricks to help your child (and you!) cope with homesickness:

1. Normalize the Feeling

Before camp even begins, talk with your child about the possibility of feeling homesick. Reassure them that it’s a normal part of being away from home and doesn’t mean they’re doing anything wrong. Let them know that those feelings usually fade as they settle in and get involved.

💬 Try saying: “Lots of kids feel homesick at first—it just means you love home! But I know you’ll find your way and have fun.”

2. Practice Being Away

One of the best ways to prepare for sleepaway camp is to ease into it. Arrange sleepovers at a friend’s or relative’s house to help your child build confidence being away from home. It’s great practice for building independence in a lower-pressure setting.

3. Send Mail—Often

Getting mail is a huge morale booster at camp. Send letters filled with encouragement, light updates from home, and reminders that you’re proud of them. Small care packages (with camp-approved items) can also give your child something to look forward to.

📫 Avoid: Messages that say “We miss you so much it hurts” or “The house is so empty without you.” Instead, keep your tone positive and reassuring.

4. Avoid “Rescue Promises”

As tempting as it is to promise, “If you’re sad, I’ll come get you,” it can actually make homesickness worse. This can create an easy mental escape for your child and make it harder for them to fully invest in the camp experience.

Instead, communicate your confidence in their ability to adjust and remind them that you’re proud of their bravery.

5. Create a Visiting Day Wishlist

Give your child something exciting to look forward to. Whether it’s a special snack, a favorite toy, or a family activity for Visiting Day, letting them make a wishlist helps them think ahead with excitement instead of dwelling on missing home.

6. Trust the Camp Staff

Remember, camp staff are trained to deal with homesickness. Don’t hesitate to communicate with them if you’re concerned, but also trust that they have the tools to guide your child through the adjustment process. Often, it just takes a little time.

7. Stay Calm and Confident

Your child takes emotional cues from you. If you appear anxious or unsure about camp, they’ll pick up on that energy. Show them that you believe in their ability to thrive—and remind yourself, too.

Final Thoughts

Homesickness is often part of the journey—but it’s also an opportunity for growth. When kids learn they can overcome it, they walk away with confidence, resilience, and a newfound sense of independence. As a parent, your steady support can make all the difference.

Sleepaway camp might start with a few tears, but it often ends with lasting memories, new friendships, and a stronger, more self-assured child.

Crafting the Camp Communication

June 18, 2018 by Jen Cippoletti Leave a Comment

Mail call is an exciting time at camp, with even the most independent camper eagerly awaiting a letter or a package from home. Parents may receive very few letters from camp (one year at camp, my son only grudgingly wrote one letter documenting the number of grilled cheese sandwiches he ate at lunch that day!), but campers love to get mail!

But what makes a great letter from home? Here are a few dos and don’ts on communicating with your camper:

What to say:

Ask lots of questions, even if you will never get answers to many of them!

How warm/cold is the lake?
What’s the weirdest thing you have eaten so far?
Where are your bunkmates from? Who traveled the farthest?
Will anyone have a birthday at camp?

Report boring details from home. I will always remember my mom’s boring letters from home, describing the weather, what was growing in the garden, where my cat was sleeping, etc. They were purposely unexciting, so that I knew I wasn’t missing anything!

Reiterate your pride, encouragement, and excitement that they are experiencing so many wonderful adventures.

What not to say:

Do not describe all that they are missing at home. Reports of a great day at the beach, seeing a play or a baseball game, a trip to a favorite restaurant can inspire homesickness over interest. Ideally, your child should feel like their world at camp is the only one that matters.

Keep details on how much you miss your child to a minimum. The tone of your letters should be light and full of love. Remember that homesickness is contagious – if they perceive that you are upset that they are away, they are often more likely to be homesick and miss out on the full camp experience.

Don’t ever imply that you will pick them up early if they are unhappy. Express your confidence in their independence and abilities.

Camp is a great opportunity to teach your child (and remind ourselves!) of the importance of a hand-written note, so write often and with these guidelines in mind!

Sending Your Love to Camp–What to know about sending letters and care packages!

June 27, 2017 by Helene Leave a Comment

You’ve hugged and kissed your child and confidently sent them off to camp. Next step, CARE PACKAGES! As someone who has worked in the camp mailroom, I have seen the mailman and Fed-ex man drop off hundreds of packages to be delivered to hundreds of children having the time of their lives at camp. Camps require that packages are screened and I have opened many with cleverly hidden “contraband” (candy) inside. Most camps to not allow candy with good reason, it brings bugs and other creatures into the cabin and often there are kids with peanut allergies so some candy could be dangerous.

Check your camp’s mail/packages policy. Many are getting away from boxes, only allowing flat packages and letters. If your child’s camp allows packages, there are a variety of options. There are numerous companies on the internet that will send prepackaged goodies right to your child’s camp gate. Etsy and Pintrest also have darling creative out of the box ideas, or stop at your local Target, Dollar Store, or Walmart and shop the aisles .

Here’s few ideas!

A pillow case to decorate.

A quiet time kit: a deck of cards, stationary/pens.

Temporary tattoos

A book or magazine

A small book light.

Colored Zinc sunscreen- 2 fold, protects their sweet faces and also a fun decoration.

A fun girls package- nail polish, hair products, fun socks.

July 4^th packages- anything red, white and blue.

Probably one of the most special things your child can receive is a hand written letter from you. Letters are uniquely powerful in the lives of camper and a parent. After camp your child can get them out and read and reread the letters, a treasure of wonderful memories for years to come. When you write, assume your child is having a good time and say so in your letter. Show enthusiasm and ask questions about their new friends, new activities, wonderful camp food and their new experiences. Do not say how much you miss them or how much the dog or cat miss them. To encourage writing, send addressed and stamped post cards to camp with you child.

Mail call is one of the many highlights of a camper’s day! Care packages do not need to be big or letters long. It is better to keep it simple: a card, a little love note, or a small box of goodies is all it takes to put a smile on the face a busy camper and send a long distance hug.

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