by Cathy Ashby

Remember the last care package you received? Remember how good it made you feel? Why are care packages so few and far between? Care packages are rare for the same reason they are so wonderful to receive: They are generous expressions of love and friendship that take time, thought and effort to create. For your child at camp, care packages are also reminders of home. Even the smallest boxes are proof that campers are loved and missed, that "out of sight, out of mind" doesn't hold true with family, and that someone at home is thinking of them.

Every camper, no matter how old, is thrilled when he or she receives mail at camp. Mail is the great equalizer among adolescent campers. At mail call, everyone—the brain, the jock, the rebel, the popular kid, and the not-so-popular kid—wants the same thing: the best mail. And what is better than getting a letter at camp? Getting a package! Here are a few tips to help you make your camper’s stay.

When to Send It
As part of their informational materials, many camps will include directions on where, when and how to send mail. Follow these directions as closely as possible to avoid late or misdirected packages. Keep in mind that camp mail must often be sorted and transported to the campers, an added step that may add a day or two to the US Postal delivery time.

Some feel that, especially for first-time overnight campers or for very shy kids, receiving a package on the first day of camp boosts campers’ self-confidence and allows them to feel more comfortable away from home. Others believe that if a camper is going to be away from home for a long time (a week or more), the package might be better sent towards the end of camp, when there are just a few more days, to boost a camper's spirits. I am a fan of doing both, but you'll have to decide what is right for your family. You’ll want to take the time to start planning your package before camp starts, since the kind of package you send will determine how long it takes to be delivered.

What to Send
It takes time and consideration—but not necessarily money—to create a fabulous care package. Take a few moments to think about the small things that make your child happy. Choose one of the following ideas and add to it, combine several ideas, or use your imagination and create your own.

• Food and Candy
This, of course, is the most obvious choice, but that’s because it’s often the most appreciated. Fill a small box with your child's favorite homemade cookies, candy bars, snack foods and gum. Make sure that everything is well-wrapped and be sure to include enough to share with new friends. If you send any foods that might not be eaten in one sitting, send a few airtight plastic baggies for storage. This will help your camper avoid attracting insects. An alternative for fruit-loving campers is to send a fruit basket. When a camp's cafeteria serves nothing but canned fruit, fresh fruit can taste better than any candy bar ever made! (Remember to check with the camp administration before sending food items in a care package. Many programs ask parents to send only non-food packages.)

• Mail Supplies
Make writing home fun and easy. Send a package filled with funny postcards, cool notecards or stationary, stamps, envelopes, stickers and brightly colored pens. Some parents even include self-addressed envelopes in the hopes of receiving letters from camp. (A mom can dream!)

• Photos
One of the best care packages I saw during my years working at camp had an envelope of recently-developed family pictures in it. The camper’s family had returned from a vacation the day before she left for camp. When she received the photos, she relived the experience with the added benefit of sharing the photos with her new friends. Photos let campers share their family—the one they've been telling all those stories about—with everyone at camp.

• Camp-Themed Goodies
Whether it's a sports camp, a science camp, theater camp or a traditional, outdoor camp, you can create a care package that’s in keeping with the camp's theme. For example, send your daughter at soccer camp several sports magazines, some chocolates wrapped like soccer balls, a box of energy bars or power snacks, a water bottle and a new pair of socks. Send your son at computer camp the latest novel about computer hackers, a key-chain memory stick, a cool mouse pad and some chocolates shaped like computers. (Seriously. They make chocolate-shaped everything these days!)

• Money
Always a big favorite. Depending on the camp your child attends, she may or may not need spending money. Many camps provide access to laundry rooms, pay telephones, snack machines and video arcades, so, instead of sending a ten dollar bill, consider sending a roll of quarters. Although sending cash is a bit risky, it’s easier on the camper, since cashing a check while away at camp isn’t always practical.

• Special Items/Toys
One care package that has stayed in my memory over the years was sent to a fellow counselor from his mother. She had packed some cookies and some mail, some clothes he'd forgotten to bring to camp . . . and a small, stuffed monkey. He laughed as he explained that the monkey had appeared in the very first care package he'd received as a first-time camper over 10 years before. Maybe your child has a favorite item, an article of clothing, or a gift on his "wish list." Surprise him with something that will remind him of the special relationship you share.

• Reading Material
Just about every camp builds quiet time into the daily routine. What better way to fill it than relaxing with a good book or magazine?

• Practical Stuff
Fill a box with essentials like stamps, shampoo, a pre-paid calling card, small boxes of detergent, a new bottle of sun-block, or lip balm.

The above suggestions aren't meant as a comprehensive "to-do" list. Every parent, grandparent and friend can take these ideas and build onto them, creating a personalized package that will remind their favorite camper that everyone at home misses and loves her. Get the whole family involved. Have each family member contribute one idea or item to the package. It can be a fun project for everyone, and it teaches siblings and parents to remember the joy that a small, thoughtful gift can bring. Another option is the Letter Shower: While not technically a care package, a letter shower is almost as good. Arrange for all of your child's friends and close relatives to send letters to camp on the same day. Don't forget that you'll have to distribute the camp address well in advance. Just imagine your child’s face at mail call as his name is repeated again and again, and again, and again…

If every parent and grandparent could see the faces of hopeful campers as they gather around the day's mail, the US Postal Service would be delivering a lot more care packages this summer!

Cathy Ashby, a former camp counselor and administrator, is now editor of Carolina Parent magazine.