Packing for summer camp: what to bring and what to leave home
By Joe C., founder of Booka. Reviewed October 2026.
Every camp sends its own packing list, and that list wins. This page covers the general approach, so you pack once, label well, and avoid the usual mistakes.
Day camp basics
- A backpack your child can carry and open on their own.
- Water bottle, labeled. Sunscreen and bug spray, if the camp allows you to apply them or your child can.
- Closed-toe shoes for most activities, and a swimsuit and towel if there is water.
- A change of clothes for young children, and a plastic bag for wet things.
- Lunch and snacks as the camp requests, with allergy rules in mind.
Overnight camp: pack with the list
- Follow the camp's list for quantities. Many camps ask for old, comfortable clothes that can get dirty or lost.
- Layers: summer nights in New England can be cool, and rain is likely.
- Bedding, as the camp specifies (sheets, sleeping bag, pillow), and a towel or two.
- A flashlight, a water bottle, a hat, sunscreen and a rain jacket.
- Stationery, stamps and addresses for letters.
- Required medication in original containers, handed to the camp's health staff, not packed in a bag.
Label everything
Everything that can be lost will be. Use iron-on or permanent-marker labels with your child's name on clothes, towels, water bottles and shoes. Pack with your child so they know where things are.
Leave at home
- Phones, tablets and smart watches, unless the camp allows them.
- Valuables, expensive jewelry and new clothes you would be sad to lose.
- Food, unless the camp allows it (many overnight camps ban food in cabins).
- Anything on the camp's do-not-bring list: some camps ban certain electronics, knives or snacks.
Health forms and medication
Most camps need a health form, immunization records and instructions for any medication, completed before arrival. Do them early: they are the most common reason a camper's first day is delayed. On Booka, you can save your child's health details and use them for each booking.
Common questions
- How much should I pack?
- Follow the camp's list. Most camps are specific about quantities and about what not to bring.
- Should I label clothes?
- Yes. Labels are the single best way to get lost items back.
- What do I do about medication?
- Give it to the camp's health staff in its original container with written instructions, as the camp directs.
Ready to look at camps?
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General guidance, not legal, medical or tax advice. Camps and rules differ, so confirm what matters with the camp. See how Booka stays neutral.