Packing A Social Toolbox For Camp

Camp is packed with little social landmines that adults forget are even there. Where can I sit? Can I touch someone’s stuff? How do I join a game without getting shut down? If your child is heading to summer camp and you’re worried they might feel overwhelmed, I share a simple way to prepare them for what camp really demands: the hidden rules.

We talk through practical camp readiness skills that help kids feel steady fast, including personal space, respecting belongings, staying with the group, following directions, hygiene, and handling homesickness. For kids with social challenges, ADHD, executive function struggles, or communication differences, we get extra concrete: practice conversations and quick role-plays like “Can I sit here?” “Can I play too?” and “Can I help?” These tiny scripts can prevent big blowups and make friendship moments feel doable.

We also cover an essential pre-camp topic many parents avoid: personal safety. I explain how to keep the conversation age-appropriate and calm while still being clear about body safety rules, okay touch vs not okay touch, and why kids never need to keep secrets about uncomfortable situations. You’ll also hear where to find trusted resources designed for our community.

If you want your kid to pack more than socks and toiletries, this is your reminder to pack their social toolbox too. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s sending a child to camp, and leave a review so more families can find these summer camp parenting tips.

Transcript

Why Camp Can Feel Hard

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hi everyone, welcome to Simply Jewish Parenting. We are talking about helping your kids get ready for camp. So, summer camp is one of the highlights of childhood. I loved camp. And camp gives children opportunities to make friends, develop independence, try new activities, and create memories that can last a lifetime. I have those memories. But for a lot of children, whether they are typically developing or they have social challenges, attention challenges, executive functioning, or communication challenges, camp can also feel very overwhelming. There are so many unwritten rules at camp. No one usually explains things like can I sit on someone's bed? What if I want to borrow a friend's hairbrush? How close should I stand to other people? Can I leave my group to go somewhere? What do I do if I feel homesick? What if I don't know how to join a game? What seems obvious to adults is not always obvious to children.

Teaching The Hidden Camp Rules

SPEAKER_00 1:04

That's why one of the best things we could do before camp is start to teach kids the hidden rules of camp. Thank you, Michelle Garcia, winner of social thinking. Okay, think about it this way. If your child were going to a new country, you wouldn't just simply just drop them off and say good luck. You would explain the customs, expectations, and the routines. Camp is no different. Before camp begins, spend some time talking about personal space, respecting other people's belongings, making friends, using kind words, following directions, staying with the group, good bunk manners, asking for help, handling homesickness, and taking care of personal hygiene. Also being responsible for personal belongings. Children who struggle socially or have executive function challenges often benefit from even more explicit teaching.

Role-Play Joining And Asking

SPEAKER_00 1:53

They may need practice conversations and role-playing before a camp starts. So, for example, instead of assuming your child knows how to join a group, you might practice saying, Can I sit here? Can I play too? Can I help? Similarly, you can practice asking permission before borrowing something or talking through what to do if a counselor gives a direction that your child doesn't understand. You could also talk about what it means to be a good bunkmate. Many camp conflicts aren't caused by bad intentions, they're caused by kids simply not knowing the expectations. You want to talk about keeping belongings in your own area, respecting other campers' beds and personal items, and being quiet when others are sleeping,

Good Bunkmate Habits That Prevent Drama

SPEAKER_00 2:37

and asking before borrowing something. These conversations can prevent so many misunderstandings and also help kids feel more confident when they arrive at camp.

Body Safety Talk Before Camp

SPEAKER_00 2:48

There's one more conversation that I encourage every parent to have before camp begins, and that's a conversation about personal safety. So I know it could feel uncomfortable. I am actually an instructor for Magan Y Ladim, and I was trained in this, so I don't feel so uncomfortable about this. We need to know though that children are safest when we give them clear age-appropriate information. Before CAM starts, review body safety rules with your child. Talk about the difference between okay touch and not okay touch. Remind your child that their body belongs to them. Talk about situations that are okay, such as a doctor examination with a parent present, helping with or a medical need or appropriate physical affection that feels comfortable, then talk about situations that are not okay. Touch that is secret, confusing, uncomfortable, or breaks family rules. I also remind children that if something makes them feel uncomfortable, they do not have to keep it a secret. They could tell a trusted adult, a parent, a division head, a camp nurse. And if the first person doesn't help, they should keep telling until somebody does. This conversation is important for all kids, but especially for children who may be more trusting, more socially vulnerable, or have difficulty reading social situations. So if you're looking for guidance on how to have these conversations, I really recommend going to the My Genji LaDim website. They offer excellent resources, specifically designed for our community. And the goal of these conversations is not to make your child anxious about camp. The goal is to help them feel prepared. When children know what is expected of them, they often feel more confident, more successful, and more comfortable.

One Takeaway And How To Reach Me

SPEAKER_00 4:35

Okay, our one simple takeaway for this week. Don't just pack your child's suitcase, pack their social toolbox. Spend a few minutes before camp talking about the hidden social rules, safety rules, and expectations they may encounter. These conversations can make the difference between the child who feels confused and a child who feels confident. Thank you for joining me on Simply Jewish Parenting. I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please share it with a friend who might need it. And also you can contact me at asokloft at parentingsimply.com. I am waiting to hear from you. Thank you so much and have a great summer.

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