Small items for summer camp "Mail"?

[Dmmetler]

DD11 is going to a sleep-away program, and while parents can't mail stuff to the kids there (because it's only a week and things often end up not arriving until the program is over), they encourage parents to drop off notes/small treats for their child to be delivered in camp mail during the week. Any great ideas?

[Alessandra]

My dd's camp is the same. Mail is slow, and Amazon two day does not work.

 

Dd and I visited craft stores and a discount store (Five Below) and picked out things together. It's hard to remember everything, but from memory -- bandanas, a bracelet, frisbee, a plastic tag that had her first name on it (for backpack), mini animal for backpack. Pretty much everything was a dollar or two. There was a lot more, but I can't remember all of it. We did not make a list -- dd just selected what appealed. We did daily presents for three weeks of camp.

 

Dd was so busy and happy that she did not have time for all the presents, but it was important for her to have them, as a symbol to tell her she was in my thoughts.

 

I wrote about three days of letters and then sent a few days worth. Everything was in a big shopping bag, with individual days in clearly marked baggies, so camp could figure out delivery.

 

Btw, I found a few things that came in multiples -- like cute binder clips -- so that dd could give something to her tent mates.

 

Saying it again -- it's the thought, not the actual present, that counts. Dd read my first letters, as she is usually a bit homesick the first day. The last letters came back unopened. That is actually a good sign -- busy and happy.

 

ETA

We did not send food or anything that smelled. Tent. Bear country.

Edited June 12, 2016 by Alessandra

[Annie G]

Dollar stores usually have those glow stick necklaces- always a hit at camp, especially if she has a couple to share with new friends. 

 

 

Edited June 12, 2016 by Annie G

[JFSinIL]

I just write out a daily letter or cheap card (funnier the better) for each day of a camp.  Make sure one or two are from any beloved family pets, signed with a drawn paw print.  If allowed by the camp, temporary tattoos can be fun and she can share them with her camp buddies.  

 

Heck, I recall writing one note from Joe's bed and pillow, each arguing over who missed Joe the most.  Just keep it short and silly.

Edited June 12, 2016 by JFSinIL

[Tita Gidge]

I just write out a daily letter or cheap card (funnier the better) for each day of a camp.  Make sure one or two are from any beloved family pets, signed with a drawn paw print.  If allowed by the camp, temporary tattoos can be fun and she can share them with her camp buddies.  

 

Heck, I recall writing one note from Joe's bed and pillow, each arguing over who missed Joe the most.  Just keep it short and silly.

 

This is what we do, too. Lots of letters and a small photo album of the rest of the family - usually silly pictures.

 

We just made one for my son who is out on a white-water kayak trip. This son has a beloved pair of shoes, so we posed everyone wearing them. Then we took them for a photo shoot around town at the places my son usually hangs out. I included a note that no shoes were injured during the photo shoot. He'll think it's funny. He'll also inspect them carefully when he gets home to make sure they really didn't get blemished LOL.

 

I try to include a disposable camera, too. My kids think they're hilarious 'relics of the past' but they love taking (then developing) the film.

 

We include a "Flat [Family Member]" on a popsicle stick, too, to help pose for some of those pictures they take. Pets would be fun. We always try to send one of my grandmother because she makes funny faces for pictures and it's kind of a family joke. Our favorite birthday tradition is the Where In the World Did Grandma Go photo album. Whoever among us has traveled with Flat Granny contributes pictures. The kids like it the most and are always proud of their contributions. I can't wait to see 'her' white-water rafting with my son. :lol:

[happi duck]

You could send her with washi tape and then send fun things each day to hang up in her room. I'm thinking jokes, comics, printed out memes, pictures of snakes in hats etc.

[JFSinIL]

Not summer campish but this thread reminds me that when we visited California a few years back, we borrowed (accidentally) my kid sister's laundry basket.  It went with us in the rental van all over the state - so we posed it and took photos of it in Yosemite, Monterey,  by the big raisin box in Fresno, etc.  Sister got a silly little photo album back with the basket.

 

I'd add a photo but no idea how.

[alisoncooks]

I just dropped both of my girls off today (just for a week).

My girls are getting some cat/dog stickers, as well as some mustache finger-tattoos. :p

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D6NNG5Y/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687442&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003UVHSEC&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=QH1ZW21AX9HJ5D82R3FC

Edited June 13, 2016 by alisoncooks

[Dmmetler]

Here's what I came up with-thanks for the ideas :)

 

A flat friend on a Popsicle stick :)

 

A star shaped post-it note pad and special pens, to leave notes in the form

 

Enough glow bracelets to share.

 

An Emoji Pez dispenser and Emoji stickers

 

Emoji lollipops to share

 

A Lego minifig Keychain

 

A bunch of hand tattoos (animals) to share.

 

Plus various notes from family members, pets, and stuffed animals :).

Edited June 18, 2016 by dmmetler