Clothing for girls going to sleepaway camp

amother

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 7:29 pm

THis is my dd's first year going to sleep away camp. I'm a frugal shopper. In the past, I have bought my dd a few skirts, a few tops for the summer. I do laundry pretty often in the summer so she was never without. Now I'm trying to prepare to send her to sleep away camp and I have not gotten a packing list but I'm assuming she will need a lot of stuff. Tops is not a problem, I found a whole bunch of 3/4 sleeves on sale in a bunch of different stores but what do people do for skirts and Shabbos. I don't want to spend 35 each on skirts when they will most likely being ruined in the 4 weeks she is there. also what about Shabbos, I usually buy her 2 nice outfits btwn 60-80 she will need to get dressed 8 times for Shabbos there what am I supposed to send with her?

BetsyTacy

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 7:33 pm

Since you are amother on this post, you will be safe in posting the name of your daughter's camp. Different camps will vary widely in what is considered acceptable for Shabbos. I pity the moms of girls whose daughters need 2 different outfits for each Shabbos. In many camps, everyone understands that you leave your "better" Shabbos outfits at home.

amother

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 7:46 pm

My dd will be going to Shoshanim...from pictures I have seen it does not look fancy... im also not the type to be puled in by what everyone else does as long as my dd is comfortable.bh my daughter does not follow trends, she likes comfort. color and sparkly.. SHe would be more excited about a $5 sweater I got at childrens place bc there is a penguin on it than if I buy her a fancy shirt.

BetsyTacy

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 7:51 pm

Hopefully some experienced Shoshanim moms will chime in, but I don't think you need to go very fancy at all. Patterned (but cheapish) maxi skirt with a solid top, check. Denim, no. If you want to take a small risk, how is this for an idea. Basic Shabbos outfits (3) for 3 of the weeks. But the for the Shabbos before visiting day Sunday, she can bring a nicer Shabbos outfit which you will take home with you on visiting day.
No festering stains on the good outfit, and no chance of it getting ruined in the camp laundry.

nicole81

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 8:12 pm

The packing list is here http://www.njycamps.org/camps/.....g.pdf

I bought skirts for my dds at basic colors. My 9 year old lived in her hoodie last year so honestly I wouldn't even worry about tops so much and send an extra sweatshirt! You're right that shabbos clothing isn't too fancy. My dds went for the second session only, but I sent them with 2 outfits. Thinking about my 9yo, I sent her with a black pencil skirt which she paired with a flowy top, and then a navy and white striped dress from amazon that still fit her from the year before. I don't even remember what I send my 8 year old with, but she chose to wear a weekday dress for every shabbos!

If you browse through the njycamps site, you can see pictures from the camp, some of which were taken erev shabbos so you can see the type of clothing worn.

amother

Mon, Mar 16 2015, 10:14 pm

I work in a girls sleepaway camp (not Shoshanim).

Definitely don't send them with $35 skirts, just send a bunch of basic colors (or the like) skirts, label anything you care about, and let your daughter know that you want to see whatever possible come back with her.

This is a pet peeve of mine-campers seem to think their clothing, towels, jackets, etc are disposable and don't care AT all about them. Many girls never bother looking in the lost and found and don't want to take things home that are dirty but that their moms can wash and will look perfect. I can't tell you the number of times I will pick clothing up off the floor (I go in to the bunks on the last day as they're packing) and say "whose is this?" everyone says "not mine." I find the label and tell the girl to come take her skirt/towel/sweater/bathing suit etc and she says "my mother told me not to bring it home." I don't think that's really the case because most of the mothers I speak to seem to WANT the clothing back home but somehow that message is not getting to their daughters who are leaving perfectly good clothing (that definitely needs a wash) on the floor in camp!

Just mentally add the cost of some clothing to the camp bill in your mind so you are not too stressed out about it!

Hope your daughter has a wonderful and growing summer.