Scout Camp Care Package Ideas

What should I include in a Scout camp care package?

This is a common question from parents sending their kids to Scout camp. You can send a little care package to help remind your youngster that you are thinking of him or her. Here are some Scout camp care package ideas.

A care package will be especially meaningful to Scouts who are attending their first long term camp.

Before I write the list of items though, here are some things to consider.

• Don’t send food. Sending food is not recommended, unless the Scout leader has specifically told you otherwise. Critters will be drawn to it. Bugs are bad enough, but nothing disrupts camp life like the commotion of a racoon in somebody’s tent.
• Keep it compact. Think small. There is usually a limited amount of space in the vehicles transporting all of the gear to camp. They might not have room for a giant box of stuff.
• Consider sending it with your Scout. Mail can be slow and long term camps are typically a week. So you might want to send the package to camp with your Scout. Or, if you want it to “arrive” a couple of days after the Scout, send it with a leader and ask them to give it to them.
• Include items all of the Scouts will enjoy. Your son or daughter is not the only one at camp. Include things which they can share with the other Scouts in the unit. Not everyone will have a care package and the leaders will appreciate having everyone’s spirits lifted.
• Check with the leader. Tell him or her that you are planning to send some things and see if there are any suggestions for what to send or what to avoid.

• Money for the Trading Post. This will let your child buy ice cream, drinks, a shirt, and other items. Ask your leader what things typically cost. Don’t expect your child to bring back change. 🙂
• A deck of cards or a small board game. If it rains, they will need something to do while sitting in their tent or under the fly.
• Joke of the day. Label an envelope with each day of the week and put a corny joke in there to enjoy.
• Joke book. Instead of – or in addition to – the joke of the day, send a book of clean jokes so they can get all of their friends laughing.
• Glow sticks. Send enough for everyone. These make good “nightlights” for younger Scouts to hang inside their tents.
• Disposable camera. Let them capture a few memories.
• Comic books, Mad Libs, puzzle books. These are good quiet activities for downtime. Sometimes kids, especially introverts, will need a little activity they can do on their own for a few minutes to wind down.

Scouters, what are your favorite Scout care package ideas?