New Camper Resources - New Camper Blog Series

Hello new camper families! Today feels like Christmas as we have finally reached that time of year where we start our New Camper Blog Series…which also means camp is just around the corner. We can’t wait!

My name is Sarah Brown, and I am one of the Directors at Greystone. One of my favorite jobs during the year is helping our new camper families as you prepare for your very first summer at camp. Every Tuesday from now until the summer, we will be posting a blog specifically geared towards our new families, giving you the inside scoop on some Greystone topics you may want to know more about. Make sure to check back each week to “stay in the know” on all things camp.

Today, we are kicking off our series by creating a hub of sorts so that you know where to find all the resources we already have for new campers. It’s a lot! If you have a question about something, there is a good chance we already covered it. If you don’t see it below, let us know! We may be covering it this spring, or would be happy to point you in the right direction.

All of these resources could keep you busy for hours…and can be overwhelming. You may be the type of family who LOVES learning everything and watching everything ahead of time. You may be the type of family who doesn’t have time for all of these extras. Either way, use what you want and leave the rest. We take great care of our new campers when they arrive and will have everyone on the same page in no time. No need to worry if you don’t have time for all the reading and digging deep.

Getting to Know Camp

We have TONS of resources to help new campers learn more about camp this spring.

A good place to start is our New Camper blog series archive. We have taken a deep dive into so many great topics already. While a few things may have changed since we posted some of the advice, the gist for everything is mostly the same. If you’re unsure about anything, just give us a call. We are always happy to help clear anything up. This year’s Parent Handbook also has the most up-to-date information for you to read.

We also have some great videos that are perfect for immersing yourself in camp life. Scroll through and watch a few (even pop some popcorn!). You don’t want to miss our Tour of Camp video or our Cabin Tour video; both of these will give you a great sense of camp as a whole and what a cabin will feel like. We also have some parent-specific videos that will help you learn a little more about specific details at camp.

If you are able, come tour camp before the summer! We would love to show you around; seeing camp in person is the very best way to get a feel for all that Greystone has to offer. We offer tours from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday until May 13, 2022.

Beyond that, you can listen to camp music that we sing in the Dining Hall, explore our Greystone Dictionary page where you can learn some of the camp lingo before you arrive, listen to our Greystone-specific podcast that allows you to really feel what camp is like, read daily devotions that can be sent straight to your email so that you can read them as a family, make lots of camp recipes to get a feel for the Greystone food (I’d recommend the Cheesy Chicken and the Chicken Enchiladas), and join our Parent City Facebook groups where you can meet others from your town.

Preparing for camp

On our website already, we have a great list of tips on how to prepare for camp. We know many of our new campers are working on some of these skills but take a look at our suggestions so that you can start practicing some of these things now. From dealing with your emotions to practicing for Rest Hour, we have some great suggestions to help you get ready for the summer.

Packing

We have quite a few resources ready for you as you start thinking about packing.

The first place to start is our Packing for Camp page on our website. There you will find our packing list for Junior and August Camps and also the packing list for June and Main Camps.

Definitely check out our Packing Norms page. We’ve provided some great tips over the years on what girls actually bring. Our Packing: This or That is a great resource from our New Camper Blog series last year.

As girls will unpack with their counselors in their cabin on Opening Day, check out our Packing for Unpacking blog to get an idea for how best to pack your daughter’s things.

Girls definitely love having some activities for Rest Hour, so make sure to check out some ideas we have on things girls have enjoyed in the past.

We have a few special events at camp, and our Traditions Packing blog will give you some ideas on what different events to pack for this summer.

Fellow Mom or Dad Advice

One of the best resources we have at camp is our other camp moms and dads. If you know anyone in your town who sends their girls to Greystone, that mom or dad will be the very best resource, giving their inside perspective on life at camp. If you don’t know anyone yet, join our Parent Facebook page - it is full of returning camp families who would love to answer any questions you have!

We have also had several moms share great insights for our new camper families on our blog:

That wraps up our first New Camper Blog of the year; join us next week as we share a great new video of what Cabin Life is like at camp. See you then!