Q: Where can I find precamp information and required camper forms?
A: You can access all of this stuff on our family portal for parents / guardians once your camper’s registration is confirmed. The family portal (also called the Parent Dashboard) gives you 24/7 access to pre-camp information and all required forms.
- Use the same login information that you used to submit your registration request.
- Forgot your password? No problem, simply click the “what’s my password” link and you can reset it.
- After you log in, click on the “forms” section. Once in the forms section, you will see the names of all registered campers in your family.
- Select the specific camper’s name to access their precamp information and forms.
- This is where you will find the following: “must read” information (eg, packing list, map to the campsite), and forms to fill out before camp.
Q: What else can I do to get my kids ready for summer camp?
A: Visit the American Camp Association parent website. The site has some great information and resources for families that will help you get your kids ready for any summer camp, including Camp Hobe’. Scroll down the page to “The Camp Resource for Families”
A: Contact our office at 801-631-2742 or on the form below. We are always happy to help.
Q: What should my kids bring to summer camp with them?
A: Your post-registration information will include a general list of things that they should bring, as well as things that they should not bring. Please, please, please put their names on everything.
A: Should bring: sleeping bag or bedroll, pillow, towels and wash cloth, underwear, long pants / jeans, sweater or sweatshirt, t-shirts, shorts, shoes, socks, pajamas, swimsuit, hat, flashlight, soap, sun screen, bug spray,toothbrush & toothpaste, deodorant, comb and/or brush, feminine hygiene products (if needed), set of warm clothing (long pants, long-sleeve shirt, closed-toe shoes) and a warm jacket. Camp games can be messy, you may wish to send your child with extra sets of clothing in case they need more than 1 outfit per day of camp.
A: Might want to bring: inexpensive camera / film, musical instrument, autograph book, rain poncho, day pack / fanny pack, swim cap / goggles, sun glasses
A: Do not bring: money, electronic equipment (digital cameras, video cameras, GoPros, laptops, iPads, iPods, MP3s, Gameboys, X-boxes, DVD or CD players), videos or DVDs, weapons, alcohol or illegal drugs, cell phones or pagers, pets or other animals.
A: Please contact our office before camp if providing any of these items would be difficult for your family because of finances or other concerns.
Q: What if my child gets homesick?
A: Every year, a few kids get homesick at summer camp. This is a normal part of being away from home. And, it’s part of growing up, as children gain independence and begin spending time away from their family. Camp may be very different from a child’s home environment – rooming with others and different food, for example.
A: There are many ways you can help your child prepare for camp and reduce homesickness, including:
- Avoid telling your child that they will get homesick
- Talk to your child about what they will get to do at camp
- Practice sleeping in a sleeping bag in their room and use a flashlight instead of a light switch
- Practice sleeping in a tent in the backyard (or in the house)
- Send a favorite toy, pillow, or blanket with your child to help them stay connected with home
- Show your child how to write a letter to you and give them pre-stamped, addressed envelopes (even if the letters arrive after they get home, writing the letter may help them feel less homesick)
- Send letters or care packages to your child – you can give these to camp staff at check-in and we will give them to your child during camp. To be most helpful, write letters that ask open-ended questions (what do you like?), rather than yes/no questions (do you like camp?)
- Encourage the child to write back about their friends, activities, the food, and their counselors
- Focus on your child having fun (I bet you loved field games!!) instead of how you miss them
- Praise your child for coming to camp
- Remind your child how much you love them
Q: Will my children be able to call me from summer camp if they are homesick?
A: Usually not, although a staff person may call on their behalf. We have found that having children call home usually makes homesickness worse. If a child is very homesick, the camp staff may call you for the child. This lets the parent and staff person talk about the situation without upsetting the child. We want camp to be a good experience for your kids, so we try very hard to help campers beat homesickness. Homesickness is a short-term thing; most kids feel better after 1-2 days. Kids usually feel most homesick when they are tired, bored, or hungry. Once they are rested, fed, or busy with activities, they feel better. And, when camp is over, kids are proud to have “beaten the homesick bug.”