Homesickness Happens. Here's What Helps.
Homesickness is one of the most common parts of camp. Most children miss home at some point, especially in the first few days. It's normal. It passes. Give your soon-to-be camper the support they need before they go.
Below are a few simple ways to get started at home. Sign up for the guide for extra support when homesickness hits.
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Get real strategies your camper can actually use at camp when they miss home.
You don't need to fix homesickness. You just need to plan for it.
Here's what you can do right now at home: four quick moves that make the first few days easier and set your camper up to push through the moment homesickness hits.
1.) Pack one or two comfort items, not a pile
+A favorite stuffed animal or family photo is fine. But packing too many reminders of home can keep your child mentally anchored at home instead of helping them settle in. One or two meaningful items are enough.
In the guide, we explain what helps when homesickness lingers after the first few days and how campers are encouraged to work through it.
2.) Frame camp as their adventure, not your sacrifice
+Avoid phrases like "I'm going to miss you so much" or "Call me if you need anything." These sound loving, but they signal you expect struggle. Instead, try: "Your counselors are awesome. If you need help with anything, they've got you covered."
The guide explains why drawn-out goodbyes backfire and what camps recommend instead.
3.) Keep the week before camp low-key
+No emotional countdowns. No tearful goodbyes at home. Kids take their emotional cues from you. Treat camp prep the way you'd treat the first day of school: practical, positive, normal.
If emotions already ran high, the guide explains how to move forward without making homesickness worse.
4.) Set expectations for letters and emails
+If your camp allows written communication, let your child know when to expect it and keep your tone upbeat. Avoid "I wish you were here" or "It's not the same without you." Focus on what's happening at camp, not what they're missing at home.
The guide explains how to keep letters supportive and what to do if homesickness shows up in their writing.
These steps help before camp even starts. The guide shows your camper what to do when homesickness actually hits so they can get through the moment and get back to camp.
