Working at summer camp is one of the best adventures you can have. You’ll live in a cabin, spend your days outdoors, try new things and make friends you’ll remember for years. Whether it’s your first summer as a counsellor or your fifth, there’s always something new to get used to.
Camp Canada sends hundreds of young people from around the world to work as camp counsellors and activity specialists at camps across Canada every summer, helping make camp an unforgettable experience. But while camp is full of fun and adventure, keeping track of your belongings can be a challenge.
That favourite hoodie? It’s in someone else’s cabin. Your water bottle? Somewhere near the lake. Half your socks? Lost in the laundry. Here’s how to survive summer camp and make sure everything you pack comes home with you.
Why things go missing at camp
Camp is busy, social and shared, which is exactly what makes it fun. It’s also why your belongings tend to wander off.
You share a cabin. You’ll live with other counsellors and campers, so clothes, towels and toiletries easily get mixed up. Lend a jumper on a chilly evening and it might not find its way back.
Every day is packed. Whatever your role, camp days are busy, and you’ll go from one thing to the next without stopping. It’s easy to put something down and forget it. Towels, flip-flops and water bottles left by the lake are a camp classic.
Trips mean more chances to lose things. On trips and days off, it’s easy to leave a jacket on the bus or a bag somewhere along the way.
Everyone has the same stuff. Plain water bottles, navy hoodies and identical Crocs all look alike in a pile. If there’s no name on it, it’s hard to tell which one is yours.
Laundry day: where good clothes disappear
Laundry can be one of the trickiest parts of camp. Depending on your camp, it’s washed on site or sent out, and either way your clothes may get mixed in with everyone else’s.
To get through laundry day with your wardrobe intact:
- Put your name on everything. A name label is the easiest way to sort out identical socks, T-shirts and shorts.
- Use a mesh laundry bag. If your camp allows it, this can help keep small things like socks and underwear together.
- Learn the routine. Find out how your camp handles laundry, whether clothes need to be sorted, which day your cabin’s laundry goes and when it comes back.
- Check your pile straight away. If something’s missing, let your camp director know while it’s still easy to track down.
The lost and found: a camp legend
Every camp has a lost and found, and by the middle of summer it’s usually overflowing. Water bottles, sunglasses, single shoes and more hoodies than you can count all end up there.
Labelled items are easier to return, because whoever finds them can read the name and hand them straight back. Unlabelled items are much harder to reunite with their owners, and what happens to unclaimed belongings at the end of summer depends on the camp.
A few habits that help:
- Check the lost and found every week, not just on your last day.
- Make your things easy to spot. A bright name label or colourful sticker helps your bottle stand out.
- Look around before you leave an activity. A quick check of the lake or field saves lots of searching later.
- Start packing early before going home. The last day is busy, and rushing is when things get left behind.
More tips for surviving summer camp
- Feeling homesick is normal. Most people miss home at some point. Keep busy, talk to your camp director or someone you trust, and bring a photo from home.
- Say yes to new things. Get out of your comfort zone. The thing you’re nervous about might become your favourite part of the summer.
- Look after yourself. Wear sun cream, drink plenty of water and get as much sleep as you can.
- Be a good co-counsellor. Keep your space tidy and be kind to the people you share with.
Packing for summer camp? Don’t forget to label it
Surviving summer camp with all your stuff starts before you leave home. When you’re putting together your summer camp packing list, remember that packing the right things is only half the job. You also want to make sure they come home again.
Not every camp sends a packing list, so ask your camp if they have one. If not, there’s plenty of inspiration out there. TikToks from people who have been to camp before and camp blogs are great places to start, and you can also check out Camp Canada’s Camp Counsellor Packing List. Once you’ve gathered your summer camp essentials, label anything you’d be sad to lose, especially the things that go missing most:
- Hoodies, jumpers and fleeces
- T-shirts and shorts
- Socks and underwear
- Towels and beach towels
- Swimwear
- Flip-flops, Crocs and trainers
- Water bottles
- Sunglasses and sun hats
- Torch or head torch
- Toiletry bag
- Pillow and sleeping bag
- Day bag for trips
Labelling tip: Put name stickers on your clothing care labels, often found inside the collar or waistband, where they’re easy to spot in a laundry pile. Iron-on labels are another option for suitable fabrics, especially items without care labels. For bottles, shoes and torches, use a sticker where whoever picks them up can easily see they’re yours. You can also check our guide to applying name labels for more tips.
A little preparation can save a lot of searching later. At My Nametags, our personalised iron-on name labels and name stickers make it easy to identify everything from hoodies and socks to water bottles and other camp essentials, giving lost belongings a better chance of finding their way home.
Enjoy the summer, not the search
Summer camp should be about trying new things, making friends and collecting memories, not searching for missing socks. A few simple habits, a little organisation and name labels on your essentials can make all the difference.
That way, the only things you leave behind at camp are the ones you’re meant to: great memories.
About Camp Canada
Camp Canada is a summer camp agency that sends hundreds of 19-30-year-olds from around the world to live and work at camps across Canada every year, through its First Time and Work & Travel programs.
