Summer Camp Care Packages Any Kid Will Love

April 09, 2012
Credit: Emily Kate Roemer
These easy-to-assemble care packages suit a variety of personalities, including games, tools, and toys any child would love. See what we've found for yours!
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What's in Your Box?

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Screen time isn't the only way to keep mini people busy and quiet on a rainy afternoon or an early Sunday morning. Fill a box with lo-fi toys, books, and art supplies to entertain them for hours in the cabin bunks.

From top: Second Big Maze Book, $7, barnesandnoble.com

. How to Draw a Chicken, $11,

amazon.com

. Eco-Kids Eco Dough, $20 for 5 containers,

ecokidsusa.com

. Ento Botanical Field Press, $20,

kiddingaroundtoys.com

. Creatology Sidewalk Chalk, $5 for a set of 52,

michaels.com

. Haba Terra Kids Beaker Magnifier, $4,

habausa.com

.

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For the Budding Artist

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Your creative camper may be taking arts and crafts classes, but she'll be thrilled to have a few art supplies and activities to experiment with in her downtime. Put together a package of kid-friendly tools and instructional kits to get her creative juices flowing.

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Design Your Own Backpacks

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Inexpensive and sold in bulk, these drawstring backpacks can be a treat for the whole cabin. Include fabric markers for campers to autograph one another's bags.

Design Your Own Drawstring Backpacks, $20.50 for 12, Oriental Trading

Crayola Fabric Markers, $4.99, Crayola

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Watercolor Postcards

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Your son can use these watercolors and blank postcards to paint pictures of camp life for family and friends.

Strathmore Watercolor Postcards, $3.56 for 15, Dick Blick Art Materials

Crayola Pan Washable Watercolors, $3, Crayola

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Friendship Bracelet Kits

Filled with detailed instructions, this book will guide your daughter in making friendship bracelets that she can wear or give to new pals. Include a pack of fluorescent floss for a bright alternative.

DMC "Friendship Bracelets 101" Book and Prism Floss Pack, $13, Kmart

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Fruit Leather

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer
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Use berries and chopped stone fruit to make a variety of fruit leather flavors. Your son will have plenty of these sweet treats to share with bunkmates.

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"Nail Art"

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Your camper will pick up tips, tricks, and inspiration for painting her nails with this creative kit. It includes a photo instruction book and six shades of water-soluble, nontoxic colors that peel off without polish remover.

"Nail Art," $22, Klutz

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Homemade Scrapbook Kit

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

A scrapbook is a handy place for your daughter to collect mementos as stays at camp. Assemble a scrapbook kit with a binder, sheets of 8" x 11" card stock, and clear sheet protectors. Organize pre-punched shapes and stickers in clear pocket pages and include a zipper pouch filled with tools, a glue stick, and pens.

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery Smooth Finish 1" Binder in Red, $13, Staples

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery Secure-Top Sheet Protector 1 Pocket, $4, Staples

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery Secure-Top Sheet Protector 4 Pockets, $4, Staples

Martha Stewart Crafts Stickers, $2-$7, Michaels

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery Zipper Pouch, $3, Staples

Martha Stewart Crafts Small Glue Stick, $3 for three, Michaels

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For the Bookworm

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Though summer camp boasts a flurry of group activities, your book-lover can spend his quiet time diving into the adventures between the pages. Fuel his need to read with a personalized package of age-appropriate novels and reader-friendly tools.

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Brag Book

Remind your daughter of how much you miss her with a small picture book filled with snapshots of siblings and family pets. Add sentimental or silly messages to photos with talking bubble sticky notes.

Recollections Brag Book, $4, Michaels

Talking Bubble Sticky Notes, $3 for set of three, Kikkerland

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Reading Lights

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

If your ravenous reader isn't out like a light at bedtime, she can use one of these small lamps to illuminate a book under the covers without disturbing other campers.

Clockwise from top left:

Petite Poise Book Light in Red, $9, Perpetual Kid

Lego LED Clip on Light/ Head Lamp, $12, Perpetual Kid

Black Cat LED Crank Flashlight, $10, Kikkerland

Super Bright LED Booklight White, $9.50, Kikkerland

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Blank Bookmarks

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Your camper and his bunkmates can personalize these blank bookmarks with drawings and doodles.

Recollections Blank Bookmarks, $3.50 for 50,

Michaels

Martha Stewart Home Office with Avery Classic Smooth-Finish 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" Blue Journal, $10, Staples

Martha Stewart Crafts Colored Pencils Set 36 Pack, $18,

Michaels

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Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Novels

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Even if your daughter has never read one of these timeless tales, she's sure to get sucked into the mysterious stories of young sleuths and capers.

Nancy Drew: "The Secret of the Old Clock," $8, Barnes & Noble

The Hardy Boys: "The Tower Treasure," $8, Barnes & Noble

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Puffed Rice Trail Mix

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer
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This crunchy trail mix includes a healthy blend of pumpkin seeds, sesame sticks, and roasted peas that your camper will love munching on.

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Bare Books Journals

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

With plain white covers just begging to be decorated, these journals are a perfect place for your daughter to record her camp memories.

To create a storage spot for pens, sew a simple loop out of felt to encircle the front cover. Then stitch a pocket on the loop and tuck a couple of pens inside.

Portrait Blank Bare Books, $1.75 per book, Bare Books

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For the Gamer

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

If his game face is always on, then your camper will certainly enjoy this package of interactive games and activities. Send a mix of things that he can play alone and with friends to ensure he stays entertained throughout his camp stay.

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Board Game Playing Cards

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Your daughter has a new way to play her favorite board games with these playing cards, which take their themes from Scrabble and Monopoly.

Scrabble Slam! Card Game, $7, Hasbro

Monopoly DEAL Card Game, $7, Amazon

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Summer Camp Mad Libs Junior

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

The whole bunk can participate in this camp-themed edition of Mad Libs, which features silly fill-in-the-blank scenarios to make kids laugh out loud.

Summer Camp Mad Libs Junior, $2, Barnes & Noble

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Travel-Friendly Games

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Perfect for solitary play or a match with bunkmates, these compact games can be tucked into a backpack for an on-the-go competition.

Boggle, $15, Hasbro

Scrabble FLASH game, $30, Hasbro

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Activity Books

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

These illustrated instruction books include everything your child needs to master a craft. She'll be "shooting the moon" in no time!

Cat's Cradle, $10, Klutz

The Cootie Catcher Book, $15, Klutz

The Klutz Yo-Yo Book, $13, Klutz

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Cajun Popcorn

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer
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Your camper will stay at the top of his game by snacking from this tin of this flavored popcorn.

Half-Gallon White Tin, $4.49, The Container Store

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"The Book of Cards for Kids"

Credit: Emily Kate Roemer

Featuring an oversize deck of cards that's easy for small hands to hold, this kit includes 35 kid-friendly card games that your daughter can play alone or with up to five other campers.

"The Book of Cards for Kids," $14, Workman Publishing

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For the Adventurer

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Camp offers plenty of adventures, but your camper might enjoy having his own tools for a solo mission. Send a package full of everything he'll need for explorations in the water, in the woods, or by the campfire.

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Skin Care

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Adventures can take a toll on your camper's skin. Make sure she's ready for anything, from daytime swimming to evening campfires, with skin care products like insect repellant, sunscreen, and lip balm with SPF.

Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Lotion SPF 45, $11.99, Neutrogena

Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids Stick SPF 70+, $8.99, Neutrogena

Burt’s Bees After Sun Soother, $10, Burt's Bees

Burt’s Bees Herbal Insect Repellent,$8, Burt's Bees

Burt’s Bees Sun Protecting Lip Balm, $4, Burt's Bees

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Keepsake Volleyball

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Send a volleyball that does double duty as a sport and as a keepsake. Throw in a few Sharpies so friends and bunkmates can autograph or decorate it after the game is over.

Wilson Soft Play Outdoor Volleyball ball, $15.23, Amazon

Sharpie Water-Based Paint Markers, Set of 5, $13.06, DickBlick

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Fig Pinwheels

Credit: Bryan Gardner
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Campers will never know that you sneaked a few healthy ingredients like orange juice, apple juice, and figs into this dessert. Be sure to send enough for sharing!

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Compass and Binoculars

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Your camper will never get lost in the woods when he carries this compass with a signal mirror and whistle to communicate with fellow explorers.

Uncle Milton National Geographic 4-in-1 Explorer Navigation Tool, $9.21, Amazon

Binoculars with Bag, $17.99, Moolka

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Underwater Camera

Credit: Bryan Gardner

Swimmers will love capturing action shots of friends in the water with this camera. Outfit your camper with a basic pair of flip-flops to wear while photographing.

Classic flip-flops, similar to shown, $3.94, Old Navy

KODAK Sport Single-Use Camera, $11.99, KODAK

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