Remember when you were a child and counted down the days until summer break? Summer camps, late nights with friends, no school… that was the life, wasn’t it?  

As a parent, summer break doesn’t always seem to arrive with those same promises of long, lazy days. Switching up your childcare routines, running kids around to different summer events, trying to balance relaxation with keeping your little ones busy… summer can get hectic fast. For many parents, camps are a helpful piece of the summertime puzzle. And with over 16,000 summer camps to choose from in the US, it’s not uncommon to find yourself doing the “Summer Camp Scramble” between multiple camps and programs. 

 

Packing and Unpacking and Repacking 

Whether your kids attend day camps, educational programs, or overnight camps, the summer months can bring a bit of chaos along with the fun. And it’s not only the driving back and forth or keeping the calendar straight that can make for a hectic time at home. It’s also all the packing that’s needed for each different camp and program. Water bottles, snacks, clothing changes, medications, sunscreen, sports gear. Getting the right stuff to the right camp with the right kid can feel like another part-time job. 

Older kids might be able to help keep their things organized from place to place, but all that packing and unpacking (and repacking) can still get tricky. And if you have younger children or multiple kids going in different directions? Well… someone is bound to forget something important. 

Staying Sane During the Summer Camp Scramble 

So, how do you stay sane during the season of the “Summer Camp Scramble”? 

We recommend having one bag per camp, packed and parked by the front door. Keeping things organized with separate bags helps ensure your child makes it to every camp with the essentials. 

Being able to drop the (probably stinky) bag they took to band camp and quickly grab their (pre-packed) nature camp bag without needing to do laundry and re-pack in between? Yes, please. 

 

Convenient, Personalized Bags for Every Activity 

Because kids are kids, you might still need to do the occasional search through the camp lost and found pile. However, personalization goes a long way in keeping your child’s belongings from getting left behind. 

Having separate bags for each camp might seem like a lot to plan for at first. But your future self will thank you when your kids can quickly grab their own bags on the way out the door.

Urban Infant’s Activity Tote might just be the perfect option to use as grab-and-go bags for your little campers. Conveniently sized to fit all the essentials for any activity, they can be personalized with your child’s name to keep things even more organized. 

Grab a bag for each camp and program, and have your kids help you pack them ahead of time. With enough organization, you might just save your sanity this summer… At least until the back-to-school shopping starts.