Should My Child Go to Sleepaway Camp With a Friend?
Going to sleepaway camp with a friend can make the experience feel a little less intimidating. There's something reassuring about knowing at least one familiar face when you arrive.
But there are different ways to go to camp with a friend, and they don't all work quite the same way.
Starting Camp Together
When two children are new to camp together, having each other can make those first moments easier. They have someone to sit with, talk to, and share the excitement of arriving somewhere new.
The important thing is to encourage both children to make other friends, too. Camp is an opportunity to widen their world, not just recreate their friendship from home. If the two children spend every moment together, they may miss chances to connect with bunkmates.
Joining a Friend Who Already Goes to Camp
This situation can be a little trickier. A returning camper already has camp friends, routines, and favorite activities. The new camper may imagine that their friend will be their constant companion, while the returning camper may be excited to reconnect with people they haven't seen all year.
That doesn't mean it's a bad idea. It just means expectations matter. Talk about what camp will look like for each child. If you're worried that one child will depend too heavily on the other, ask the director whether separate bunks might make sense.
Make a New Friend Before Camp Starts
Here's an option families sometimes overlook: your child can meet a camp friend before camp begins.
Ask the camp director whether they can introduce you to another new family or a future bunkmate. A playdate, a video call, or even a short conversation can make opening day feel much more comfortable.
And there may be a bonus for parents. When you know another camp family, visiting day becomes more fun, especially when your children disappear with their new camp friends and leave you to entertain yourselves.
What If My Child Doesn't Know Anyone?
That's perfectly fine, too. Camps welcome new campers every summer, and helping children make friends is an important part of the counselors' job. Good counselors plan activities and routines that help bunkmates get to know one another and feel included.
A child doesn't need to arrive with a built-in best friend to find their place.
The Goal Is More Friends, Not Just One
A familiar face can make the first day easier. But one of the best things about camp is how quickly a child's circle can grow.
The happiest outcome isn't necessarily that your child spends the whole summer with the friend they arrived with. It's that they come home with a whole collection of new friends—and start making plans to see them long before next summer.