What do letters to camp have to do with camp atmosphere?
As it turns out, plenty!
A great summer camp will work to create a specific type of atmosphere in camp. Many camps believe that summer is a time to disconnect from email, cell phones, etc. When sending letters, emails or faxes, remember that camps set their policies to reflect the atmosphere and values of the camp. In other words, expect that policies will vary widely from camp to camp.
I come across many camp websites that offer thoughtful suggestions and guidelines for letter-writing. For example, check out Camp Greystone in North Carolina. They also had great advice about birthdays too – see the last blog post.
Among other things, Camp Greystone advises parents to:
- Write letters by hand
- Be creative
- Take time to do a good job
- Write often
- Allow plenty of time for “snail mail” to work
You can read more on their site. As you can tell from their tips, kids enjoy letters and letter-writing is an art that requires time and even planning. Of course, that’s why I started this blog – to help parents write great letters to their campers.
A final note on logistics. As I mentioned earlier, while most camps allow and encourage hand-written USPS mail (aka “snail mail”), email and fax policies vary widely between camps. Unlike Camp Greystone, most camps seems to allow email although many will charge extra for it. Make sure to check with your camp to ensure that you fully understand their policies.
For more tips, see last summer’s post on letter-writing advice .
Letters to Camp 
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