Personal Camping Hygiene: Getting Kids to take Summer Camp Showers

Don’t Worry, Summer Camp Doesn’t Mean No Showers for 3 Weeks!

If you struggle getting your child to take a shower and brush their teeth at home, you may be worried about how they will be able to take care of their hygiene while at sleepaway camp. Rest assured, camping hygiene is taken seriously at sleepaway summer camps. Even if your child comes home a little ‘stinkier’ than they were at the beginning of the summer, it’s almost guaranteed that they kept up with daily camp showers and other hygiene rituals while they were away. After a full day of running around in the heat and participating in camp activities, most children are excited to cool off with a refreshing camp shower. But if you’re still worried about your child’s personal hygiene while they’re away at camp, here are some tips to put your mind at ease.

The Emphasis on Responsibility While at Camp

Most camps emphasize the importance of responsibility, and personal hygiene falls in that category. For many first-time campers, summer camp is a huge step towards becoming more independent. Before leaving for camp, talk about the responsibility of personal hygiene as it relates to this new sense of independence. You can help your child prepare for this new responsibility by creating a checklist with them before camp. The checklist can include washed hands, brushed teeth, sunscreen, hydrating and daily shower.

Personal Hygiene Is a Social Activity at Camp

When you brush your teeth with 10-12 other kids your age, the feeling of it being a chore just disappears. At camp, personal hygiene becomes a group ritual, and fun memories can be made even while getting cleaned up for bedtime. If everyone is flossing, it’s not boring; it’s a game. As a parent, don’t underestimate the power of the group mentality when it comes to camping hygiene.

Counselors and Camp Staff Are Paying Attention

Camp counselors are trained to keep an eye out for any campers who aren’t taking part in daily hygiene tasks. Everyone can tell when there is a smelly kid in the cabin, and counselors are equipped to make sure every situation is handled without embarrassment. Counselors and staff have been trained to make sure that your child is taking care of their personal hygiene without incident. Many parents are actually pleasantly surprised to find that their child returns home with a new sense of how to independently take care of their hygiene. Most camps place a huge emphasis on teaching campers safe and healthy ways of diminishing germs in high-risk environments. These practices include safe sneezing and thorough handwashing. Hand sanitizer is also part of the fabric of camp life to assure a healthy camp season.

Shower Facilities at Pali Adventures

At Pali Adventures, every cabin features full bathrooms and shower facilities. The ratio on most cabins are 4 campers per bathroom / shower. Campers can utilize bathroom and shower facilities from the comfort of their own cabin, so they don’t need to worry about navigating to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Each cabin also includes 2-3 private sink areas. Bathrooms are serviced daily by our team of housekeepers, in addition to undergoing a deep cleaning once a week. There are set shower hours and campers have the option of taking morning summer camp showers or evening showers, so they’ll have plenty of opportunities to get cleaned up.

Try Not to Stress

Camp hygiene and showers are part of the overall camp experience, so rest assured that your child will keep up with their hygiene routine while at camp. Summer camp is a great learning experience for kids to figure out the value of hygiene for themselves. Becoming comfortable with taking showers without the help of mom and dad is a valuable skill that won’t be lost on your child. So sit back, and enjoy not having to nag your child about brushing their teeth for a few weeks!