Preparing for Your First Teen Adventure Camp as a Parent: A Guide
Sending your teen to their first teen adventure camp is an exciting step filled with opportunities for growth, independence, and unforgettable experiences. Bold Earth’s teen adventure camps are crafted to inspire and challenge young adventurers. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help parents and family members prepare for this journey and ensure a smooth transition for teens.
1. Assess Readiness and Interests
The first step is understanding your teen’s interests and concerns. Discuss what excites them about their teen adventure camp and address any uncertainties they may have. Evaluate their readiness by considering how comfortable they are managing personal tasks and adapting to new situations. If they need support in these areas, practice daily routines or discuss strategies ahead of time.
2. Collaborative Planning for Confidence
Involve your teen in planning their teen adventure camp experience to build enthusiasm and ownership. Together, research camp options that align with their passions and review materials like Bold Earth’s brochures and videos. Giving them a clear idea of what to expect will help ease any anxieties. The most important thing for any teen to pack for a Bold Earth trip is a positive attitude and enthusiasm to try new things. The more involved they are with the planning process, the more prepared they’re likely to be for both the highlights and challenges to come.
Travel Preparation
For teens traveling to their teen adventure camp by plane, Bold Earth trip leaders will be there every step of the way. Leaders in bright Bold Earth T-shirts will greet students outside security or directly at the gate for unaccompanied minors. After meeting their trip leader and collecting luggage, students will call home to confirm their safe arrival. It’s a good idea to discuss travel logistics with your teen before they take off so they feel comfortable navigating the airport by themselves. Once they land, our trip leaders will assist with any logistics that present themselves at your teens adventure destination.
3. Building Essential Life Skills
Camp offers a great opportunity to reinforce important life skills. Encourage your teen to practice daily hygiene routines, such as showering and organizing belongings. Your teens will have the chance to do laundry during their trip, which can be a great practice for them if they’re new to using a laundromat. They’ll also need to manage their possessions while traveling. Some students bring a small amount of cash for souvenirs or other valuables. The trip leaders usually hold onto student valuables during the trip, to make sure everything ends up in a safe spot while on the road. It’s a good idea to give teens this heads up if they aren’t already aware that trip leaders will be holding onto their phones and devices for the duration of the adventure. It’s normal for students to feel homesick, disoriented, or outside of their comfort zone at some point during their trip. Although our trips are packed with fun activities and structured to be inclusive, kindness oriented, and welcoming, it’s not rare for students to feel uncomfortable during the first day or two while they’re adjusting. Discuss potential challenges they might face at their teen adventure camp and brainstorm ways to solve them independently.
Safety Measures
Bold Earth trip leaders are highly trained, holding certifications in wilderness first aid and CPR, with senior staff also certified as lifeguards. Leaders undergo annual background checks and driving record reviews, ensuring a safe and well-supported environment for your teen. That being said, teens are also responsible for upholding the safety agreements discussed on day one of every trip. We want our students to feel like part of the team when it comes to making sure everyone stays safe.
Experience-based judgement is what keeps us safe
4. Fostering Independence
Help your teen prepare for the independence they’ll gain at their teen adventure camp. Arrange short overnight stays with friends or family to help them get used to being away from home. Allow them to take responsibility for decisions that affect their daily lives to build their confidence and problem-solving skills. Have them make a meal plan, grocery shop, and cook a weeknight meal to help them prepare for the responsibilities they’ll have while at camp.
5. Preparing for Homesickness
Homesickness is natural, but there are ways to ease the transition. Openly discuss feelings they may experience and share coping strategies, like journaling or writing letters. Packing a comfort item, such as a favorite book or photo, can also provide reassurance. Although your teen won’t be able to use their phone during their trip, writing down notes to friends and family on paper to share during a mid-trip check in or at the end of the trip can be a helpful way to feel connected with loved ones.
6. Packing Together for Success
Create a detailed packing list with your teen, ensuring they have everything they need, from appropriate clothing to toiletries and camp-specific gear. Bold Earth provides packing guidelines tailored to each trip. These packing lists are comprehensive and oriented to the specific needs of your teen’s destination. Try to avoid packing excess items that aren’t on the list. This can lead to bulky luggage that’s difficult to manage while on the move. Label all items to reduce the risk of loss and make unpacking easier.
Dietary Accommodations
Bold Earth accommodates most dietary needs, including vegetarian, gluten-free, and food allergies. We want every student to feel comfortable asking for what they need to feel satisfied, healthy, and at ease. Contact their team to discuss specific requirements or restrictions, such as vegan or kosher diets.
7. Health and Safety Preparations
Ensure all medical forms are completed and that any specific health needs are discussed with Bold Earth staff in advance. Consider the vaccinations needed for specific travel destinations, if your teen will be going international. Provide your teen with emergency contact information and teach them how to communicate effectively if any issues arise.
Communication During Camp
While students won’t have their cell phones, Bold Earth ensures they stay connected to home. Teens will call home once a week, and parents can follow their journey through a dedicated trip blog with photos and updates. Should any problem arise, our trip leaders are able to connect with a Bold Earth regional director immediately. In settings with poor cell reception, our trip leaders carry satellite devices that allow them to call out for help and resources. Bold Earth staff are available 24/7 in case of emergencies.
8. Setting Expectations
Clear expectations set the stage for a smooth camp experience. Discuss Bold Earth’s no-cell-phone policy and daily routines, helping your teen understand how to navigate their time at their teen adventure camp. Highlight the exciting adventures they’ll embark on and the friendships they’ll build. They will be expected to carry a certain amount of responsibility in their group, including preparing meals, setting up camp, and taking a turn as the leader of the day. There will be group chores to perform, like cleaning up dishes and clearing trash out of vans on road-trip days. These tasks are shared among everybody and part of building autonomy and ownership over the trip. Our trip leaders strive to create an authentic, empowering experience and to do that, they will hold teens accountable for taking care of themselves and others. International Travel If your teen’s camp involves international travel, ensure their passport is valid for at least six months after the trip’s end. Bold Earth will notify you of any visa requirements for the destination. Non-U.S. citizens should confirm specific visa needs based on their nationality.
Come Join Us For An Adventure
Preparing for Bold Earth’s teen adventure camp is a collaborative process that fosters excitement and confidence. With the right preparation, your teen will thrive in a safe and supportive environment, creating memories and friendships that last a lifetime. This teen adventure camp experience is not just a journey for your teen—it’s a transformative experience for the whole family. Still have more questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you.
Recent blogs
Arches National Park Adventures
Curious about what life is like on Bold Earth’s teen travel programs? Sophie, a summer camper on one of our trips, submits an exciting blog entry about her experience at Arches National Park! Starting the day with an early 5:00 am wakeup, Dillon, Max, Logan, Don, Jackson, Lindsey, Mariana, and Alexandra, led
Interview With a (Previously) Nervous Student
Leaving your comfort zone to travel for several weeks with a group of strangers can be nerve-wracking. There are new foods, sights, smells, and social dynamics to navigate. Even if we know this new experience will be good for us, it can still feel overwhelming. It’s normal to feel butterflies when
Camera Recommendations for Bold Earth Trips
Many parents choose Bold Earth because of our no-electronics policy—teens finally get a much-needed break from digital and social media! But the first question they ask is, “How will Bold Earth teenagers be able to take photos?!” Believe it or not, digital point-and-shoot cameras are still available (we know, it sounds crazy).
Pros and Cons of Cotton Clothing
As we move into the new year, parents and students begin to look ahead to summer and make their 2019 Bold Earth trip selection. There are so many options taking place around the world—we know it can be hard to choose! With trip selection comes trip planning, and it’s important to
The Silver Lining to COVID-19 Quarantine
As we’ve all grown fond of saying, we’re living in a challenging and unprecedented time. No person in their right mind would describe these past few months as a “good time.” With all who have suffered from the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19, it’s hard to feel positive. I
And then it rained…
Well, I’m not sure if it actually did. But unless you’re on our Grand Canyon trip, it’s bound to rain at least once, right? This may sound odd, but we really like a day of rain on our trips. It doesn’t have to rain – maybe it’s wind or mud.
request your
program proposal
The custom group program process is a collaboration from start to finish. We love hearing about what you hope to get out of the Bold Earth experience.