First Guide camp- packing tips

Hope she has a great time. Just back from expedition with our scouts including 2 of my dc so my kitchen floor is now covered in rucksacks. Tent to dry, water bladders to clean etc. Thankfully not much washing as none of us bothered to change our clothes and just got straight into sleeping bags fully dressed. Keeps you warm and saves time in the morning!

Ziplocks are fine. Mine has gone this weekend with her kit divided into the biggest ikea green sandwich bags

Definitely get her to pack her own bag herself. It really helps once on camp, as she will know where things are, and what she's got. Of course you can supervise to make sure everything is in, but let her do the actual physical packing.

Organising into ziplocks/packing cubes is a good idea, it will help keep things organised and dry.

A spare torch if you have one is a great idea. It's amazing how many torches go missing on the first night, only to reappear at the end of the camp, usually under the groundsheet, or at the bottom of a sleeping bag!

I'd say no to phones. We discourage girls from bringing them as ringing home makes any homesickness worse, plus potential for inappropriate use, losing, damage etc.
I send DD with a thin thermal roll mat and an inflatable SIM.
Personally I like to use a sleeping bag liner for a bit of extra warmth at night.
Try not to overpack. She'll have to carry her own stuff.

When I camped at her age my mum would always send me with a list of everything I had brought with me. I then ticked it off as I repacked my bag at the end and meant I didn’t forget stuff.

She needs to pack herself. Give her the kit list and get her to make a pile of stuff that you discuss and check as it goes in the bag. Eg sports style t shirts are better than cotton as cotton gets all heavy when wet. A fleece is better than a thick hoody for the same reason. Unless the thinks about the reasons for her choices she won't learn and understand why we suggest them.

Get her to think about spare batteries for torch etc.

If she stays in guides and does a lot of camping then a couple of dry bags are a good investment so she can use a big one to line her bag and a smaller one for other bits. My dc usually put the sleeping bag in a dry bag at the bottom so it can be accessed from the bottom zip and then line the rest of the bag with a big dry bag.

Packing cubes are great for organising, I love them. A small one for underwear so it doesn't end up spread over the tent, a bigger one for t shirts and then a small wash bag and one for used underwear.

Label everything you can. Even pants. Especially pants. For some reason there are always pants left at the end of camp and nobody will claim them.

Sweets and snacks for midnight feasts are obligatory even if the leaders tell you not to. But be considerate, not something that will get squashed around the tent. We once had a child being a lemon drizzle and eat out with their friends in the tent, they just tore chunks off! But oh the state of the tent.....

Depends if she's in a tent or not. The thicker it is, the more insulating against the ground and the warmer she'll be.

Off on camp this weekend....

if she is camping as in in a tent not a hall in the next few weeks... bobble hat, bed socks - a fresh pair for each night (damp sweaty socks are cold - if she changes nothing else all trip try and get her to change her socks before bed), gloves, thick fleecy pyjamas (not onsies as trip to the toilet block leaves you freezing....), extra blankets - if you can stictch the blanket together down its seem to make an extra "bag'to put her sleeping bag in... its cold...

She might do bed rolls with guides. Some do some don't bother. If she does she'll need a piece of tarpaulin or a survival bag to wrap it up in, and either 2 legs from old tights or some bungee ropes to tie it together. Make sure she has a proper sleeping mat - that and the taup/survival bag which stays underneath the mat will keep her warm... if she doesn't do bed rolls I'd still take the taup/bag but a large sports direct bag is another option for carrying bedding

Did I say it's cold....

I’d suggest not an oodie - they are bulky to story and heavy if they get wet. Better to layer up with a fleece, and hat and gloves if it is cold.

Your Guide leaders will have their own rule about phones - best to ask them. We always say no - we don’t want the responsibility or the upset if they get lost/damaged, we don’t have facilities to charge them, we want the girls engaging with the camp, not their phones, we want to curate photos, etc (some girls do not have parental permission for photos) and, possibly most importantly, we want them to talk to us if they are not happy, not to their friend at home. Their friends can’t do anything to help, and homesick girls tend to wallow in that; the leaders on site can actually help, so we want to be their first port of call. If they desperately want to call home they can use our phone.

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My friend uses these for scout and guide camps with their names on and the day for the stuff to be worn/ used

From a former Guide leader, please no sweets...

I've spent too many nights waiting for over excited, sugar-fuelled Guides going to sleep in cold dark fields. Ants don't come into it - it's the sugar-rush and feeling ill that's miserable for leaders.

I'm a leader in Scouting. You've had some great advice here. My main advice would be to either use a bag with plenty of extra space or include a large extra bag (ikea bag or large bag for life). Loads of children arrive with neatly packed bags that are just big enough for all their kit but by the end of camp they can't squeeze it all in (especially tightly packed sleeping bags etc). It takes ages if leaders have to help everyone re-pack (and the children find it frustrating)- so much easier if the child knows they have an extra bag to throw everything in at the end. Also, make sure that the clothes (including shoes) etc can easily be taken on and off by your DD on her own- if there are particular items she needs help with let the leaders know so they can sort it for her without her feeling embarrassed by having to ask

I labelled each day for dd, wasn't camping thankfully (not guided) but sent a spare days clothing, plus extra underwear too (accidents). I sent a spare sleeping bag via the leaders.

Also (can you tell I have done this a few times!) don't take best clothes or pale clothes, take things that dry quickly (fleece rather than hoody is a good example) - basically comfy warm clothes you don't mind getting mucky. If she has long hair, pack some bobbles. Leaders will have spare san pro but pack some if you might need it.
We're fairly relaxed about sweets as they don't seem to be around long enough to attract ants. Pack a couple of things like cereal bars or breakfast bars - you shouldn't go hungry but it's useful to have something safe and familiar to eat if your child only likes certain foods. My DD came home quite hungry from a scout catered event once where literally every meal was sausages and bread! Don't take chocolate if it's going to be warm.

Girl Guiding Packing