Beavers campers- snacks?

[Bemyclementine]

Ds aged 6 is going on his 1st camp, the packinglist say no sweets intents, do they usually take snacks? I'm thinking apples. Cereal are crisps?

We were told strictly no snacks at all, because of ants. Trust me, they get fed plenty (including fruit).

Fruit sounds a good idea, not bananas as they can get squashed.

Usually the rule is no food whatsoever to stop ants etc in tents and mess. Any extra food given in (allergy milks, back up foods for sensory issues etc)

All snacks will be provided. Please don't send anything, it's a nightmare for leaders. Allergies, suitable amount for everyone, kids eating snacks but not thier meals, all make for grumpy leaders.

No need for snacks, they will be very well fed and watered, and kept very busy. It’s bad practice to keep good in tents because of ants/insects - it might well say this on the kit list.

OK thanks, I think he had images of midnight feasts in the tent.

You are trusting your kid overnight with the leaders. Trust them to fed them adequately.

Yes thank you. We have been given very littke information and it's making me a bit anxious. I dont want him to go hungry but as you say, they will have plenty of food.

Theres at least 50% chance they will s ve causing mayhem at midnight!

(There's often smores and hot chocolate before bed too... although maybe that's why they cause mayhem at night...)

And please... name everything. But especially uniform and necker!

By very little information, you mean you haven't been told no snacks but not given a meal plan.

In the nicest way, your expectations might be way off.

Our Young Leaders organise a secret midnight feast some years. In reality, they ask the leaders and we provide snacks and then conveniently don't hear them get the kids up at midnight (or 9pm) to eat a handfull of popcorn, a fairy cake and half a cup of hot chocolate in the mess tent.

The kids think it's great fun. The best is when they become the YLs and are like "wait, you knew about this??".

She hasn’t been told “no snacks”, she says the packing list says “no sweets in tents”. So she’s asking about whether to send anything other than sweets.

Scout leader here, please do not send any snacks with your DS, he will be well fed believe me.
He will have s'mores and hot chocolate with marshmallows or something very similar, no one goes hungry on a scout camp!
He will have a great time, as said upthread, label everything, he will come home with someone else's socks and other random bits. One tip is to send him with a head torch so if he gets up in the night to use the toilet he has both hands free, oh and give him a bin liner to put any wet clothes straight into.
Please don't worry about him, he will have a great time.

I'm a Beaver leader.

Please don't send snacks. They make a mess of the tent. Kids end up eating too much and get sore tummies. They squabble about their snacks.

We provide loads of food and make sure everyone has enough to eat and no one goes hungry.

Another Beaver Leader here.
Please don't send snacks. He will be well fed and will have the very best fun!

I love Camp and we work hard to make sure everyone has the very best time possible.

A bit jealous of your DS!

I often cook for camps.

don’t bring snacks. No child leaves hungry in my watch! But we often ask people to donate some cake to share, if they want to send something.

Absolutely no snacks if they are in tents. I'm guides rather than scouts but no one ever goes hungry on camp!

@RedToothBrush I haven't been told no snacks, I've been told no sweets. I've asked the leaders but not hadca reply yet. It's our first ever experience if this, DS is only 6. I want him to enjoy it. By very little information, I mean I've been given a list of clothes etc required. Nothing else.

Thanks all, he is excited and I'm excited for him, I just really want it to be a great experience!

Everything is named, and no snacks are packed!

Should he take a book, or anything? I'm assuming he'll be busy!

My DS didn't bring any toys or books (just a fluffy toy, which was in the list). But his friends brought some Pokémon cards and a Would you rather? book.

Cards are a good idea, top trumps.

On our bigger organised camps we request sweets then bag up and distribute evenly for daytime- this stops them going mad in the tuck shop saving money and making themselves sickly.

We have a fruit bowl avaliable for grazing so no one goes hungry.

Don't send snacks if they weren't requested. They can cause mess/ damage and make children feel grotty if they go overboard at a bad time.

A book can be a good idea, useful for if he needs a little down-time - depends on what they are doing on the camp. Most Beavers will play footie or a game if there's down time, but no harm in packing a book in case.

By very little information, I mean I've been given a list of clothes etc required. Nothing else

Out of interest, what else were you hoping for? I'm a cub leader, and usually give very little info out before camp, except drop off time, pick up, and a kit list. I might give an indication of the sort of activities we will be doing when advertising the camp, but nothing much after the initial info. I certainly don't give out the menu, or a list of who's in which tents, or a full break down of activities. It only causes problems with parents telling me "Freddie won't eat that, Johnnie will only attend if he's in the same tent as George, Jack won't want to do tunnelling". In the actual event, Freddie, Johnnie, George and Jack will probably do everything, eat everything and will sleep so well they won't care what tent they are in.

Trust that your Beaver leaders will know what they are doing, and your DS will have a wonderful time.

I'd have liked a bit more info on activities, what thy expecting to do each day. DS is 6, and has slept at GPs houses but thats all. He does better if he knows what to expect. Not a minute by minute itinerary, just a general idea.

I’ve been to a number of camps and never seen a child read a book!
make sure he knows what’s packed and how to find it in his bag. Accept that he’ll come home filthy in the same pair of undies he left with and the toothpaste won’t have been touched. Send old clothes.