You just hit “submit” on the 2026 registration, and now the questions start: Will they like the food? Will they make friends on day one? Will they sleep? The truth is that almost every child who attends a well-run performing arts sleepaway camp in New York says the first night was the only hard one — and by day two, they never want to leave.
How to Talk to Your Child About Daily Schedule Choices at Arts Camp
Show your child the camp website two months early and walk through sample days together. Explain the 100% self-choice system in simple terms: after breakfast, they meet their Unit Leader, tell them exactly what they feel like doing that day, and the staff makes it happen. One day, they might pick three periods of fine arts, one circus class, and a waterfront free swim. The next day, they can switch to full-day musical theater camp rehearsal if they want. Seeing real examples removes 90% of the “what if I pick the wrong thing” worry.
Essential Packing List for First-Time Overnight Arts Campers
Waiting until the night before creates chaos. Two weeks ahead, print the camp list and pack together. Here’s the exact checklist that saved hundreds of parents last summer:
| Must-Have Items | Quantity | Why It Matters |
| T-shirts & shorts | 21 | They will get paint, clay, lake water — you need extras |
| Warm hoodie & long pants | 4 | Adirondack nights drop to the 50s even in July |
| Rain jacket & rain boots | 1 pair each | Afternoon storms happen fast |
| Bathing suits & goggles | 4 suits | They swim or do water sports almost daily |
| Old sneakers + water shoes | 1 pair each | One pair stays dry, one lives wet |
| Reusable water bottle (labeled) | 2 | Hydration stations everywhere |
| Laundry bags (labeled) | 2 | One clean, one dirty — prevents lost clothes |
| Twin sheets OR sleeping bag + pillow | 1 set | Plus one favorite blanket from home |
| Toiletries & 30-day medication supply | Full | Include bug spray, sunscreen, and extra contacts |
| Flashlight/headlamp + extra batteries | 1 | Evening walks to shows |
| Small “costume box” bag | Optional | Wigs, hats, capes — used daily in shows and skits |
Leave tablets, gaming systems, and smart watches at home. Phones are collected on arrival and returned for weekly parent calls.
Three Proven Homesickness Prevention Strategies That Actually Work
Most kids feel a wave around day 3–4. Beat it with these parent-tested tricks:
- Pre-write 10 short postcards or notes and give them to the counselor on drop-off day. Staff hand one out whenever the child needs a boost.
- Pack one medium comfort item (stuffed animal, pillowcase, hoodie that smells like home).
- Teach the 5-5-5 grounding exercise: name 5 things you see, 5 you hear, 5 you feel — takes 60 seconds and stops tears fast.
A 2005 study of 75 boys at a two-week residential camp found that a prevention program that included practice separations and scheduled parent letters cut the intensity of homesickness by roughly 50% compared to campers who received no preparation.
How Friendships Form Faster at Small Performing Arts Camps
With only 225 campers total and everyone sharing the same passions, your child meets dozens of like-minded kids immediately. Bunks hold 8–10 same-age children plus 2–3 counselors who sleep in the room. By the end of opening-day activities, most kids already have a small friend group because they just spent six hours painting, singing, or building sets together.
What Parents Need to Know About Food, Showers, Laundry, and Health Care
Food is all-you-can-eat with multiple stations daily — pasta bar, grill, salad bar, and cereal 24/7. Picky eaters can pack a small sealed bag of their favorite snacks for the first 48 hours. Showers are private stalls with endless hot water. Laundry is collected and returned once a week by the staff. Three registered nurses and an on-call doctor, five minutes away, handle everything from homesickness to tummy aches to poison ivy.
The Five-Minute Drop-Off Rule That Makes Everything Easier
Lingering goodbyes increase tears. The fastest parents hug, say “I love you — you’re going to have the best summer,” hand over luggage, and leave within five minutes. Counselors are trained to swoop in with games, tours, and bunkmates the second you walk away.
Frequently Asked Questions from First-Time Arts Camp Parents
My child has never been away from home overnight. Will they be okay? Yes. Counselors check bunks multiple times after lights-out and know every child by name within 24 hours.
What if they pick an activity and hate it? They change it in the next period. Nothing is permanent.
Can my child call home every day? No — once-a-week scheduled calls plus Unit Leader updates actually reduce homesickness faster.
Do you separate siblings on purpose? Yes, so each child makes their own friends.
What if my child gets sick or injured? Three full-time nurses and a doctor, five minutes away, handle everything.
Make 2026 Their First Amazing Summer
If you want your child’s first overnight experience to be at a small, non-competitive camp where they pick every single activity across theater, fine arts, music, circus, rock band, film, and waterfront with real staff support every day, act now. Long Lake Camp for the Arts still has limited spots open for 2026’s hottest programs at our private Adirondack location (winter office in Dobbs Ferry, NY). Choose three 3-week sessions or two 6-week sessions in the perfect summer arts camp that combines performing arts summer camp and musical theater camp options. Registration is closing soon — secure their spot today at Long Lake Camp for the Arts.
About the Author
Emily Harper is a mom of three and former arts-camp director who has helped more than 1,500 first-time campers and parents get ready for their best summer ever.
