Dropping your kid off at camp is one of those parenting moments that feels exciting and gut-wrenching at the same time. You want them to thrive, but you also know there's a real chance you'll get a letter (or a tearful phone call) that says they want to come home.
Getting homesick at summer camp is normal. It's not a sign that camp is wrong for your kid or that they're not ready. It's a sign that they love their family and their home, and that adjusting to something new takes time. The good news? There's a lot you can do to make it easier, both before and after drop-off.
Why Kids Get Homesick at Camp
Homesickness isn't just missing home; it's the feeling of losing control over your environment. At camp, everything is new: the schedule, the people, the food, the bed, even the sounds at night. Kids who haven't spent much time away from home may not have the coping tools to manage that transition on their own.
It tends to peak in the first few days and again around the middle of a session. Once kids get into the rhythm of camp life, make a friend or two, and start to feel capable in this new environment, the homesickness usually lifts on its own. The goal is to help them get there.
Before Camp: How to Prepare Kids for Homesickness
The best time to talk about homesickness is before it happens. Not in a "you might feel terrible and here's what to do" way, but in a casual, matter-of-fact way that normalizes it to your kids.
Have the Conversation Early
Let them know that missing home is something almost every kid feels at some point, and that it doesn't mean anything is wrong. Share a story about a time you felt nervous or homesick in a new situation and how you got through it. Knowing that even adults feel this way can take some of the shame out of it.
Practice Short Separations
If your child has never spent a night away from home, they may just need a test run. Let them have a sleepover at a grandparent's, a friend’s, or even a one-night camp trial run to help alleviate some of that pressure. This isn’t about trying to toughen them up; it's about building their confidence so that they can handle being away. If they are nervous, let them know that you'll be there when they get back, so there is nothing to worry about.
Let Them Help Pack
Packing for camp together gives kids a sense of agency and ownership over their experience. When they get to choose which hoodie comes with them and which stuffed animal makes the cut, you’re getting them excited and helping them start to picture themselves having a good time at camp. Shop our Camp 2026 collection to get everything on the list, from bedding to bunk gear to the clothes they'll live in all summer.
Set Up a Communication Plan in Advance
Find out the camp's letter and phone call policies before they go. If they allow it, set up a schedule, such as writing a letter every Sunday and Wednesday, or a phone call every Friday evening. Knowing there's a predictable connection to home can make the stretch between contact points feel more manageable.
Pack a Comfort Item Without Making a Big Deal of It
A favorite pillowcase from home, a soft blanket, or a small stuffed animal tucked into their suitcase gives them something familiar to come back to at the end of a tough day. No need to frame it as a "just in case things get hard" item; just do it matter-of-factly as a part of the process so that they can have a taste of home while away.
Once They're There: What to Do If Your Kid Is Homesick at Camp
If you get word that your kid is struggling, the first instinct is to fix it immediately. That's an understandable urge for parents! But for most kids, the most helpful thing is a combination of acknowledgment, encouragement, and a little time.
Don't Promise to Come Get Them
It's the hardest thing in the world to hold firm when your kid is upset. However, promising to bring them home if they can't handle it sets a low threshold that makes the homesickness worse. Most camps ask parents not to make this promise for this exact reason. Instead, tell them you hear them, that you love them, and that you know they can do this.
Write Letters That Are Warm, but Forward-Looking
What you put in a letter matters. Avoid writing about how much you miss them or how quiet the house is, because while it's true, it gives them more reason to focus on what they're missing at home. Instead, write about funny things that happened, ask questions about their activities, and express genuine excitement about what they're experiencing. End with something to look forward to: a meal out when they get home, a movie you're waiting to watch together, or an activity with friends.
A well-timed care package can also do a lot of the heavy lifting. Check out our guide to must-have camp care package ideas for the things that actually land with kids, from personalized gear to comfort items that feel like home without making them more homesick.
Encourage, Don't Rescue
Send a letter that gives them a specific challenge: "Try to learn one new person's name today," or "Find one activity you love this week." Small goals give them something to focus on other than the distance from home. Every small win builds the confidence that eventually makes the homesickness fade.
Trust the Camp
Good camps have seen this sort of thing before. Counselors are trained to support kids through homesickness, and most camps have a system for flagging kids who are really struggling versus kids who are having a normal adjustment period. If the camp isn't calling you, that's usually a good sign; it means they have it handled. Trust in their process!
The Bigger Picture
Kids who work through homesickness at camp come out the other side with something real: the knowledge that they can handle the hard stuff, that feelings pass, and that they're more capable than they thought. That's not a small thing!
Your job is to make it easier to get there, not to prevent the difficulty entirely. Pack the right stuff, set the right expectations, and trust that they've got this…because they do!
Ready to set them up right before they leave? Shop everything they need for a great summer at Denny's x Lester's Camp 2026, from the first-day outfit to the bunk essentials that make any cabin feel more like home.
