Camps & Excursions

Preparing for camp

School camp is an exciting time for most students, however some students can have small or more significant worries about attending camps. Most of our camps occur in Term 4, however it is not unusual for students with these worries to start thinking about them as early as Term 1. The story in their head (the narrative) can be to focus on the negative aspects and the more the child dwells on these aspects the bigger they seem to become. Worries are like tomatoes – the more we feed and water them (with our thoughts) the bigger they become! The skills below can be a big help, but they need continual rehearsal so that they become second nature – like any skill we have to practice them.

Resource: https://www.counselorkeri.com/2019/05/12/help-kids-deal-with-worry/

This website has a really excellent guide for parents on how to start preparing their child to manage their anxieties about camp, which in turn makes sending a child to camp that much easier. There is a printable guide for kids on the website that is a fantastic way to start the conversations and build students’ confidence: https://www.superpowerkids.net/2021/10/14/school-camp-anxiety-10-strategies-for-a-stress-free-camp/

It can be helpful for schools to be aware of students who might be experiencing these issues well ahead of time so that they can support students in collaboration with families.