Feeling nervous before sleepaway camp is incredibly common for campers and parents. If your child is having second thoughts, you are not alone. At Camp High Rocks, we see this every summer, and we also see how often nervous campers arrive, settle in, and grow in ways they could not have imagined.
Too Long, Didn’t Read (TLDR): Nerves are normal. Talk about it. Prep with information and practice. Reach out to camp for additional support.
Cold feet before camp does not mean camp is the wrong choice. In fact, nervousness often shows up when something matters.
Camp asks kids to step into something new (or new from last year): new people, new routines, more independence. That combination naturally triggers anticipation-based nerves, the kind of worry that shows up before an important experience, even when the experience itself turns out to be positive.
Darby’s Note: There are many ways to help a nervous camper, and seeing them all listed at once can feel overwhelming. Choose the strategies that feel most helpful for your child and your family.
Sometimes campers say, “I don’t want to go,” but that sentence can carry something deeper. Common worries include:
Listening for the why behind the worry helps you respond in a way that builds confidence rather than pressure.
It can be hard to find the “right” words.
The goal is not to say all the “right” things and to erase nervous feelings, but to help your son believe he can handle them.
These responses acknowledge feelings while reinforcing your son’s ability to cope. Avoiding phrases like “It will be fine,” or “There’s nothing to be scared of.”
If your stomach feels a little tight reading this, that makes sense.
Sending your son to overnight camp can bring up a mix of pride, hope, and worry all at once. You are trusting other adults with something very precious, and that is no small thing.
Your calm, steady presence matters more than having all the answers. When you show confidence, you are telling your child, I believe in you, and I trust this experience.
Small steps before arrival can make a big difference.
Helping support a child who is nervous about camp is one of the many ways we are here to help you before and during the summer!
We can even talk or video chat with your camper too. Our office is open year-around. Monday-Friday 9 to 5 pm ET in the non-summer season. Give us a call at (828) 885-2153.
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