
Preparing for Camp
Choose an option below or scroll down to see the Camp Deer Run Compass, a Cabin Tour, our Packing List, and some Recommended Products

Clothes
- Loose Fitting T-shirts
- Modest Shorts (no shorter than 6 inches above the knee)
- Long pants or jeans (mandatory for horse-back riding)
- Socks
- Underwear
- Pajamas/clothes for bed
- Light Jacket or Sweatshirt
- Rain Gear
- One-Piece Swimsuit
- Theme Day Costumes
- Appropriate Footwear
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- Closed-Toed Tennis Shoes
- Old tennis shoes or water shoes to wear in the creek
- Open-toed shoes or sandals (only for walking to the pool or bathhouses)
- Crocs and other similar shoes (these are permitted but cannot be worn during active camp activities)
Personal Items
- Water Bottle
- Camp Chair
- Twin size sheet set and blanket for cabin
- Pillow and extra pillowcase
- Towels and washcloths (for swimming and showering)
- Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc.
- Laundry Bag
- Bible
- Notebook, Pen or Pencils
- A good flashlight and batteries
- Box fan or clip fan (we recommend a box fan).
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Any necessary medications*
Optional
- Softball Glove
- Hammock
Do not Bring
- Electronic Devices: Cell Phones, Radios, CD or MP3 players, Handheld Gaming Devices, TVs, Laptops, Tablets, iPods, 2-way Radios, Walkie Talkies, Smart Watches, or any type of handheld electronics
- Knives with blades larger than 3 inches (Campers under 13 may not bring knives)
- Weapons, Firearms, Paintball/Airsoft Guns
- Fireworks, Matches, or Lighters
- Bikes, Skateboards, scooters, rip sticks, etc.
- Pets
- Alcohol, Tobacco, E-Cigarettes, Juuls, or Illegal substances
- Candy or Food Items
- Short Shorts
- Tank Tops, Spaghetti Straps, Crop Tops
- Valuable or sentimental items
Packing Tips
- A great packing hack, especially for younger campers, is to pack each day’s clothes into a gallon-sized zip lock bag and label each one so your camper knows what to wear and when!
- Pack plenty of extras. While it’s great to have specific clothes and shoes for playing in the creek or getting muddy, sometimes spontaneous fun happens and no one has time to change clothes or shoes! It’s always good to have some extra shirts, shorts, underwear and tennis shoes, just in case.
- For two-week sessions, each camper will have the opportunity to have 10 clothing items washed mid-session, so you don’t have to pack a full two weeks’ worth of clothes. For more information on Laundry, check out the Camp Deer Run Compass
Labeling
- Please label all clothing and personal items with your camper’s name or initials. When you have 10 kids living in the same cabin, things tend to get mixed up at times! The easiest way to make sure that everyone comes home with all of their things (and nobody else’s) is by labeling everything! It will be a huge help to your camper when they’re packing up to go home, as well as to their counselors and their cabinmates. Camp Deer Run is happy to help you look for lost items, but we are not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items. Labeling is the best way to prevent any of these issues.
Here are a few products we think will make your camper’s bunk setup even better. None of these things are required for Camp. These are not advertisements and we do not profit from anything that you may purchase from this list. These are simply some things that we have seen come in handy over the years.
Box Fan
Bunk Organizer
Hanging Bedside Bunk Organizer
Clothes Trunk
Plano Storage Trunk with Wheels – Medium