Summer camp is awesome! It’s full of fun games, great friends, and unforgettable experiences. But what are you doing to help your campers remember those “unforgettable experiences”? What do they have to commemorate their week spent away?
The camp store is a staple in the camp world. It allows your camp to raise some funds, promote itself, and, of course, let’s campers show off where they’ve been. The real question any camp leader should be asking is: “What kind of products do campers want?”. Spending money on something that campers won’t buy not only means lost funds, but also you have to do something with the leftovers. These aren’t freebies for participating. They have to be good. Here’s a few ideas for this summer:
1. Water bottle – This is great for while at camp, too. You can get an inexpensive flip top sports bottle or maybe go high quality with an aluminum or glass version.
2. Beanies and Snapbacks – These head toppers are in, especially for teens and 20s.
3. Patches and stickers – Which can go on bookbags, notebooks, jackets, etc.
4. Notebooks – Whether campers use it to write about their camp experience or jot down some devotional notes, these will be a big hit. This is often an item forgotten at home.
5. Sunglasses – It’s summer. Chances are the sun will be shining and eyes will need shaded.
6. Rain Poncho – In case it isn’t always sunny, disposable rain ponchos are great for keeping campers dry.
7. Temporary tattoos – If your camp centers around a certain Bible verse or theme, you can use that text. Plus, parents will be happy because it will soon wash away.
8. Drawstring bags – Got to have something to put all your camp stuff in.
9. Lanyard – While many use lanyards to hold their keys, at camp they can also function as name tag holders. And when the kids go home, they can be used functionally and fashionably.
10. T-shirts – If you don’t come home with a camp shirt, did you even go to camp??
Now you may be wondering what to put on these items. Hopefully, your camp has a theme or name. Use that! It doesn’t have to be overly fancy or elaborate. Throw the icon or promo image on the product and call it done. Again, it’s something that should remind campers of their time with you. But it shouldn’t cost you a ton of money. Just make sure to let the campers know before arrival that there are souvenirs for sale.