In today’s society, where children are often expected to have the hottest brand name clothing or have perfectly styled hair when they go to school, there can often be pressure and competition among peers to look a certain way. Camps want to help reduce the societal pressure youth often feel during the school year and many summer camps have implemented camp uniforms and restrictions on clothing, swimwear, and hair accessories over the years. For generations, summer camps have been communities that focus on children learning self-confidence, leadership, and respect for others, and many camp professionals have found that any kinds of stress regarding clothing and looks can interfere with a camp’s philosophy and daily camp activities.
In a 2012 survey conducted of 361 camps by the American Camp Association, more than 70% of camps said their program implements dress code policies or has rules about the type of swimwear, makeup, or accessories campers are allowed to use. Nearly 22% of those camps said such policies are aimed at lessening personal differences as a way to reduce teasing and 23% said these rules help to build a sense of community among campers. Camp clothing policies allow campers to be less self-conscious about their appearance and can turn their focus to more valuable life lessons at their camp.
There are many summer camps that have had the long-standing tradition of camp uniforms for generations while others have implemented them over the past couple of years. Having uniforms allows campers to focus on camp activities and getting to know each other in less superficial ways than clothing or appearance. Camp uniforms can also encourage acceptance no matter what a child is wearing.
Camp Echo, a coed resident camp in Burlingham, NY, is a uniform camp where campers and counselors wear Echo t-shirts each day. “There is no reason for added pressures or the feeling of competition, particularly in what the children are wearing,” says Jeff Grabow, owner and Director of Camp Echo. “Competitive dressing is eliminated, and we can focus on friendships, building self-esteem, and just having fun.” While some camps may not have uniforms, they may restrict campers from bringing brand name clothing or ask that campers only pack solid colored clothing.
Some camps also have policies about certain styles of clothing like spaghetti strap tank tops and swimwear to lessen body image issues, mainly among young girls. There are both day and sleepaway camps that only allow one-piece bathing suits and ask campers to leave two-piece suits, tankinis, and spaghetti strap shirts at home.
Cole Kelly, Director of Camp Weequahic, a coed resident camp inLakewood, PA, applied a one-piece bathing suit policy for their campers and staff beginning in 2009. “First of all, one-piece suits are better for our numerous lakefront and waterskiing activities. Secondly, as a coed camp with 8- to 16-year-olds and 20- to 24-year-old counselors, it helps us keep the focus on what’s important—building friendships and skills—without having any potential distractions,” says Kelly. “When parents and our staff learn of this policy, it’s welcomed and supported quickly and easily. We all feel it’s more in line with the active, traditional, ‘down home’ feel of Weequahic.”
Makeup, hairdryers, and hair straighteners have also made it onto the list of items to leave at home. Eliminating these items from the camp community allows girls to focus on activities and not worry about how they look or others are viewing them. Out of similar motives, many camps have rules that ban or limit all kinds of goods and services—from personal electronics to how much you can spend at the canteen. To the extent that they can, camp directors want to foster an atmosphere where interpersonal connection and personal values come to the fore and material possessions are not an important factor in how people relate to each other.
Even camps that don’t implement dress codes for their campers will usually have camp shirt policies and one-piece bathing suit rules for all staff members. Camp directors want counselors dressing modestly, so mandatory staff shirts and swimwear rules ensure that they’re dressing properly and setting good examples for campers.
Each camp’s policy is different, so it’s important for parents to check with the camp about whether they require uniforms or if they have clothing and accessory restrictions before your child heads off for a great summer.
For more information on camps, visit aca-nynj.org, therightcamp.com, and www.newyorkfamily.com
