My husband and I have chaperoned dozens of youth trips now and we typically have learned what we should not do by actually doing what we should not have done. Here are some tips I’ve picked up that could help you as we go into teen camp/conference season:

1. Bring an extra pillow. There’s always at least 1 kid who didn’t remember their pillow.
2. Bring an extra camisole in the average size of your girls. If you’re asking them to follow a specific dress code, you can most certainly count on at least one girl bringing shirts that are too low cut.
3. Bring an extra Bible. Not every kid who goes to a teen camp or conference will own a Bible. Bringing an extra Bible, and not a cheap one from the dollar store, is a great way to make sure those kids get one of their own.
4. Pack a first aid/emergency kit. Bandaids, anti-itch cream, aloe vera, sunblock, tylenol, antacid, Benadryl, pads/tampons. EVERY TRIP I’ve ever been on, I’ve needed something from that list for at least 2 kids. Every trip, it comes up.
5. Know that many hotels require an adult in every room. This could cause issues if you need to stay at a hotel, but don’t have enough chaperones.
6. Try to plan at least 4 fundraisers: you’ll inevitably have 1 kid do all 4, but most kids only get to do 1 or 2 of these. Our favorite of all favorite fundraisers is a tract-a-thon. You have kids sign up for sponsors (“I’ll give you 25 cents per tract up to 20 dollars”, etc) and then go hand out tracts, canvas neighborhoods, pass out van flyers or church ministry flyers, etc. Every year we’ve done this, we’ve had at least 1 kid get fully funded.
7. Let parents know when and where their kids will be while you’re gone. Check in with them when on the trip to make sure they know their kids are safe.
8. Take extra vitamin c or Airborne starting a week before camp. Your body’s going to be pushed to its old-person limits and you’re very likely to get sick towards the end or right when you get back.
9. Make sure all your forms are turned in from parents at least a week before the camp. This gives you time to figure out if any other information or paperwork is needed.
10. Pray, pray, pray, pray, pray. If you want God to convict one of your kids for something specific, ask Him for it repeatedly leading up to the trip. God won’t work if you don’t work.

Happy travels!

Love, Meghan