James Donaldson on Mental Health - 13 Tips for Helping Anxious Kids Enjoy Summer Camp

Tools for taming anxiety The key to helping your child get over pre-camp nerves is to acknowledge their feelings and give them tools to help them tame them.

Let your child feel a sense of ownership over the experience.

Involve them in picking the summer camp; familiarize them with the camp environment and teach them about camp activities so they can formulate expectations.

Help your child get excited about camp: Take them shopping for new gear and focus them on fun things about camp that they can anticipate.

Avoid focusing on what makes children anxious.

Instead of asking leading questions like, “Are you nervous about horseback riding?” ask open-ended questions like, “How are you feeling about the horses?” 4.

Don’t trivialize their concerns or offer glib reassurances.

“There’s nothing to worry about!” or “Everyone loves camp!” may discourage your child.

Instead, show that you have empathy and acknowledge their concerns.

Focus on concrete details in conversations leading up to and during summer camp.