Summer camp season is upon us, and our children have been excitedly preparing to spend a week at camp. Camp is more than a “big deal” around here — the kids have been counting down the days on a chalkboard, and their duffel bags are quickly filling up with everything from card games to Yes and Know books to flashlights and bug repellent patches.
The camp our kids attend assigns each cabin its own color, and the colors are also the campers’ team colors for the week for team sports and “color war” play. All the kids in each cabin must wear the same color shirts all week long. It’s easy for the camp and counselors to identify where the kids belong and which activity they’re supposed to be at simply by looking at their shirt colors.
The first year our kids went to camp, they were assigned to the blue cabin and team, and blue is a pretty easy color to pack for. I think many kids, especially boys, are likely to have a week’s worth of blue shirts to wear. When that week of camp was up, our oldest son came home with some blue shirts in his bag that weren’t his, and he also took some blue shirts to camp that we never saw again! (I was glad we did not send his best clothing, of course.)
The shirts that did return home, however, were also among the dirtiest clothing I’ve ever laundered.
Me: “What happened to this?”
Son: “We were playing kickball, but instead of bases, there were kiddie pools filled with slime that you had to slide into to be on base! It was awesome!”
We made a mental note to make sure that, in future years, we would only send older or “expendable” shirts in case they were ruined during slime kickball, lakeside tug-of-war, or any other crazy camp activities.
This year, our boys were assigned the color green. After surveying the green shirt options in their closets and drawers, we decided that a shopping trip was in order to acquire a few more green shirts. (We needed a week’s worth of green shirts for two boys, and we just didn’t have that many green shirts on hand!)
We picked up several green T-shirts at our local Goodwill store during their recent $1.23 Day sale, where all clothing items are $1.23 for one day each month.
So many different shades of green! Some of our Goodwill finds were actually pretty nice. I’m sure that Disney Animal Kingdom shirt was more than $1.23 when it was originally purchased in the park! The golfing Minion tee, the shirt with the horizontal stripes, and some solid greens were among our other bargain $1.23 Goodwill finds. Score!
Our college-age daughter is returning to camp as a counselor this year too. Our boys are excited that they’ll all be at camp together at the same time as their big sister, as she will be the counselor of the green girls’ cabin. Just a few days ago, we learned that as a counselor, our daughter is also required to wear the color of her cabin: Green.
How many adults have a week’s worth of green T-shirts on hand? She went through her clothes and found a few, but she definitely needed some more before the end of the month.
I was flipping through the new Menards ad last night and saw this:
Jokingly, I said to her (and really, I was kidding… although she knows how bargain-minded I am!) “Menards has T-shirts free after rebate. You could go get four green shirts and you’d have enough.”
She immediately replied, “That’s great! Then I don’t have to worry about anything getting ruined at camp.”
She and I headed to Menards this afternoon to go shopping, and her new assortment of green Menards T-shirts is set to be laundered, labeled, and packed for camp.
Who would have thought: A new, free, “designer” summer camp wardrobe from Menards!
(Too bad Menards doesn’t have free tees in kids’ sizes…)
Kristin Gross says
May I ask the name of the summer camp your kids attend? It sounds like a good experience!
Coupon Maven says
Kristin, I would rather not share the name of their camp publicly — I hope you understand. I share a lot of our life here, but we’ve had some issues which have led me to be more protective of the privacy of my minor children.
That said, yes, summer camp is a great experience for them. I’m sure some kids have trouble being disconnected from devices and phones for a week, but the boys really look forward to it. Camp activities keep them busy every day, and they get to do fun things they’d never do at home :)
We’re a little spoiled in that counselors are allowed to keep their phones, so we can get updates on the boys from our daughter too!
Kristin Gross says
I totally understand! And thanks for all that you do!
wolverine70 says
I’m glad you got a great deal. Color coordinating the kids at camp is a really smart idea. Hope they all have fun!
Coupon Maven says
We had a parents’ meeting the other day about camp, and one of the other moms said that she was getting the colored shirts for her kids at Michael’s — the solid-color ones people buy to tie dye or make crafts out of. They are $3.33 and $1.99 each after a 40% off coupon. I thought that was a great idea too :)
Maria says
If you still need shirts I was at Dollar Tree today and in the aisle with the socks and tote bags, I saw a whole low shelf of solid color T shirts that were only $1! They had kids and adult sizes and I saw green! I did look at the tag and they are 60% cotton 40% poly. I remember one of your kids can’t wear the polyester but you could share this with other moms too. I’m sure they’re not the best shirt but that price is hard to beat. (Well except for your Menards LOL!) https://www.dollartree.com/bulk/T–shirts
Coupon Maven says
Thank you! We are all covered for green for this year, but that is great to know! I will pass that on to the other parents too as we still have time before camp begins. :)
Melanie says
Count me in with thinking the color coordinated shirts is a great idea too.. My daughter went to camp years ago and we had to buy enough camp shirts for the whole week at $10 each. Then what do you do with them when camp is over. Of course they change shirts every year too so you have to buy more.
Your daughter is a really good sport. I don’t think my millennial daughter would wear Menards T Shirts for a whole week! =)
Coupon Maven says
Not ruining her own clothing, as well as knowing she can join in with any messy, muddy, or slimy activity that the campers are doing sealed the deal for her. :)
Cari Soldan says
My oldest will be a day camp counselor for a cub scout day camp this year (which is local and his younger brother and I will be attending). Then the following week he will be off to Owasipee for a week with Boy Scouts. Time to stock up on bug spray!!!
Coupon Maven says
It’s such a fun time of year :) We have scout day camp this summer too, and so I too am trying to set aside bug spray and patches, sunscreens, and everything else they’ll need for both camps :)
Maggie says
We have a park day with extended family every week in the summer. When my kids were little enough to play on the playground by themselves I would dress them in the same yellow and orange t shirts every week. Then I could easily spot them on the playground and i could stay under the picnic shelter and catch up with the relatives. I always thought it was funny that no one ever asked why they wore the same shirt every Wednesday!!
Maggie says
Sorry, big enough to play by themselves :)
Coupon Maven says
When we go somewhere crowded, like a theme park, I still have my kids wear BRIGHT color shirts (day-glow yellow, etc) so I can spot them easily. It’s such a great idea! You never know when you might lose sight of them, and having them in something bright sure helps :)