Whether your camper has stayed overnight with grandparents or attended a slumber party with friends in the past, going to “sleep away camp” is a very big deal. Sometimes it’s an even bigger deal to us—the parents who have to stay home! I keep asking where the “parent cabins” are and they tell me there aren’t any…yet! One can only hope.
So, how do we keep connected while kids are at camp? If you’re like me, you want to know every single detail: What’s their favorite activity? Are they making friends? Do they like the food? Have they done all the water slides? Did they wear that special outfit we picked out for Planet Ozark? You want to hear it all!
I’m no professional, but here’s what I have realized after so many years of dropping kids off for camp: they are just too busy having fun with the activities, making new friends, loving the yummy food, doing all the waterslides, and dancing in that new outfit for Planet Ozark to even think about what’s going on at home!
If you’re like me, you don’t like a lot of app notifications on your phone. But when my boys are away at camp, I make sure the Camp Ozark Go app notifications are ON! When my phone lights up with a new notification, I can hardly move my fingers fast enough to see what’s going on at camp!
The Camp Ozark Go app is super informative and useful for staying connected with my kids! Here are some highlights:
Opening Day Info is available after gates open in the afternoon. You’ll find your camper’s cabin number, a photo of their cabin, and cabin counselor bios. I just love getting to see their counselors.
Photo Magic is…well, magic! There is just no other way to describe it. I am always stunned to see how accurate this facial recognition technology is. Be sure to go through the process of setting this up in your camper’s registration on the My Ozark dashboard or Camp Ozark Go app. Upload a clear, forward-facing image of their face. The Ozark Media Team is huge! They are literally everywhere on camp property. They work so hard to upload thousands of photos a day. When your phone lights up with a new photo notification you’ll understand why they call it magic!
Did you know your camper will send you a Digital Postcard during their session? Your camper will write you a postcard after the first few days of camp and it will be available to view on your dashboard. Now, parents, don’t be disappointed when they write the bare minimum, “Camp is fun. I miss Finn.” (This is a direct quote from my youngest son. Finn is our dog.) Fortunately, the Digital Postcard from your camper’s Counselor is written a little more thoughtfully! Your camper’s counselor will send you details about how your camper is doing in the cabin and what fun they have been experiencing as a cabin group.
The other great feature on the Camp Ozark Go app are the Session Stream updates. They are real time updates about what’s happening at camp—with photos and videos.
So, even though you must wait until after camp to get all the details on their incomparable experience, take advantage of these innovative ways to keep up with your camper!
Check out this blog for info on how to send mail and packages to your camper during their session.
