Hey, first-time camp family!

On Opening Day, you’ll probably notice that a lot of campers pack for camp in a trunk rather than a suitcase or duffle bag. While any of those options are great, our camp families have found that trunks are durable year after year, easy to clean, and easy for their campers to navigate throughout the week. Plus, campers love to decorate their trunks with stickers to show their personality, represent the years they have come to camp, or show off the cabins they have been in! Please note: trunks need to be no taller than 16 inches to fit under our bunk beds. 

Helpful Hint: Pack each day’s outfit in an individual zipper bag! Also, your camper’s empty laundry bag makes a great space to pack their bedding and pillow and frees up space to pack everything else.

Get your creative brain going! Each year we have different Theme Nights, and we love seeing how campers come dressed up. There are some Theme Nights that stay the same, and some that change every year. 

An all-time favorite at Base Camp is Mission Impossible: a chance to work as a cabin to complete your mission and gather the most points.  

Each year at Camp Travis, Thursday nights have traditionally been the Boot Scoot: a night under the lights, two-stepping, line dancing and, of course, eating watermelon.  

Be sure to check your camper's packing list for tips on how pack best for their Theme Nights. Packing lists are released each year on March 1st . 

Campers are not required to dress up according to the theme, but many do! While some campers love to go all out with their theme night costumes (and we love to see them!), costumes don’t need to be elaborate. You can make a theme night costume out of things you already own. 

The excitement of camp starts even before you get here! Opening Day is for parents and campers alike. The whole family can get FUAGNEM (fired up and going nuts every minute) for camp with car paint, costumes, and silly string! 

You will not need to park your car once you arrive at camp, as parents will be asked to remain in their cars on Opening Day. Instead, you will follow our drive-thru stations to drop off your camper and their belongings. 

At Base Camp, you can expect the following drive-thru stations:  

• Check In - This is where you will learn what cabin your camper will be in for the week!  
• Med Drop off – If you have medication for your camper, you will need to give it directly to the nurse. Be sure to have your medication already bagged up and labeled to keep the line moving. We have a strict medication policy. Please follow all instructions to be ready to hand off meds in the car line.  
• Mail Drop off - Please prepare any packages or notes beforehand with your camper's name on every package and the day of the week you wish for it to be delivered (example: Suzie Smith – Tuesday). Reminder: no food, candy, or cameras.  
• Luggage Drop off - We will grab your luggage out of your car for you, just pop the trunk! Please make sure your camper’s luggage and bedding are together, labeled with their name, and easily accessible in your trunk.  
• Camper Drop off - Say a final good-bye to your camper. We will take it from there! Our coaches will take them to their cabin and help make their beds and get them settled. 

At Camp Travis, you can expect the following drive-thru stations:  

• Director Greet - Our Camp Travis directors will greet you as you pull through the gates.  
• Luggage Drop off - We will grab your luggage out of your car for you, just pop the trunk! Please make sure your camper’s luggage and bedding are together, labeled with their name, and easily accessible in your trunk.  
• Med Drop off – If you have meds, you will need to give those directly to the nurse. Be sure to have your meds already bagged up and labeled to keep the line moving. We have a strict medication policy. Please follow all instructions to be ready to hand off meds in the car line.  
• Camper Drop off - Say a final good-bye to your camper. We will take it from there!  
• Mail Drop Off - Drop your letters and/or packages off at this station. Make sure your mail is labeled with your camper's name on every package and the day of the week you wish for it to be delivered (example: Suzie Smith – Tuesday). Reminder: no food, candy, or cameras. 

In all, you can expect the drop-off process to take 20-30 minutes at Base Camp, and up to an hour at Camp Travis. If you have campers at both camps, you will drop off your Base Camper first and then drop off your Camp Travis camper. Drop off times are staggered to make this possible. 

After drop off, your camper will take a swim test in order to be allowed to swim without a life jacket at camp. They will need to be able to swim across the pool once, in one direction, without assistance. There is no specific stroke required. 

If a camper does not pass their swim test, they will be required to wear a life jacket in the pool for the duration of the week for safety. If your camper requires a life jacket, their coach will wear one in the pool as well, so that they do not feel embarrassed or singled out. 

Your camper’s cabin will be their home away from home for their week at camp! At Base Camp, bunks are assigned to campers. At Camp Travis, campers pick their bunks on a first-come-first-served basis. Our coaches stay in the cabins with campers each night to watch over their safety, comfort, and fun while at camp. 

Here's a little behind the scenes on the naming of our cabins: 

Base Camp cabins are named after cities in Texas. 

Camp Travis cabins are named after bodies of water in Texas. 

At Base Camp, the cabins are air conditioned and have bathrooms with single, private stalls and showers, located inside of the cabin. 

Camp Travis cabins, while not air-conditioned, are equipped with two large fans. Campers can also bring battery powered fans to use. 

Absolutely not. This is actually super common! 

We are confident your camper will make friends quickly! Our cabin assignments and friend requests are strategically managed to ensure no one feels left out. Our coaches are trained to help campers make friends and ensure sure everyone is included, without forming cliques. After all, this is camp! For this week, your camper gets to take a break away from hard friendship dynamics and embrace the joy of creating new memories. 

We know you will miss your camper while they are away! Our T Bar M Camps app for Apple and Android gives you the opportunity to stay connected while your camper unplugs. Once you download the app, simply log in with the same email and password you used when you registered for camp. If you prefer to use a computer, you can log in with the same credentials here. 

Through the app, you will be able to send one-way messages to your camper called “Bunk Notes.” When you submit a note before 11:59 pm, it will be printed and given to your camper the next day! Please note: campers will not be able to respond to bunk notes electronically. If you would like to pack stationery and stamps with your camper, they will be able to send physical mail home from camp. 

The T Bar M app is also where you will be able to see photos of your camper posted throughout the week! You will find them in the “gallery” tab of the app, located in the center of the menu on the bottom of your screen. While photos are periodically uploaded throughout the day, all photos from each day at camp will be uploaded to the app by 10 am the next morning. 

Camp Store goodies make camp even sweeter and give your camper a memory to take home with them! Campers have a designated time during their week at camp to visit the camp store with their cabin and find the perfect memento to take home. Each year there are new shirts, sweatshirts, hats, memorabilia, snacks etc. to purchase. Before going to camp, you can add store money online to your camper's account. 

If you have any other questions about preparing for camp, feel free to give our registrars, Gaye and Stacy, a call at 830-620-4263. They would love to answer your questions or connect you with another member of our team who can. 

Let the countdown to summer begin!