Do Not Pack

Sorry (not sorry) — a few things need to stay home this summer. We've been doing this for 28 years, so trust us: this list exists for a reason.

• Tight/revealing clothing, or anything advertising cigarettes, alcohol, sex, or drugs — this is camp, not a music festival

• High heels — the only heels that work in the Hill Country belong to hiking boots

• Two-piece bathing suits — one-piece or tankini only

• Sheer or strapless clothing — see above, still camp

• Skirts shorter than fingertips

• E-readers, iPods with screens, game devices, or anything with internet access — the whole point of camp is putting screens down; we promise the wifi withdrawal fades by day two

• Valuables or jewelry — if it's expensive or sentimental, it belongs in a drawer at home, not a cubby in a cabin full of eight-year-olds

• Matches, lighters, fireworks, or candles — we've got that handled, no home pyrotechnics needed

• Food — see our Package Policy; the dining hall's got them covered

• Silly string or slingshots — we love chaos as much as the next camp, just not that particular flavor

• Skateboards, scooters, or shoes with wheels — this isn't a skate park, and our counselors have enough to keep track of already

• Cell phones — the biggest one. No exceptions, no "just for emergencies," no sneaking it in the bottom of a duffel bag (we will find it)

Here's the real ask: go over this list with your camper before they pack, not after they've already snuck something into a sock. We know the temptation to wink and say "just don't get caught" is real — resist it. Modeling "rules are for other people" is a bad look for a parent, and it's an even worse way for your camper's summer to end early. A confiscated phone is annoying. A camper sent home mid-session over something on this list is a whole different conversation, and not one any of us want to have.

Go over the list, mean it, and let's get your camper to the full summer they signed up for.