Support and Peace of Mind for Parents Sending Girls to Skyland Camp
Everything families need to know about sending their daughter to a trusted, tech-free summer camp in Clyde, NC. Get details on preparation, safety, and cherished traditions.
Guidance for Parents of Girls Attending Overnight Camp
Helping Your Daughter Prepare for a Memorable Skyland Summer
Sending your child to overnight camp is a big step for both girls and their families. At Skyland Camp & Retreats, we understand the mix of excitement and nerves that can come with a new adventure away from home. For more than 100 years, Skyland has welcomed first-time and returning campers who all arrive with those same butterflies and leave with confidence, independence, and lasting friendships.
It is completely normal for campers to miss home from time to time, and our staff is specially trained to support them through those moments while helping them stay engaged and confident. Simple preparation, like practicing sleepovers, packing together, bringing comforting items from home, and staying connected through letters, can make a meaningful difference in your camper’s experience. With a small camp size and a 3:1 camper-to-staff ratio, every girl receives the personal attention, support, and encouragement she needs to thrive.
Supervision and Generations of Care
How Skyland Provides a Space for Wonder and Growth
Skyland is accredited by the American Camp Association, meeting more than 280 health and safety standards. As a fourth-generation family-owned camp, we care for your daughter with the same attention as those who came before her. Our tech-free policy creates a space for true friendships and full engagement, while our staff’s close supervision means each girl gets individual support. Counselors are trained in youth development and first aid, and a medical provider is available to campers. From managing food allergies to helping with homesickness, our team partners with you to make your daughter’s Skyland experience fun and memorable. But we know that while we care for her, you might get kid-sick! We post daily photos on SmugMug and our office is available via text or phone call if you need to check in with us while she’s at camp. We can often give you an update on her day and let you know how she’s doing!
Fresh, nutritious meals thoughtfully prepared to keep campers energized, satisfied, and ready for every adventure.
Raising the Bar on Summer Camp Food
Camp food at Skyland means fresh produce, wholesome recipes, and family-style service. Skyland’s culinary professionals provide fruits and vegetables aplenty and additional options at each meal for added variety that will please even the pickiest of eaters. Most importantly, food at Skyland is delicious!
Each meal is served family-style with a main dish and sides. Additionally, there is a yogurt and fruit bar available at breakfast and a salad bar available at dinner and supper.
A variety of snacks are available to campers throughout the day, and campers occasionally have the option to buy additional snacks through their spending accounts when the Skyland store is open. Evening snack is served to campers each night in their cabins before heading off to bed.
Skyland can accommodate most dietary restrictions, but please speak to us before registration if you have any concerns. If your camper has a severe or life-threatening allergy or dietary restriction, please speak to us prior to registering to ensure that we can provide care for your camper.
Daily Life, Communication, and Parent Essentials
Packing, Mail Call, and What Families Need to Know
The team at Skyland Camp & Retreats is excited to welcome you and your camper this summer! For more than 100 years, Skyland has welcomed countless first-time and returning campers who had butterflies about being away from home. After registration, you will receive the Parent Handbook, containing a detailed packing list, tips to prepare for camp, information on camper medication, and so much more! We highly encourage all parents to read through the Parent Handbook. Girls are welcome to bring favorite books, stuffed animals, and stationery for mail, while screens and electronics stay at home. Our kitchen team serves family-style meals, with careful attention to dietary needs and allergies. If questions come up, our team is always available before, during, and after camp.
Mail Your Camper
Send a letter to your camper.
There’s so much charm in receiving a hand-addressed envelope. Write often, and share your camper’s summer mailing address with your family and friends. She’ll love receiving good old-fashioned snail mail at Skyland’s daily mail call.
<Camper Name>
Skyland Camp & Retreats
P.O. Box 128
Clyde, NC 28721
Skyland is proud to be a package-free camp! That means only flat envelopes (up to 9×13) will be delivered.
E-Mail Your Camper
Send an email to your camper.
- Log into your Ultracamp account
- In the menu, navigate to “Message Center”
- Select “Email a Camper”
- Purchase email credits. Each email is $1.
- Select the camper who you wish to send an email. Your email will be printed each night for the next day's Mail Call.
- Campers are unable to respond by email but are encouraged to respond with a handwritten letter.
- You can send a Friend Code to family and friends. They will be instructed to make their own account and purchase email credits.
Packing for Camp
One great way to help your camper prepare for camp is to tackle the packing list together. Take your camper shopping for any new items that may be needed, or let them pick out a new special camp blanket or comforter. Label items together so they’ll feel confident that nothing will be lost (this step is very important!). Help your camper arrange their suitcase so they can keep track of all their belongings AND so they can pack their suitcase without you at the end of camp. The more your camper is involved in preparation, the more comfortable she’ll be once she arrives at Skyland. A full packing list can be found in the Parent Handbook.
Opportunity for Every Camper
Financial Aid That Makes the Skyland Experience Possible
Skyland Camp & Retreats believes every girl should have the opportunity to experience camp, regardless of financial circumstances. Our Financial Aid Program can provide up to 100% of Girls Camp tuition based on demonstrated family need, with awards applied directly to your camper’s account. Designed to support families facing temporary or unexpected financial hardship, this program is open to applicants from across the country and all backgrounds.
Each application is thoughtfully reviewed by Skyland’s Campership Financial Aid Committee and administered in partnership with the American Camp Association, ensuring a fair and trusted process. At Skyland, we see camp as more than a summer activity. It is a place where girls discover confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging that stays with them long after camp ends. Financial challenges should never stand in the way of that experience, and our team is here to help make it possible.
Common Parent Questions About Skyland Girls Camp
Helpful Answers for Families Getting Ready for Camp in Clyde
How can I help my child prepare for camp?
There are many ways to help prepare your daughter for camp, starting when you first consider it an option. Engage your daughter in conversations about camp. Tell her all about what she will do at camp, the new friends and counselors she will meet, and the new adventures she will have. Include her in the camp selection process and make sure she likes and trusts the people at camp just as much as you do. Does she want to go to camp with a friend or sibling or will the adventure be completely her own? As camp nears, plan a couple of test-runs for her to sleep away from home, like spending a weekend with her grandparents or tagging along on a trip with a friend.
The whole process of preparing for camp should be supportive and positive. You will likely have your own concerns as a parent, and expressing those concerns to your camper can leave her feeling anxious or afraid. Instead, make getting ready for a camp a bonding experience. You could spend quality time together packing her trunk, picking out stationery so she can write to you, and choosing which stuffed animals and photos to bring to decorate her bunk.
Can I stay in touch with my camper while she is at camp?
Yes! We encourage parents to send letters and emails.
Mail Call, a daily tradition just before the mid-day meal, is an opportunity for campers to receive letters and emails from friends and family back home. Years later, alumnae still flip through scrapbooks of their old letters to and from home and recall fun memories of mail call, writing letters, and learning how to address an envelope.
In addition, some behind-the-scenes efforts are in place to help parents feel connected with their camper while still encouraging her to gain independence. Because of Skyland’s size, it’s likely we will be able to tell you what she ate for breakfast, who her newest friends are, and a few accomplishments in her favorite activity. Many parents also enjoy viewing camp photos that are posted on a password-protected website. This provides a glimpse in to daily life at Skyland and allows an opportunity to see your camper engaged in some of her favorite activities.
What if my child needs medical care?
A medical provider oversees the health of campers and staff. Health Center staff distribute daily medications and support the health center to ensure 24-hour coverage. Staff members are trained in first aid and adult/child CPR. There is a regional medical center and pediatrics office approximately three miles from camp.
Parents will be contacted if their camper needs medical care from an outside provider. All campers are required to carry medical insurance for the duration of the camp program.
What will she eat at camp? Does Skyland accommodate food allergies?
Our meals are home cooked by culinary professionals, and served family style. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful at each meal, and it’s common to see fresh fruits on the all-day snack table, a healthy salad bar at supper, or an oatmeal bar at breakfast.
If your camper has specific dietary needs, let us know and we’ll be happy to discuss options for her. Skyland can provide for most common food allergies and restrictions, including gluten and dairy sensitivities, vegetarian and vegan diets, and many allergies. Unfortunately, Skyland is not able to accommodate severe or life-threatening food allergies.
What if my camper gets homesick?
While some campers report never feeling homesick, most campers, and even counselors and admin staff, will miss home at some point during the camp session. This is completely normal and is actually considered a healthy part of youth development. In fact, campers gain an enormous amount of confidence, and are better prepared for obstacles they may face in the future, after they’ve overcome even the mildest of homesickness.
Skyland’s counselors and staff are well trained in time-tested techniques that help campers successfully navigate homesickness and fully immerse themselves in the camp experience.
So my daughter will be fine, but what if I get "kid-sick"?
We also realize that the overnight camp experience is sometimes harder for those back home than it is for the camper. (We know how quiet that house can be when your camper is away!) We are committed to ensuring the camp experience is as fulfilling for you back home as it is for your camper on Skyland Hill.
During camp, parents are welcome to call, email, or even text with Skyland’s director team.
Many parents have LOVED reading Michael Thompson’s book Homesick and Happy, either as they prepare for camp or while their daughter is away at camp. We recommend it to all new parents and it is a valuable tool that helps readers learn and understand the value of the camp experience for the camper, the parent, and the entire family. It is a fabulous resource and one that many Skyland parents have recommended to others.
We also have resources and references if you’d like other things to read or if you’d like to connect with other Skyland families.
What Parents Are Saying