SURPRISE! It’s your birthday! The annual celebration that makes you wonder, “Where have the years gone?”

Everyone waits for their day to celebrate. It’s a reason to party, and for a party, the timing’s always right. Except when it’s in the summer while your child’s at camp.

How can you say “I love you” and “happy birthday” from afar?

Before making any plans, call the camp to find out what their policies are. Some of the following ideas may or may not be allowed. 

Below are 9 Awesome Ways to Celebrate Your Child’s Birthday in Camp:

1. Secretly Get the Whole Bunk Involved

In the spirit of togetherness and the joys of bonding in camp, secretly send her friends everything needed to decorate the bunkhouse in full birthday glory. Plain old good fun, with streamers, balloons, party hats, and all the bells and whistles. Make sure someone captures the look on your child’s face when everyone yells, “Surprise.”

You can order a complete birthday in a box from Amazon. It’s so easy and simple to ship it to camp. Did I mention free shipping, too? What an added bonus.

2. Have Their Favorite Meal Delivered

 Remember when going upstate meant doing away with luxury and comfort and trading it for simple joys and a good time? Well, me neither. It’s been so long.

There was nowhere to buy ready-made food and no bakeries either. All we had were some basic simple groceries and the occasional trip to ShopRite. (The times before Walmart.)

These days, every town upstate is represented by a food establishment or three. No matter what your child’s favorite foods are, someone somewhere up there sells it.  Parents derive pleasure by feeding their children. Say “Happy Birthday dear, I love you and miss you,” with an order of her favorite Shabbat foods. If you throw carefully place a birthday cake in too, you may as well crown yourself as the parent of the year.

3. Create a Family and Friends Birthday Video

You’d better believe your child’s surprised excitement when he receives a personalized birthday video. How cool would it be when your child is in camp, minding his own business, for him to receive a video loaded with meaningful and heartfelt birthday wishes? Get friends, family, and fellow bunkmates involved. Have them each record a nice birthday message that can be compiled into a birthday video.

4. Date Night with the Parents

With the camp’s permission, of course, go visit your child in camp on his birthday. Better yet, pick him up from camp and take him off the grounds for a couple of hours. There is so much you can do, like visiting beautiful parks or just enjoying a ride in the countryside. (Including those winding narrow roads). There’s nothing like quality time. Top it off with a nice dinner where you and your child get to bond on his special day.

5. Send Them a Fun Party Game

 “Pass the dice, please!”

Camaraderie at camp is all about sportsmanship. Shipping an Amazon box filled with fun party games is an appropriate way to celebrate your child’s birthday.

There is a party-size Twister for the active and flexible folk. For the chatty bunch, Pass the Potato is sure to be fun and garner some laughs. Obviously, no party is complete without Pin the Tail on the Donkey. The older you get, the more fun and ridiculous the game is. After all, camp isn’t about expressing your serious side. It’s all about fun and games and nobody getting hurt.

6. There’s a Party in the House!

Make that a themed party in the house. Amazon has these amazing paper-good sets. Pick a theme, choose a set, order, ship, and your party is all set.

You can go with a retro or a classic birthday. If you’re into the watermelon, tie-dye , or donuts vibe, that works too. Try the candies or beach sets for some extra fun.

Send a box of awesome party food or nosh such as popcorn, soda, candy – you name it.

Your child will literally be the life of the party!

7. Light at Night Dance Party

In camp, it’s lights out every night. On your child’s special night, lights out can only mean one thing — a dance party! Turn off the lights, crank up the music, and have a “light at night” dance party. LED light-up toys will dance with true party spirit way into the starry night.

Imagine your child’s delight with such a thoughtful birthday party.

8. “Come and make a bracha, the ice cream truck is here.”

That all-familiar jingle that makes parents cringe and children happy. How cool would it be to order an ice cream party for your child’s bunk? What a happy birthday that would be when the truck comes especially to celebrate your child’s birthday. Long after the ice cream is digested, the sweet taste of wonderful memories will remain.

Ask the camp if they know of trucks in the area that can stop by, or ask the local restaurants if they offer something similar.

9. Balloon-in-a-Box

Some of these ideas are a bit over the top, I get it. All you want to do is send up a little something to celebrate a birthday. A great idea is to send a balloon in a box – a helium balloon already inflated with a birthday card that sings when you open it. Sometimes a little something goes a long way to make a child feel loved.

Birthdays really are a special time, and it’s not about the celebration as much as making the birthday girl or boy feel celebrated.

It’s your kid’s birthday! Make it a happy one.

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Goldy Buxbaum is a copywriter who helps businesses reach more clients by combining business strategy with web writing. Check her out on Linkedin to see how you can gain from her services.