Care Package Series: Ensuring Foot and Ankle Safety

Article by Sissy Phillips

Camp will be here before we know it! Whether you’re a camper or a parent of a camper, you may be nervous, excited, or a little of both. To help parents get their camper started off on the right foot, we’ve assembled our first “Care Package” —  a bundle of great tips from our seasoned staff about preparing for camp. In our first episode, we focus on packing the proper footwear. Watch our video and then be sure to read more in the article that follows.

Safety First, Play Second

At North Star Reach, we take safety seriously. Packing the right shoes goes a long way toward ensuring campers enjoy every moment they’re at camp. Be sure to keep in mind that camp has gravel roads and dirt paths and the terrain may be bumpy. Also, the weather is unpredictable, and there may be times when the ground is wet and slippery.

The best way to ensure safety from these conditions is to pack the right shoes. While there are lots of options–from flip-flops to sneakers to boots to Crocs–we recommend you pack just one or two good pairs. More important than quantity is a quality shoe that offers very specific footwear features.

Make the Most of Camp

According to the American Camp Association’s “Healthy Camp Study,” ankle and foot injuries were the most common type of injury reported by campers and staff. However, this is preventable! Key footwear features for campers and parents to keep in mind when it comes to packing the right shoes are the fit and the grip. The more grip a child’s shoe has, the better!

That’s one reason we recommend sneakers or hiking boots. Both provide the great ankle support and toe protection, especially when compared to flip-flops or sandals. Hybrid shoes, such as Crocs, are good for playing in the sand or for walking, but provide limited ankle support and toe protection. And we certainly want to avoid stubbed toes at camp!

One other essential footwear item to pack: lots and lots of socks! The more socks, the better. Socks can, and will, get wet and dirty. Campers may want to change their socks during the day, so make sure to pack plenty of extra!

Follow Their Lead

In the end, it always comes back to preventative measures. Packing the right kind of shoes (sneakers or boots!) can help ensure the safety of the campers. Take it from these guys, they knew what to pack!

Sissy Phillips is currently a communications and marketing intern with North Star Reach. This Summer, she joins North Star Reach’s camp program staff as a Seasonal Activity Leader. She will be a Senior at Siena Heights University in the Fall, where she is studying Communications with a specialization in Professional Writing and Enterprise Communications and a minor in Creative Writing. During the academic year, when she is not writing or studying, she is planning and holding events at her school’s programming board (SPARC), on which she serves as the Vice President of Member Engagement.