How Summer Camps Can Plan Ahead to Be Successful

Make the most of your offseason

Summer camps create a season full of memories. The work that goes into making an excellent experience for campers starts long before school lets out.

How to prep your summer camp

Whether you’re running a day camp or an all-inclusive wilderness destination, the offseason is the ideal time to check in and stock up. These five tips will help you get ready to welcome new and returning campers once summer arrives.

Evaluate your equipment

Nature may be the ultimate playground, but sturdy and up-to-date equipment will help your campers enjoy its bounty even more (and stay busy during rainy days).

Inventory all of your sports equipment, camping gear and any other items you use and reuse throughout the summer. Note their condition and whether they’re in need of replacement.

If several pieces of equipment need replacing, a bulk purchase to replace them all may be more cost- and time-effective than swapping them out one by one. A free Walmart Business account allows you to buy a variety of products in bulk, helping you lock in low prices to do more with your budget and offseason.

Refresh supplies & must-haves

A summer camp needs a little bit of everything: food supplies to keep bellies full, art supplies to keep creative minds engaged, insect repellent to keep the bugs away and cleaning supplies to also keep bugs (among other critters) away, just to name a handful.

While the campers are gone, take the opportunity to assess how much you’ll need for the summer ahead. Review your current inventory and compare it with attendance projections to determine how much you need to stock up.

Consider using a free Walmart Business account to sign up for a subscription¹ on items that you will use regularly. You’ll already be plenty busy once the campers are back—no need to remember to put in that dozenth order of sunscreen.

Make your camp extra welcoming

Campers have a lot to get used to on their first day. Give them a warm welcome with banners and posters to celebrate their arrival. Then, go a step further with easy-to-read signage that points the way to cabins, important facilities and any other points of interest (after all, they shouldn’t need an orienteering badge to find their way to the bathroom).

Walmart Business customers have access to Walmart Business Print, which offers extensive printing services with free same-day pickup and free shipping on orders over $35. You can easily create signs and banners to welcome campers, as well as photo prints, calendars and many other creations to help kids take all their great memories back home.

Upgrade your furnishings

Bunk beds, cafeteria tables, storage shelves. It takes a lot of pieces, both big and small, to make your summer camp a welcoming and fun space for campers. But you don’t need all hands on deck to get everything put together in time. You don’t have to spend hours finding the right person for the job, either.

We collaborate with Angi to bring you easy-to-find services and transparent pricing on contractors who will get your camp’s furnishings ready for prime time without headaches or overspending. Just pick your service, check out and let the pros handle it.

Get ready for surprises

Good preparation will go a long way toward a fun and rewarding experience for your campers, counselors and yourself. But when there’s a bunch of kids in one place, there’s no such thing as “predictability.”

Embrace the curveballs with a membership that gets your business what it needs faster, for less money. On top of the benefits of a free Walmart Business account we’ve already mentioned, a Walmart Business+ membership unlocks even more helpful features to keep your summer camp stocked, supplied and ready to make memories.

Once you become a member, you’ll get free shipping, no order minimum,² and free delivery from store, $35 minimum.³ That means more of what your camp needs with less downtime. You’ll get even more value with 2% back in Walmart Business rewards on orders $250 and greater.⁴

Summer will be here before you know it. Walmart Business helps you make it the best one for your campers yet.

¹ Shipping, delivery and minimum order fees may apply. Eligible items only. Terms apply. 

² Excludes most marketplace items. Freight & location surcharges may apply.

³ Restrictions apply. 

⁴ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.