Summer camps are big business in America. They’re a lifesaver for working parents and can entertain children from dusk until dawn all summer long.

Safety is paramount when dealing with child care at youth camps. And having to identify a child, their medical condition, or key details, is key to running a safe and efficient program.

Wristbands are an inexpensive way to identify the troops at kid campgrounds, youth camps, Christian camps, and summer camps. Where high volumes of children are joining you each day, wristbands provide an easy way to keep tabs on who’s under your wing. 

Let's take a look at the options, as we share advice and ideas for running a successful and safe summer camp.

Large Summer Camps (10,000+, multi-day)

If you're running a medium to large summer camp, you'll want to look at our more advanced options, including cloth wristbands with a barcode or maybe even RFID technology (scroll to jump to the RFID section)

Fabric wristbands are better for large events because they offer a wide variety of security features, and can be worn securely for multiple days. ID&C's loop lock wristband pictured above also allows for a non-tightening closure, perfect for children.

In some cases, it's advisable to ship out the wristbands before the camp starts event, instructing the attendee to apply the wristband themselves before they approach the campgrounds.

This helps relieve pressure at the site gates, creating a safer and faster ingress.

Small Camps (less than 10,000 people)

For smaller camps or camps that run for a shorter period of time, our vinyl or Chroma wristbands are ideal. Both are durable and can be worn for a few days.

Vinyl, in particular, is durable and waterproof and can be printed with QR codes and sequential numbers to help inventory the wristbands.

Both wristband types are low cost, have a fast lead time and can be fully customized with your camp's branding using our wristband designer.

Single day school trips or Family vacations

For short, family vacations or single day school trips, a basic wristband is perfect for peace of mind. Either a small batch of our Chroma or Tyvek wristbands are low-cost and can be pre-printed or made to write-on.

Custom printing or writing-on down details such as parents' contact number, allergies, and hotel address onto the wristband is a simple way to safeguard your little ones during family trips.

Even plain silicone wristbands can be useful for camps looking to differentiate between groups and teams of children.

Customization for Summer Camp Wristbands

Now you've decided on a wristband type, its time to get creative!

Different customization choices and colors can help determine age groups, type of camp access, at a glance.

Choosing bold and different base colors is the first step to a good wristband system.

After this, clear details such as dates and child info should be paramount.

Finally, if there's space, it's great to promote your Camp's Brand. After all, for older children, their wristband is more than their ID, it's their memento of an amazing time and can be key to other children and families hearing about your camp.

3 ways to customize wristbands with ID&C

  1.  We do it for you! Yes, our wristband design team is on hand to create beautiful and differentiating designs. What's more, its free of charge.
  2. You can use our custom wristband designer to create your own wristbands online. 
  3. If you're a graphical wizard or have your own art team, you can download our design templates and send us your finished design.

More ideas

For camps offering swimming facilities or outings, by categorising wristbands into swimming levels, you can help keep children safe, and ensure they don’t go beyond their limits (for example, in a big pool or without floats) while under your care. And if you’re running night-time activities outside, why not use glow-in-the-dark wristbands for added fun and security.

If you’re looking for extra security for your youth camp, opt for an RFID or barcode wristband. This will give you the ultimate level of management and security. At the tap of the wrist, you can allow access to different areas depending on who has the wristband and prohibit entry to anyone who doesn’t have a wrist band.

Keeping track of who is where, when. You can also hold key information about medical conditions and parental contact information. And if a child was lost, when every second counts, you could pinpoint where they last used their wristband to narrow your search.

For those offering food and drinks, allergy wristbands are a useful tool in safeguarding children with allergies or dietary requirements under your care.

Our Tyvek Wristbands & Paper Wristbands are great for kids as they are lightweight, easy-to-wear, chlorine & water-resistant, easily secured and difficult to remove without breaking or showing signs of tampering.

RFID Technology

We mentioned it earlier in the post, but using RFID wristband technology can future increase security for your summer camp while delivering a plethora of additional benefits, including:

  • Tap-and-pay cashless transactions
  • Interactive gaming & competitions
  • Faster access control and multi-level access points (e.g. VIP, Staff, Crew areas)

Read more about how RFID technology can improve your event.

Get in touch

For more information on how to benefit from the use of wristbands at your next summer camp, contact us and we’ll walk you through all of the options available.