Lost & Found? 3 Tricks & Tips To Get It Home

The summer day camp I manage ended last week. The once loud space has become quiet again, the faint odour of sunscreen has faded, and we found the source of the fruit flies. (Indeed, it was an abandoned lunch box). As the camp coordinators started to put things back into their places, the table caught my attention.

Oh yes, the table of lost and found. Each summer, at the end we’re left with a pile of stuff. Water bottles, lunch boxes, sweaters, and child debris that we must find the owner of. At times, we are lucky and there is a faint Sharpied name etched on it. Sometimes it’s legible, and other times the sweat, dirt and glue has taken it’s toll.

The camp coordinators do their best – they fold it, fluff it up and ask parents to look through it on the last week of camp.  A few of these items will find their way back where they belong, however most of it ends up at our local thrift store. (OK, maybe not the underwear, we just throw that out.)

3 Tips & Tricks To Get It Home

With Mr J heading to preschool this fall, I was really concerned about not becoming one of the victims of the lost & found. After working for over 14 years in children’s recreation programming, kids sure can lose their things easily – even prized possessions. So here are my 3 top tips on how to get it home:

Can’t live without it?

Any items that the child can’t live without – don’t send it with the child. It’s that simple. Leave it in the car, or at the house, just don’t take it.

Label EVERYTHING. And I mean, EVERYTHING.

Once upon a time, I went to a residential Girl Guide camp off of the shores of Lake Erie. Every single girl at the camp wore a brown and white striped Brownie uniform shirt, and hat. I ended up coming home with about 5 shirts that were the same, but 4 of which were not mine. Label everything! If you are in doubt, label it anyway. I even labelled Mr J’s shoes for good measure.

Offer to Help

If your child has lost an item, offer to help find it in the classroom or lost and found. While you’re in there, if you find any other items you could return to it’s owners or items you know who they are, help the teacher out by returning them. Make sure you’ve also checked all the places it might be lurking at home.

Attach it to child with duct tape

Just kidding. But seriously if this was an option, that would be great.

Still missing?

Provide the teacher with a full description of your item and your name and phone number. You never know where it find turn up next.

Giveaway

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