Camp Policies

We do not allow any camper, under any circumstance to have a cell phone. WE MAKE NO EXCEPTIONS. In the event a camper is found with a cell phone, he or she will be immediately suspended from camp for 4 days. We wholeheartedly believe this policy is central to being at camp, and we will count on you to support this policy. The only exceptions are for those campers traveling to and from camp by airplane whose phones we collect upon landing and hold all summer.

Also included here are iPads, iTouches, PSP and gaming devices, computers (obviously) and any other tablets.

Unauthorized devices will be confiscated. When in doubt, ask yourself these questions:

1. Does this device playback video and have any video content on it?
2. Can this device access the internet or have cellular service?
3. Is this an electronic device that has a game?
4. Can this device communicate in any way with other devices?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, please leave the device at home.

There are wonderful MP3 players on the market that play music and nothing else and are perfect for camp.

We do not allow Kindles or E-Readers (send books)!  ALSO not permitted are hand-held electronic games (like the Mattel  classic football and basketball games or any games like these).

CIT’s and Teens only may bring an iPod Touch.

Remember…this is CAMP…and one of the best parts about it is disconnecting!!!  

And also..remember…it’s MUCH harder for us during the summer to take away something that you sent up with your camper than it is for you as a parent to tell your child ahead of time that Tyler Hill simply doesn’t allow it. PLEASE help make our job easier by NOT SENDING “off-limit” items to camp. 

We are a “NO PACKAGE” camp. Packages are completely unnecessary as we provide everything your child could possibly need at camp!

We do accept FLAT envelopes with books, magazines, stickers &/or stationery (FLAT MEANS FLAT). RULE OF THUMB: IF THE ENVELOPE CANNOT FIT INTO A NARROW MAIL SLOT, DO NOT SEND IT.  IT WILL NOT BE DELIVERED.

Because of our very strict policy, DO NOT forget to pack everything in your child’s trunks before camp begins! Don’t forget to pack Olympics spiritwear (orange, green, yellow and red) and blue and white spiritwear, as well as items for special theme days!  Read on.

There are TWO very big Tyler Hill spirit events prior to Visiting Day when kids get dressed up in all blue and white (picture a college football game level of spirit, excitement and attire): the Girls’ Invitational Basketball Tournament and the Boys’ Invitational Basketball Tournament. You should absolutely send your camper up to camp with some blue and white spirit items in his or her duffels so that s/he has it for these events! And…to be clear, if you send spirit gear to your child in a package because you forgot to pack it in your child’s duffels, it WILL NOT BE DELIVERED.

Regular mail should be addressed to:
Your child’s name
Your child’s DIVISION
Tyler Hill Camp
1017 Cochecton Turnpike
Tyler Hill, PA 18469

The answer on bunk gifts is also a resounding “NO!!”  We do not allow bunk gifts on  Opening Day, Visiting Day, Closing Day or any days in between. Bunk gifts include bunk “merch” (like t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, socks, etc.) and anything else that is purchased or made or created for JUST the girls or boys in your child’s bunk.  Bunk gifts create major challenges and issues for us and for your kids and for everyone else in the division, and we respectfully ask that you DO NOT SEND them.

Female campers and staff: Please only bring tankinis or one piece bathing suits. Bikinis are not permitted at Tyler Hill. 

FLOOR MATS AND RUGS: We do not allow campers to bring mats or rugs for next to their beds. They get SO SO SO gross over the course of the summer (think: smelly, dirty, germy, etc). Please do not buy, pack or send one up to camp for your camper.

TRADING CARDS: Lower boys camp:  This is mostly for you.  DO NOT send. We do NOT permit sports cards and/or trading cards to be brought to camp. This includes Pokemon cards, as well. Trading cards get lost, traded accidentally, damaged and more.  Any trading cards that are brought to camp will be taken away immediately (imagine the heartbreak of your camper and the stress it will cause the counselor).  Do not send sports or Pokemon or trading cards.

SLIME:  NO WAY NO HOW!!  DO NOT SEND!!!

DECORATIVE PILLOWS OR CUTE ITEMS FOR BEDS and EGG CRATES:  Make note now: Anything that doesn’t arrive in your child’s duffels for his or her bed will NOT BE DELIVERED.

If you want to send up an egg crate for your child’s bed and for some crazy reason you don’t have room in your child’s duffels/trunks (but you should have room), please send it ONE WEEK PRIOR to the start of camp and make sure to address it to your child’s name (but really…please try to fit it in the trunks). If it does not arrive prior to Opening Day, it WILL NOT BE DELIVERED.  PERIOD.  So…just to be safe, it’s best to pack it in your child’s trunks.

GOOD THINGS TO SEND: Playing cards  Jacks. Frisbees. UNO cards. NON-electronic games. “Anti-Gravity Diablo” (look it up — ESPECIALLY for the boys. They love it). YoYos. Marbles. Stickers. Journals. Bracelet-making string.

All daily medication taken by campers MUST go through the service PackMyRX. NO medication can be sent in your camper’s trunks or sent up on the bus.  If you have ANY questions at all, call our office for guidance.

Tyler Hill is 100% peanut free!! If your son or daughter loves peanut butter, let him or her try Sunbutter or Wow Butter, as these are the two supplemental products we’ll be serving. And PS…this will ALSO impact Visiting Day (so turn off your ovens and put away grandma’s chocolate toffee chip cookie recipe), as we will not allow baked goods from home inside the bunks.

Please note that campers may not bring individual boxes of cereal or PopTarts to camp to keep on their tables in the dining hall. If your child was permitted to do this in the past, please let him or her know that because of our nut policy we cannot and will not have any outside food in the dining hall or in the bunks. We provide plenty of cereal and breakfast options to rev your campers up each day!!

Please note that we are not able to accept camper BED REQUESTS (like who s/he wants to sleep next to, where in the bunk his/her bed is placed, etc.  Bed requests are DIFFERENT than bunk requests (which, of course, we accept)!!

A raid is any offense where a child is out of the bunk at nighttime without counselors with intent to break camp rules. If any camper goes on a raid he or she will have to face the consequences in camp and/or may be suspended from camp.  

Another big NO!! In the past, you may have seen “bungee chairs” or soccer chairs or “Crazy Creeks” that campers brought with them to camp.  We have changed our policy for 2022, so please do not send chairs!  We have ample seating for your campers and we promise they’ll be comfortable!!

The answer is also resounding “NO!!”  Do not send. Period.  If you want to send a hair dryer, you may do so (though it likely won’t get any use), but please be sure that it is not a “blow brush” that heats up and has an iron inside.

Birthdays at camp are the BEST!  We make them special from the minute your birthday camper wakes up until after s/he falls asleep!  Your camper will get to raise the flag in the morning, choose first for electives all day, have a make-your-own ice cream sundae party with his or her whole bunk after lunch, get a birthday cake and full-camp singing of happy birthday at dinner!  And then…if that wasn’t enough, your birthday camper will get to have a TV brought into his or her bunk and pick and watch a movie in the bunk!!

You will also get to have a special birthday phone call with your child!!  You’ll set that up with his or her division leader the day before to make sure you get ample time to catch up and wish your cutie happy birthday!!

Birthday Packages:

Another benefit to a summer birthday…we do allow for a “birthday package” and/or bouquet of balloons to be delivered to camp. If you send a “birthday package” it’s best to have it arrive at least a three days early so we can deliver it before he or she wakes up on their special day. Please make sure that you do not include any food items whatsoever — we handle that for you with the aforementioned cake and an ice cream party!  As for balloons, you can call the Honesdale Greenhouse at (570) 253-3050 and they will deliver balloons and flowers to Tyler Hill on your son or daughter’s special day…and we’ll deliver them right to the bunk!!

For the birthday package, please label the package VERY clearly in VERY large print:

1. Your child’s name
2. “BIRTHDAY PACKAGE”
3. The date of his or her actual birthday

Tyler Hill is a no-tipping camp.  We pay the highest staff salaries in the industry, AND we have a motivating bonus program for all in-bunk counselors. We know how much you appreciate the care our counselors take of your children, and your kind words at the end of the summer are more powerful than any financial reward.