Camp Gear for Tweens

'Tis the season to gear up for camp. Whether your tween is headed to sleepaway camp or on a summer getaway, here are our picks to keep her in fun fearless fashion all summer long:

Neon is a big trend this year (Exhibit A: tweens at One Direction concerts), and we think these neon duffle bags in neon yellow and neon pink are not only right on trend but also practical (because they help her to find her bag in the crowd). $97 from Deux Lux

She can never have enough towels for the beach or pool, so we found these adorable seahorse towels (bonus: they're on sale!). $20 on sale from Lands End

For those camp color wars, face paint that's easy to apply allow her to deck herself and her cabin-mates out in team colors. At the shop we stocked Sport Face because it was super easy to apply and was no-fuss (think ChapStick as face paint - no brushes needed). $3.50 for two from SportFace.com

One of our tweens is on a swim team, so we go through a lot of swimsuits. Our favorite brand has a funny name: Dolfin Uglies. These suits are so NOT ugly - they have the most fun prints we've seen! We especially love that they stand-up to a lot of wear and have terrific, sporty-cuts. The best deals for Dolfins seem to be online at SwimOutlet.com; prices range from $20-38

We loathe the lugging of multiple bottles on every outing, so we look for products that do double-duty. Avon's Skin So Soft makes an SPF30 sunscreen combined with a bug repellent that works perfectly for our tweens. It's on sale now, 2 for $15.00 at Avon.com

'Speaking of sun protection, here's another fun product mash-up: UV sensitive craft beads. We're sending our tweens to camp this year with packets of color-changing UV energy beads that she can craft into friendship bracelets, hair barrettes, bag tags, and more. Packets of 500 beads are $17 from Steve Spangler Science

Sadly our tweens' mom (yours truly) is not talented in the hair style department, so we always look admiringly at the cute hair styles done by Mindy at CuteGirlsHairstyles. Her Fourth of July glow-in-the-dark bun looks easy enough that even we could manage it, and the fun Glowby sticks are perfect for tucking into camp care packages. Glowby's are $5/apiece and come in 8 colors

Make it easy for her to send letters home or keep in touch with friends the old-fashioned way: by writing letters. Especially for those no-electronics camps, fun stationary is a must. We love these fun, no-fuss send and seal stationary packs from Iscream. $6.80 for a packet of 40 cards - just add stamps and she's good to go!

What are your tween's summer camp essentials? Please share your tips!



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2010 Tunes: Summer Concert Series For Tweens

Summer is a time for concerts, but with concert ticket prices through the roof, it can be financially challenging to go. Your tween may be interested in some of the smaller (and more affordable!) summer rock shows that we found:

• Camplified is touring several camp sites up and down the East Cost this summer. The tour just kicked off and features the Australian Justin Bieber, Cody Simpson 
• The Vans Warped Tour features up and coming artists and has the added fun of being sponsored by Wonka (sugar anyone?)
• Jeans Bring Dreams is a benefit concert with a limited tour schedule (mostly West Coast) but a great mission: the price of admission is a pair of new or lightly used jeans that are donated to tweens and teens in need. The concert features new artists including some of our faves, Keely Marshall, Pink Army, R5, and Amber Lily.

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The Cutest Nite Lites!

We've always loved Ikea for their reasonably priced furniture and cool design - and now we can add "cute" to that list. Check out these adorable "ghost" nite lites from Ikea. They come in green, blue and red and fit nicely in the palm of your hand. And at $15 apiece, they won't break the bank - what a great idea for a camp care package! Unfortunately these little gems are not available online, so you'll have to head down to the Ikea nearest you to snag one - but oh, so worth the trip!

Cool Charms for your Crocs

We just found one of this summer's coolest trends: flashing charms for your Crocs! These little doo-dads come in cute shapes (ladybugs, dolphins, peace symbols, flowers, butterflies, soccer balls, tennis balls and more!) and colors and flash at night. They are perfect for a summer's night stroll and will attract even the shyest firefly. Imagine them on your toes during Fourth of July fireworks! We loved them so much that we ordered every shape for the shop. Just email us at info@shoptwixt.com if you'd like to get your own.