Keep it flat. My daughter is going to sleepaway camp for the first time this summer and that seems to be the mantra for all camp packages nowadays. I am trying to figure out how to sneak the candy in between the layers of Tiger Beat magazine but I am not hopeful. In trying to keep my packages flatter than Flat Stanley, here's what I have going on.

I just ordered return address labels from Vistaprint, where you can upload your own photo. I bought a set for me (with my kids' picture on them) and a set for my daughter (with a photo of the family dog). Vistaprint's turnaround time is practically overnight and their prices are super-reasonable. You can also create postcards or notecards with photos or artwork of your choosing.

Bunnies and Bows makes great autograph pillowcases that can be personalized with your camper and the camp's name. They have a few different camp designs as well as a design for just about every hobby from ballet to extreme sports. For just $1 extra, they'll sew on a ribbon and permanent marker so the autographs don't get washed out during the first round of laundry at home.

Rest hour is a great time to break out a deck of cards. I ordered some playing cards from Shutterfly with a fun family photo on them. Kikkerland also makes those fun "invisible" playing cards in a variety of games, from Go Fish to Crazy Eights. But don't think about sending Junior with a stack of poker chips-I understand these are a big no-no at camp!

Mad-Libs still rock. The Letters from Camp Mad-Libs are not only fun to fill in, but they fold and seal for mailing. Maybe it won't be the long and verbose letter you've been waiting for but it will be better than the empty envelope I sent home one summer when the counselors insisted that we write home. Your camper will need some stickers to decorate their letters and Oriental Trading offers the best bang for the buck, ensuring that there will be lots left over for trading. Send along some cool customized pencils (but don't forget the sharpener).

Puzzle and game books are sure to please. Who doesn't love a Yes & Know Invisible Ink book? Sudoku, crossword puzzles (great vocabulary builders!), joke and riddle books, Magic Eye books, word searches, and trivia books are perfect flat options. No need for rest hour or rainy days to ever be boring again!--Best, AS