Disability Inclusion At Camp
Camp is community. Camp is friendship. Camp is childhood. As camps advance their diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, practices, and programming, it is imperative that children with disabilities are at the forefront of these efforts. Because all kids should camp!
Investing In Employees
As each camper scaled his or her way to the top of the high ropes course, the instructor yelled “ZIP,” the command to exit the course via the zipline. The shutter of my camera snapped as each participant tether whizzed past me, propelled by the gravity of their weight pulling the cable.
The Renewed Value Of Icebreakers
I was invited to facilitate a series of workshops for a statewide, high-school leadership program. The participants included teachers, advisors, staff members, community volunteers, and students.
The Three Big R’s
Imagine a camp where there is no need to fundraise for deferred maintenance, repairs, renovations, or replacements. That old truck that needs a clutch, the HVAC unit that needs a compressor, the program area that needs paint, and that zero-turn mower that is on its last lap—imagine ample funds to tackle these projects and more.
Ethical Accommodation
“I don’t know the first thing about accommodations,” I said to my friend, the director of a camp that serves young burn survivors. “Yes, you do,” he insisted.
Protecting Camps From Wildfires
Safety is always a priority at camps. Be it lifesaving best practices in the water or interactions with wildlife, camp directors (and staff members) are tasked with minimizing campers’ risk of injury while protecting camp structures and natural habitats.
Challenge By Choice
Everyone has had a bittersweet recollection of their adolescence. It could be a memory of piano lessons, birthday presents, orange Creamsicles, or double plays on first base; whatever it is, it carries a holistic feeling of accomplishment, joy, and belonging that grows rarer every day.
Drifting Development
We knew it was coming, but it was still worrisome to see. Campers and staff in the 2022 summer struggled mightily, compared to their pre-pandemic age peers.
Advance Financial Foundation Contributes $10K To Nashville Programs
Outdoors Tomorrow Foundation, the leading provider of outdoor skill, safety and conservation curriculum to schools nationwide, will receive $10,000 from Advance Financial Foundation to implement OTF’s Outdoor Adventures program in middle and high schools in Nashville.
Hitting The Target
Thwacccccck. The sound of an arrow hitting the target in archery is a familiar and reassuring sound to many at camp. It is truly one of the sounds of summer.
Ironing Out The Details
While the real fun kicks off in the summer, preparations for camp begin long before the first child arrives.
Adventure-Programming Debriefs
There is no single recipe for building a successful camp, but there is one key ingredient that must be included—an exceptional staff. After spending almost 30 years immersed in camp culture, most recently as the Executive Director of Camp Operations, I have seen firsthand the impact of exceptional training on a camp’s success.
Rituals At Camp
Take a moment and think about your nightly routine in falling asleep. Depending on your age, the answer may be very different from that of other camp professionals.
Restroom Renovation
When it comes to facility renovations in many camps, the one area that nearly all administrators want to upgrade is the restrooms. However, restroom renovation remains a dream for too many administrators. The reason is simple: it can be costly.
Questions Every Camp Should Answer About Child Safety
As you know, summer camps and recreation programs spark memories for children that last a lifetime and provide a reliable space where parents can expect their child to feel safe and supported. The trust parents seek to have in their child’s summer activity is important to reinforce—whether your organization offers a traditional camp experience, or an emerging enrichment activity such as coding or cosplay.
Appreciative Staff Training
Many campers credit a lifelong friendship that began with a new friend at camp. The strongest bonds can develop while spending lots of time together negotiating the challenges of communal living with a dozen new people, overcoming homesickness, or even feeling the support from another camper during a first horseback-riding lesson.
Things To Do At Day Camp
In the early 1980s, I had my first real job at a parks and recreation department. It had a strong sports program but lacked the typical day camps, craft programs, or dance classes that most other departments had.
Dungeon-Crawling
With furrowed brows, the six campers consult each other in hurried whispers. Coming from all walks of life and ranging from 8 to 17 years old, they are locked in a battle for their lives . . . well, their characters’ lives.