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!
Camp Administration 101: The Battle Of The Bully
Bullying can happen anywhere, and the dynamics can be complex. To put preventative measures in place to tackle incidents of bullying effectively, it is important to know what to look for as the clear signs that bullying may be occurring.
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.
Seen And Heard
The University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development offers a variety of residential camping experiences through the Minnesota 4-H Camping Program. 4-H camps, typically for 3rd to 8th graders, provide guided outdoor-learning opportunities and traditional experiences.
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.
From One Place To A Better One
In “Ted Lasso,” my favorite television show, Ted (the main character) tells a story about his dog, Hank. It goes like this:
This-N-That
A collection of news items, product announcements and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.
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.
Passive Projects
Shelter is the physical manifestation of a person’s unique ecological condition—a direct interface with nature, and perhaps nowhere is this gradient more abrupt than at camp. The buildings become indelible reminders of this interplay to the campers who use them, and can become the primary nostalgic touchpoint years later.
Camp Administration 101: Managing Risk
Anyone running a camp must consider the exposure to risk and ensure that any space the camp occupies is safe. This is especially true for activities like ropes courses, archery, canoeing, swimming, and adventure programming.
Values Affirmation
Sometimes a technique to achieve success can be so simple that it’s tempting to think “that it is just too good to be true.” But before dismissing something that appears to be simple and wondering why isn’t everyone doing it, you might ask, “Is there any research to support that it works?”
Celebrate The Life Of A Pizza Box
Camp administrators may have yet to notice but there are several days every year that honor and celebrate pizza.
The Business Of Managing Camp
How does one best manage a camp year-round so it is on budget, meeting its mission, and running as efficiently as possible?
This-N-That
A collection of news items, product announcements and event notices designed to keep you on the cutting edge.
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.
Safe Spaces
When it comes to summer camps, the experience is largely defined by what happens on-site—the range of activities, the friendships, the independence. But at camps designed for LGBTQ+ youth, the impacts last long after campers return home.
