From traditional to trendy, we’ve got you covered

Let’s face it—it’s not easy coming up with new programming ideas year after year. But if you’re getting sick of the same old games and activities—so are your staff members. And even worse—your campers might be bored, too. So put some pizzazz back in your lineup and give these a try. They’re all provided by folks like you who work at camps—so they’re tried and tested and camper approved!

Ice Cream Anyone?
Campers are divided into groups and have an orienteering course to follow using compasses, basic navigation, and orienteering. At each checkpoint, they receive one ingredient. At the end of the course, campers have everything they need—including a recipe—to make their own individual portions of ice cream!

Alicia Martorella
Camp Director/Waterfront Program Director
Maritime Adventure—Boat Camp & Splash Camp
SUNY Maritime College
Bronx, N.Y.

Whacky Dives, Relay Races, And “Will It Float” Race
We are a water-based, two-week day camp. On the last day of each session, we wrap up color war with fun activities throughout the day. The campers wear colored shirts, bandanas, and face paint, and carry their hand-made team banners throughout the day to each activity.

We have a Whacky Dive contest in the pool where judges rate the biggest splash, smallest splash, best dive, and silliest dive; there’s also a swim relay with different strokes.

The kayak relay is even better—one lap regular, one lap with two people on a single kayak, one lap standing, and one lap with the kayak flipped over and sitting on the bottom. This year we used our mini kayaks and did the relay in the pool—hilarious!

For the grand finale—the Will it Float Race! Teams build “boats” out of an allotment of recycled cardboard and duct tape. They must be big enough for at least one camper to sit in and operate. Then, they are launched and raced across the boat basin or in the pool, propelled by kayak paddles and team spirit. Many of them fall apart and “sink” on the way (we have staff in the water to assist and collect all debris so that we don’t pollute the environment.) The winners make it to the other side!

Alicia Martorella
Camp Director/Waterfront Program Director
Maritime Adventure—Boat Camp & Splash Camp
SUNY Maritime College
Bronx, N.Y.

Pinata Party
One favorite activity is “pinatas.” Campers learn the culture of pinatas while working in groups to design and build their own using homemade papier mache. Then it’s time to color it! You can be creative and unique and plan a topic or theme for the pinatas. In the end, all pinatas participate in a contest and of course, celebrate by breaking them and enjoying the candies inside while learning the song people traditionally sing while hitting it.

Alma Rodriguez
almarodriguez@gfs.org

Running Hoopla Catastrophe
When unexpected weather sends you running for cover, turn that waiting time into something fun, meaningful, and memorable. We first did this activity on the fly when we needed to come up with something quick, but now our campers love it and ask to play. It’s sometimes called Running Charades or Four Corners, but we call it Running Hoopla Catastrophe!

Here’s how to play:

Divide campers into teams of 6 to 8 people and send them to designated areas around the gym, pavilion, or large meeting space. Have a program director stand in the center with a list of things to act out; usually 10 per round is a good number. When the game begins, one person from each team runs to the center to get their word, then runs back to their team to act it out. Whoever guesses it correctly becomes the next actor and runs to the center for the next word. Continue the running, acting, and guessing until one of the teams completes the list and wins the round.

Hack #1: To make it more fun—and also a bit easier—we theme each round and play several rounds. Fun themes can be types of fruit, Pixar movies, animals at the zoo, or video games.

Hack #2: If you’ve got the same few campers doing all of the acting and guessing, go in order instead of according to correct answers to give everyone a chance to participate.

Hack #3: If the age group or ability of the campers makes charades too difficult, instead of having them act it out have them describe it without using any form of the word(s) they are trying to get their team to guess.

The great thing about this activity is that you can modify it to fit almost any number of campers and almost any age group. It’s also something you can pull off with only a few minutes to prep. Just grab a pen and paper, or make a note in your phone, and start creating themes and lists. Campers will have a lot of fun developing communication and critical-thinking skills while remaining active, and you’ll be turning what could be down time into something so much more!

Ben Ogden
Staffing Coordinator
River Valley Ranch
Manchester, Md.

From Leather To Fish
Every summer, my staff and I run anywhere from 70 to 100 campers through 8 weeks of leather craft, fishing education, and fishing at Camp Mustang—a day camp in Oklahoma.

For a lot of campers, this is the first time they have ever done a leather project. They make simple projects like bracelets and minimalist wallets. The campers stamp on the leather, using leather 3D stamps and then it gets dyed. They really love seeing how it all goes together. We talk about where the leather comes from, how it is tanned, etc. The staff members also get involved in making items with their campers and a lot of them have a collection of items attached to their backpacks. Every year, I am asked at the end of the camp by the campers what we will be making next summer. I always tell them they have to attend to find out, which always brings smiles to their faces and they tell me they can’t wait to see.

Every week, the campers do fishing education followed by fishing for each group. Staff members are certified through the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife. The campers who have attended the camp before help in the education part; it is great that they want to be part of the education. The park has a pond where the camp goes fishing. The looks on the campers’ faces when they catch a fish is all the reward one needs, especially if they have never been fishing before.

Dee Cope
Youth Coordinator—Camp Mustang
Mustang Parks & Recreation
Mustang, Okla.

© Can Stock Photo / (Squirrel) ir717 • (Bird) bazilfoto

Critter Talk
“Critter Talk” happens each morning before the campers’ morning activities. During Critter Talk, a staff member teaches all of camp about an animal. There's not necessarily a requirement on what type of animal or creature (it can be real or fictional—we’ve talks on dragons and unicorns), but each talk should include what they eat, where they live, and five facts about them. Before they're done the staff members open it up to questions from the camp. One of the reasons I absolutely love Critter Talk is because it includes STEAM education in a natural way. It also provides a connection that every camper has with that staff member. Throughout the week, campers can start a conversation by talking about the animal they learned about.

Jeff Dickmann
Summer Camp Director
YMCA Camp Wapsie
Coggon, Iowa

Morning Warm-Ups
I’ve run our camp since 2006 and have realized that the warm-up games are great for getting campers moving in the morning. These simple, quick games can be played with campers three years old and up:

Cockroach Tag
The object is to tag each runner with a “noodle.” Depending on the number in the group, there are about 3 to 4 taggers with 15 or so campers. Each camper gets a turn to be the tagger. When the music starts, everyone starts running in the gym or outside. Once tagged, the camper must lie on her back and act like a cockroach. Another runner may free the tagged cockroaches by rolling them over to get up and run again. After about 45 seconds, switch taggers and play again.

Hot Dog Tag
The object is to tag each runner with a “noodle.” Choose a few campers to be the taggers. Start the music for the campers and taggers to start running. Once tagged, the camper lies on his or her back, becoming the “hot dog.” In order to be complete as a hot dog, each hot dog needs a bun. Two other campers can lie down beside the camper (hot dog) on either side of the tagged camper, thus creating a complete hot dog with a bun. After, all three may get up and participate again in the game. Change taggers so that all get a turn to be the taggers.

Shooting Stars
The object is to run to a polyspot or star and throw a bean bag into a crate, which is in the middle of the surrounding spots or stars. Each team gets a certain colored bean bag to throw from a starting point. Divide the campers into even teams that line up on the starting line. One from each team runs to a star or spot, stands on it, and throws the bean bag into the crate. If the throw lands in the crate, the camper picks up the spot or star he or she was standing on and then gets the bean bag from the crate. He or she takes the spot back to their team and thus scores a point for the made shot. Those who miss the crate just retrieve the bean bag and runs to the starting line. Play continues until there are no more spots or stars left around the crate. Each team compiles the total number of stars or spots earned. It is a great underhand toss game that any age can play.

Meliss Saltaformaggio
Academy of the Sacred Heart
Summer Camp Director
New Orleans, La.

Frisbee Golf And Nature
Here’s a Frisbee golf game to play after a nature hike. It is a great way of making sure nature hike participants are paying attention. Let them know they will play a Frisbee game after the hike where they will need to recall what was learned on the trail:

Set up a 10-hole golf course using hula hoops as each hole. At each hole, place a question on an easy-to-see container that marks the hole related to something learned on the nature hike or a visit to a self-guided nature trail. Each golfer is given a score sheet where they record the number of throws to each hole and write their answer to the nature question. The leader of the golf game has a scoring key. You can also give fun awards for participating or winning the game.

Martin Brazeau
Scout Naturalist Program Coordinator
Baltimore, Md.

Noodle Mania
One of the creative things we did this summer was a special event called “Noodle Mania.” We put campers in groups and set up different stations with noodle games; campers rotated from station to station. Campers loved this event.

Noodle Duel
Each camper finds a partner. Partners face off in place with noodles end-to-end. When both partners count to 10 and say go, they will attempt to tag each other’s shoe to win. Partners keep track of points buy how many times campers tag each other’s toes.

Triangle Tag
Separate campers into groups of four. One camper attempts to tag another camper who is in the middle of the circle, while the other three campers who are making a triangle holding hands work together in a circle to protect the camper in the middle of the circle. The tagger may only tag outside the triangle and must tag the person in the middle on the legs.

Noodles Tag II
Each camper plays against the others and attempts to get the other campers out by tagging them below the knee. The campers who are out must go do 10 jumping jacks before they are allowed back in the game.

Noodlette Attack Storm
In this tag game, each camper throws one noodlette at a time at any other camper. Any target hit earns a point. Campers keep track of points. Campers can defend by swatting opponents’ noodlettes with their hands. For safety, all throws should be aimed towards the legs or feet.

Hornet Tag
The hornet tries to tag others with their stinger the noodle. If the hornet tags someone, they must drop their stinger and someone else may then become the next hornet. If tagged, the camper must leave the playing area and do 10 jumping jacks before they are allowed back in the game.

Noodle Madness
Between 4 and 6 teams attempt to collect the most noodlettes by gathering them—one at a time—from the other teams’ hula hoops. All team members must move when the staff leaders starts the game. There is no guarding their hoops.

Treasure Island
Each camper has an island or poly spot and a piece of treasure—a noodlette. The object is to collect the most treasure. Campers may only pick up one piece of the treasure at a time and then must take it back to their island. No one may guard their island or cover it up.

Large Group Activities

• Noodle Swatter Tag
In this game, the camper that is “it” uses a noodle to tag other campers. The noodle works as a fly swatter. Once a camper is tagged, they can do jumping jacks or be “out” and wait for the last camper to get “hit.”

• Noodle Up
Scatter as many noodles as possible at the end of a playing area. The first camper races to the pile, grabs a noodle, returns to their team, and gives it to the second camper. The second camper takes the noodle and races to get another one. He or she returns with two noodles, passes them to the third camper, and the race continues until all the noodles have been collected. Once all the noodles are collected, challenge teams to lay the noodles on the floor and spell a word related to the topics, such as sports teams, health, and active living.

• Basic Noodle Freeze Tag
Give each camper a noodle. On staff command, campers may tag anyone. If a camper is tagged, he or she must drop the noodle on the floor and freeze. To reenter the game, another camper must pick up the noodle and hand it to the frozen camper. The camper is now unfrozen and resumes play.

• Rope Circle Tag
Circle up all campers and have them hold onto the rope circle with both hands about waist high using an overhand grasp. Choose two or three campers to go into the middle of the circle. Give each of the campers in the middle a noodle. When the game starts, the center campers try to hit the hands of the campers holding the rope. Rope holders can slide their hands on the rope but cannot let go. When a hand is hit by the noodle, that hand is removed from the rope. If the second hand is hit by the noodle, that camper is eliminated.

Robert “Peanut” Henderson
Camp Heatwave
City Of Temple, Texas

Sloppy Double Dare Night
I used to be a youth leader at a church and the best time the kids had was when we played sloppy double dare night. It sort of copies the show Double Dare. We did relay races where they had to run up to a pie pan filled with chocolate syrup and there were peppermint candies at the bottom; they could only use their mouth to get the candies out—no hands. They also built ice cream sundaes on their heads and had to do relay races with balloons filled with whipped cream that they had to sit on to pop.

Susan Lewis
The University of Texas at Dallas

Giant Human Fooseball Arena
Our Giant Human “Fooseball” arena is just like the tabletop game, but huge. It is 22 feet wide and 50 feet long with a ball-drop chute, a scoreboard, and lights for night games. It has a netted roof with a wooden floor.

This game is excellent for all the aspects of teambuilding—communication, cooperation, and creative thinking. It takes 20 players (10 on each team) but can be played with less. The PVC pipes with permanently attached handles slide nicely over the schedule 80 steel pipes and are super strong for even adults to jump on. The netting around the sides and top prevent the ball from escaping. We use elephant skin soft-touch foam 10-inch balls that allow a direct hit without the damage of a soccer ball yet are accurate for competitive play.

This game is great for all ages and stages from grade school children to adults. It can be highly competitive or purely recreational. It fits well within new school curriculum and objectives and requires little in the way of maintenance, set-up or ongoing program expense.

Wayne Stewart
Executive Director
Kawkawa Camp & Retreat
Hope, BC Canada

Air-o-Sport
Air-o-Sport is a fun and active game new to the market, and offers one of the most unique experiences for campers. Created by Michael Kinner, it was designed with people of all abilities in mind. It is a non-contact team sport that can be played anywhere. From indoors to outdoors, all you need is a flat surface to enjoy with players of any skill level. Fast-paced and engaging, Air- O-Sport is a dynamic form of exercise that helps keep students fit, engaged and socially active.

There are a couple of different ways to play. The first game uses targets for a knock-out competition. Two teams with their own target attempt to knock off the rockets from a pre-determined distance (about 15 feet). Each team has four discs to use which helps the game move quickly. The teams line up single file. The first person in the line takes their shot and then chases their disc whether it knocks off a rocket or not and returns to the end of the line. The two teams continue throwing until all five rockets are cleanly knocked off (hitting the stand and one falling does not count). Depending on the skill of the shooters, you may consider moving closer or farther away to match their level of throwing ability. A judge should be present to make sure the rockets are cleanly knocked off the stand.

If you are looking to elevate everyone’s heart rates a little more, a five-on-five or seven-on-seven team competition is a must. Placing the targets about 30 to 40 yards apart is sufficient for teams of this size. For larger groups of campers, use a larger field to accommodate more players. Similar to lacrosse, shots can be taken from behind the targets so leave some extra space behind each one to allow the players to get behind the target. The no-go zone, an 18-foot diameter around the targets is a standard size, is for defenders and offensive players alike. No one is allowed to hang out in those areas to defend the targets, and shooters cannot jump into the area when taking a shot or shoot from inside that area. The offensive team must complete at least one pass before taking a shot and can run freely when they have a disc. This game usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes as the winning team has to knock off all five rockets. Another option in this game is to use the ball instead of the disc, which adds a completely new dimension as the ball does not travel as far or as direct as the disc. Or, for a little extra excitement, fill the rockets with water and play a game of “Splash man standing” or play at night and take advantage of the discs’ glow-in-the-dark capabilities.

Thomas J. Aicher
Assistant Professor, Sport Management
University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

Conversation Chains
To add some visual appeal to our day camp’s indoor space and mark the passage of each day, the counselors every morning took a rectangular strip of white heavy stock, wrote the number day of camp (one through 40) and the day’s theme. The campers then drew artistic depictions related to the theme using various color markers. The camp director made a chain through the building’s ceiling beams, adding each day’s strip, and used smaller loops to mark the start of each new week, eight in total. The last day of camp, we took down the 40 paper chains. The staff used the chains to facilitate a conversation about that summer’s activities, and campers and staff members shared their thoughts on their favorite days.

Lesly Ferris
Director
Kent Park and Recreation
Kent, Conn.

Interactive Clue
A favorite activity at Camp EDMO is to play an all-camp game of Clue. Campers build collaboration skills by working as a team, solve problems while figuring out the mystery, get to know the staff and learn the layout of camp—all while having fun!

Here’s how it works:

• The camp director (CD) writes and illustrates a mystery story in which Space Mo goes missing. The solution always includes a humorous, happy twist, like he went on vacation and forgot to tell anyone, for example. The CD also prepares corresponding worksheets that list counselors, camp places, and common camp objects to use in the game.

• At morning rally, the CD tells the story of the mystery using the illustrations and asks campers to find the solution.

• Campers divide into teams of mixed ages with older kids appointed team captain. Each team gets a set of worksheets.

• Counselors, instructors, and other staff members disperse to the listed places with the objects. They all know the solution.

• Camper teams set out to solve the mystery:

o At each location, teams make a “suggestion” by saying: “it was <person> in the <place> with the <object>”.

o Staff respond by revealing one part of the “suggestion” that is incorrect: “it was NOT <person/place/object>.”

o Campers use the powers of deduction to continue making “suggestions” in different places.

o When they think they have the solution, they make an “accusation.”

o The first team with the correct “accusation” wins!

Heather Knape
Camp EDMO

Sunday Morning Meetings
It may not be the activity that a camper would point out and say this is why I want to return to Camp Regis Applejack, but I believe that the feeling this activity evokes subconsciously is what makes campers want to return. We are a non-denominational camp, but every Sunday morning, we host a camp-wide morning meeting.

At our Sunday morning meetings, campers and administrators all sit in a circle on our playhouse field to discuss the topic of the day. Topics range from asking opinions on the nature around us and the state of our planet to their feelings on friendship and family. These meetings are meant to be a time where campers can express their opinions and ideas with a receptive and accepting audience. Each camper—when they wish to speak—must stand up and everyone else must be quiet and courteous to the speaker. This re-emphasizes the value of respect—not just respecting peers when they speak—but also respecting their opinions. There are days where the meeting is full of talk and an exchange of ideas; other times, it is more meditative where we all listen to the sounds of the forest around us.

As an activity, the Sunday morning meetings probably do not rank high on most campers’ minds as their favorite activity, but speaking with alumni, this is the activity that had a more profound effect on them as they grew.

Emily Yancey
Associate Director
Camp Regis Applejack
Paul Smith's, N.Y.

Mission Impossible
Every Friday afternoon, we play Mission Impossible where campers travel in groups of two or three attempting to find and complete all the stations around camp. Successfully completing a station gets a mark on their arm. If they complete all the stations, they have to get to the camp bell and ring “One Perfect Official.” This may seem easy, but the stations can be difficult to find since they change from week to week.

Campers also have to avoid “biffers” which are staff members who run around with flour-filled socks. If a camper is tagged by a sock, they have to immediately stop and start calling for a “medic.” Once a medic is found and provides them with a piece of tape on their body to symbolize being healed, they can resume playing.

This game is crazy fun. Kids look forward to it every year. They arrive on Sunday telling us how they will win the prize that week. The prize is always something crazy that includes the Seasonal Program Director's personal vehicle. One week, the prize for winning was the Tango Tower, all the toilet paper in camp, the camp store and everything inside (any staff members included), six of eight horses, and the program director’s car (that has 180,000 miles on it and sometimes has trouble starting). So far, no one has won the game, but each week there is a “Wapsie Weiner”—a group of campers that receives the most marks for completing tasks.

Jeff Dickmann
Summer Camp Director
YMCA Camp Wapsie
Coggon, Iowa

Top Programming Ideas 2020

From traditional to trendy, we’ve got you covered

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