Five Scavenger Hunt Games
Spice up your scavenger hunt with a treasure map!canstockphoto4855010When icebreakers are old news and campers need a break from relay games, bring groups together for smaller chunks of fun through
Learning To Pack Light
Creative ideas come out of minimalism.canstockphoto19242933The Virgin airline lost my suitcase, forcing me to buy a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries in Oxford, England. That was an inconvenienc
Independence Day Excitement
Happy Independence Day!canstockphoto19715915 Great Group Games for July 4thFireworks, apple pie and fun--three ingredients that make every Independence Day a success. Whether you're celebrating the
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!
Freshen up your camp relay races.With all the energy spent planning camp programs and new activities, it can be tough coming up with the time to dedicate to fine-tuning the smaller elements.Freshen
Zero Tolerance Makes Zero Sense
canstockphoto0863390There is no reason for any kid at camp not to be cool.I have a 7-year old daughter who takes Lyrical Ballet every Tuesday. She doesn’t like when I watch, so I don’t (until the las
Weak End Or Week End?
canstockphoto1892138Get outside and play.At camp and school conferences, I talk a lot about leadership-by-example or LBE. I’m impressed and inspired by so many of the adults I meet: directors, deans,
Getting to Know You: 20 Questions to Start Great Staff Conversations
Give staff time to know each other.canstockphoto6105854The beginning of summer means the start of of another camping season and a fresh crop of camp staff. Whether the majority of your leaders are pr
This Is A Real Job, These Aren’t Pretend Kids
Validate and elevate the way staff members view their job.Why is it still that I am leery to tell my relatives that I have chosen a career in camping? I presented my many summers at camp to them as a
Role Reversal
Students find themselves at camp.As soon as I discovered my school was taking a three-day camping field trip, I signed up as chaperone.Never mind that I knew very few of the kids attending and that
10 Summer Camp Professionals to Follow On Twitter
@CampBusinesscanstockphoto10216881In my last piece for the Week-Ender, I provided a basic guide to maximizing your Twitter time. Now, to expand your Twitter social circle, this post features ten
The Top Six Things I’m Doing Today to Prepare for Summer 2014
canstockphoto13210835“The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.”—Elbert Hubbard“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” –Alexander Graham BellHere's a qu
Take the Pizza Test
canstockphoto6873592There’s Just No Limit to KindnessThe tastiest mouthful of any pizza is the first bite of the first slice. You’re hungry. You’ve been anticipating that mouthwatering goodness for a
Pin It! 7 Ways To Use Pinterest For Camp
Make use of Pinterest, the online bulletin board.canstockphoto9460698If you think Pinterest–the social media offering that brings the web to life via virtual corkboards customized with “pins” (graphi
The Who, What and How Guide to Twitter
#followme!canstockphoto11636124Since there are more tasks to complete in a day than there are minutes, making the most of the time you do have becomes increasingly important. Multi-tasking has
Do you fill your camp beds every year?
Some camps fill every year. canstockphoto16862584This is a particularly important question to many of us at this time of year.We are checking the numbers.We are looking at retention compared to
The Girls Of Summer
Lessons learned at camp can help girls figure out the girl-boy dynamic.Somewhere after learning cursive on fat-lined green paper but before our first tubes of Bonne Belle lip gloss, my 10-year-old
Listening: The Lost Art
“It takes a great man to be a good listener.”― Calvin Coolidgecanstockphoto5078532There is an adage that says, “God gave us two eyes and two ears but only one mouth so we would look and listen twice
Rehearse and Redo - Making Sure They Really Get It
The value of unstructured free play.canstockphoto7057866I try not to hover. Parenting is a constant challenge to balance restriction and freedom. On the restriction side, I want to provide
The One Secret to Smashing Stress You Haven't Tried
Don't let stress steal our peace.canstockphoto13175774Did you sleep well last night?Not in cliched terms, like logs and babies, but real, restful sleep?Or did you toss and turn, unable to silence
Two Cultures, One Goal
Reach across barriers to help a child.canstockphoto4921766Late one afternoon last week in my classroom, where the remnants of the day’s lesson on connotation and denotation still remained in bright t