Good Horse Sense
If your camp has liability insurance and your state has equine activity statutes, you may feel protected from lawsuits as they pertain to horseback riding at camps. However, while posted
Revving Up
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a popular term these days, bandied about by online gurus and Web masters from here to Halifax. What it really means is simple--making sure that your
Say Cheese!
Pictures help tell a story, validate memories, and provide witness to our lives. Having pictures of kids as they grow and explore the world is a priceless practice for parents. For kids, sharing
And The Award Goes To …
For a camper, it isn’t the amount of money or the size of the award, but the reason behind it. As a camp coordinator, it’s important to understand the distinction.
Designing A Camp Program
This past summer I sent out a new curriculum for camps to consider. It included activities for counselors to help campers learn and practice the skills required to make friends. The concepts
Ready, Aim, Fire!
In the past, I have discussed marketing tools, the ideas behind them, and the reasons to enlist them in marketing campaigns. From branding to technology, I have covered a lot of ground in
Expand The Marketing Potential Horizon
From giant, billion-dollar conglomerates of integrated network sites to small, niche personal lists, social-networking sites are taking the Internet by storm. Social networks are becoming
Have A Camper Family Feud
Shortly before I left for Beijing to work the Summer Olympic Games, I was asked by Camp Med, a licensed day care program and summer camp sponsored by the city of South Pasadena,
Confessions Of A Pop-Up Queen
As the high school sophomore bobbed in the water, supportive counselors shouted encouragement at her first water-skiing attempt. "Let the boat pull you up! Keep your arms
Lifesaving And Emergency Equipment
No one likes to contemplate the possibility of a water-related accident, but the time you spend this spring preparing lifesaving and emergency equipment may mean a safer summer season.
If I Had Three Wishes
There’s only one reason kids want to return to camp--friends. Yet when I tour camps and ask what staff members do to specifically help kids make friends, I find out why the average
More Than Bandages And Aspirin
Of all the tasks required to keep a camp running, one of the most critical is organizing the medical center. Although no one--staff or campers--intends to be sick at camp, illness is
The Well-Trained Staff
Welcome to the debut of Camp Business’s new column on staff training. Dr. Chris Thurber, one of the most sought-after camp consultants, responds to reader queries, and offers cutting-edge, turnkey content
Inter-Camp Activities
Inter-camp activities involve merging children from two separate camps, and having them compete in sports and other recreational activities. Inter-camps typically include team sports, such as soccer,
Great Play Giveaway Winner Announced
Fond Du Lac, Wis.--BCI Burke, a playground, park and recreation industry leader that brings play to communities around the world, is excited to announce Jeff Skoug, Recreation
Starve The Ego, Feed The Soul
As an eager freshman at the University of Georgia, I sought out opportunities to volunteer for organizations whose purposes were meaningful to me. Extra Special People (ESP) immediately
To Conquer Staff-Training Boredom
In the summer of 2016, the Day Camp Superhero Training Academy faced its biggest nemesis—Summer Boredom. As the recruits arrived for training, surveillance footage revealed the
A Few Of My Favorite Things
To hear is to forget. To see is to remember. To do is to learn. As we travel around the country speaking at conferences and training camp staff, we embrace this adaptation of a famous statement from Confucius.
Conference-Style Staff Training
“This isn’t relevant to me.” “I already know this.” “Do I have to sit through bullying again?” “Sessions were too long and boring.”