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
Growing From The Inside
Internal leadership development (ILD) is a program of hiring, training, and promoting front-line staff members and supervisors from the camper ranks. The benefits for day camps, overnight
Masculinity in the 21st Century: Part 2
In Part 1 of this series, I shared some family history and suggested that an outdated concept of a self-made man was someone who took wild risks, showed little emotion (positive or
Parent Panel Particulars
Chris, I struggle helping my staff members understand the magnitude of their responsibility. Everything from lifeguarding to language must be approached with seriousness of purpose,
Masculinity In The 21st Century: Part 1
I imagine my grandfathers to have been Men 1.0. My paternal grandfather—Walter Percival Thurber—was a self-taught engineer. His were slide-rule days that relied more on being clever than computer-literate.
Be An Upstander—Not A Bystander
Bullying is the second-largest epidemic in the U.S. after obesity, and it isn’t going away. More than 3.2-million children are bullied every year. An estimated 160,000 children stay home from
Summer Staff Icebreakers
As new camp staff members arrive, it’s important to welcome them and incorporate them into the team. Help your staff break the ice. Try some of these icebreakers to encourage old and new staff to mingle as they prepare for a summer of non-stop camp
Read It To Believe It
Ever wonder about the impact a camp program really has on campers? This camper has many happy summer memories! Does it matter whether staff members have camp names, or whether the camp hosts skit nights, or offers creative craft projects?
Teeter-Totter Effect
Balance! That’s my word for the year, or maybe for the next decade. In other words, where is the balance between building character and risking harm; between overcoming
Creating A More Joyful Journey
As a passionate advocate for camp, I feel strongly that what sets our industry apart is the ability to share with one another our challenges, obstacles, solutions and best practices. We are a
Colleagues In Camping--Guest Editor’s Note
Photo: © Can Stock Photo Inc. / hwahl3Like you, I have a deep passion for camping and I find inspiration in hearing from members of the camp community on what works best, what could be improved, and
This-N-That
Word On The WebCampDoc.com@CampDoc“Are you going to eat that” Interesting article from @campbusiness ow.ly/l8vGf #eatinghabits #kids---------- --------- -----
The Difference Diversity Makes
Photo Courtesy Of Easter Seals Nova Scotia, Camp TidnishWhen I was nine years old, my mother accepted a summer job as a camp counselor. Since she would be working full-time, my sister and I were
The Warm-Up Before the Work-Out
The best reaction may be no reaction - at least immediately.Thinking on your feet is one of the hardest things you’ll do as a professional. In fact, what comes out of your mouth will either reinforce
Take It From The Top
Summer camp is an important part of IslandWood’s mission to provide exceptional learning experiences and to inspire lifelong environmental and community service.Like the residential school camping pro
End of Innocence
What's Wrong With This Picture? Absolutely nothing.Yeah - we were teenagers and most people that observed us do the crazy things we did always said that, “Well, they’re teenagers, what do you expect?
Water Color Wars
What do you get when you mix a relay game with water and add in a little bit of dye? A wild and fun activity that cools off campers and keeps them talking for days. Nothing beats the heat like a
A Conversation For The Ages
The Fourth of July is the federal holiday when we in the United States commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence (from the Kingdom of Great Britain) signed on July 4, 1776. © Can Sto
The Silent Majority
Earlier this month, a South Carolina high school valedictorian stepped up to the microphone to make his speech. He’d discussed his proposed remarks with school officials and they had approved what he