Traits of the Best Summer Camp Counselors

Summer camp counselors play an important role as they help kids adjust to being away from home. At camp, a counselor leads activities, checks on the safety of the campers in their bunk and serves as a role model during every moment of their day. While the job is demanding, camp counselors report that they get back more from the experience than they ever imagined. Camp counselors are known for their active, fun-loving personalities, and these traits are found in those who are committed to creating the ideal experience for every kid that visits them in the summer.

Good Communication Skills

Throughout the day, a camp counselor may have to comfort a homesick camper, celebrate a winning sports team and reinforce camp rules. Each of these tasks requires the ability to adjust one’s tone to fit the situation. A quality camp counselor will be able to respond with sensitivity when it is necessary and address challenging situations with authority that makes every kid feel like a valuable member of the camp community.

Self-Motivation

Camp counselors spend the major part of their day with the campers in their group and they even stay in the same cabin. This means that counselors are responsible for establishing routines in their cabin regarding bedtimes, waking up and keeping things clean. Since a counselor is the one the rest of the group looks to for leadership, they must be the first one to notice when something needs to be done and immediately take action.

Detail-Oriented

There are a lot of details involved in planning events and each day at camp is full of special activities that are designed to foster the campers’ development. A camp counselor is not only responsible for keeping a head count of their group throughout the day, but they will also need to be able to keep track of things such as what equipment is needed for a hiking expedition and how to run through a safety check before taking the kids out on the water.

Physically Active

Being a camp counselor is a high-energy job that requires being able to work out and play alongside the younger campers. Camp counselors tend to enjoy activities such as archery, wakeboarding and fishing. Since their primary goal is to make sure no child feels left out or gets frustrated learning a new skill, they will constantly be interacting with the group in every activity so that they can foster an encouraging atmosphere.

Resilience

As anyone who spends time outdoors knows, anything can happen to the best-laid plans. Rain can come pouring down before a campfire gathering, or a tent pole can break on an overnight camping trip. When these things happen, camp counselors teach kids how to handle challenges by staying calm and working out a solution. From hosting an indoor sing-along to fashioning a tent pole from a branch, they will successfully rise to the occasion, no matter what comes their way.

While some of the best camp counselors were once campers themselves, it is not necessarily a requirement. Being a positive role model and recognizing the importance of giving each kid a memorable experience are the most essential traits to be found in a camp counselor. Although each day is full of serious responsibilities, it is well worth the effort when a young camper looks forward to the day when they can take on a position of leadership just like their favorite counselor.

Canadian Adventure Camp is a coed overnight summer camp for kids located on a beautiful private island in the wilderness lakes region of Temagami.  Founded in 1975, it  provides acclaimed programs to children from around the world! Visit site: http://www.canadianadventurecamp.com/campers/summer-camp-program/

Developmental Benefits of Summer Camp Crafts

Arts and crafts activities are a summer camp staple that every kid enjoys in their daily schedule. In addition to providing kids with a calming activity after long hours of outdoor play, summer camp crafts allow kids to learn and improve new skills that fall across a broad range of abilities. To parents, it may look like a kid is just having fun creating a birdhouse or necklace, but they are also enjoying these developmental benefits in addition to being entertained every time they get involved in a summer camp craft project.

Develop Creativity and Self-Expression

Kids need open-ended art experiences that allow them to bring their imaginations to life. In a summer camp craft class, kids are encouraged to be creative and focus more on the process of making art than on the actual product. Whether they want to make a rustic pot, an elegant vase or a completely different type of project, the opportunities for self-expression are boundless. Learning to tap into their creativity is a skill that kids will also use in many other areas of their lives, such as problem solving and writing.

Improve Fine Motor Skills

Many summer camp activities focus on the kids developing gross motor skills as they ski, hike and swim. Yet, it is also important to provide kids with activities that strengthen their fine motor skills. Pinching clay, holding a paintbrush and beading a necklace all require kids to use their pincer grasp. Strengthening fine motor skills not only helps to improve a child’s handwriting, but it can also help kids to throw a ball further, type faster and play a musical instrument with greater skill.

Build Vocabulary and Oral Language Abilities

Craft projects are very hands-on, which makes it easy to overlook that kids learn new vocabulary when they delve into an unfamiliar type of art. For example, kids who are sewing will learn about bobbins, selvedge and how to identify the grain in fabric. Alternatively, young painters will learn the different names of brushes and types of paint. Kids also learn how to use descriptive language when they are talking about their projects or developing a new idea for something to create.

Foster Social Skills

In a craft class, kids get to spend time with their peers making cool new projects. As they do so, they also learn how to share materials, keep things orderly and use kind language when critiquing their friends’ work. Many craft projects also take multiple days to complete, which teaches kids how to be patient and persevere when things do not go as planned. Learning to try a new technique if a prior method does not create the desired effect is also a wonderful way for kids to gain control over their emotions and follow through in the face of challenges.

Enjoy Greater Confidence and a Sense of Purpose

The creative process also involves taking safe risks that promote the development of self-confidence in kids. If a child decides they don’t like the way a pattern of beads makes their necklace look, they can simply start again. This makes it easier for them to remain confident even when they are experimenting with an unfamiliar technique. Completing a project and discovering a new favorite hobby also gives kids a sense of purpose that enhances their life satisfaction.

Tie-dye t-shirts and handmade mugs may be classic camp art projects that kids view as just being fun to make. However, your kid will be gaining valuable skills with every craft that will impact their future academic and social success. As your son or daughter heads off to camp this season, watch them dive into the world of art, and enjoy watching their creativity, self-confidence and language skills grow.

Canadian Adventure Camp is a coed overnight summer camp for kids located on a beautiful private island in the wilderness lakes region of Temagami.  Founded in 1975, it  provides acclaimed programs to children from around the world! Visit site: http://www.canadianadventurecamp.com/campers/summer-camp-program/