Summer camp surprise ideas
June 25, 2018 3:36 PM   Subscribe

Through our community center, I have the awesome opportunity of running a three-week day camp this summer. It's a literacy camp and we'll also be teaching the kids how to navigate the city using the public transit system. What are some small things that we can do to make this camp really special for the campers?

Given the daily outings, we're two staff and only eight campers aged 12 to 14 years old. So, a pretty great ratio. This also means we have time to invest in making things for each of them, say, 8 tie dye hats or something. Assume above average computer and design skills, and pretty competent crafting abilities, though the surprise does not have to be craft based at all. Camp starts in two weeks, so if it's an item we'll need to be able to order or make it before camp starts. We ARE limited in budget: maybe $100 max.

Surprises we have already implemented: customised notebook and coursepack books, bracelets, printed invitations that invite the campers to ''be a leader''and bring us to where we're going each day (with help of course), a surprise nailed it style cooking day (they have already expressed extreme joy at this idea), allocated pocket money for treats like ice cream.

Surely, there are other ideas we can implement. Ideas can be physical items or surprise experiences. Routines or one offs. Anything really.

Basically, what extra things did your counselors do that made your experience special? Can you think of anything we can do specifically for our campers? Thanks.
posted by anonymous to Education (12 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
What's the socioeconomic background of the campers?
posted by the agents of KAOS at 4:00 PM on June 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


I hope this doesn't sound too pie-in-the-sky, but whenever I have been in a situation where I am being guided/led/supervised (or whatever) being given a note at the end from the group leaders has always been very meaningful to me. Say something encouraging about leadership skills, character traits, stuff like that. "It was really great when you befriended this person or suggested this idea" etc. Basically some personal encouragement they can take with them.
posted by janepanic at 4:20 PM on June 25, 2018 [7 favorites]


Seconding the personal encouragement thing. I’ve done this thing for group projects (mostly shows) where each person involved got a dedicated sheet of paper and others can write nice messages to them. More of an end of camp thing but could be cute.

Actually a camp mailbox system would be adorable.
posted by divabat at 4:42 PM on June 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


Also how much do you know about the kids? Because something that references something they really like, even if it’s something small, would be awesome. You could keep a consistent category, eg all food or all toys or all books, but each item is personalized to the camper - for example, each camper gets their favourite candy, or there’s a welcome note written in the style of their favourite book/cartoon character.
posted by divabat at 4:45 PM on June 25, 2018


Why not a transit pass? Or, if the kids already have transit passes, some transit tokens so that they can take a friend to see the museum or whatever after the camp is over.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 4:49 PM on June 25, 2018


Ooh! A passport so they can collect stamps related to camp! Places they’ve been, things they’ve done, random things like “helped someone out of a sticky situation”. A cross between merit badges, passport stamps, and Achievement Unlocked.
posted by divabat at 4:52 PM on June 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


Set up a public transportation scavenger hunt! Bonus points if you can get transit employers to help out to overcome the hurdle of talking to officials behind the counter.
posted by Grandysaur at 5:23 PM on June 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


I feel like this could tie in nicely with an introduction to geocaching somehow.
posted by Mizu at 5:24 PM on June 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


For their notebooks, can you tie in an urban sketching experience? And/or photos of themselves at locations around the city which you’ve visited, compiled and printed in a mini book for each camper at the end of the session?
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 5:30 PM on June 25, 2018


Lanyards. If they're out and about, they all need ID and you can do it so the required details, entered by an adult, are on one side and the other side is personalised either by you or by the camper.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:31 PM on June 25, 2018


PS: If you don't already know about Oriental Trading... passports.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:33 PM on June 25, 2018


Water bottles
posted by MadMadam at 6:12 PM on June 25, 2018


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