Relating to Campers

You have signed up for the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD, and you know why it is so great?! You have the privilege of hanging out with children all day long! They are a delight and just so much fun. There are highs and lows to the job (and we are going to help you know how to handle both), but every time you interact with a camper, you can make a difference in her life.

In our CAMP acronym, the “C” stands for Connect. So how you do really Connect with a camper throughout the day? Here are some great ways that you can relate to girls this summer:

Smile

We talk about smiling a LOT at camp. It’s such a simple thing, but it gives the best first impression to someone you are trying to connect with at any point and in any situation. A smile says “I’m glad you’re here! I’m glad to be with you. I am a safe person for you to be with.” As a counselor, your cheeks should hurt at the end of the day from smiling so much!

Ask Questions

The best way to get someone talking is to ask questions. And at camp, there are a million questions you can ask. From hometown questions (where you are from, your grade, your siblings, your pets), to cabin questions (cabin number, counselors, years at camp, Penpal, bunk decorations), to camp activities (favorite, most looking forward to, class you’re most nervous about but think it’s still going to be awesome), to perferences (favorite ice cream, Disney character you’d want to be, toothpaste flavor, time you were most surprised in your life)….the possibilities are endless. It’s always helpful to have a few “back pocket” questions to ask any camper you meet. You’ll have a new friend in no time!

Listen

Once you ask those questions, actually listen to the responses. Many times, we start planning out what we are going to say next, instead of listening to what the person has to say and actually responding to that statement. Listen well and you’ll pick up on what that camper loves and know what question to ask next!

Make Eye Contact

This is so much easier at camp than it is in the real world (hello technology!), and it means a great deal to a camper when you are making eye contact while you are listening. Girls are smart! They know when you are distracted and not really paying attention. Show campers respect by looking them in the eye. It is an easy, powerful way to connect!

Do Something Together

Do you know how campers spell the word “love”? T-I-M-E. Time! They want you to recognize them as individuals and spend time hanging out with them. Find a common interest, and do it together! Go to the see-saws, play Tetherball, take a walk on the River Trail, visit the Farm Barn animals, go to the watermelon table together, play tennis at free time, play a game of tag, borrow one of our card games from the office…the possibilities at camp are endless! Finding something to do together gives you an instant connection with that person.

Follow Up

If a camper shares something that is happening (“I’m going to try the Leap of Faith for the first time today!” or “I think I may pass my level in Archery Club this afternoon”), follow up and ask about it. You are going to have many opportunities for things like this. Don’t waste them! Nothing shows you care more than to follow up about something important to that camper. Afraid you’ll forget? Keep a small notebook nearby, and write it down!

Speak Words of Compassion

If a camper is telling you about something hard, it’s easy to want to fix the situation right away (and we do want to fix anything we can…so you are on the right track!). But before going into “fix-it” mode, offer your empathy. For example, use phrases like:

  • “That must have been hard to have your friend run off and leave you behind.”
  • “I am sure it hurt your feelings when your bunkmate left her dirty towel on your bed.”
  • “It is tough to receive some bad news from home. I am sure that made you feel upset.”

Speaking back to them words of concern and compassion is a great way to connect with the campers (and helps to validate their emotions!) before you work with them to find a solution.

Use a Positive Tone

We’ll talk about this more in Orientation, but your tone is going to be an instant way to connect (or disconnect) with campers. It can be frustrating when a camper isn’t doing something you want her to do. But you’re going to quickly lose your connection with that camper if you are raising your voice or getting overly frustrated on the outside. (Can you feel frustrated? Of course! But it’s not going to work when you’re expressing it in your tone with the campers.) Ask nicely. Offer to help with the task. Speak confidently into what the child can do (“I know cleaning up is hard, but I know you can do it! Let’s think of ways we can make it easier.”). A calm, kind, loving tone is HUGE in this job!

Speak Words of Affirmation

This jumps into the “Appreciate” in our CAMP acronym, but affirmation is a great way to connect to a camper. Seeing a camper as an individual and speaking positivity about specific traits or characteristics you see in her is HUGE.

  • “I am so glad you’re in my cabin.”
  • “You really gave it your all out there on stage for Lip Sync.”
  • “I know you were nervous about going down the Big Slide, but I am so proud of you for trying it!”

Consider a Cabin Ritual

What is a cabin ritual? Something that is unique to your cabin that you do regularly. Whether you play the same “wake-up” song every morning after Reveille, or have a special cabin handshake, or say something special at the end of every devotion (“You are the best cabin, and I am so lucky to be your counselor.”). Girls love to have something special they do with you.

Be Silly

Girls LOVE having fun at camp, and being silly right along with them is a great way to connect. If girls want to do karaoke, jump in and sing. If your campers are really into Taylor Swift songs, turn it up and dance along with them. Costumes at a meal? No problem - so fun! Camp is a whimsical place; embrace it.

Ask Forgiveness

It’s tough to ask forgiveness when you’ve done something wrong, no matter your age. However, we’re all going to screw up big time this summer - we’re humans (and sinners!). When you raise your voice or when you complain or if you show favoritism (whether you realized you were doing these things or not), go back to the camper (or campers) you hurt and say you’re sorry. Ask if you can start over. Ask for suggestions; for example: “I am sorry I raised my voice about not doing your job. It was unkind and I apologize. We all need to be doing our jobs this summer, and I want to find a good way to remind you. What is a good way for me to help you to remember to do it?” Being able to ask forgiveness is a really great way to reconnect when things have gone wrong.

Give them a Hug or a High Five

Some of our campers are going to be really missing hugs from their families or snuggles with their siblings. A great way to connect with a camper is to give her a hug when she comes back to the cabin after free time. Throw her a high five when she tells you some good news. Girls want to feel loved by you!

Try out a Meaningful Moment

Girls love “fun and new and exciting and different” - we hear it all the time, but it doesn’t have to be hard! If you’re willing to put in a little effort, you can really connect with your girls in some fun ways. Try out a Meaningful Moment! Ask if your cabin can look at the stars after EP one night (why not?!). Find out from your Group Leader when a good time would be to visit with the Farm Barn animals during free time (fun!). We can help you, but doing something out of the box for your group is a great way to connect!

See Each Camper Individually

Some campers will be the life of the party, ready for a dance break at any moment. Other campers will be much more inclined to read a book or watch the action. Connecting with both groups is necessary; you need to be observing the group and seeing how you can engage with each girl. Jump into the dance party and have a blast during free time. But then, go sit on the camper’s bed who is coloring and ask her questions about her classes. Think thoughtfully about what makes each camper “tick” (and you’ll pick up on it soon enough), and then think of ways to connect that suits that particular child.

Say “Yes” When You Can!

You are going to have to say “no” quite often at camp (“no you can’t jump in the lake at midnight” or “no you can’t give yourself a haircut”). Interesting fact: Did you know that young children hear the word “no” over 400 times a day?! Wow! When you can say “yes,” do it! Being a “yes” counselor is a really great way to connect with campers; everyone wants someone who is positive and willing to try new things. “Can we go to Candy Shoppe together?” YES. “Can we sit on the dock together before Evening Program?” YES. “Can we have a wedding for these two rocks I found outside?” YES. Saying “yes” when you can is a great way to connect!