Summer camp is a place full of opportunities for children to learn and grow. When organized correctly, it is the perfect blend of nature, supportive peers, and caring, attentive adults. As directors and staff, we pride ourselves on creating novel experiences built to challenge and engage our campers. But in all that creating, don’t forget to pay attention to what your campers are teaching you.
Personally, my campers have shown me singing in the face of fear, creative thinking, wonder, acceptance of others, willingness to try new things, curiosity, and so much more. Here are four personal lessons that my campers have reminded me of over the years I’ve spent at summer camp.
Singing in the Face of Fear
Camp is not always sunshine and roses. One week of camp, there was a stomach bug that wiped out most of the campers and a large number of staff as well. Morale was low to say the least. Some campers went home, but most stayed. In my cabin, there was only one girl who got sick and one who went home, enough to considerably lower our spirits.
At the start of the week, one of the girls in my cabin wanted to be in a different cabin with her friends. The switch couldn’t be made, and selfishly, I’m so glad that it wasn’t. She was an irrepressible ray of absolute sunshine. After breakfast one day, we were sitting on the porch waiting for a couple of others in the cabin to finish up their breakfast when this girl started singing camp songs. The other girls in the cabin joined in with laughter and giggles.
We were eating outside with a bunch of other cabins, and the songs were infectious. Smiles showed up on faces across the lawn. The girls had started singing to pass the time, but when they started, they lifted everyone’s spirits a little that day. Even though camp wasn’t going to plan, they found a way to sing through it.
The Power of Bouncing Back
The youngest girl in my cabin was 7. It was her first year at camp, and she was nervous but excited. Her sister had been to camp before and had told her about how much fun it would be. This was their first year together, both of them in my cabin.
One day, after breakfast, we took our cabin to the playground. There were a few other groups that were there as well, and the girls went to join their friends in the small schoolhouse structure. They quickly got to assigning teacher and students’ roles as math equations started to appear on the chalkboard. Play was going well when I heard a scream from the schoolhouse, and our youngest camper raced out the door. She ran toward me with tears running down her face. One of the boys had thrown sand through the window, and it had gotten into her eyes.
After making sure she was alright, I found out that she was crying less because of the sand and more because of the boy’s behavior. One of our cabin rules was about respecting others. This camper was distressed because of the boy’s disrespect for her and for our cabin rules. She asked me, “How can I help him be nicer?” Talk about asking the tough questions. How do you teach a seven-year-old that you can’t force anyone to be nice? That forgiveness matters, but so does standing up for yourself? My mind was spinning.
What I ended up saying was, “Well, we need to keep on respecting others and ourselves, no matter how they act. Do you think you can do that?” She turned her tear-stained cheeks up toward me and said, “I’ll try.” With that, she was up and off again, playing with her friends. She didn’t go back to the schoolhouse that day, but she didn’t let her hurt spoil a good time.
Acceptance of Others
Every cabin you have has a different dynamic. Every counselor hopes that it will be a good blend and that by the end of the week, everyone will have made at least one new friend. Luckily, this has always been the case in the cabins I’ve had the privilege to lead.
I was assisting in a cabin for the week and was heading over to introduce myself to the girls and start learning their names. It was a group of teens, so I was preparing myself for a little bit of a cooler reception.
I walked into the cabin, and one of the girls bounced off her bunk to come introduce herself. I told her my name and extended my hand for a good, honest handshake. She looked at my hand, chuckled to herself, and said, “I’m more of a hugger”, extending her arms in invitation. A most unexpected reaction.
Throughout the rest of the week, she was friendly and outgoing to everyone that she met, welcoming them with open arms. She reminded the whole staff about the importance of accepting others.
A Willingness to Try New Things
She had never been on a speedboat before, much less tubing behind one. I could tell that she was extremely nervous about even being in the boat. She huddled at the front while the other girls in the cabin took turns three at a time on the tube. When her turn came, the other girls encouraged her to try it out, but she shook her head.
Toward the end of our time on the water, I let her know that if she wanted to try it out, it was now or next summer, since she wouldn’t have the chance to go on the boat again. She contemplated for a moment, then said she’d give it a try.
She and two friends got on the tube, and when the boat sped up, I heard all of them shriek. At first, with fear but looking at her face, I saw it turn into a shout of enjoyment. At the end of the week, it made the list of her favorite things from the week.
Invitation to Keep Learning
As camp staff, we have the privilege not just to engage with youth but to learn with them as well. Keep your eyes open. The campers that you work with have a lot to say if we will take the time to listen. As you go through your summer, take note of these campers and the other campers that you encounter. Take a moment to learn from them.
