Here are 8 key things you should know about working in American Summer Camps…
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American Summer Camps are like a bank; the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.
Learning to let go a little and just being silly is the best thing for you and the campers at an American Summer Camps. If there is a costume to wear, put it on! Nobody cares if you look silly! If the kids get to dress you up, let them be creative. Guaranteed you’ll have a lot of fun and the campers will love you for it!
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You become a parent at American Summer Camps!
You might not actually be a parent but as soon as the kids arrive you become a parent! You will refer to the kids in your cabin as “my kids” and proudly talk about cabin life. The campers look up to you and want to make you proud. Anytime they achieve something, small or major, you feel like a proud parent!
3) You don’t need to sound like Adele but you will sing pretty much everyday!
Camp songs are a major part of camp life so expect to sing most days. Some songs may even have a few dance moves to match. But don’t worry about feeling silly because everybody else in the room will be singing and dancing along too.
You should also know there is a song for everything and anything!
4) The campers can be unbelievably competitive at American Summer Camps.
When it comes to competition, the campers will do anything they can to win! They don’t care if they stand on you during councillor hunt! They just want to find you! If there’s a chance they get to pick which councillor gets thrown into the water, they will think of every tactic possible just to win!
5) Having a little patience will go a long way.
It can be frustrating when things take a little longer than you would like. Teaching the campers new skills can be quite easy but getting them to understand is the challenging part. Sometimes the campers need a little longer to understand so just be patient, they will get there eventually.
6) At American Summer Camps you don’t have to look hot off the catwalk!
At camp looking flawless isn’t a priority, getting involved is! Camp style is little more au natural with very little or no make up and your hair straighteners will enjoy a nice two month break off too! A great bonus to this is the little amount of time needed in the morning to get ready!
Camp style is also a little different to normal life. You can’t say you have been to camp without a bit of tie-dye. Believe it or not but it is all the rage at camp!
Friendship bracelets are also a major fashion piece at camp! Be ready to have a pocketful of string for friendship bracelets.
7) Kids can eat more than you think!
Meal times can be a little chaotic at camp but they are a great time to have a chat with some of your campers. Just be warned they might be young, but boy can those campers eat! You would think they haven’t ate for a week!
You might want to keep an eye on that as the campers might not know their own limits! The look of disappointment when my kids were told they could have up to three donuts for breakfast was very real! They were 7 and 8 years old!! (Yep, donuts really were a thing for breakfast! Although the campers didn’t understand why that was a weird thing to most of the international staff.) Another camper wanted to beat her record of 9 donuts!
Also don’t stand in their way when there are s’mores!
8) You will want to be at American Summer Camps forever!
It’s hard to think that two or three months could have such a huge impact on your life, but it does! Leaving camp is bitter sweet; as much as you are looking forward to travelling or seeing friends and family, it is sad to leave camp and saying goodbye to your camp family. You will want to sing all your camp songs at home, but it’s not the same without everyone else! Just like the campers, you will spend the rest of the year counting down the days to going back to camp!
Did you know?
AmeriCamp turned its offices into the World’s Largest Adult Ball Pit. Check it out
