Designing Your Programs to Best Enhance the Camp Experience
Top Tips for Camps
- Intentionally select program activities that provide one or more of the youth-development supports (supportive relationships, safety, youth involvement, skill building).
- Identify and improve ways in which campers are immersed in your camp’s program, philosophy, traditions, and mission.
- Examine ways to enhance camper's feelings of physical and emotional safety.
- Create meaningful new practices in which youth feel involved in decision making and leadership opportunities.
- Evaluate activity plans to see how they provide challenges, support, and reinforcement of your camp’s mission.
Tips adapted from Designing Quality Youth Programs. American Camp Association.
Articles and Advice
- ACA' s Camp Program Improvement Project: Discovering Program Strategies That Make a Difference. American Camp Association
- Building Camps that Care About Kids. Camping Magazine Series
- Camp Program Quality Assessment. American Camp Association
- Creating Positive Youth Outcomes: Linking Camp Programs to Camper Outcomes through Assessment. American Camp Association e-Institute
- Designing Quality Youth Programs. American Camp Association e-Institute
- Explore 30 Camp Reading Program. American Camp Association
- Fostering Quality Athletic Programs in Camps to Promote Lifetime Physical Activity. Camping Magazine.
- Program Improvement Toolbox. American Camp Association e-Institute
Resources
- American Camp Association — Research on Program Design
- American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
- American Association for Horsemanship Safety
- American Canoe Association
- American Legion — Junior Shooting Sports
- American Red Cross
- American Riding Instructors Association
- American Therapeutic Recreation Association
- Association for Challenge Course Technology
- Association for Experiential Education
- Association of Technology Teachers
- Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
- Certified Horsemanship Association
- Civilian Marksmanship Program
- Educational Theatre Association
- Individual Special Needs Resources
- Music Teacher's National Association
- National Art Education Association
- National Association of Special Education Teachers
- National Association of Underwater Instructors
- National Gardening Association — Kid's Gardening
- National Outdoor Leadership School
- National Science Teacher's Association
- Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
- Reading Is Fundamental
- Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE)
- U.S.A. Archery
- U.S.A. Baseball
- U.S.A. Waterski
- U.S. Sailing
- U.S. Youth Soccer
- All ACA Resources on the Emerging Issue of Public Violence
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