As camp directors, we instinctually know that the experience is much better without smartphones and technology, but what do the campers themselves think?

I feel like I just spent three weeks at Jewish summer camp. I experienced the highs of color war, the exhilaration of kayaking in the lake, the fear of the high ropes course, and the spirit of singing on Shabbat. Thanks to the occasional letter and the flood of photos that my son’s camp posted online, I got to experience the thrills vicariously. I could write endlessly about the benefits of camp for my child, but, as sociologists like to remind us, the plural of data is not anecdote.

In this blog post, Laurie Browne, PhD, gives an update on the Youth Outcomes Battery tool and discusses what to expect from a future version.

‘Tis the season of parents (and caregivers, and other adults-connected-to-children with whom you as a camp professional interact). You’ve likely dealt with parents and caregivers just about every day of this season, but that interaction tends to ramp up toward the end of the summer — especially if you are trying to capture feedback from your parent community through end-of-summer surveys.

When Bridget Trogden and her husband sent their son, Jacob, to camp last month, she was understandably nervous about sending her 12-year old to an overnight program. The week-long residential Adventure Camp, hosted by the Clemson University Youth Learning Institute (YLI), focused on outdoor activities and offered participants opportunities to build life skills including independence, social competence and resilience.

NASA Space Place activities for summer camp attendees help campers to learn about space and earth science.

Parents. I have them. I know them. I am one. And I was a day camp director who interacted with parents daily (and in the evenings, over the weekends, and, yes, even once on Christmas day). I know the central role that parents play in the daily work of camp and the lengths camp professionals must go to harness parent engagement, satisfaction, and (ideally) referrals.

Summer camp season is a busy time for camp professionals, but don't forget to take time to soak it in.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, these summer camp activities will help campers connect to the moon.

LGBTQ+ leadership camps allow LGBTQ+ youth to be themselves and feel accepted and loved in a summer camp environment.