https://www.acacamps.org/blog/social-emotional-learning-camp

Recovery from the trauma of the pandemic will be an important goal for camps this summer. It’s going to be a big lift, and we know you are ready for it! Aside from the usual, wonderful ways our...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/conversation-katie-how-one-camper-handles-mental-illness

The thing about mental, emotional and social health (MESH) is that you never know when, and you never know how, it is going to affect you...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/want-improve-your-response-mental-health-challenges

Camp professionals often ask what they might do to more effectively respond to staff and camper mental, emotional and social health (MESH) needs. This often arises from a desire to be as inclusive as...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/moderating-childhood-stress-through-camp

Exposure to adverse childhood events (ACE) can lead children to drinking alcohol, smoking, illicit drug use, overeating, and other maladaptive behaviors (Stevens, 2015). These children can experience...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/instilling-meshages-marginalizes-toxic-stress-camp

As the Healthy Camp Education and Monitoring Program (HCEMP) committee studies MESH and its implications, I was interested to see some foundational work in this area. In...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/school-breaks-shouldnt-be-break-learning

School breaks are not the time to take a break from learning. Unfortunately, this is what often happens, resulting in a significant drop in students’ mastery of core concepts. The ...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/take-away-cooking-skills-camp

Guest blog by Diana K. Rice Where did you learn to swim, read a map, or be part of a team? There’s a good chance it was at camp, right? We know that camp is not just a place for kids to...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/camp-was-made-summer-learning

June 19 is National Summer Learning Day, a time to reflect on what summer learning means and what summer learning loss implies. In a March 2009 interview in support of year-round schools with OnPoint...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/how-camp-crisis-hotline-can-help-you

Sometimes, despite best efforts to be prepared in case of emergencies and expect the unexpected, crises occur. For just over thirty years, the American Camp Association (ACA) has been helping...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/handling-heat-summer

In the heat of summer, camps are accustomed to taking precautions to ensure the safety and comfort of campers when temperatures get extreme. Drinking plenty of water, moving more “active” programming...