https://www.acacamps.org/blog/connecting-nature

"Camp is a time to explore, a time to let your brain grow, and a time to connect with the outside."  In this video blog, former ACA CEO Tom Holland explains the benefits of getting outside at...

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/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/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/new-data-staff-compensation-benefits-how-does-your-camp-compare

Here's a snapshot of new data we collected from ACA camps about all things staff-related.

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/results-2019-spring-snapshot-survey

In the latest Research 360 blog, Director of Research Dr. Laurie Browne shares the results of 2019 Spring Snapshot Survey. The purpose of the survey was to gain insight into summer camp spring...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/no-generation-left-behind

Without a doubt, the most popular comment I get from clients in my public speaking work is (some variation of) “’Kids today have absolutely no initiative or basic work ethic! I ask them, ‘Well, how...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/3-weeks-summer-camp-what-i-learned-educator-being-camp-parent

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...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/want-independent-confident-resilient-kid-camp-can-help

While it’s easy to think of ways to teach our kids to do laundry or solve math problems, finding a way to instill important character traits isn’t as simple. The way we model traits we want our...