https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/decoding-camper-behavior
Decoding Camper BehaviorMany years ago, before social media, electric cars, and the smartphone, a little boy went to camp. He had overcome tremendous hurdles before ever stepping foot on a campground. In fact, at the...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/imagine-child-tree-fertilize-unstructured-outdoor-play-character-development
Imagine a Child as a Tree — Fertilize with Unstructured, Outdoor Play, and Character DevelopmentAsk anyone who has attended a camp as a child or youth about his or her experiences and you will receive many different responses. Camp has many meanings because of the personal nature of the...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/consequence-character-how-summer-camp-promotes-character-leadership-entrepreneurship
A Consequence of Character: How Summer Camp Promotes Character, Leadership, and EntrepreneurshipEven casual observation reveals the powerful role the summer camp experience plays in accelerating character development in children and teens. The question then becomes "What's next?" The answer, it...
https://www.acacamps.org/resources/template-resource-documents-camp-operations
Template Resource Documents for Camp OperationsACA is committed to providing resources to assist in your camp's operation. These resources include sample schedules, planning forms, charts of accounts, supply lists, and more. These samples...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/online-course/trauma-informed-care-camp
Trauma Informed Care at CampDESCRIPTION: In ACA’s 2017 Emerging Issues Report, the top issue facing camps is campers’ Mental, Emotional, and Social Health (Browne, Bialeschki & Wilson, 2017)....
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/recorded-webinar/avoiding-parent-trap-working-difficult-parents
Avoiding the Parent Trap: Working with Difficult ParentsMost camp parents are wonderful, but at every camp, there are a few who are some degree of difficult. From parents who demand special exceptions to parents who are wholly disengaged from their child'...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/recorded-webinar/back-basics-creating-cohesive-staff-community
Back to the Basics: Creating a Cohesive Staff CommunityWhile this sounds so simple, why is it often so hard? Community building is what camp is all about. Yet, all of the ice-breakers and fun games in the world don’t guarantee that staff will...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/partner-online-course/summer-camps-abuse-prevention-program
Summer Camps Abuse Prevention ProgramASAP's abuse-prevention program is being used to ensure healthly physical and behavorial interactions and safety. It includes a Director's Guide, screening protocol, staff training - animated...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/continuous-quality-improvement
Continuous Quality ImprovementIn my decades-long career as a camp professional and outdoor educator, one of my favorite parts has been problem-solving. How can I, in whatever role I find myself, help make the camper experience...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/lost-boys-finding-their-way-summer-camp
Lost Boys: Finding Their Way at Summer CampAre boys in crisis? Popular literature (Raising Cain, Lost Boys, Boys and Sex) and theater (Dear Evan Hansen) seem to suggest so. Terms such as “boy code” and “toxic masculinity” further paint a path...