https://www.acacamps.org/blog/why-every-camp-should-be-teaching-practicing-meditation-campers
Why Every Camp Should Be Teaching and Practicing Meditation with CampersThe wonder of a child — it’s something we strive for in adulthood. Imagination, amazement, and the simple appreciation for life’s little treasures: the gold spray of sunlight through a window, or the...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/why-camps-after-school-programs-should-work-together-hire-staff
Why Camps and After-school Programs Should Work Together to Hire StaffI am a camp guy. I spent 10 summers growing up at various overnight camps as a camper, counselor, dishwasher, and unit head. As ACA research has shown, these experiences provided me with some of my...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/recorded-webinar/fully-connected-how-radical-cell-phone-policy-can-improve-your-camp
Fully Connected: How a Radical Cell Phone Policy Can Improve Your Camp Culture and Cure FOMO"Because of Camp... I have a better relationship with my phone." Said no one ever. We love camp because of the relationships we build there. So, what would camp look like if the staff committed to...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/bodies-beliefs-bias-why-respect-human-rights-unnatural
On Bodies, Beliefs, and Bias: Why Respect for Human Rights Is UnnaturalMy mother crochets. Over tea in restaurants. In line at the airport. At the movies. If you can breathe there, my mom can crochet there. She crochets for friends, family, and perfect strangers....
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/introducing-new-free-friend-camp-program-quality-staff-checklist
Introducing a New (and Free!) Friend: The Camp Program Quality Staff ChecklistBefore I get started, I have a confession: I lied. I said in the title that in this post I was going to introduce you to a new friend, but that’s not entirely true. The Camp Program Quality Staff...
https://www.acacamps.org/blog/importance-camp-lgbt-youth
The Importance of Camp to LGBT YouthThe month of June holds a very special place in my heart. Warm weather, the joyous arrival of seasonal staff and campers, and of course, LGBT Pride Month. Pride is a time to celebrate the lesbian,...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/evaluating-bereavement-camps
Evaluating Bereavement CampsSpending time in nature is often therapeutic and provides many benefits, such as improving cognitive functioning (Berman, Jonides, & Kaplan, 2008) and improving memory (Berto, 2005). Spending...
https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/become-trauma-informed-add-capacity-your-mesh-toolbox
Become Trauma-Informed: Add Capacity to Your MESH ToolboxDid you know that two out of every three adults have experienced at least one adverse childhood event (ACE) by the time they reach 18 years of age? In addition, one in eight adults reports...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/recorded-webinar/mesh-proactive-camps-what-are-their-secrets
MESH Proactive Camps: What Are Their Secrets?DESCRIPTION: Are you challenged by mental, emotional and social health (MESH) needs of campers and staff? Would you like to add to your understanding and skills of this...
https://www.acacamps.org/events-education/online-learning/recorded-webinar/practicing-teaching-mindfulness
Practicing and Teaching MindfulnessMindfulness is the practice of being fully "present," right here, right now. It's the opposite of mind-FULL-ness, or feeling constantly distracted. Camp offers the perfect setting to teach and...