https://www.acacamps.org/blog/introducing-new-free-friend-camp-program-quality-staff-checklist

Before 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/happy-campers-how-camp-relationships-promote-social-emotional-learning

Young people are diverse and dynamic, and they have myriad pathways to success. Unfortunately, youth development research often highlights watered-down averages of sample sets that offer limited...

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

As an education research organization affiliated with the Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, we thought it was an exciting opportunity to investigate camp as a unique learning...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/staff-workforce-development-what-helps-what-hinders-it

Camp is a fantastic place for growth and development, not only of campers but young staff too. The skills they learn while working in this context prepare them for college, career, and life! 

https://www.acacamps.org/resources/year-round-education-children-youth

American Camp Association Position and Resources Understand the importance of the connection with nature Children and Nature Create positive relationships...

https://www.acacamps.org/resources/designing-your-programs-best-enhance-camp-experience

Top Tips for Camps Intentionally select program activities that provide one or more of the youth-development supports (supportive relationships, safety, youth involvement, skill building)....

https://www.acacamps.org/article/camping-magazine/biting%E2%80%85my%E2%80%85nails-revisiting-staff-anxiety

It was three years ago when I first wrote about the increasing levels of anxiety that camp directors were seeing in their staff (Ditter, 2016). At the time, the Centers for Disease Control and...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/outside-camp-customers-inside-camp-customers

Camp owners always remember their outside customers (camp parents and campers), but inside customers (camp staff) are just as important.

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/research-360-quality-vs-outcomes-smackdown

If you've been following this blog you know that the Research 360 goal is to build camp evaluation capacity. Thus far I've described what...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/tips-calming-down-overwhelmed-camp-counselors

“It’s hot.” “I’m tired.” “My campers are crazy.” “My co-counselor is not pulling his/her own weight.” “I am just not sure I have enough left in my tank to finish the summer.” All of these are...