https://www.acacamps.org/blog/aca-visits-white-house-talk-about-outdoor-opportunities-youth

On Thursday, November 17, the American Camp Association (ACA) was honored to participate in a White House meeting on opportunities for youth to experience the outdoors in collaboration with the...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/making-sense-mesh-partnerships-parents

As we tackle mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) issues in our programs, we must use every tool possible to help the struggling person. ...

https://www.acacamps.org/download/pre-camp-mesh-checklist

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/planning-mental-emotional-social-health-mesh-summer

The smiling faces and laughter heard across camps each summer result from days, weeks, and months of planning. We spend considerable time meticulously planning our themes, activities, equipment, food...

https://www.acacamps.org/news/hot-topic/child-protection-improvements-act-becomes-law

On Friday, March 23, President Trump signed the omnibus spending package, which included provisions for the Child Protection Improvements Act (CPIA). The new law enables organizations serving...

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/unexpected-upside-evaluation-how-your-program-may-improve-even-results-are

Simply by being more intentional about assessing your program, and using existing research to sharpen your focus onto the things that matter most, you may be surprised by just how easy it is to make...

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/campwire-episode-9-camp-resarch-laurie-browne-jim-sibthorp

In the ninth episode of CampWire, ACA's director of research Laurie Browne talks with another researcher, and longtime camp friend, Jim Sibthorp about ACA's 5-year research study.

https://www.acacamps.org/blog/why-every-camp-should-be-teaching-practicing-meditation-campers

The 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...