Lori started her camp over 19 years ago by using her nights, weekends, and time off during the summer to conduct the camp. The truth is, you know your product and you know the value of your product. summer camps are great for kids. You will reap tremendous benefits knowing, prior to each camp week, parents and campers are ready to log in to the video platform successfully before the first session of camp. Second, dedicate some time to make yourself available for parents and campers to meet you before the start of the virtual camp session. Is the camp a live video stream or is it pre-recorded? Those were the days where you were full of creativity, patience, care, and oftentimes, pure entertainment. Which programs may be immediately eliminated, so you can focus your attention and time in the proper direction? Without attempting to be convincing or demanding, I individually spoke to every member of the team to ensure a) they fully understood that the company was moving forward with a virtual camp plan, and b) to communicate that the pace and effort required to pull it all off is not going to be easy or incredibly enjoyable. This means handling disagreements and conflicts among your staff and working as an intermediary who keeps everyone happy so that they can do their best work. They are overwhelming and they will waste your valuable time. If you do not have the time to schedule a live “parent/camper orientation” then challenge yourself, instead, to create brief video clips to share with families. Take this opportunity to think big picture and craft a plan for building the best possible camp experience. Join our weekly newsletter, ACA Now, to get the latest news, updates, and professional development opportunities delivered to your inbox every Tuesday. JotForm helps you register campers, accept payments, and manage the information you need to run your summer camp. It's so important not to just hire based on previous experience, skills and certifications - those are important considerations but don't tell the whole picture! Will campers receive a kit of materials to use during the camp session(s)? Will children be working in teams or groups? Using specific keywords and phrases that describe your services will help your site rank as high as possible and drive more traffic to it. All of the tips so far have been applicable to both online and offline registration forms. Lots of (important) text doesn’t have to get in the way of a nice-looking and easy-to-navigate form. When planning an at-home summer camp outdoor activities are a must. { "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "HowTo", "name": "How do you start a summer camp? Using testimonials from past campers, heartwarming imagery from past installments of your camp (if applicable), and information about you and your background is great way to convey your camp as a kind of a family — one that’s passionate about improving the lives of its campers. When was this camp started? It would be a great break for them. Almost all computer-based programs such as Minecraft, Roblox, Scratch, 3D Game Development, Coding, etc. Or, maybe you are a local camp that takes the time to deliver a special 2020 summer camp t-shirt to the doorstep of every camp (contactless of course). No matter how small your camp may be, it’s easy to design an onboarding process that cuts down on paperwork. Of course all are important and necessary, BUT, not so much when developing an operational plan to operate a virtual camp. The documentation required and procedures you need to follow as your start you camp vary on a state by state level. Summer Camp offers a different weekly theme, so children can participate in the fun over the each week! Though overnight camps tended to report less profit, 45 percent of them were profitable (with 28 percent reporting a profit of $100,000 or more). Collectively we had over 70 years of service time. Fun & Safety: ACA-Accredited camps set the standard. All of your ad materials should convey a consistent tone and aesthetic. They go the extra mile to ensure an exceeding-expectations product, service, and experience to all with whom they serve. Here are a few general games and crafting ideas to get you thinking: There are many reasons to go into the summer with some camp game or crafting ideas. As the camp progresses, children accrue more skills and have a chance at the end of the summer to show those skills off. When it comes to email, a personal touch really goes a long way. IN-PERSON Create Camps (Grades K-5) GRADES: IN-PERSON Create Camps are for students entering kindergarten through 5 th grade in Fall 2021 and are divided by grades as follows: Entering Kindergarten (must be 5 years old by first day of camp) … Using an online form builder like JotForm can make the process of camp registration simple. I started in 2016 hosting my family children/youth camp annually and kids are loving it. The marketing copy writes itself! Then focus on investing in the channels that drive campers to your site and forget the methods that aren’t working. It can be an enriching experience for campers and staff alike as they get to experience new cultures. The toolkit is a resource for both proactive public relations and crisis communications. Sports? How to find and book expert speakers for your summer camp, Pro Tips For Better Summer Camp Management, How to set the price of camp registration, Everything you need to know about JotForm's summer camp users, 7 summer camp icebreaker ideas for your camp, 8 widgets that will make your camp forms better, How to run your summer camp safely during COVID-19, Major features of JotForm's summer camp forms, Summer camp director job description and responsibilities, Warning: How to avoid these 5 summer camp management mistakes, How to evaluate summer camp staff performance, Thanks for saying hi at the ACA conference, Skate Like a Girl: How forms support a positive tool for change, 5 best PDF templates that will make your camp shine, How to successfully manage summer camp finances, How to keep summer camp data organized with forms, 6 forms that will ensure your summer camp is fun(ctional), How to save time and cut paperwork from your summer camp forms, Getting to know you: The best questions to ask on summer camp applications, I loved what i read. Are there special traditions at this camp? How will families access the username and log in information to access the remote video platform? Many of these steps aren’t specific to summer camps — they can apply to any type of camp. While it will hopefully not be necessary, you’ll want your camp to be close to a hospital in the event of an emergency. Do you have a headset and microphone to enhance your voice and your ability to hear the campers? Social media has been a huge game-changer for summer camp advertisements, as social channels tend to be populated by audiences with an interest in summer camps. Go out of your way to determine how you may create a positive moment to make everyone feel extra special this summer. The summer’s over and you’re away from the day-to-day of camp management. Some of the expectations we set, in the form of both statements and questions include the following: All of the questions above, and more, will need to be answered by your team well before they commit to working with you in a virtual camp environment. Summer camps aren’t huge multinational companies with eight-figure advertising budgets. Because at the end of the day, you have a great big stretch of land that’s built for human enjoyment. Want to know how to get started setting up a basketball summer camp form or just a general sports summer camp form? This page will emphasize the steps and detail the various elements that go into a thriving summer camp business plan. These forms alert you of any allergies or medical conditions that a camper has so that you can proceed accordingly for the duration of the camp. For instance, you can manually create a waiver form, adding as many text fields as you need to adequately outline the activities and risks that come with your camp. And, it’s definitely not a traditional camp model, a model that has been the backbone of the camp industry. In other words, let’s remove what we think will happen, and instead plan for what could happen. 'Keeping Relationships in Mind' is something that doesn't get talked about enough - I'm glad to see it mentioned in this article! This doesn’t necessarily mean your staff has to be limited to U.S. citizens. If you don’t get the email, please check your spam folder. Designing and printing flyers can cost only a few dollars. The outcome of our initial meeting was the following: we all felt 100% comfortable that we possessed the collective skill sets and experience to run an in-person camp, but none of us knew or had any experience on how to operate a virtual camp. Especially if you compare to the traditional camps. About Camp Kindness. Going in with a clear plan and lots of recipes is the best route toward a fun — and delicious — time at camp. Summer Camp Learn everything you want about Summer Camp with the wikiHow Summer Camp Category. Out of all of your camp families, identify the families who truly need your camp program offerings the most. Camp Google Who: Ages 7 to 10 Cost: FREE When: July 13 to August 7 What: Camp Google is a four-week online summer camp designed to get kids exploring by asking questions about the world around them.The intro brings up some interesting questions like, "Why can't I tickle myself?" }] }] } While Google's reputation may be enough to pique your interest, the tech giant … You decide on the number of children you are training and they will provide five days worth of supplies for each child. You should also introduce your staff. Nevertheless, despite all the hard work, time, and energy accompanying the pre-camp mania, it is a welcomed challenge. Is your place of work (at home) clean and are you able to make the background of your room clean, without posters or pictures that may disrupt campers or even worse, be somewhat offensive or message-driven? Exciting New Updates in ACA Professional Development! A common and physical destination for kids to play. Does the computer have a webcam (internal or external). Learn about topics such as How to Pack for Summer Camp (Girls), How to Prepare for a Camping Trip/Summer Camp (for Girls), How to Dress at Summer Camp, and more with our helpful step-by-step instructions with photos and videos. How will our team communicate with parents if a camper is disconnected from the virtual camp or simply decides to walk away from the screen for a long duration of time? Variety in Schedule . Again, scheduling the day puts children at ease. But not when these commands are blurted out on the hour, every hour throughout the day. And on that note, make sure who you’re trying to attract to your camp is reflected in your marketing materials. Your team is your backbone and they will need to fully support you in this time of sudden change. In the process of defining your virtual camp categories, age groups and programs, we strongly suggest you focus on the programs that you know will have the greatest opportunity for success (enrollment). Will staffers who return in subsequent years make more than first-time staff members? Let’s be honest: You can’t order pizza for your campers every day. Include past testimonials. How long is a camp session? The older the campers, the more challenging they are. This can be as simple as uploading pictures of last summer onto Instagram throughout the year. Therefore, you will need to step up and become the beacon of over-simplified, continuous, and clear communication at all times. The Steve Spangler STEM Camp consists of five days of activities per pack. 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