Becoming a Camp Counselor

Becoming a Camp Counselor

Camp counselors plan fun activities for campers, like horseback riding and campfire games.

Camp Counselor

Camping is an experience that everyone should have cuz there's nothing better than going away to a camp filled with cool kids and fun activities! So wouldn't a camp be one of the best places to work during your summer vacation? Find out how to become a camp counselor!

Camp Counselors - Helping Kids Have Fun

Summer camps last anywhere from a few days to eight weeks. During that time, counselors supervise the campers 24/7 and plan fun-filled recreational activities for them, like arts and crafts, canoeing, hiking and campfire games. This is a great way to prepare for any type of career cuz you'll improve your people skills and problem-solving abilities. With more than 12,000 summer camps in the US, it shouldn't be too hard to find a job as a camp counselor. Just check job boards and the Web for camp job listings. If you're not old enough to be a camp counselor, you can try spending the summer as a counselor-in-training to learn all about camp life, counseling kids and dealing with problems. But the downside is that you won't get paid - you might even have to pay to attend camp!

Camp Counselors - Skills Checklist

Almost anyone can become a camp counselor, but if you're a loner who doesn't like being around people, then maybe this isn't the job for ya. Run down this checklist to see if you have what it takes to be the coolest counselor around!

Lots of energy and enthusiasm.

Creativity.

Experience with kids (babysitting is a great way to gain experience cuz babysitters and camp counselors are kinda similar - they plan activities for kids and watch over them to make sure they stay safe).

Knowledge of first aid skills.

Camping and/or aquatic experience.

A love for outdoor life - this is an absolute must, cuz have you ever heard of camping at a five-star hotel?

Camp Counselors - The Best Camp for You

Look for camps that interest you and will use your strengths. Apply to a basketball camp if you like shooting hoops, a spirit camp if you're a cheerleader, or a music camp if you're an accomplished musician. And for those of you who can't bear to be away from home for even a day, check out a local day camp. Whichever type of camp you apply to, you'll gain valuable experience to add to your resume.

How to Be a Great Camp Counselor

So...you've decided to become a counselor? Being a camp counselor is an unforgettable experience. With these tips and a genuine love of what you do, you'll be everyone's favorite counselor in no time!

Steps

1Know what the job entails. Being a counselor is a very draining experience. If you can smile through the trying times and spend your days giving kids one of the greatest summer of their lives, then read on. If not, you really must evaluate why you want to be a counselor. It's a lot of fun, but a lot of work. It is not a week of being a camper, for older kids! You must be responsible, and able to handle any situation that comes up.

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2Prepare. Prepare for each day and whatever it may throw at you. If you prepare yourself, you can prepare the campers. They will have less anxiety about the day and have something to look forward to. Preparing yourself and the campers make you invaluable in that you will be able to handle anything.

3Pay attention in training. Most camps offer a training period, during which you will learn everything about how the camp is run, and emergency procedure. It's very easy to tune out, DON'T! You never know when you will need it again. When little Jimmy collapses on the playground, you don't want to be thinking to yourself "I wish I had been paying attention to the lecture instead of watching that squirrel"

4Become friends with the other counselors. You don't all have to be best friends forever, but it is essential that you all get along, at the minimum. If counselors are arguing, even if its done far outside earshot of the campers, they will pick up on it. Most likely, you will have to work even a little bit with all of the other counselors, everything goes smoother if you are friends. You don't want to find out later in the summer that you are leading an activity with the counselor you do not care for.

5Memorize the camp schedule and carry it with you ALWAYS. You will want to know what is going on next, and what time the next break is. If you do not have your schedule when the campers ask what is happening next, they will think that you are incompetent and you will lose their respect.

6Get to know your camper's names. For example, if you run around calling Jane by Brittany's name and vice versa, you will lose their respect and they will feel hurt that they are not important enough to know your name. Play name games, if it helps you.

7Get to know your campers personalities. Certain campers you will love, certain campers you will not really care for (silently, of course). The key is to know what they will do. You have to know who has to be watched constantly, and who always does what they are told. You must anticipate how they will react to each other, and activities. Try to spend at least ten minutes of face time with each camper each day. They will like you more if they feel that they are the center of attention, and it will allow you to understand them better.

8Teambuild in order to help your campers get along, do activities throughout the week that help the kids become a unit. Ask them questions, start conversations and play games that help the kids get to know each other, and NEVER play games or do activities that pit the kids against each other competitively until the second or third day. It might create bad blood.

9Reflect with campers at the end of the day. It's important to know what the campers think of each other and of their day. Just before they leave, make everyone sit in a circle and try one of the following:

For General Reflection: "Rose, Bud and Thorn" (What was the best and worse part of your day and what are you looking forward to most for tomorrow) "Random Question" (If you could have any superpower, what would it be? What's your favorite activity and why? If you had one last meal what would it be.)

For Teambuilding: "Positive Points" (The campers sit in a circle and say one positive thing about each person beside them) "3 things in common" (Have the kids pair up and find out three things they have in common with their partner and share with the group when they have finished. This is also good for breaking up cliques)

10Use your breaks wisely. Remember that this is YOUR time, do whatever you feel will make you the happiest and get you re-energized for your next shift.

11Have a great time. It might seem like a lot of work, but you will change lives. It is amazing to see the quiet camper that sat in the corner at the beginning of the session getting along with her other campers, or to see what they have learned. You will get out of the day as much as you put into it. HAVE A GOOD TIME and the kids will! You are a positive role model, give yourself a pat on the back.

Tips

Be prepared for the DREADED camper. You will have one. The camper that smarts off, sleeps late, and will most likely swear at you. Know how to discipline, and how to keep their foul mood from contaminating the other campers.

Be the campers friend but do not let them get away with anything. Treat the camper who gets on your nerves like you do your favorite. Basically, don't play favorites!

Grin and bear it. You will be tired, you will be hungry, and you will smell questionable sometimes. If you grumble around and complain, your campers will do the same. If you bring down your campers moods, nothing will get done, and they will be miserable. Counselors are some of the best actors in the world. The counselor that we should all emulate is the one that had four hours of sleep, has poison ivy, hasn't worn clean clothes in a week and still bounces out of bed in the morning and starts singing camp songs.

Take things like bandanas and glow sticks for the campers. These items make the campers feel as if they are on a team together. They will be closer to one another.

Break up cliques early. It is unavoidable that there will be cliques. Make sure that you make them mingle as much as possible. Try making them sit with different people at lunch or make them partners with someone that they would not normally talk with. Don't overdo it. They will not all be best friends, accept it; just make sure that the cabin works together.

If you allow harmless pranks, your campers will like you even more, and you won't get in trouble if they are harmless.

Learn all the camp songs. You will look stupid bobbing along singing the wrong verse.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04