Campfire Conference Bright Idea Sharing

  • Harris YMCA
  • Achievement stickers
  • Skill building and parent communication is a struggle, especially for a day camp. We design a set of stickers for archery, swimming, character building, and a star. Each camper writes what they can achieve and their parents will see.
  • Camp High Hopes “Healthy Half Marathon
  • To encourage campers to get moving each morning we added a run camp during rides in. Campers kept up with their mileage, trying to reach 10 miles in 6 weeks (3 laps=1 mile). On week 7, we hold a 5k fun run for all of camp and kids are in great shape for it because they run every other day. As they finish, they receive a 5k medal and are encouraged to cheer on other campers still running. But any child who accumulated 10 miles prior to race receives a ½ marathon custom medal also. (10 miles =3.1miles) 2 years in a row we’ve had every child receive both medals.
  • Toni Messer “Golden Plunger Award”
  • Need gold spray paint and a new toilet plunger
  • Use the amazing golden plunger award to encourage a friendly competitive way to keep camp clean. Every day assign the golden plunger to the cleanest group. That group will then keep an eye out for the next golden plunger winner.
  • Christine Shores – Hargis
  • We have counselors write a book with their campers. Each week, the group adds to the story. Our counselors change age groups each week, so it stays interesting. All completed books at the end of the summer are laminated and added to our library.
  • Wade Walker Park Family
  • Paint wars occur on Thursday during color wars week.
  • Supplies: various shades of non toxic paint, tarps, 2-3 twister games, color filled water balloons, shower caps, optional water balloons
  • Let parents know about the activity prior. Make sure campers wear old clothes. Goggles are recommended.
  • Prep each tarp with ample amounts of paint for children to use as slip and slide or snow angels. Prep twister board with corresponding paint color. Fill 1,000-1,500 water balloons with paint or water.
  • Campers are divided by age groups for this activity. Campers are allowed to throw color filled water balloons, participate in paint slip and slide and paint twister.
  • Steele Creek
  • Need staff?
  • Partner with the local high schools and offer paid internships for jr/sr. these students are picked by teachers to apply and interview. If hired we help develop soft skills in the work place. We hire for afterschool, camp, sports, dance, fitness, and membership. It has helped fill staffing gap across the board.
  • Camp Wannago
  • As Campers start getting picked up from 4-5pm, we created 4’oclock club. During this time, campers can choose from several achievement type activities such as reading, board games, story telling, fitness, etc… This solved the issue of having too many campers to go to “free time” in the gym but also with campers constantly leaving games and activities would get thrown off as a camper leaves or as the group gets smaller. Takes little prep and gives campers the chance to be with campers not in their groups
  • Camp Harrison: In order to increase camps impact on local communities and help get camp involved with giving, partner with with local charitable groups who are in need of donated items (canned goods, towels, shoes, etc.) Set a goal for every session to bring x amount to camp that session. Let campers know that if the goal is reached there will be an award
  • YMCA Camp Cherokee “Staff Morale Power Wig”
  • Every summer we purchase the most ridiculous wig we can find and call it the power wig.
  • Each day a counselor is chosen to wear the power wig until a new person is chosen. The counselor picked is based on spirit, creativity, inclusivity, etc.
  • Our counselors love this idea and compete in a friendly manner to win this award each day
  • Inexpensive camp game
  • 1 beach ball, 12 pool noodles (6 of each color), two laundry baskets
  • Take your campers out to the field and play beach ball field hockey. The kids will have a blast trying to hit the beach ball
  • Camp Cedar Ridge “Bead it up”
  • At the start of the summer, each camper is given a necklace without any beads. Each counselor has their own counselor bead significant to them individually. Each bead signifies a character trait that the counselor picks. Counselors hand out their beads to campers throughout the summer who display their trait. The goal is for each camper to collect every bead.
  • Camp Cheerio “Puzzles”
  • We added a personal touch to our board game collection by creating custom puzzles from photos at camp
  • Camp Weaver
  • Have a camp “fitness general” give each cabin or tribe a specific fitness activity to complete as a group and take a photo by weeks end for a prize or have a list of activities to choose from. The cabin that completes the most by the weeks end wins.
  • Fitness general= counselor or staff that sets goals and cabins report to
  • Camp Cheerio “Ice Breaker Cards”
  • This deck of playing cards can be used for all your favorite games, each offers multiple ways to divide a large group and all cards contain a question to facilitate conversation
  • Match the color
  • Get a bunch of pompom balls, bag up all different colors in a ziplock. During downtime, hand one color ball to each child and tell them to go find something in nature that color
  • Brittany’s big ideas/Blue Ash YMCA Camp Creekwood
  • Diversity audit: assess camps ability to provide service for all by looking at discipline, make up of staff, campers, curriculum, activities, then brainstorm ways to improve
  • Battle injustice at camp flash cards
  • A ring of cards given to each camp counselor with helpful hints to combat social injustice ideas.