Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! COVID-19 and Summer Camp as of April 1st, 2020. The hard question that we need to be asking in April 2020. This question is a definite punch in the gut. However, as the COVID-19 situation evolves, we need to consider the very real possibility that we may not see a summer of camp until 2020. It sucks. A lot, but if we think of this in the sphere of things we can and things we can’t control, things become a little clearer. We may not have control ov...
Apr 06, 2020•45 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Being (or acting as) a marketing expert. The perfect answer for when someone asks, “so, what do you do the rest of the year?" Many of us didn’t get into this business because we love marketing. We do what we do because we believe in the transformative power that the camp experience has on a child’s life. We do it because we want to create communities of inclusion and welcoming for our staff. We do it because we want to create a world of creativity...
Apr 02, 2020•46 min•Ep. 126
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Where can you find some creativity in your daily schedule? (and where shouldn’t you?) As camp people, it’s in our nature to innovate. We are great at looking at routine or program and think, “Hey, wouldn’t this be better if we did this!?”. This is even something that we praise staff for. How many of your evaluation forms list “creative thinking” as a trait that is seen as desirable? The problem can come when our creative ambitions give us the desi...
Mar 19, 2020•58 min•Ep. 125
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find the full transcript and video here As of March 6th, 2020, What you need to know about COVID-19 and Summer Camp This special edition of the CampHacker Podcast is an interview with Dr. Amy Greer surrounding COVID-19 and what we know, as of March 6th, 2020 and summer camp. Dr. Amy Greer is one of Canada's top infectious disease specialists and researchers, Dr. Amy Greer and a summer camp alumnus. You can follow her on twitter here - https://twit...
Mar 10, 2020•45 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! 2020 Re-post - Preventing Spread of Norwalk and Other Infections at Camp Hey Camp Pros, with concerns about the coronavirus and COVID-19, we’re going off-schedule and digging this show out of the CampHacker archives. Shortly, we’ll be releasing a new episode that specifically focuses on what camp pros should be thinking about when it comes to camp, coronavirus and COVID-19. Sign-up for the Go Camp Pro newsletter and we’ll send the episode right to...
Mar 06, 2020•51 min•Ep. 56
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Find the Tools of the Week and more links from this episode at http://camphacker.tv/podcast If you don’t make your expectations clear, it’s your fault when people don’t meet them. Harsh, right? Well, it’s true! As Camp Directors, one of the biggest disservices that we can do to our staff is to be unclear about our expectations of them. From the application to the exit interview, we need to be clear not only about our expectations but also about wh...
Mar 05, 2020•53 min•Ep. 124
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! More money, more mission, but also…more problems? You’ve heard Travis say this time and time again. “Money moves the mission”. In this day and age, if you want to run a successful year-round camp business with multiple full-time staff, all while keeping camper fees reasonable, you likely need some financial support! Donations and grants are incredibly helpful, but if you can tap into a market that works for your local community or potential client...
Feb 20, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 123
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! What you should be thinking about to ensure your summer camp stands the test of time. If you’re reading this on release in February, then you know that time is running short on your time to do some of the deep philosophical work that can only happen when summer isn’t on the horizon. This episode is for when you have the brain-space, or, maybe it’s for when you need to not think about this coming summer for a second. (You’re an adult, we’re not goi...
Feb 06, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 122
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Adventure programming is about way more than a $1M ropes course! Adventure programming, challenge courses, low ropes, rock walls, team-building, staff construction, initiatives, WHATEVER you want to call it, this episode is about that. This type of camp program has really been changing and growing over the years. From the early days where people built and tested their own ropes courses to today where zip-lines are tested by the same people who cer...
Jan 23, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 121
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! A New Podcast from Go Camp Pro - The Camp Owners Podcast! Whether you are a Camp Owner, an aspiring camp owner, or a lover of some of our other Go Camp Pro podcasts, we’re so happy to have you here. The Camp Owners Podcast is here to explore a side of the summer camp world that is experienced by those that have the privilege of running an independent program. In this world of camp, the stakes are high. Not only do private camps have the same goals...
Jan 15, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! The All TOWS Show #2 - CampHacker #120 January 9, 2020 Fantastic Focus Groups - CampHacker #119 CampHacker Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher Tool of the Week - (insert trombone music here) We’re back with a second edition of an all tool of the week show. We received a ton of positive feedback about the last episode and because we’re all about giving the camp pros what they want…here you go! Tune in to hear all about Gab, Dan and Travis’ favo...
Jan 09, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 120
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Fantastic, frank, feedback from families and staff. There are not many industries out there like ours…for many reasons! One of the primary ones is the focus that we all share on relationship building. Whether it’s between campers, staff and campers, staff and staff or admin and staff, building cohesive and strong relationships may as well be the theme of every day at camp. The relationships that our camps have with their families are unique and wo...
Dec 26, 2019•55 min•Ep. 119
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! We can go beyond acceptance. One of the things we all know to be true about camp is how much better of the world would be if EVERY child spent at least one week at camp. With that in mind, it’s important that we are consistently looking at how we are best serving campers and families that may be under-represented in our camp communities. Newsflash! Even though in the last 10 years we’ve begun to really talk about inclusion, there have been campers...
Dec 12, 2019•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 118
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Because you’re not in this alone. It wouldn’t be the revelation of the century if we said that being a full-time Camp Pro can be incredibly lonely. Most of us work in small (or solo) teams, we usually are the only person in our part of the hierarchy, we manage many people (and their emotions) and we work incredibly hard. If we don’t think about building our support networks intentionally, camp can be an incredibly exhausting industry to be a part ...
Nov 28, 2019•50 min•Ep. 117
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Being not just productive, but effective. This is an episode for the off-season. It’s an episode that you may need when camp is quiet and you’re in the sweet spot where the summer is still fading and the next one is not yet coming. As a camp director, your brain is the most important resource you have. It would be an understatement to say that there is a LOT of stuff that fills your brain. It would also be an understatement to say that a full-brai...
Nov 14, 2019•45 min•Ep. 116
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! TIME TO FACE THE STRANGE Is it stuck in your head yet? Gotchya! Change. A 6 letter word that can start a revolution. Change. The nemesis of the phrase “we’ve always done it like that”. Change. One of the hardest things about being a full-time camp professional. Change. Absolutely necessary. The moment we stop changing as an industry, organization, or camp, is the moment we die. We, as an industry have such a great opportunity ...
Oct 31, 2019•55 min•Ep. 115
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Learn outside of camp, to lead at camp. Following along with our last episode ’s theme of learning, we wanted to bring this podcast episode to you at a time where you may be planning your professional development for the year. However, even if you aren’t, it’s never too early or late to start thinking about how to invest in your professional development. Watch out though! It’s easy to get stuck in the camp body of knowledge when you’re trying to b...
Oct 17, 2019•58 min•Ep. 114
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! We are always learning. We’re back! After another wonderful summer of camp, Travis, Gab, Dan and Joe are here for Season 9 of the CampHacker Podcast. To get things started, our hosts share the biggest lessons that they learned from their 2019 camp season. That’s right, even these camp pros with over 50 years of combined experience are still learning. The best pros in the industry are the ones that are hungry for growth and one of the best ways to ...
Oct 03, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 113
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Tools, Podcasts, Books and Strategies for Sustainability as a Camp Pro One of the best things about being a long time camp pro is that every year, we essentially find ourselves doing the same cycle over and over again. While this can be tiring, even exhausting, if we think about it another way, it’s also an incredible opportunity to get better and better without (too many) extremely large learning curves. In your search for consistent improvement,...
Feb 21, 2019•1 hr 17 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Camper today, camper tomorrow, camper for life. This is the time of year (January, for those tuning in later) where we are really starting to think about bums in bunks. Your registrations are starting to roll in and your dedicated, long-time camp families have picked their sessions and things are looking good. Take a second and think about those returning families. They weren’t always returners . At some time down the road, that family made a deci...
Jan 24, 2019•1 hr 2 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Hey Camp Mavericks. We’re excited to be setting the Day Camp Pod free this week! We also want you to know what is up with then next episode: the first First Class Counselor episode. There will be at least 5 more happening this season. Oliver and Matt have been working with me to bring in the First Class Counsellor podcast to the CampHacker feed. Our goal is to have a series of great, instructional podcasts from direct supervisors of counselors....
Dec 17, 2018•6 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! It would be easy for the hard and fast overnight camp pros to see “Day Camp” in the title and move on. Don’t do that. There are logistical differences with both models of summer camp, but it’s so easy to see that what is relevant and pertinent to one, is the same for the other. Rituals, traditions, culture, integration, camaraderie, it’s a part of every camp experience, no matter when, or how often the campers go home. What is good for overnight, ...
Dec 13, 2018•51 min•Ep. 110
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Hey! Welcome back! We hope that you had an incredible summer. We also hope that you’ve had an incredible chance to take a breath and reflect on the magic that surely happened this summer. Or even, to not think about camp and…you know…sleep! Whether you’re still recovering, coming out of hibernation, or still in the busy season, it’s time to start setting the next summer up for success. Step one. Staffing. This time of year (October/November), is w...
Oct 26, 2018•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 109
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Hello Camp Pros! Well, it's late April/early May, and you know what that means. EVERYBODY PANIC! No no, only kidding! But likely, it can start to feel like it at this time of year. As we finish stretching to prepare for the sprint that is camp, we can't forget that the race we are about to run is not a solo event, it's a relay! For many of us, our staff are either starting to think about coming, or are starting to trickle up to camp. While it's so...
May 03, 2018•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 108
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! On this CampHacker interview Travis talks with Dr Deborah Gilboa (@askdoctorg) about her own camp experiences and how camps can become great resources to families. To see the resources we mentioned check out our shownotes at http://camphacker.tv/podcast....
Apr 24, 2018•41 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! How many of our camp brochures or websites preach that our camp teaches kids about grit and resilience? Okay everyone , put your hands down. Now, home many of us can say that we put that same effort into fostering grit and resilience with our staff ? Sure, we may have staff check-ins and encourage staff to write motivational notes to each other, but although those are great, the times when just that was enough are likely coming to a end. Before we...
Mar 17, 2018•49 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! It's that time of year again. Registration has been open for a bit, staff applications are rolling in and school groups are calling to book for Outdoor Education. You've made that first big push. Way to go! Now, let's get at it, shall we? Summer Camp is the main reason why most of us are here. We believe that every camper deserves a week at camp. We believe that every camp is great, but we're REALLY proud of our camp and we REALLY hope that kids w...
Mar 13, 2018•45 min•Ep. 105
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Camp is counterculture. Camps (for the most part) don't care about fashion, we encourage people to embrace what makes them quirky, and we don't have cell-phones at camp. Now, policies differ, and some camps are even experimenting with plugged-in weeks at camp, but we can all agree on is that there is indeed a benefit that we give to our campers when we ask them to unplug from tech while they are at camp. What? You don't believe this un-named, rogu...
Jan 05, 2018•36 min
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director Travis: w ww.camelcamelcamel.com - Amazon price tracker Dan: Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi Matt: The Better Board - Message Matt for a more detailed explanation Joe: Google Photo Scan - iOS - Andoid Your Hosts: Travis Allison , Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV, Founder at Go Camp Pro Dan Weir , Director of Camping Services - Frost Valley YMCA Joe Richards , Executive Director ...
Dec 09, 2017•34 min•Ep. 103
Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us! How do your staff answer the phone? What story does the home-page of your website tell? Who meets families on opening day? How do you train your super-awesome, yet awkward teenagers to talk to parents? What is your camp's "wow factor" that people experience as they are driving down the camp road?Take a second and answer those questions super honestly. How are you doing? If there are any aspects of your first impression that made you mentally (or p...
Nov 07, 2017•57 min
