SCamp Life: The Programming Side: Recent Episodes
Curt Jackson
In this farewell episode of 'SCamp Life: The Programming Side,' Curt and Chris reminisce about the podcast's journey since 2019. They recount key moments, favorite episodes, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from over the years. Highlights include the origin story, the introduction of themes and interviews, the impact of the pandemic, and special segments like 'question of the week' and escape room ideas. The hosts also share personal memories, challenges, and amusing tangents, such as experimenting with podcast formats and integrating a third co-host. Despite this being the final episode, Curt and Chris leave the door open for possible future updates, signing off with gratitude to their listeners.
In their second-to-last episode (?), Curt and Chris dive deep into their rich history of camping experiences. They share invaluable lessons learned from their diverse roles, from being camp counselors to directors, across various camp settings. Highlights include the importance of staff training, cultivating a sense of family among team members, and seamlessly integrating new ideas into traditional camp formats. Their lively exchange not only reflects on their past but also explores the future of camping and leadership within the community.
In this episode, Curt and Chris offer up creative ways to invigorate the classic game of Capture the Flag, offering 20 (19?) unique variations aimed at enhancing gameplay for campers. Their ideas range from incorporating themes and adding special abilities to players, to modifying game mechanics with invisibility aspects or involving staff in gameplay. Throughout their discussion, they share stories from their experiences, emphasizing the potential of these adaptations to make Capture the Flag even more engaging for participants.
Curt and Chris explore engaging activities at camp after the sun sets. They share personal stories, offer practical tips for implementing classic nighttime activities like kitchen raids, night swims, and campfire cooking, and offer some more innovative and memorable ideas.
In the second installment of their discussion on specialty camp ideas, Curt and Chris share an array of unique camp themes, drawing from both their personal experiences and broader trends. They delve into a variety of specialized camp options, including cooking, survival, archery, scuba diving, music production, detective camp, and fitness camps, among others. This episode offers insights and inspiration for camp directors and planners looking to diversify their offerings and attract new campers with specialized interests.
Links:
- Archery Games
In part one, Curt and Chris delve into the world of specialty camps and their significance in offering targeted experiences beyond traditional camping. They discuss the evolution and variety of specialty camps, from music and equestrian camps to coding, robotics, and even escape room camps, highlighting the unique opportunities these provide for children with specific interests. The guys share insights into the operational aspects, including staffing, community involvement, and the challenges of attracting enrollment. They emphasize specialty camps as a means to engage kids who might not be interested in general camp activities, offering them a space to explore their passions among like-minded peers.
In this episode, Curt and Chris discuss a wide range of ideas for bringing special guests to camps. They explore the possibility of inviting guests such as wildlife experts, celebrities, local community leaders, scientists, engineers, athletes, craftsmen like blacksmiths, motivational speakers, and artists. Additionally, they mention innovative activities like silent discos, bubble parties, and the involvement of volunteers for camp-wide games. They go a little off the rails a couple of times, but if you're a regular listener you know that's par for the course.
Chris and Curt welcome Whitney Mueller from Academic Entertainment, who shares her journey with the company from its humble beginnings to becoming a leading provider of entertainers for camps and schools.
The episode covers the variety of programs offered, ensuring no camp ever has to endure the horror of a boring guest again. Whitney highlights the importance of high-quality, professional entertainers who can captivate both campers and staff. From tales of a basketball-dribbling ex-Globetrotter to discussions about the magic of virtual programming that doesn't put anyone to sleep, the talk explores how to make education and inspiration entertaining.
Whitney discusses the logistical aspects of booking performers, including preparation and pricing. She also shares insights on working with camps to ensure a smooth event and the role of entertainers in creating engaging and impactful experiences for campers.
Links:
- Academic Entertainment website
- Email - info @ academicentertainment.com
- Academic Entertainment Blog Posts
Curt and Chris discuss the concept of mini-camps as an introduction to the main camp for younger kids. They delve into how it gives children a taste of what a traditional overnight camp is like, and how it can help manage homesickness. Chris shares his experience of running a 'discovery camp', providing an introduction to camp life for children and their apprehensive parents too.
Curt and Chris discuss various puzzle activities that can be a great addition to your camp program. They share their experiences with puzzle hunts, races, and escape rooms, highlighting the appeal of problem-solving over narrative. Four distinct puzzle-based camp activities are detailed including Station Puzzle Races and Puzzle Hunts. They share insights on the ideal group sizes for such activities, the logistical challenges, and the potential for revising and reusing puzzles in different contexts.
In this episode, Curt and Chris discuss a wide variety of topics for summer camps. This is their 10th magazine edition. This episode includes a special event idea, program idea, staff idea, new AI tool, some trivia questions, theme ideas, and more.
Links:
- Pika.art
- Stand-Up Paddle Boards
- ORTUR Laser Master 2 Laser Engraver
In this episode, Curt and Chris ramble on (as they do) about ways to thank the staff and celebrate the end of the summer camp season. From holding an end-of-summer staff party, giving unique gifts like rose quartz or a piece of camp land, to conducting fun activities like a slumber party, awarding gag gifts, or encouraging parents to share their thoughts on their child's counselor. They also highlight the importance of celebrating the accomplishments of the staff and the need for the staff to feel appreciated and remembered.
In this festive episode, Curt and Chris discuss pool and water activities, including games that use plastic Easter eggs, tennis balls, and kitchenware. They also give ideas for games like pool tic-tac-toe, slip-and-slide kickball, and Protect the President. Chris also talks about his successful Christmas fundraiser and the art of roasting chestnuts on an open fire.
This week’s episode is a remix from episode 13 way back in 2019. (The Pre-Covid days)! The guys give 8 great ideas for camp-wide games that you can play with the whole camp! This episode is a great listen to update some of your current games!
This is the 9th magazine style episode and it’s a little different than the others. Why? Because the ideas the guys talk about are A.I. generated...and many of them are REALLY good.
The guys each give 4 camp-wide event ideas you should be offering at your camp. They give a very wide variety from Table-Top Escape Games, to Top Shot Activities, to Art Shows. If you’re looking to fill some time with something awesome, check out this episode for that awesome!
Links:
- How to Run The Amazing Race: For Camps and Youth Centers
- TableTop Game: New Campground
- 101 Summer Camp Special Events
C.A.F.E. Bags, which stands for Challenges, Activities, Feats, and Entertainment, is a brand new idea brought to you by Curt and Chris. These bags work great for rainy days and hot weather days that keep everyone inside. Or you can schedule this as an everyday activity time! The guys give you gobs of ideas to create a huge amount of bags that you can have ready to go!
After a long summer, we are back. Chris and his family have moved to Indiana and are at a new camp. Curt has been on an RV trip around the U.S. for six months. Both guys are exhausted but excited to return to the podcast.
This is the episode to listen to now, not when it’s too late! If you host a camp anywhere water falls from the sky, you need to have a plan ready. Unlike the rains down in Africa, these aren’t blessed days. Check out this week’s episode for new ideas (and remixed ideas from episode 11) about what to do in case of inclement weather.
If you’re a camp that does themes, a pirate theme is definitely a must! Curt shares some of the greatest ideas from the book he wrote. This episode will give you plenty of ideas to host your own pirate-theme camp!
Links:
- The Pirate Theme Book
- Pirate Blog Post
- Kate Backdrops
Another Magazine Style episode this week! The guys “fast discuss” 10 topics that range from programming ideas to staff to crafts and more! It’s their favorite way to podcast!
Links:
- Fluffy Letters: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRcaw7TL/
- Email Roundtable FAQs and Sign-up: https://www.summercamppro.com/email-roundtable-faqs/
Chris and Curt talk about some great activity ideas that are for, wait for it, staff only! That’s right!
Doing things specifically for your camp staff is a great way to keep the excitement going all summer! Give this episode a listen for some great ideas to prep for this coming summer!
The guys discuss their favorite skits. Some are classics and some are original, but all of them entertain the campers! If you are looking to add skits to your program (we're looking at you, day camps), or you want to add to your library of skits, check out this episode.
Chris and Curt attended and spoke at the 2023 ACA National Conference. They talk about what they did on Orlando, the things that they liked, the things they didn't, as well as the things that really frustrated them (like the ACA woman who didn't want to give them chairs for their session).
Here we go again! This is our 7th Magazine Style episode. Check it out this week for all new answers to their top 10 topics!
The guys will be at the ACA conference in Orlando next week. They talk about the sessions they may attend, their session (and possible giveaways), and what they'll be doing for fun around Orlando.
Chris has a list of camp websites that he likes certain things about. This is the first time Curt has seen them. You'll hear what the guys like about each of these sites...and a few things they don't like. If you're looking to update your camp website, this is a great episode to listen to. Feel free to follow along with them. All the links to the camp websites are below.
Links:
- http://campacc.com
- https://www.zephyrpoint.org
- https://www.sciotohills.com
- https://skyranch.org
- https://keystonecamp.com
- http://camptimberlane.ca
- https://www.pinecove.com
- https://www.beulahbeach.org
- https://www.southmountainchristiancamp.org
- https://www.campgreystone.com
- http://eaglesky.camp
- https://paliadventures.com
Curt and Chris share their picks of items that they would like to see in a camp store. From challenge coins to Croc charms, they'll discuss a few items you'll consider adding to your camp store offerings.
Links:
- Tenzi
- Koosh Balls
- Stickers from StickyBrand
- Button Supplies
- Challenge Coins
- Sleep Masks
- Metal Pins
- Croc Charms
- Floppy Cups
- Capes
Curt and Chris talk about 2023 movies that can be used as inspiration for camp themes this year, as well as possible activities to go along with the movie themes.
In this episode, Curt tells a few stories from his time at camp and a few from other camp professionals. Some are heartwarming and others are amusing.
In this episode, Curt and Chris talk about "top shot" ideas to spice up your target activities.
It's a new year. Curt and Chris talk about life changes (Chris is at a new camp) and what they they are up to as 2023 kicks off.
After hearing Chris mention TikTok in pretty much every episode, they finally decided to dedicate an entire episode for TikTok ideas! Check out this week for some fun and unique camp ideas that Chris found on the app! Be sure to watch the videos by clicking on the link in these show notes below.
Links for the Week:
- Pegboard Yarn Stiching
- Wind a 100’ Cord
- Melt Rock with an old TV
- LED Escape Room Idea
- Escape Room Frosted Glass
- Whistling Arrow
- Finger Whistle
- Bead Spinner
- PaperFlowers
- Pressed Flower Bookmarks
- Black Glue Watercolor
- Deep Fried Dandelions
They like doing them so hopefully, you like listening to them! Another Magazine Style episode this week! The guys “fast discuss” 10 topics that range from programming ideas to staff to crafts and more!
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maybe Math! Different camps do different things, some even call it Outdoor Education, but it all boils down to learning at Camp! Curt and Chris give some of their favorite STEM activities they do and how to incorporate that into your camp program.
Links for the Week:
- Butterfly Garden: Monarchwatch.org
- Engineer and Animal Lessons: Teacherspayteachers.com
Curt and Chris look at a very popular post on the Summer Camp Professionals page about Programming. Rich Birch posed the question, "What did you add at camp that was new and fantastic?", and it got a ton of answers! Listen to this week’s episode to hear the guys discuss some of the more popular answers.
Link for the Week:
Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/groups/camppros/posts/6046300622050208/
Episode 171 goes back to Episode 2 to “Remix” it! Chris and Curt go all the way back to 2019 to redo an episode they’ve already done! With new ideas, updated stuff, as well as just informing their listeners of great stuff 169 episodes ago, the podcast this week is a blast! Listen in for some great new ideas as well as recapping some old ideas of things your counselors should have at Camp!
Links:
- Brain Break Book
- Alpha Dice
- Tenzi
- Tenzi Dice
- Peteca
- Koosh Balls
- Flop Balls
- Thumbballs
- Would You Rather Book
Go beyond Pumpkin painting and Spiced lattes for some unique ideas to do at your camp this fall! Check out this week’s episode where the guys give you tons of great ideas you can easily do! From hayrides to Paint and Sips to Family Camps, listen in for some falltastic stuff!
Another Magazine Style episode! Check it out this week for all new answers to their top (now 10) topics!
Links for the Week
Yarn Ball: https://www.homemadesimple.com/in-the-home/diy-yarn-balls/
The guys welcome back Kelie Cook this week to talk all about her summer. Kelie gives them an update of her summer and lessons she learned from this year. Check out this week for some new ideas from Kelie Cook!
Links for the Week
SCamp Life Podcast - The Other Side
Chris and Curt recap Chris’ summer on this week’s episode. Things he learned, things that worked well, things that didn’t work well, and more! Listen to this episode to hear all the highs and lows of Camp Good News Summer 2022!
Links for the Week
Watercolor Trees: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/777222848209876371
Chris is busy wrapping up camp as we head to the end of the season. So, Curt has decided to replay an edited episode from his old podcast Rec Heads and Camp Nerds where he and Patti McDonald interview the amazing Jeff Bradshaw of Camp Wenonah. This is a GREAT episode for any camp or organization looking to start or improve an alumni program.
If you'd like to reach out to Jeff Bradshaw, email him at jeff@campwenonah.com.
If you’re looking for some great ideas to end the season well with your staff, look no further! Curt and Chris toss up some excellent stuff that they have done (or seen done) at other camps with huge success! If your season has already ended, tuck this podcast away for next year!
What’s that? Did you hear that Curt and Chris are doing another Magazine Style Podcast? You bet your biscuits you did! Check it out this week for all new answers to their top 9 topics! Special Bonus idea from Carrie this week too! They are still looking for a total of 10 topics. Can you help them out with an idea?
Link of the Week
- Pegboard Embroidery
It’s pretty much a given that there will be at least a little burnout happening at your camp. The guys give some great ideas on how to beat that and keep your staff happy, healthy, and having a great season! These ideas are super easy to implement right now into your summer with very little preparation!
Curt and Chris are at it again with this popcorn podcasting style. Check it out this week for all new answers to their top 9 topics! They would like 10 topics, but need your help on an idea. Send them your best!
After 2 weeks of training and 2 weeks of camp, Chris shares how his summer has been going! Listen to this episode to see what’s new, what’s old, and what’s all going wrong so far!
Curt and Chris bring back their fun new way of podcasting. Check it out this week for all new answers to their top 9 topics!
How many socks can you put on one foot in 30 seconds? How fast can you chug a soda? What is the most clothes pin you can pin to your face? How long is your longest burp? If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, consider having a record breaking challenge at your camp! This is an idea where campers can excel at things they are good at (like eating jello with chopsticks)! Check out this weeks episode for some other great ideas and how you can incorporate recording breaking into your camp!
Is the gas Station prices getting you down? Has the train left the Station without you? Tired of your local radio Station? Or feeling a little spacy on the International Space Station? Well then give our Stations a try! Curt shares a popular idea for camps about creating stations for the campers. A place that has some free play/choice. He gives tons of great ideas for themes and topics you can host a “Station” around!
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (well maybe not Math so much). Curt and Chris give some epic ideas on incorporating STEM (or STE) into your camp! This is a great way to get school groups, homeschool groups, or just add some learning to your camping program!
Links of the Week:
- Chris’ Steal This Book: https://rb.gy/ufkznp
The guys try a new way to podcast this week: Magazine Style! If you like the idea of quickfire topics with fast ideas, this episode is for you! Give it a listen and then let us know what you think!
Links of the Week:
- In the News: Camp prices going up + Waitlists
- Pirate Theme Ideas
In this episode Chris goes over his favorite ropes and team building resources. Curt just listens and gives his 2 cents.
- Fun Doing Friday - Newsletter
- Team Building From the Toy Aisle - Book
- Kikori App
- High 5
- Vertical Playpen Podcast
- Ask Michelle and Chris Podcast
- On Team Building Podcast
It's true that there are some dangerous activities at camps. Curt and Chris will explore some of these activities, and it might give you some ideas for programs to add to your camp. The great thing about summer camps is that it's a place where kids can try these (often perceived) "dangerous" activities in a safe environment.
Are you excogitating (verb for considering) hosting a Trivia event at your camp? They are resplendent (adjective for great idea) for retreats, special events, family nights, online stuff, or even during your training weeks! Chris and Curt give you a profusion (noun meaning large amount) of categories that make for an exceptionally clubbable (adjective for enjoyable) trivia event!
Travel down Nostalgia Lane with Chris and Curt as they discuss things that used to be super popular at summer camps. They go really old-school like back when there weren’t any rules about helmets, to not-so-distant stuff like Four Square. Listen in this week as the guys talk about why some of these are not seen at camp as much as they used to be. Hear them discuss some stuff that should be brought back as well as some stuff that definitely needs to stay in the past!
These ain’t yo mommas pretzel bites, these are mobile apps that will be a huge help to you and your staff at camp! Twenty different apps are talked about on the episode this week. Some are for you and some are for your counselors and staff. Check it out for some great suggestions that will help you do your job even better!
This week, the guys talk about Traditions and Ceremonies. Do you have any at your camp? Do you need some ideas for some new ones? Listen in this week for multiple ideas, some good, some bad! Curt and Chris give a huge list of traditions that they have either been a part of or heard about from other camps!
Does your camp do a carnival for the campers? Have you ever wanted to do a carnival? Do you enjoy eating carnival food like Chris? Well then, do we have a show for you! The podcast today is all about creating fun and unique carnival games! Curt has some awesome and very practical ideas while Chris goes overboard with carnival chaos!
Before you attempt to order whimsy from Amazon, listen to this week’s episode for better ideas! Curt and Chris discuss ways to make your camp a bit more magical without breaking the bank! From Tree Sharks to Fairy Gardens to Glitter on every leaf of every tree at camp…ok, maybe not that last one!
Chris’s second favorite thing behind TikTok, Pinterest! This week’s podcast talks about some of the awesome things Chris has pinned on his Pinterest board. Maybe you had a Pinterest at one time and have given up, or you’ve never even started. Well. it’s a great time to get on there again and starting pinning epic ideas for your summer camp!
From Go Bags last week to Escape Bags this week, the guys are apparently doing a bag theme! (Fingers crossed for Sleeping Bags next week!) Escape Bags are little, portable escape rooms that make for a great activity! Curt and Chris have both created several that they will talk about plus give some tips about creating your own for your camp.
This week’s episode focuses on Go Bags! The bags you keep handy with all the necessities. Your SCamp Life Podcasters give their two cents on what directors, program directors and counselors need to keep in them. Check out this week to see if you agree, disagree, or have completely different stuff in your bag!
Need some unique ideas for winter camp? What about off-season events? Then have we got a show for you! If you already host or are planning to host a winter camp, Curt and Kelie have some great ideas for activities. If you are unable to host an entire camp but want to do some winter events, then Chris has a bunch of unique ideas that would make awesome events. Either way, this episode is great for adding a little extra camp this winter season!
The trio look at a very interesting article about phrases great leaders never say. Listen in this week to see if you happen to say any of these phrases and why you should stop.
We all can be better directors. This week’s episode focuses on how we can better supervise the staff we are in charge of!
If one great idea from the Scamp-Life trio is awesome, then what is two great ideas mashed up into one activity? I’ll tell you, it’s pure brilliance!!! (Well, pretty close at least.) This week, the group combines fun programming at camp into fresh, new programs! Check it out for great games and activities for kids, or unique staff training ideas, or even something incredibly dangerous that Chris is doing! If you have your own camp’s version of a mash-up, be sure to share it with us for a possible sequel to this episode!
The crew welcomes Laura Kriegel of Camp Stomping Ground to the show. Laura talks about the start and evolution of Camp Stomping Ground, from renting a camp to buying their own property...and some of the odder things like pulling the plug to drain the lake. What?!
If you’ve never presented at a conference before and are wanting to get some great tips, or you’re a seasoned pro who just wants a few extra ideas, then this episode is for you. Kelie, Curt, and Chris talk about things they do while presenting, or things they wish presenters would do at classes they attend. As we are quickly nearing conference season, this episode will help you prep to be the best presenter you can be!
If your camp has a Food Service Director, or if you’re the one in charge of figuring out meal times, then this is the episode for you…them…whoever makes decisions about food! The group talks all about unique meals from various foods to eat to even mealtime programming! Be sure you don’t listen to this episode on an empty stomach though, because you’re gonna get hungry!
The ScampLife Trio discuss their favorite camp books this week! By listening to this episode, you will have a list of 21 great reads to get you through this winter and well-prepped for next summer.
It seems like summer camp just ended! That means it the perfect time to start planning for next summer! After a couple years of craziness, the trio has some great ideas to help you make Summer 2022 amazing! Before you start prepping your budget for the coming year, listen to this episode for some stuff you may want to add to it! (some of the ideas won’t cost you a dime!!!)
You know em, You’ve seen em! Red Flags! The trio this week talks about some red flags to look out for when accepting a job at a camp as well as some red flags to look out for when hiring someone at your camp! Our 3 hosts go over some of the flags they ignored and ended up learning from. If you’re currently on the lookout for a new camping job, or maybe you’re looking to hire, be sure to listen to this episode for some possible red flags you need to be aware of!
If you are a camp that does programming/activities year-round, this episode will be a good help on some retreat ideas for you! The group talks about different events they have done (or seen done at other camps) that have been successful!
Whoa! What a summer it has been. While camp pros kept hearing things like, "Aren't you happy to be running camp again?", many of us had possibly the worst summer ever, filled with camper behavior issues, parent complaints, low staff numbers, etc. Yet, some camps did just fine. In this episode, the crew talk about their summer experience...the good, the bad, and the ugly.
No the podcast has not changed to a travel show. We are comparing two places as metaphors for summer camps. There is definitely differences in both of these theme parks and we want you to think what kind of “theme park” your camp is! How can your place strive to be better and thought of by others as the Disney World of Camps? Check out this week’s episode to get you thinking about improving your place!
Well since the Trio talked about Camper Recognition in the last episode, they decided they should probably talk about Staff Recognition as well! What are some ways you show appreciation to your camp staff? The Scamp-Life crew have some unique ways they do it at their camps or have seen done at other places. Whether it’s special apparel, or appreciation cards, or Dunkin coffee, you’re sure to find several great ideas for your hardest workers of the summer!
From the words of a very wise person, Mr. T: “You better recognize fool!”. And if Mr. T wants us to do it, then we better do it! This week’s episode talks all about Camper Recognition from awards to prizes to buttons to just some nice words. Looking for ways to make your campers feel just a bit more special while at your facility? Give this podcast a listen!
How does your camp celebrate National Sleepy Head Day? Or National Hammock Day? Maybe you celebrate International Ax Throwing Day. No? Well then it’s time to start! Incorporating these odd holidays into your summer can really add some magic to your camp! Check out some ideas the trio have on creating camp programs around odd holidays in this week’s episode!
How do you make your hikes better? Just add a dash of scavenger hunts, 2 teaspoons of outdoor education, 1 liter of story times, and a pinch of games! Looking to spice up hiking time at camp? Check out this week’s episode for some new ideas!
The OGs (Original Goobers) are back by themselves this week discussing a topic they love to talk about, well besides camp! Puzzle Races! Don’t know what puzzle races are? Think fun programming for your clever campers! If you’re looking to be well rounded in your games and activities, be sure to add some of these fun, brainy, activities to your camp!
Happy Birthday to you! We got you a present: an episode dedicated to unique ideas for birthdays, mail calls, and attention getters! Does your camp have any fun traditions for these? Looking to change up what you currently do? Check out this week for something different! Also, there should be a receipt in the bag if you want to return your present!
Curt, Chris and Kelie each share 3 very unique and different ideas that you can add to your summer camp. If you’re looking for something a little bit different that many other camps do not have, check out this episode.
This week’s podcast focuses on customer service! This is such an important topic for camps. Learn some great tips and ideas as well as how you can teach customer service to your camp staff! “Do what you do so well that they will come back, and tell their friends!” – Walt Disney
The Summer Camp Life Trio are back this week with some interesting thoughts on teaching skills to the campers. What does teaching skills to campers look like? What skills should I teach? Who is teaching? Why is my car on fire? If you’ve ever asked yourself those questions, then check out the podcast this week!
While you may still be on a Counselor Hunt for hiring, these hunts are all about the hide-and-seek game that’s played during the summer with the campers! All three of our hosts definitely have differing ideas of the best way to play this game, so check it out for a variety of ideas on this fun camp pastime!
Chris and Kelie are in the middle of their own staff training at their camps and therefore know how tedious it can be! During this episode, they give some fun and easy-to-add ideas to help make those Training Weeks better. Just some simple things that you can quickly add to your agenda to take Staff Training from blah to yeah!
The Scamp Life Podcasters have a very timely 2-part episode all about Social Distancing Activities. These two episodes are a perfect listen for you program staff and counselors. We recommend sending the link to this episode to those staff members or saving it to listen to during staff training this year!
The trio have a very timely 2-part episode all about Social Distancing Activities. These two episodes are a perfect listen for you program staff and counselors. We recommend sending the link to this episode to those staff members or saving it to listen to during staff training this year!
Does your camp have kiddos who get homesick? Does your camp have parents who have a hard time letting their kids go? Do you work at a camp?!?!? Check in with the Scamp Life Crew this week for some excellent tips on dealing with homesick campers as well as parents who have a bit of a hard time leaving! This week’s episode also makes for great listening to summer staff as they will be dealing with a lot of this!
The group talks with Royleane Allen of 413 Strengthgear this week to discuss all things camp store again (but this time from a vendor’s point of view)! Royleane has some great tips and tricks for Camp Store Directors on what they should and should not buy for their store. Check out this episode if you are prepping your store for the summer!
Our podcast trio welcome back Samantha Townsend of Kennolyn Camps this week to discuss changes she will be making to camp this summer. There’s lots of changes and great ideas to help with new COVID restrictions. If you run an sleep-away camp and plan to open this summer, check out this week’s episode for some things you maybe didn’t think of!
Kellie and Curt interview Shanelle Lambert-Rauh, director of Whippoorwill Farm Day Camp, about the lessons learned from running day camp in 2020 and how those will apply to the 2021 summer season. If you run a day camp and weren't able to offer programs last summer, this is the episode for you. You'll get some great insight on things you may not have thought about.
In this fun episode, the three camp pros discuss all the things staff don't like about camp. From curfews to cell phones to paperwork, they cover pretty much everything. The best part? The Scamp Life Crew give some great suggestions on how to help your staff deal with some of these things they hate! Check out this week as you prep for staff training this summer to nip any problems in the bud!
This is part two of our interview with Jason Brown on how to run and maintain a successful camp store. In this episode, Jason gives his ideas on how to set up a store if you don't have the space, his favorite (and least favorite) camp store items, the craziest item he has seen in a camp store, storage tricks, and he ends it with a final tip.
In this two-part episode, the SCamp Life crew (now with 3 rockin' co-hosts!) talk with Jason Brown all about how to run and maintain a successful camp store. Jason is a pro at this and built his store from the ground up and has since been asked by ACA to teach classes on it! If this is something you are considering for your camp, be sure to check out this two-part episode.
Kelly Coulthard co-hosts this episode as the three talk about the anatomy of a great special event.
Shauna Guglielmo joins the guys this week to talk about her Zoo Camp. As the director of the Lincoln Park Zoo Camp, Shauna has a ton of great ideas for implementing animals into your own program, as does Chris. She also has some great insight on doing camps on location at public places. This is definitely one of Chris’ favorite episodes because it’s a lot of discussion about animals! If you enjoy that too, give this show a listen!
L.E. Dubois guest hosts with the guys this week for an interesting episode about making day camp awesome with limited resources - really limited. Curt used to work at a camp on an island and they could only bring 2 carts full of supplies, so he challenges Chris and L.E. with coming up with ideas on what to put on those carts! If you have limited space or rent a location where you can only bring so much, this episode is for you!
Kelie Cook joins Curt and Chris again this week for this super fun episode! They play a game of Would You Rather! This isn’t the disgusting, gross choices you normally see in this game, these are all things that you would like at your camp. Would You Rather have a lake or pool? Would You Rather have go-carts or horses? Would You Rather have a zipline or high ropes? Would You Rather listen to this episode or get eaten by a bear? All great questions for you to consider!
Roz Buck guest hosts this week as Chris and Curt talk about how to keep your staff engaged pre-camp. Do you have a hard time finding staff each year? Is the number of returning staff pretty small? Do your staff complain that they don’t feel engaged? Well then, this is the episode for you!
The guys are green with envy this week as they chat with Danny Sudman about sustainability at camp. Danny talks about great ideas that any camp can start doing now. Whether it be as big as solar panels or as small as turning off lights, Danny’s got some excellent ideas. Each person at camp can do their part to help out our world just a little bit more. Check out some fun ideas on what you can do at your camp!
Curt and Chris give some great ideas for keeping your families and campers engaged with your camp all year long! This isn’t your grandma’s boring Birthday card ideas, these ideas are contemporary and awesome! From Weird Holidays to Virtual Escape Rooms, check out this episode for unique stuff!
Lindsey Sigler joins the guys to talk about things she has learned from her theater background that can be applied to summer camp, from stage binders to drama programs and more.
Our guest host this week is Samantha Townsend from Kennolyn Camps. Samantha helps the guys come up with fun ideas around using a book to come up with fun programming or a theme. Samantha and Curt share some great tried and true ideas that they did at their camps! If you run a day-camp or need some fun programming ideas for your overnight camp, check out this week’s episode!
Jason Levasseur is an award-winning performer, songwriter and speaker. He joins the guys this week as they talk about the Rock Star Project and how it can benefit your camp! Find out what Jason can do for your organization. Bonus: He shares 5 rock star tips that will help your staff out today! Listen to this week’s episode and then check out the Rock Star Project!
It’s hard to believe that Chris and Curt have been doing this for 100 years…uh, episodes! The guys have a blast this week discussing fun and crazy memories from the past 99 podcasts. Hear about their favorite episodes, funny moments, dumb things they’ve done, and even some things they didn’t like! This week’s episode will be a fun walk down memory lane as well as some behind-the-scenes shenanigans!
Curt and Chris had Kelie Cook on this week to guest host. The three of them talk about Chris’ favorite thing: Stealing Ideas from other Camps!!! Give this show a listen for some super sweet ideas from programming to staffing to misc that our hosts have stolen! If you have a great idea that you would love to share with them, send Curt or Chris an email and they may just have you on to talk about it!
Mara from Camp Arowhon joins the guys this week to discuss ideas to help with the biggest camper complaints. Having an extra host definitely helps when it comes to discussing some great ideas to fix some of the issues that campers have with camp! Check out this episode to get some extra helpful ideas.
This special Friday Podcast has a great interview with Elliott Sprecher from JotForm! Curt and Chris learn how JotForm can be very beneficial for Camps! Everything from registration to payments, to forms to surveys! They also talk about some of the many widgets JotForm has available, too!
In this episode Curt and Chris welcome Christina Gibbs as a guest host. Christina is the program Director at Mount Shepherd Retreat Center in North Carolina. The three of them discuss different things that parents have complained about at camp. Most camp directors have heard these same complaints. They also dive into solutions and tips on handling these complaints.
It’s that time of year where Camp Directors start going crazy trying to find summer staff. This week, the guys have some interesting ideas to try out as you go out hunting. Be sure to listen to this week’s episode ahead of any of your college staff fairs and test out some of these to see if you can fill your staff positions fast!
Kelie Cook joins Curt and Chris on this week's episode. Kelie ran an in-person camp last year and has now switched to the director role at a different camp. Give this weeks episode a listen to hear about some of the craziness of running the various camps, being a part of the Camp Admin program at Touro, and even get some fun ideas for a couple games (the name Mortal Poodle should entice you enough!).
The new SCamp Life Podcast name change is now official!!!!
This is one of those episodes that you need to have your summer camp counselors listen to! It’s fun and silly, but also very thought provoking and will help those counselors remember some tips on being great counselors. Be sure to download this one and make it required listening during your training week!
This week, the guys chat with Michelle Cummings of Training Wheels. Chris might have been fan-boying it a bit, but it was definitely an awesome episode with some really cool team building ideas! Michelle talks about a great staff training activity, how team building is going in a virtual world, as well as her new podcast, Ask Michelle and Chris.
This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Curt and Chris talk about incorporating Gaming into your Camp with a whole theme! Get great ideas of what you can do as well as where to find some very helpful sites. Since Chris is planning on adding this theme this summer, he, as always, has gone way overboard on out-there ideas! With everything from coding, to diy escape rooms, to giant board games, these 2 episodes will give you a ton to start planning yourself!
This is part 1 of a 2 part series. Curt and Chris talk about incorporating Gaming into your Camp with a whole theme! Get great ideas of what you can do as well as where to find some very helpful sites. Since Chris is planning on adding this theme this summer, he, as always, has gone way overboard on out-there ideas! With everything from coding, to diy escape rooms, to giant board games, these 2 episodes will give you a ton to start planning yourself!
Curt and Chris interview Michael Garcia this week. Michael is the Camp Director of Camp Centerland as well as the host of the Youth Development Professionals Guidebook Podcast. Michael talks about what it was like to run in-person camp during a Covid Summer. He also has Chris’s new favorite rules for camp: 1. Campers leave with same number of fingers and toes they came with. 2. They’re dirty (glitter counts as dirt). 3. They are a zombie at dinner when they get back home.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!! The time when Summer Camp Conference, better known as SCampCon, comes around! Never heard of it before? It’s only the greatest (online) camping conference ever!!! Hear how SCampCon got started and what it’s all about on today’s episode.
Maybe you have a CIT or LIT program or Jr Counselors or whatever you call it at camp, but it is essentially a teen leadership program. It seems that each camp does it differently, and Curt and Chris have definitely seen and run them very differently. Listen to the episode if you want some ideas on how they run them as well as great ideas to make your Teen Leadership Program even better.
If you’ve ever considered doing a podcast for your campers this episode has lots of tips that need to be considered before starting that fun idea! From mics to tech tips to show format ideas, Curt and Chris go through it all.
On this episode, the guys discuss something that probably has affected most camps this year: Revenue! Chris and Curt have a ton of great ideas, some that worked and some that didn’t work for them but may work for you! During a pandemic season, these are some great ideas to try, but even after we’re back to normal, this is a great episode for some extra revenue at your camp!
Keeping with the theme of 2020, Virtual, the guys discuss the where, how and what of Virtual Escape Rooms! There’s lots out there and lots of different varieties of rooms available and the guys talk all the good and bad of them. Even more exciting is Curt and Chris are building their own Virtual Rom that you can check out as part of the ACA Southeastern Conference!
Not sure where to find the best resources for your camp? Tired of searching endlessly on Google for something good? Well, Curt and Chris have the answer for you: This Episode! They talk about all the resources that they use (not just a Google search)! Check out this week for tried and true stuff that actually works! Got great resources yourself? Share them with us so we can share them with others!
With everything going virtual this year, it was only a matter of time before camping conferences did too. Curt has been doing a virtual conference for a couple of years now and is ahead of the game with ideas for it! This episode, the guys discuss all the pros and cons of virtual camp conferences as well as talk about a few coming up that you can be involved in!
A serious, but needed topic this week. What if we can’t have Camp next summer? The guys give some great ideas that you and your Camp need to start working on now as a “Plan B”, just in case! With all the camps and directors Chris and Curt have talked to over the last couple of months, they have a slew of great options to stay open in 2021, if we are still quarantined. Check out this week’s episode for some ideas to keep on the back burner!
A Brain Break is a short 2-3 min pause in whatever you are doing to give your brain a break and a chance to reset so it can continue on. In fact, if you are in classes or learning something new, you should take a break every 15 minutes! It actually helps you learn better and retain more. Chris shares some great ideas for Brain Breaks from his book on Patchwork Marketplace: Steal This! Ideas for Time Fillers and Brain Breakiness.
Finally, Curt has agreed to talk about Chris’s favorite thing: Pinterest!!!! The guys share some great finds, and some not-so-great finds. Also, did you know that Summer Camp Programming Podcast has its own Pinterest board? We have links for all of our episodes!
The guys talk with Matt Henry about the cool things his camp are offering families and groups during these challenging times. The overall program is called Take Two! and it involves mini camp days, pool rental times for family groups, dinner adventures, fresh air hikes and more. These are things most resident camps and some day camps can offer in the fall and even year round.
Curt and Chris (or maybe they should just be called the Virtual Camp Guys at this point) discuss all things online this week. Great ideas of apps, games, sites, etc. that can help with your Virtual Camps (or even your normal camps provided you have a decent internet connection on-site!)
Chris and Curt interview 10 different camp directors on the success of their virtual camps. The interviews are divided into 4 different episodes this week. The guys ask the same questions to each person in a 10 min time limit, so bring your notebook because these great ideas are coming at you at a rapid-fire pace. This episode includes Conor Murray from Camp Rio and Jessica Wexler from Girls Rock Math.
Chris and Curt interview 10 different camp directors on the success of their virtual camps. The interviews are divided into 4 different episodes this week. The guys ask the same questions to each person in a 10 min time limit, so bring your notebook because these great ideas are coming at you at a rapid-fire pace. This episode includes Isaiah Apfel from Between the Pages and Jordon Morris from Camp Indian Creek.
Chris and Curt interview 10 different camp directors on the success of their virtual camps. The interviews are divided into 4 different episodes this week. The guys ask the same questions to each person in a 10 min time limit, so bring your notebook because these great ideas are coming at you at a rapid-fire pace. This episode includes Christina Williams from Science Explorers, Guy and Sheila Siler from Mia Cake House, and Maureen Myrie from The Steam Generation.
Chris and Curt interview 10 different camp directors on the success of their virtual camps. The interviews are divided into 4 different episodes this week. The guys ask the same questions to each person in a 10 min time limit, so bring your notebook because these great ideas are coming at you at a rapid-fire pace. This episode includes Laura Kelly from The Hand Work Studio, Kaley Stephens from WorldSong Missions Adventure Camp, and Kevin Pettigrew from JM Feltner 4H Camp.
Curt talks about his virtual Harry Potter camp. He speaks about what went well and the changes he made along the way. Listen in to get some ideas as well as lessons learned from an already completed virtual camp.
Curt and Chris talk with the creators of Happy Camper Live, Allison Miller (Founder/CEO) and Steve Slavkin (Executive Producer). Happy Camper Live is the OG of virtual camp. They have been working on this amazing website for over 2 years!!! There are TONS of videos and shows and activities and more! If your camp is looking for a way to connect virtually and with an incredibly professional, already made site, give this episode a listen!
This week, Curt and Chris talk about how to look at programming through the lenses of each type of person at your Camp: First Time Camper, Returning Camper, Parent, Staff, Board Member, Marketing, etc. Thinking through each of your new programming (or even current programming) this way will help you determine how beneficial this activity actually is for your camp.
B4….B4…..BINGO! This week the guys take a cool old-school program of Bingo and spice it up! Hear some great ideas on how to do Bingo at your camp. With both virtual and in-person suggestions, you’re sure to hear something that would be perfect for you!
The guys discuss their thoughts and experience with the racial inequality of summer camp. They don't have the answers to tackle such a huge issue, but they understand that discussions are the first step and they hope that most summer camps take action to intentionally welcome kids of all races to their programs. Chris shares a very cool idea that he implements at his camp.
Another episode to help you out with your virtual camps. We talk about some great ideas that you can use to teach campers virtually how to make their own snacks at home! As well, the guys added a Pinterest board to link to all the cool stuff they talk about during the podcast! Caution: Do NOT listen to this episode on an empty stomach!
Curt and Chris have some VERY SPECIAL guest stars on today to be interviewed; themselves!!! The guys ask each other all the questions you’ve surely wanted to know! From personal lives to future dreams, this episode will tell you everything you’ve wanted (or likely really didn’t want to know) about the World’s Okayest Podcasting Duo!
Is your camp considering doing Kits or Boxes this summer? Chris and Curt discuss some great ideas for them and how to make them awesome! If this is something you are considering “instead of Camp” or even if you are considering in “addition to Camp”, this is a really unique opportunity!
The guys talk with Matt Ralph about his awesome site summercampculture.com! This is the site that has literally everything in pop culture that talks about camp. Literally everything! If you want to see how much Camp infiltrates the world, this is the place to go! Check out this episode to learn a bit about Matt and why he chose to create this super cool site!
This is part two of two. If you haven't listened to episode 62, you should start with that one. Curt and Chris continue to give great ideas you can use for your virtual programs this summer.
Check out all the new stuff that Curt and Chris have picked up from others and learned from their time doing Virtual Camp. This is part one of two. In these two episodes, you’ll be getting a ton more great ideas to implement into Online Camp this summer. We all know that this isn’t the same as normal camp, but the guys give some excellent ideas to help make Virtual Camp pretty close to the epicness of normal camp. This is a great episode to get info as you begin to plan your very odd summer this year!
Curt and Chris have a very awesome and timely conversation with Meghan from Guard Up. She runs an incredibly amazing camp on a normal year, but this year, she has created the coolest Virtual Camp ever!!! From Zombies, to Knights, to Wizards, she and her team have put together some seriously cool stuff! Best of all, you can buy and use her already created programs for your camp!!!
The guys talk about some great ideas for a cooking program at camp. From Fruit Kabobs to Pudgy Pies, your tastebuds will be watering this week. So fire up the grill and put a fork in whatever else you’re doing so you can listen to this episode
Curt and Chris interview Paul Gowder about Native American culture at camp this week. This is a great eye-opening episode to learn from Paul about the proper way to include Native American culture into camp. The guys ask lots of great questions that you probably have! Check out this week to make sure you and your camp are doing it right!
In part two, Chris and his crafty wife, Carrie, teach even more super awesome contemporary crafts! This two-part episode is also available on the Scamp Life YouTube channel to watch and see exactly how each craft is made. If your craft room needs an update, or you just want some cool ideas for new and exciting crafts that the campers WANT to do, check out this episode.
In this episode, Chris and his crafty wife, Carrie, teach some super awesome contemporary crafts! This two-part episode is also available on the SCamp Life YouTube channel to watch and see exactly how each craft is made. If your craft room needs an update, or you just want some cool ideas for new and exciting crafts that the campers WANT to do, check out this episode.
Curt and Chris discuss lots of great ideas for hosting your own virtual camp. In this current craziness of covid19 and quarantine, creating a virtual camp will help keep you connected to your campers and give them some fun campy things to do! This is a great episode to listen to now and then get with your team and start planning your very own E-Camp!
In this timely episode, the guys have a chat with Jack all about Hometown Stomping Ground, a virtual camp. Jack and his team have been creating tons of great stuff for their campers to do during this quarantine. This is a very new experience for all of us, and this week’s episode gives some great insight on getting started with your own virtual camp.
Have you heard the buzz? The guys invite Kevin Johnson on this week to discuss beekeeping at your camp. If this is something you’re considering, or mayBEE you weren’t until now, this is a great week to listen! Kevin shares a lot of the pros and cons (Stingers and Honey!) of this program activity. So, BEE proactive and listen as the guys WAX eloquently about our winged friends.
Need to update some of your current stuff to make it cooler or just different. This week’s episode has the guys talking all about Twerking…I mean Tweaking Current Activities! (And if you know anything about Chris, you know he’s going to go over the top with some of these!)
Curt and Chris celebrate their 1 year anniversary with their guest, Drew Demery, who is on the show to talk about all the coolness that is Hatchet Throwing! Drew is even available to come to your camp and help you set it up!! Listen to this episode for some great advice on adding this new popular activity to your camp!
Curt and Chris discuss a fairly new concept this week. Mystery Trails are like Escape Rooms on a Hike/Walk! The guys talk about what’s all involved in these and some great ideas to figure out your own. They also share a little preview of the Escape Room Summit where there’s an entire session about Mystery Trails!
Did you get a check in the mail for some cool new camp programming? Well, the guys have some great suggestions on how you can spend it! They have lots of new ideas and even some things that they’ve never done but would like to try themselves! If you’ve got some extra funds lying around and need some great ideas about what to do with it, check out this episode for help!
Join the Camp Programming Pros this week as they travel around the world for an immersively cool theme! From decorations to crafts, to music, to games, you’ll get great ideas to take your campers on a trip they will never forget! The guys also talk about some great tips and ideas and even some cautions while doing this theme.
Looking for a new theme to be “Part of Your World”? Maybe you have another theme that’s a “Tale as Old as Time” and you just need to “Let It Go”. We’ll “You Gotta Friend” in Curt and Chris as they talk this week all about a Disney Theme! “You’re Welcome!” The guys have some fun and kinda crazy ideas that will make this theme a “Whole New World” for your Camp. Go “Into the Unknown” and give it a listen!
Curt and Chris talk all about Destination Hikes this week. What are they? What are you supposed to do? Should you have one at your Camp? Who let the Dogs Out? The guys answer MOST of these questions and more! Listen to this episode to hear about an interesting and easy to do programming activity for your camp!
When you started at your camp, don’t you wish you would have had a book with everything you needed to know? Yeah, pretty much everyone does! Curt and Chris talk about making program binders for yourself, your staff, and your future replacement! They come up with a bunch of ideas for different binders and what you might want to include. Get started on them now before the chaos of summer gets here!
2020 is the year of the Summer Olympics. Chris and Curt spend this week discussing some great ideas on how to use this year to bring an Olympic Theme to your camp! From competitions to decorations, to even food, the guys give some epic ideas for this summer’s theme!
This week we talk about the journey a first-time camper goes through at camp. How can you and your staff help new campers be the hero? This is an excellent episode to send to your counselors pre-camp and have them listen to and prep for a discussion during Training Week!
The Camp Programming Guys are back again this year with the first podcast of 2020! This episode has some great ideas for a Star Wars theme for your camp! Whether you’re looking for new ideas, looking to spice up some old ones, or just want to ride the coattails of Baby Yoda, there’s sure to be something for your Camp!
Right before the new year starts, listen as Curt and Chris share some epic evening activities. Ring in the new summer evenings with some World Record or Minute 2 Win it games. Hold an evening Video Game night. Host a carnival or Trivia night. As you celebrate the new year, plan some new evening ideas for your upcoming summer!
The guys give you a great Christmas present this year of on fleek ideas for Teen Camp! Here are some great things to start working on now to be ready for this coming summer! Yeet ideas like a Coffeehouse or Thrift Store Scavenger Hunt. YOLO ideas like Mystery Trips or Freetime with Bae. Swag ideas like Sleeping in or Coffee bar. These dope ideas are sure to make you GOAT this summer and slay your teen campers.
Chris shares the top 8 best things he did last summer at Camp Good News, and Curt shares some great things he learned from other camps last summer!
Curt and Chris interview Tara Laidlaw this week about adding STEM into camping. Tara has immense knowledge of STEM learning and a crazy amount of great advice for camps looking to do this. This week’s episode is a great listen for not only the “What-to-dos” or the “How-to-dos”, but also the “Why-you-shoulds”!
Looking for new theme ideas for 2020? Take a listen to this episode for some great themes that the guys share from upcoming movies. These are the movies that all the campers will be talking about already, so why not bring the movies to life and create some awesome days around them! Super cool ideas like a Trolls theme that is music and crazy hair, a Dr Doolittle theme where the staff dress up as talking animals, or a Jumanji theme all around puzzles and adventures. Get some cinematastic ideas for your camp next summer!
Chris and Curt have a great chat with Andy McClung from ChristianCampPro.com about his retreat center. Andy shares some great tips and tricks about how he's able to fill every weekend of his retreat center. This episode is a great listen for those camps wanting to expand into the retreat season or those camps that already do, but need to improve on it!
The guys discuss STEM learning this week and how you can implement that into your Camp! They share some great ideas like catapults, egg drop, bridge building, zoology, roller coasters, solar ovens, and so much more. STEM would make an awesome addition to your camp program or even a great way to get schools and groups to come out for a retreat!
Chris and Curt talk with Jenn and Amanda all about Scavaganza! Scavaganza is where you combine Scavenger Hunt Awesomeness with Extravaganza Fun! This is a great activity you can do with your campers, or staff, or even a bunch a camp professionals like Jenn and Amanda did at the ACA Tri-State Conference. Listen in for some great tips and tricks they have learned to run your own Scavaganza!
Curt and Chris discuss some great ideas of things we would love to see happen in the camping industry. So if there is anyone out there that has some skills to do some of this stuff, you’ll have at least 2 customers! From more podcasting, to online courses, to meet-ups, to apps...there are some awesome ideas for some possible camp entrepreneurs.
Curt, minus a sick Chris, talks with Snacks this week about some of the incredible amount of programming that Pali Adventure Camp offers. They have literally a little bit of everything! Magic, Stunts, High Adventure, Circus, Comedy, Street Art, Aviation, and so much more! Learn how they came up with some of these crazy cool programs and why these specialties are so popular with the campers!
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...two guys behind a mic?! Er...I mean...Here they are to save the Day!!!! Well not really, but our dynamic duo do have some Super ideas for a superhero theme! From decorations to crafts to games to even the inclusion of villains. If your camp does themes, then this is one for the comic books!
The guys chat with Cricket Snearing about how to best plan for inclement weather. Cricket has been in camping for a long time and has some great info on how to best plan! Bet you didn’t know that buying some big 'ol Ziploc bags is a great start, or that a mirror schedule is a great way to keep all staff on the same page! Learn from this great Camp Pro exactly how you can be prepped for when the bad weather does show up!
Chris and Curt discuss random small programming at camp. This is stuff that doesn’t require daily set up or staff supervision. Great ideas for some fun anytime activities that can help fill up time or keep campers busy while waiting for something else. Listen now to prep for next summer!
The Camp Programming Dudes discuss an often overlooked opportunity for camps, the Halloween event! They give some great ideas that can be a lot of fun and add some revenue to your camp as well as new campers! Give this week’s episode a listen if you don’t currently do anything for Halloween on your property and could use a fun new event!
Curt and Chris have a great conversation (well actually 2 because they forgot to hit record the first time) with Christy from CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association). If you’re thinking about starting a horse program, already have a horse program, or just want to know more about it, then CHA is a great place to start!
Curt and Chris talk with Ilana Schlam of MJCCA Summer Day Camps on the subject of Themed Camps. Ilana has an enormous amount of themed weeks for her campers and an incredible amount of insight. Check out this week's episode for great ideas and how-tos for themed camps.
The guys discuss Color Wars this week. If you’re like Chris and have no idea how to run one or even what they actually are, then this is the week for you! Curt gives some great advice and great ideas on how to make your Color War awesome!
Curt and Chris use their expertise to help answer some questions from their listeners! Listen to this episode for some helpful tidbits to questions you may have too. This will be an episode that will be recurring, so if you have any questions that the guys have not answered yet, please send it their way so they can share any advice (good or bad) they may have!
Chris and Curt talk with Jeff from Nature Watch about their origin story, all the cool stuff they offer and new items that are coming soon.
The guys take a behind the scenes look at SummerCampCon this last winter. And give some great ideas on how the next SCampCon can benefit you and your staff this coming November! If you’re looking for an awesome conference that isn’t going to break the bank AND doesn’t require traveling, check out this episode to learn more about it!
The guys dish up a huge list of Outdoor Ed ideas and activities. This episode is more to give you a starting place and not a complete how-to lesson. Take some of these awesome ideas and make them your own to fit your program and location!
This week’s episode sounds like a new game show! Curt asks Chris about some fun ideas to see if he would try them at his camp. Spoiler Alert: Chris has tried or is willing to try almost all of them.
Curt and Chris talk about some of their experiences with leading Team Building, as well as some of their favorite resources.
Join Captain Curt and First-mate Chris on this swashbuckling podcast in search of treasure! The guys give out some arrrrrguably great ideas to help make your camp a cannon blast! Ignore these great ideas and you might be forced to walk the plank.
In this episode, the guys talk about Campfire Programs and Game Shows and who knows what else!
Curt and Chris would like to take this opportunity to recognize Recognition Programs for your camp! They talk about some great ideas to give your recognition program a Gold Star!
The guys talk all about Chris’ Nature Center and what you need to do to have something similar. Get ready to go wild in this all animal episode!
Are you running a day camp in a park, at a church or in a community center? Do you wish it felt more like a traditional overnight camp? Curt and Chris discuss ideas on how to make day camp feel much more like "campy".
This week Curt and Chris lock themselves up in a room to come up with the best ideas for your escape room. Learn what an escape room is and some great ideas for it!
The guys talk with Judd from Starlux Games about the awesome game Capture the Flag REDUX and about the other great games that Starlux Games offers and will be offering soon, including their newest one Wizards and Werewolves.
Rain Rain Go Away! The guys have some sweet ideas to help spice up those rainy (or too hot) days when you’re stuck indoors.
This week the dynamic duo (dynamic seems like too strong of a word here) get a bit crafty in giving you great ways to spice up your arts and crafts areas!
This week, Chris and Curt and giving you some great ideas on how to make your aquatics spicier!
This week’s episode is all about Spicing up Target Activities. Curt and Chris each shared some great ideas...with Chris sharing WAY too many!
Curt and Chris talk about Specialty Camps, where the entire camp is all themed around one main idea. Decorations, games, activities, even registration all fits into that theme. Think Immersion Camp!
The guys discuss having theme meals to help make mealtime a memorable experience. They talk about the pros and cons and their favorites.
Camp counselors get a lot out of camp; they gain experience in leadership, responsibility, communication, persuasion, and much more. However, they can get even more out their summer experience, if they are given the chance. In this episode Curt and Chris explore things counselors can do to make their group's experience more memorable and magical, and in turn enhance their own camp experience.
Curt and Chris talk about some of their favorite time fillers that counselors can do when they have a few minutes with their group. Instead of just sitting and waiting for lunch or the next activity, it's better to engage our campers with a quick game or conversation.
In this introductory episode the hosts, Curt Jackson and Chris Kallal, introduce themselves and talk about what the podcast is all about and thing to come.