A Typical Day at Camp as a
No day at camp is typical, but below is an explanation of what the flow of a day might look like…
7:00-7:20am – You wake up and start getting ready for another fun filled, adventurous, and rewarding day with some amazing campers and staff. Some staff members will grab a coffee in the dining hall, while others go for a morning run or dip in the lake, while others will sleep until the last possible second… Programmers meet at dorm duty outside the dorms before 7:20 and check in with their counselling buddy groups (each programmer joins a group of campers each week and offers support during meal times) before heading to their morning meeting .
7:30am – Each morning, the programming team meets up at the programming office at 7:30 am to have a programming meeting. At this meeting, you will go over the days events, and organize who is doing what. If the meeting ends before breakfast, you can use the time to set up, prep for any of the upcoming events or get into costume.
8:30am – Hungry staff and campers will pile into the dinning hall for a delicious breakfast. Once groups are relatively settled, the programming team will burst into the dinning hall, be LOUD, and capture the whole camp’s attention. You might give an update on the ‘Captain Hook’ watch and then introduce the Regular Programs that are going on in the morning. You might tie your regular programs into the weeks’ theme. For example, canoeing at the lake might be ‘ship training for pirates’ or the rock wall might be ‘sail climbing’. Once you’ve made your announcement, you can grab a plate and eat with your buddy group (ie. The group of campers that you are part of for that week). Make sure not to wear a hat at the table or you will get called on for a song.
9:30-10:00am – Use this time to set-up the 10 am regular program.
10:00am-12:00pm – The programmers will be facilitating the regular program in their area. For example, the rock wall and pool will be opened for pirate training, and they will be making pirates hats in the Arts and Crafts.
12:25pm – Programmers Unite! Better have a quick meeting to plan this afternoon’s announcement!
12:30pm – Lunch time. Once again, the programming team will come in and make an announcement. Perhaps there is a bad guy sighting in the dining hall. Oh my goodness!! We better get the whole camp to come together this afternoon in an All-Camp activity to try and catch the bad guy!
1:30-2:00pm – Use this time to set up for the All-Camp or go over one last time how it will play out.
2:00-4:00pm – The programming team will be running an All Camp activity. Typically, each programmer will facilitate a station, and the buddy groups will rotate through the stations OR all of camp will be involved in one big wide game. Examples of stations are: pirate training at the low ropes, obstacle course, making pirate hats, writing a song to lure the bad guys etc. The All Camp might end by trapping the bad guy or some climatic show down with the whole camp around.
3:40-4:00pm – Programmers will clean up from the All-Camp while volunteers will be giving out juice and snacks to counsellors to give to their campers.
4:00-5:15pm – This hour is known as ‘Rest Break’. Campers and some staff will hang out in the dorms while the majority of staff get a break!
5:30pm – Dinner time! Once again, the programming team gets the attention of the dining hall (make sure to be creative!). You might comment on the great work by the campers at the All Camp and reward them with some fun activities in the evening.
7:00pm – Once again, programmers will be facilitating Regular Programs. This time the pool is open, the big swing is letting campers reach new heights, there are drama games at arts and crafts and a chill canoe trip at the lake!
8:30/9:00pm – Juice Break – Depending on whether it’s a kids week or teen week, the program will end around 8:30 or 9:00 pm. Programmers will hand out the water and fruit to counselors to give to campers.
8:45pm – Programmers might join their buddy group in the dorm and spend some quality time with some campers by reading them a story etc.
9:30 – Evening meeting – a chance for the team to meet up and debrief the day. What worked well, what could we improve on? What is the plan for tomorrow? How can we keep the energy flowing?!
