The camp season just came to a close and that means the kids are going back to school soon and will miss camp so much when they are gone. Camp counselors prepare for camp so much in advance before the kids come to camp and here are nine things we keep in mind throughout all weeks of camp:

1.Playing hand games is a perfect distraction

Hand games are used when waiting in line for something or during an activity when only some campers can go at a time. They distract kids from getting hurt or even prevent them to not think about how hot it is outside. All camp counselors know great hand games to distract or occupy a group of campers.

2. Friday nights are the best nights

Working all day in the heat outside can be exhausting. It can be rough at times, especially when you work with children all day every day. Friday nights mean another successful week of camp has came and gone. We love every second of it. For camp counselors Friday nights mean it is the start of a much needed two days off to just sit and relax. It is very well deserved!

3. Kids take forever to change

Swimming at camp is great way for the kids to cool off and have fun. But let me tell you when they have to change into dry clothes they take forever. All camp specialist know that if they are coming from swim they will be late to the activity. Changing is at least a 20 minute activity and all camp counselors know this.

4. Your co-counselor will make or break your summer

This is so true, my co-counselor this summer did not put in a lot of work. I had to work harder to pick up her slack which made my summer harder. To make sure you have a smooth summer get along with your co-counselor and put in equal amount of work. If you don’t get along it can cause tension and you do not want your kids to see you and your co-counselor fighting. Your relationship with your co-counselor is important for you and your kids so make sure to maintain a positive one. Your summer will go a lot smoother.

5. Your campers are always listening

They really are! They know what you are talking about, they listen to all the stories you tell to other counselors. So as a camp counselor watch what you say because your campers will listen to you.

6. You need a “bag of tricks”

Being a camp counselor means that you are always doing something. There is no down time. You always need to be prepared to start a new activity every 30 minutes or so and you don’t want to be late. At times you might be early to an activity so you need to fill up the downtime before the next activity starts. So as a camp counselor you need a “bag of tricks” to use when having downtime or need to entertain kids for a short amount of time.

7. Dunkin will be your best friend

Being a camp counselor, no matter how much sleep you get the night before, you will still be tired the next day. So wake up a few minutes early and get a coffee to get you through the day.

8. Thunderstorms can be a good and bad thing

On a super hot day a thunderstorm is a great excuse to get campers in to places with air conditioning to keep them dry. But it can be a bad thing because some of these campers are scared of thunder and then you have to deal with a crying group of kids and let me tell you that is not fun.

9. Not everyone can be a camp counselor

Being a camp counselor is not a easy job. There are people who are not meant to be a camp counselor and that’s what makes the job so special. It is a more rewarding than a lot of other jobs and I would not trade it for the world.