If you are in charge of the games and activities for a day camp, you may want to think of some large camp group games for youth that everyone will love. Unfortunately, this is a process that can be a bit more difficult than it seems. The good news is, you are in luck. Here you can find some helpful tips to help you start a successful day camp.
- Figure out Who Your Target Group Is
One of the first things you need to do is figure out what group of children you want to target with your day camp program. For example, are you only going to be providing services for church members, or are all children in the community invited? Is the purpose of the camp to help out parents who work and who need child care during the summer months? If you answer these questions, you will be able to find out what type of program needs to be developed.
- Set Your Goals
The next step is to figure out what the desired outcome is for the kids who are going to be attending the camp. What is it that you want to accomplish with this program? If you set certain goals, and have a plan it will give you a better chance of being successful. If you don’t have a goal, you won’t be working toward anything.
- Establish the Procedures and Policies
The policies are the written plans and rules that a person is going to follow as they operate their day camp. The plans and rules will make sure that all your campers and all your staff is happy, safe and that they remain healthy. You also need to make sure that everyone understands what the policies are so that they will remain effective and not be offensive. Be sure that everyone, including the campers, parents and staff are all aware of what the procedures and policies are that have been established.
Determine the Times and Dates of the Camp
Try to find out what the best dates are to operate the camp and then create a day to day schedule by asking the following questions:
- When will the school year end and when does it start?
- Is there year-round school in your location?
- Are there any other day camp programs that will have to be worked around?
- Are there going to be consecutive sessions, or will you only provide day camp at certain times?
Each of the factors here will figure out what days you should hold your day camp. Make sure to work with your other staff members to know what works for everything.
- Consider the Location for the Day Camp
Players at the 2016 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training camp rush towards a player after he dives for a catch July 29, 2016 at the Raymond James Stadium in Florida. Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent most of their morning running drills such as passing plays and defensive line drills. (U.S Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Rito Smith.)
When it comes to day camps, you want to make sure that you find a location that is convenient for everyone. Try to find something that is located near school or in what is considered a central location. This will make sure it is convenient to everyone who may be interested in the services that have been offered.
- Think About the Cost of the Day Camp Services
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Participants of the Mainland Basketball Camp start with a warm up run during the five-day camp at Yokota Air Base, Japan, April 9, 2012. The camp focused on strengthening basic fundamentals of basketball. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Krystal M. Garrett)
You should determine what you want to charge for the day camp services. Take the time to look at the other costs being charged in the area to find out what will work best for those nearby. You need to also make sure that what you charge will be able to cover the expenses that the facility will have.
If you are planning on starting a day camp, there are more than a few factors that you have to consider. Make sure that you consider all the things here to find the options that best suit your needs. Keep this in mind and you will find that achieving day camp success is actually much easier than you may have imagined.