Creating a welcome mat for campers

Camping Magazine, July-August, 1996 by Bob Ditter

By the time orientation is over, many counselors are eager to welcome campers and get on with the business of having fun and learning new things. Most want their charges to get off on the right foot and feel comfortable in their new home. Learning to welcome campers and invite them into their new community is an important skill; it is something all counselors should master before campers arrive.

Make everyone feel included

Making everyone, from new campers to old-timers, feel included and part of the group is crucial to establishing a community characterized by trust and a sense of belonging. Many campers have told me that arrival day can be a bit scary, especially when they are new to camp and don't know anyone else. They have also said that many campers feel awkward and alone when their counselors are scattered about and not with the group on the first day of camp. Having a way to make everyone feel included and connected may not only help reduce some early homesickness, but it helps the group get off to a strong start.

There are two things that make campers feel left out at camp more than anything else:

* not knowing the words to songs or prayers used during camp events.

Have returning campers teach new campers the words to a few songs and prayers before the campers ever encounter a situation where they will need to know them. This way you mix group members while helping newcomers feel less self-conscious when it is time to sing or pray.

* not knowing the names of the other campers in the group or bunk.

The simplest remedy for this problem is to address all of your campers by name every time you speak with them during the first several days of camp. By doing so, everyone, even you, gets another chance to learn names.

Make campers feel welcome

There are five principles you can use when trying to make your campers feel welcome and that they belong. You can use the acronym SMILE to remember them.

Smile a lot. A smile sends an immediate signal of friendship, warmth and acceptance. It is amazing how often we forget to do it!

Move toward your campers when you talk with them, and make eye contact with them when you speak with them. You will convey a much more personal tone and quality than if you had spoken to them from a distance or not looked directly at them.

Include all campers in your conversation, activities, and planning. Having short bedtime check-ins (at overnight camp) or brief morning meetings (at day camp) can help campers feel more a part of the group.

Learn at least two things about each of your campers in the first few days of camp. Find out about favorite camp activities and interests at home (e.g., hobbies, pets, friends). You will be on your way to forming new friendships with the campers.

Encourage each member of your bunk or cabin group to make at least one new friend during the first week of camp. If you can assist in this process, you can truly say that you have had a positive impact on your campers!

Be willing to learn

There is one other important note to make about creating a camp environment in which children feel welcome and a sense of belonging. Many children tell me that they often resent situations in which adults believe they have all the answers and expect only the children to learn and grow. I find that children feel more comfortable and more trusting, and enjoy adults more, when the adults who care for them are willing to be learners, too. The most successful teachers, counselors, and parents are those who are willing to admit what they don't know, to try things that are new for them, and to show their vulnerable, not-always-on-top-of-it side. Children, after all, must show us these things every day.

To create an atmosphere in which children feel safe, accepted, and trusting is truly a great feat. By being methodical, emotionally honest and present, and giving of yourself as a counselor, you can help achieve this most rare and wonderful place we call camp!

Bob Ditter is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in child and adolescent treatment. Camp directors are invited to write to Bob at: Bob Ditter, "In the Trenches," 93 Union St., Ste. 307, Newton, MA 02159 or e-mail: bobditter@aol.com, or fax 617/964-2219. Letters should be signed, although requests for confidentiality will be honored. "In the Trenches" is sponsored by American Income Life Insurance.