How To Be a Cool Camp Counselor

If you get a homesick kid, keep them busy. Don’t let them dwell on missing home, and soon it will pass. The hardest time for homesick kids will be at night.

Speak to the campers as if they are on your level, even if you secretly think they’re all a bunch of nose-picking nitwits.

Start as a firm disciplinarian and then loosen up as the term goes on. It’s much easier than going the other way — and the kids will only remember the fun times at the end. Bend the rules from time to time, so long as the result is harmless.

Bring age-appropriate joke books to camp so you can keep them laughing.

Give them some control. Let them vote on activities. Whenever possible, give them choices instead of orders.

Be a good sport. Laugh it off if they pull a prank on you.

Have really entertaining ghost stories. Be the camp storyteller.

Find something admirable in all of them so you can send each camper off with a meaningful compliment that they can treasure forever.