DO WHAT & WHERE?
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So what exactly do you get up to at camp?

As a summer camp counselor you will enjoy the most regarding, exciting, and fun filled summer of your life! You’ll be spending almost all your time with ‘your’ kids. So you need to be sure you like children! Children will range in age from 7-15 and you may attend an all girls, all boys, or co-ed (mixed) camp. You’ll live in a cabin with your kids (approx. 8-10) and will accompany them to their activities, assist in teaching respective activities or even lead the activity yourself! You will eat your meals with the kids, play with them, sing with them, laugh with them, and even cry with them (on the final day of camp!). Did we mention that you need to like kids?!!!!! It’s a big responsibility, but don’t worry, you’ll have lots of help in the form of other great co-counselors from around the globe.

A counselor is a friend, a mentor, a teacher, a role model and even a little bit of mum or dad to the kids that they work with. If you’re the right person for camp you’ll find that your days are hugely rewarding and a lot of fun. But it’s also hard work and physically demanding at times. Many camps are quite rustic and are equipped with basic amenities. And life at camp involves long hours and not having much ‘me’ time! Check out the following - ‘TYPICAL DAY’

07.30 Wake Up
The type of wake up will depend on your camp. Older, more traditional camps could have a bugle, horn or bell whereas more modern camps may play music over the PA system.

08.00 Flag Rising
Many camps have a group flag rising each morning. Please be respectful even though it is the Stars And Stripes being raised and not your nation's flag.

08.15 Breakfast
You will find sweet and savory, crunchy and sloppy, toasted and chilled... every kind of food available ready to fuel your day! Many camps will have songs or breakfast chants to get the kids excited for the day ahead.

08.50 Cabin Clean-Up
Everyone heads back to their cabin or tent after breakfast to tidy up. You will be expected to help and oversee the clean-up of cabins. The clean-up will involve sweeping, taking out trash, putting wet clothes out to dry and generally making the cabin neat. Camp may run an inspection (possibly with prizes) each day.

09.30 First Activity Period
The kids will go to their scheduled activities while you either teach your specialist activity, or if you are a general counselor, you will take an assigned group of kids to their next activity.

10.30 Start of Second Activity Period
The kids will move on to their next assigned activity for the day. If you are an activity specialist then you will receive a new group of kids. If you are a general counselor you will be assigned to a group of kids to take to an activity.

11.30 Free time
Free time is a good time for the kids to head back to the cabin and spend some time together getting to know other people in their cabin. It is also a good time to write letters home and read. Many camps may expect you to be in your cabin at this time, as it is a great chance for you to get to know your cabin early on. You can become a role model for how you expect the kids to behave in the free time. Take this chance to write your own letters home, while keeping an eye on the dynamics of the children in the cabin.

12.15 Lunch
Again... food...and possibly singing! Food... singing... food... singing!

13.00 Rest Hour
It will soon become apparent to you that rest hour is the greatest idea of all camp ideas! The combination of the early start, the hectic morning and the belly full of food may put you in the mood for an afternoon rest. Again, set your expectations early. If you want to sleep make it clear from the start that you need a quiet cabin. Your neighboring counselors will love you for keeping a quiet cabin too!

14.20 Start of Third Activity Period
Wake up and back to activities. Activity specialists teach in their activity areas and general counselors circulate with campers.

15.30 Start of Fourth Activity Period
Another activity session following the same format.

16.40 End of Fourth Activity Period
More free time. Some camps may hold an all-camp afternoon activity in the afternoon, whereas others have 4, 5 or even 6 activity periods a day with some rest time shortly before dinner.

18.00 Dinner
Yet more food and more singing!

19.15 Evening activity
Evening activities are great fun and a wonderful opportunity for everyone to get to know each other. Campers and counselors alike can integrate with people from other cabins and age groups. Evening activities range from themed dances, all-camp competitions, camp fires, talent shows... the list goes on and on!

20.30 Evening Activity Ends
Camps may serve an evening snack, and then everyone heads back to the cabins to talk about their day, wind down, and spend some time catching up as a cabin.

21.00 Quiet time, prep for bed
Time to get settled, brush teeth and get your pyjamas on.

21.30 Vespers
This is a good time to read, write home and generally relax and wind down.

22.00 Lights out. Time to Sleep
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........

22.15 Free Time (Staff not on duty)
If you are not on duty you will be free to leave your cabin and go and spend time with counselors at the staff lounge or other designated staff-only areas. The restrictions and rules for after lights out will vary from camp to camp. You may be allowed to leave camp but are likely to have a curfew.

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What might I be teaching?

When it comes to activities there’s a huge array. From land sports to water sport, outdoor adventure to high ropes and climbing. Don’t worry if you are not the ‘sporty’ type either, as there are also activities like arts and crafts, drama, theatre and dance. Check out the list below for what you might be able to teach or assist in teaching - there really is something for everyone!

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