4 Things You Will Do as a Summer Camp Counselor

4 Things You Will Do as a Summer Camp Counselor Image via: www.pexels.com Plan activities As a summer camp counselor, your job will be planning out fun excursions and activities for your kids to partake in. The best part? You might even get to plan and host events specific to your own individual interests. For instance, one day might be all about outdoor pursuits, like hiking, kayaking, camping, and more. The next day could be something more laid back, like arts and crafts, movie nights, and miniature cooking classes. The ability to plan activities for the kids allows you the chance to share something of yourself with them: your passion. If you are studying art, imagine how much more excited you would be to teach kids how to make macaroni sculptures than having to teach campers how to put a tent together. On the flip side, if you are a person who especially enjoys the outdoors, imagine how excited you would be to show kids how to build a campfire rather than how to mix primary colors. No matter who you are or what you are interested in, being a summer camp counselor will allow you to share those interests with groups of kids ready to learn. Teach skills After your time working as a summer camp counselor is over, your legacy will live on. As corny as it sounds, your work will live on through the kids you worked with. If you can say that your summer camp counselor did not teach or show you something unforgettable during your time in camp and maintain a completely straight face, then you should call Lady Gaga and tell her that your poker face will give her a run for her money. Seriously. As a summer camp counselor, you will essentially be providing a “home away from home” for the kids who attend your camp. They will look to you for guidance and authority. As a summer camp counselor, you will provide just that. You will teach kids how to do arts and crafts, like wicker baskets and food art. You can show kids how to play games like hopscotch and Red Rover, or better yet, show them YOUR version of hopscotch and Red Rover. Teach them basic survival skills, like how to build a fire or how to decipher between poisonous and safe berries. By the time summer comes to an end, your kids will leave summer camp completely different from how they were … and so will you. Image via: www.pexels.com Provide support You probably remember how tough it was to be a kid. Back then, adults seemed as though they were completely oblivious to the emotional problems we faced as kids. While whatever struggles you are currently facing might seem more challenging in comparison to those from your childhood, back then those were the biggest hardships you had to face. The same thing goes for the kids that you are going to work with. As a counselor, your job is exactly that: to counsel. You have the chance to be a listening ear and a figure of support to young and developing minds. Summer camps allow kids to interact with other kids in situations and circumstances that could prove challenging or emotionally exhausting. On top of it, some kids may find themselves becoming homesick. As a summer camp counselor, you must keep their morale high and their faith in you even higher. The paycheck at the end of every hard work week will be rewarding, but the feeling of supporting and impacting a child’s life is a million times more rewarding. Have fun Last and most importantly: have fun. Summer camps are a place for kids to relax and enjoy fun activities with fun people, such as yourself. While the temperatures might be hot and the pressure might be high, keep the purpose of this position in mind. As a summer camp counselor, your job will be to keep your kids happy and having fun. In the meantime, you will probably find yourself doing the same.