CREATING MAGIC

MOMENTS IN

SUMMER CAMPMid America Camping Conference 2013

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY

“MAGIC”?

• INTANGIBLE

• MEMORABLE

• POWERFUL

• PERFECT

5 KEYS TO CAMP

MAGIC

MATES

MATES

• Humans are Social

• Shared Experience

• Fundamental to Camps

• Confidence that comes

with making friends

MAKING PEOPLE

WELCOME

• Instantly accessible

• Easy to pick up on

traditions

• Use names

• Culture of respect

MAGIC MATES

• Cabin Structure

• Friendship/Cabin Meetings

• Initiatives/Team building

• Intentional pairing

• “Stepping Stones to Building Friendships” by Cathi

Choen

• Choosing Activities or Friends (OE School)

• Activities for one person?

• Songs

MENTORS

MENTORS

• Also fundamental to the

camp experience

• Rock Star versus

Mentor

• Looking up to someone

and having their

attention is a powerful

combination

MAGIC MENTORS

• Hiring Practices

• Training

• 1 on 1 conversation

• Modeling

• Scheduling/Activity Selection

• Facility Design

• Christmas Cards

• Camper Letters

• Camp O Grams

MOMENTS

MOMENTS

• Something great at the

time, and becomes a

long term memory

• Those times when

everything is “just right”

• Memories consist of:

Sights, smells, feelings,

sounds, tastes, people,

etc.

AWESOME CAMP

MOMENTS• Going to a water park

• Climbing the tower

• Conversing with friends at crafts

• Getting a bullseye

• Zip Line

• Performances

• Learning a Skill

• Laughing

• Playing games

HOW CAN CAMP

MOMENTS BE MORE

MAGICAL?

BE OPEN TO

OPPORTUNITY

• Empty Box

• Imaginative Play

• Down Time - Don’t over

schedule!

TRADITIONS

• Consistency is a

difference maker.

• Return campers hype

things up for new

campers.

• 3 YEARS AWAY

AMBIANCE

• Campfire/Candles/Low

Light

• Volume - reflection

• Music

• Outdoors/Weather/Star

s

• Food/Drink

OPENINGS AND

CLOSINGS

• People need to be

ready to experience the

magic.

• When does it start and

how does it end?

• Surprise or building

anticipation?

• Nestled openings and

closings.

TELL THEM IT IS

IMPORTANT

• Because if you do, it

will be.

• Tell them they are an

important part of it.

• Some people aren’t

looking for magic and

need to be told where

and how to look

BE INSPIRING AND

ATTACH MEANING

• Speak from the heart

• Share who you are

• Believe in what you say

• Camp Creed, Core

Values, Unless, I am

Third, etc.

SCENARIOS

• Playing Capture the

Flag is fun.

• Playing it in color teams

with face paint and

chants is memorable.

• Playing it as a team the

kids made up with

special cheers, unique

costumes, and team

songs is unforgettable.

SCENARIOS

• Having a campfire is

fun

• Announcing it at dinner

and having the staff go

crazy for it is

memorable

• Announcing it at dinner,

having a warm up, and

walking quietly through

the woods to the site is

unforgettable

MENTIONS

MENTIONS

• Kids crave attention

and recognition

• It validates their

experience

• Shows respect from

their mentors/authority

• Gives them social

status with their peers

MAGIC MENTIONS

• Ranch Camp Achievement Levels

• Returning from a Trip

• Cheers - Recognize/Thank You

• Good Sheriff

• Newsletters

• Birthday Brigades

• “Kingdom Awards”

• Staff Recognition

• Year Awards

YEAR AWARD

SYSTEM

MEMENTOS

MEMENTOS

• What will tie them to

their memories?

• Important things in

adult life have tokens,

badges, and symbols.

• Gifts make people feel

special and important.

MAGIC MEMENTOS

• Medallions

• T-Shirts

• Take Home Crafts

• Friendship Bracelets

• Swim Bands

• Store Items

• Christmas Cards

• Autograph Folder

• Camp Journal

EXTENDING THE

FEELING• Traditions - When I go

back, I will experience it

again.

• “Christmas Morning

Excited”

• Expectations and

Cliches

• Actual Magic

• Can’t do it anywhere

else

SILVER AND GOLD

FIND INSPIRATION IN

YOUR OWN MAGIC

• What do experiences you consider

magical tell you?

• Better to go out to eat or make special

meal with friends?

• What happens in concerts, church,

ceremonies, TV, Movies, etc. that feels

magic?

WHAT COMES NEXT?

• AUDIT

• GENERATE

• SELECT

• IMPLEMENT