How Discovery Day Camp brings together 140 campers for memorable fun
At Indiana-based Discovery Day Camp, Valparaiso Parks and Recreation staff members love bringing the entire camp (140 campers) together for exciting "All Camps"—special activities in which everyone works toward a common goal, whether creating a mural or competing in a fun challenge. These events happen once a week, lasting 45 to 60 minutes, and offer a fantastic opportunity for campers of all ages (and counselors, too) to work together in a cooperative and engaging environment.
Preparation
When planning an All Camp activity, the team likes to align it with the weekly theme. For example, during "Beach Week," leaders used the camp's beach area for a sandcastle competition, which was a huge hit. Don't be afraid to pull inspiration from fellow camp professionals by connecting with them in Facebook groups or through Google searches. Remember, camp staff members have a special knack for turning simple activities into magical moments!
Execution
To keep things fair and fun, Valparaiso staff members have found that mixing campers of different ages works well for competitions. Groups can be formed either manually or using a Google program to auto-sort names, ensuring that any camper who must stay with a specific counselor is accommodated. Once teams are set, staff gathers everyone to explain the activity, set clear goals, and establish a timeframe. It’s essential to keep the instructions concise but clear to maintain enthusiasm and focus.
Conclusion
The end of an All Camp event is about celebrating the effort and having fun. Leaders don’t always hand out rewards, but sometimes they like to surprise the winning team with some extra recognition. Recently, an old WWE belt was repurposed as a championship trophy—now, the winning team gets to snap a photo with the belt, making the victory even more memorable.
At Discovery Day Camp, All Camps offer the perfect mix of fun, teamwork, and adventure, making them a highlight of every week!
All Camp Example: Gold Rush
In this thrilling game, campers race to collect "gold" (hidden objects around camp) and bring them back to their group. Teams work together to strategize and find the most gold, creating a fun, fast-paced activity that involves everyone and fosters a spirit of friendly competition.
How To Play Gold Rush
Pre-Game Setup
- Ensure a scale is on hand and accessible.
- All rocks used for the activity should be spraypainted gold.
- Directors load up gold on a golf cart and drive around to specified areas (i.e., beach, side of paths (not on paths), playground, hill, old rock wall, etc.) to toss gold. For campers and those who dress up as pirates and sillies, it is helpful to specify the areas where gold is located. (This process will take longer than leaders expect, but it shouldn’t be done too early to avoid disruption from the public.)
- Divide campers into groups.
- Use chalk to draw circles and team numbers on the blacktop. These will be used for gold collection.
- Counselors in Training (CITs) who want to participate as pirates (steal gold) or sillies (they say a riddle to a group and give out gold if the group solves it) should dress up! These folks can move around, but it’s recommended they stay in the general area with a buddy and a counselor.
- On a clipboard, keep a list of the teams, and ensure there’s space to write down measurements as teams bring in gold to be weighed.
Photos: Courtesy Of Valpo Parks
Game Rules
- Set a time limit so groups know when to return to the main camp.
- Let groups know that, if campers separate from a group when bringing gold in, there will be a penalty of less gold counted.
- Place each bucket on the scale and add gold to the bucket to determine the total weight. Record the amount.
- Once the gold is weighed, place it in the team’s designated circle.
- When time is called, rank the teams by the weight in gold and announce the winner.