THIS is the moment that CampHacker was created for. We had the best discussion today. Joe had the awesome idea to talk about what it would be like to start a camp from scratch. If you weren't burdened by tradition (and a property) what would you do differently?

THAT lead us in to how would you radically change summer camp. If our mission is to provide a transformative experience for children and teens (and staff) are we reaching as many people as possible with our programs being so remote?

Outward Bound Canada has done something HUGE. They sold off their remote sites so that they could build in downtown Toronto - now they serve tons more people. They still do remote trips but they are much more accessible for day programs.

Dan was kind enough to share the nine points that Frost Valley uses when they consider a new program:

Demographics
Audience
Mission
Goals
Staff
Traditions
Sustainability
Site
Quality

(He explains them in the show!).

What would you do to start summer camp from scratch? Leave us a comment below!

Tool of the Week – Make Yourself a Better Camp Director

Travis - Royalty Free music for your video - see my list below
Gab - Check out when’s the best time to tweet Tweriod
Paul - Camp Moves Me - Send more kids to Camp!
Dan - Slate’s Mom & Dad Are Fighting Podcast
Joe - Pocket - app for web based, and Apple and Android

Sources of Legal Music to Use in Camp Videos

Royalty Free Music sites (pay for it once and use it as needed)

http://www.shutterstock.com/music/
http://www.smartassmusic.com/royalty-free-music/free-downloads
http://www.pond5.com/music/1/*.html
https://vimeo.com/musicstore
https://www.youtube.com/audiolibrary/music
http://www.reelmarketinginsider.com/free-royalty-free-music/
Audio Bumpers/Stings/Logos
- search for "music genre" + sting or bumper or logo
- http://www.beatsuite.com/music/category/audio-idents/576
- http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/
- http://www.musicradiocreative.com/podcasters/

Your Hosts:

Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - CampHacker.TV
Dan Weir, Director of Camping Services - Frost Valley YMCA
Joe Richards, Executive Director - Pearce Williams Christian Centre
Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau
Paul Sheridan, Director at Four Winds, Westward Ho

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show in iTunes

(Thank you!)

Thanks for the evening, friends.

Retaining Campers - CampHacker #51

Matt Wilfrid April 26, 2013

Keeping campers is much easier than finding new ones

Podcast: Subscribe in iTunes | Stitcher App (search for CampHacker)

One of the great tricks of being a good camp director is finding ways to keep campers coming back year after year.

I have heard a number of directors, when I talked to them at conferences, who have said that they feel like they need to add something new and exciting to their program every year. I know from my own experience that it was never the programs that I remembered each winter when I was at school but it was my counsellors and the other kids that I went to school with - many of whom are still friends today.

Dan, Joe, and Gab share great, easy to implement ideas from their very successful camps.

How to you make sure that as many campers as possible will return year after year? Please leave us a comment!