What is Summer Camp

Summer Camp is an American cultural tradition

Every year thousands of North American children aged between 6 and 16 go to Camp each summer for 1 to 8 weeks. They go to learn new skills, have a good time and make friends. Summer camp in the USA is a fun place where children develop life skills such as responsibility, communication, tolerance and how to live with others. Camp doesn't discriminate, judge or make kids feel uncomfortable. It aims to encourage independence and boost a child's self-esteem.

Being a Camp Counsellor is a uniquely rewarding experience

Working as a Camp Counsellor your primary job is to care for kids and teach activities. But you will quickly find that there is much more to it! You will be a friend, parent and role model - so it's no surprise that it's an essential requirement that you have a genuine love for working with children!

Counsellors generally live in a cabin of about 3-8 children and share responsibility for them with the other Counsellors. The Camp Director will expect you to set a good example, ensuring that the children keep themselves and the cabin clean and that they eat their food and follow the camp routine.

Your counsel to the children may include dealing with homesickness and personal problems and you'll need to be a mature friend and impartial adviser. Earning the children's respect can be difficult, especially if you show signs of weakness or indecisiveness. It is vital you are confident about the qualities and strengths of your own personality before applying to the program.

There are many different Summer Camp experiences

As a US Camp Counsellor you become be part of an American tradition at one of about 10,000 camps across the USA, and every camp is different.

Apart from all the usual sport, outdoor, waterfront and art activities, camps cater for anything from computers and circus arts to space travel and magic!

There are different types of Camps that cater for children from different backgrounds and interests. There are Camps that tend to get children from middle/high income families, Camps for disadvantaged and special needs children, specialist Camps that concentrate on specific sports, religious Camps, Girl Scout Camps and more.