Camp Rules

[Cocoa]

Hello All

You know how on the first day of every week you go over the rules of the camp...what kinds of rules do you expressly outline and how do you explain them...

generally i've just got the basics

listening when others are speaking, respect, no rude language

but sometimes people have really creative ways of expressing the classics - or really good original rules that are effective...

[laurathistle]

We have three main rules:

You have the right to have fun.
You have the right to learn.
You have the right to feel safe.

If kids break any other rules they are bound to be breaking the rights, if not for themselves for others.

[annknee]

We have a camper contract that each group creates and signs at the beginning of camp. We also have the 5 finger contract where each finger is a different "rule" which are active listening, truthfulness, trustworthiness, put ups not put downs and um something else!

[Smudge]

We do promises to keep with out girls - we use guided discovery to help them come up with basic rules like not speaking when others are, putting the lid down on the CTS.

Then for rules that we give them the only ones are related to emergancy drills and at the waterfront and to move to the lakeside of the road when there is a vehicle!

[campnerd99]

Twos with shoes!

(Don't go anywhere alone or without shoes)

[annknee]

On the twos with shoes line we have "walking feet are happy feet" basically meaning no running!!)

[KiwiCRB]

We also do what PrettySocks does and let the campers come up with their own rules. If there is something important they miss we give hints but I've seen some pretty interesting rules in my day.

The counselors also do a skit at the beginning of each session with counselors "breaking" various rules in a humorous manner. It started off as a way to poke fun at the camp director but it was pretty popular so we still do it.

[Campgirlboo]

We have the campers make up their own rules, but help guide them should they get off topic. Which of course, NEVER happens :-)

I went to a Scott Arizala session at ACA Midstates this year and he had an interesting way of starting a rules discussion.

"Ok guys, what can we do here"
then after you get responses
"Ok, that's a really good list of things we can do here, now what are some things we really shouldn't do here"

When they say something they shouldn't do, you ask them why not. (Helping them form logical consequences for their actions) and then phrase the don't into a positive phrase.

For example,
"What can we do here?" (arts and crafts)
(camper answers)
"What shouldn't we do here?"
"Paint on the walls or on each other"
"Why shouldn't we paint on the walls?"
"Cause that hurts the walls and we might have to pay to get it fixed"
"Oooooh, that's a really good reason that we should keep our paint on the paper (or project), isn't it. Ok, Keep our paint on our project, excellent!"

Really, any rule that you can come up with boils down to Respect. So making rulelists bigger or shorter is up to you. Respect for others, respect for yourself, respect for camp property, respect for the environment.... When I was a counselor my first year I told them all that we had one rule. Respect. When we had problems, I would ask them if they were being respectful of (fill in the blank). Very easy to remember and worked wonders.

[Smudge]

That sounds pretty similar to how we lead the promises to keep session we have on the first day. Except that we ask the girls what things they should do to make living in a community alot easier for everyone, we let the girls come up with the rules, guiding them if necessary and then once they have come up with everything they can think of we make suggestions - for example given at GS camp we have campers from all different backgrounds including religious backgrounds i encourage my girls to be aware of the fact that some people in their cabin might want to pray so ask those who do to it silently and those who dont to be quieter for a few minutes directly after lights out - that way both sets of beliefs are being catered for without implying that one is right and one is wrong.

[Giggles]

we tell them that sticks and stones don't have wings so they shouldn't be flying!
I love that one! I think my friend camp up with a rhyming way to say it, but I don't remember it.

Also, don't say "don't", unless of course the situation is an immediate danger. Say, "walk, please!" instead of "Don't run!", for example. This gives it a more positive connotation and makes the kids want to listen more (I think)! Try to do that every time you are telling your camper to change their behavior! Makes for a more pleasant day! obviously if a kid is going to be walking off a cliff or something, say what will get their attention. Bad example, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else!