Choice Periods

[Freaky]

At my camp we have whats called choice period where the campers are given a choice of what they would like to do for 2 periods a day. One of the choices is almost always pool or pond.The other is a sport or activity the campers chooses. We have tried differnt methods throughout the short years of my camps existence to organize choice but haven't really stuck with one. So I was wondering how was choice organized at others camps, like do kids sign up when they get to their activity of choice or is a tally taken at the beginning of day or what? All ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks

[speedx5xracer]

at mine we have 2 activity periods that campers can choose between many different activities. Including rec boating, the lake elements (toys), different art "shops" nature, skate boarding and a few other i dont remember because im a lake life guard so i dont care about the other activities. They sign up once every 2 days.

[KiwiCRB]

We tried it for the first time this year but too many counselors quit so we couldn't keep doing it. On the first night (they were one week sessions) we set up a different table for each day in the dining room. At each table there were lists for each different activity grouped into time periods. The girls went around starting with Monday and signed up for one thing each time period. Certain activities like photography lasted three days (pictures, development, memory book) so whoever signed up for that on Monday got a card they had to take to each station to get on the list for the other days. An activity could only be done once per day so that the whole camp wasn't at the pool or the craft house all day. Then after everyone had gone through the programs director entered the days into the computer and came up with a master list for each rotation. If a camper signed up for something more than once in a day they were moved to another activity and the same happened if there weren't enough to do the activity. The programs director then made a schedule for each girl that was printed out and put in their name tag so they could wear it around all day. Sorry if that's confusing, if you have any questions feel free to ask.

[camper]

each age group from 5th graders up has 1 options period a day. the 3rd and 4th graders have it a couple of times a week. at the meal before options each day, either breakfast or lunch depending on the age group, a counselor (we alternate who does it in each age group) goes around to all the bunks in the age group and reads off the options. the kids then raise their hands for what options they want. we start w/a different bunk every day so that each bunk gets a fair number of turns to get their 1st picks. it works really well for us.

this summer we are starting a new thing for the lower camp, it's called mini camp, and it's going to be an hour of specialized instruction in the camper's choice of activity. they can sign up for a different mini camp each week or the same one for all 7 weeks. our boys do it but this will be our first summer with it. i guess we'll see how it goes!

we have specialty counselors at each activity so we don't have a problem with people not being there.

[Indigo]

We don't have "choice periods" like that. There might be an "interest night" once or twice a summer, where they can choose what they want to do... But other than that, the unit leaders make the schedules (though we try to ask our campers for as many suggestions as possible!).

[Dave]

In my age group, the campers have two free periods per week (one on Tuesday, one on Thursday). They have to sign up ahead of time. The counselors sign up for free choice as well. Then every Wednesday for one period we have bunk choice, where the bunk gets to choose their activity for the period.

[Flower]

The last period of every day is called electives. The activities offered change each day and girls sign up for what they want. In the past we've had a sheet where the girls would sign up for their first and second choice during cabin clean up and a list of who was doing what would come out after lunch (the counselors would grab it on the way to rest hour). Last summer we tried using a board method. They mounted a big magnetic white board on the back of a cabin by the office. Each evening the girls would come see what activities were offered and put a piece of magnet with their name on it by the one they wanted. A different age group would go first each night since some activities had limits on number of people. This worked well in having a single place, no lost sheets, etc, but there were a few snags. Girls wouldn't get themselves signed up (though that was easy to see who) and sometimes they'd move their own or other peoples.
Counselors names were written by the office next to the activity they were assigned to for electives. Part of the fun of being on for electives (we run them with a couple fewer counselors so you're more likely to have your free period there), is that you get to do something different every day. Well, unless you're the drama counselor then you're stuck with the play for all of first session since this is when practices are.
Electives is a period just for fun. The other periods of the day are instructional, but in electives it's a time to play around in the kayaks or play a game of kickball. Some possible ones are library (sitting and reading/writing letters/playing cards), soccer, kickball, canoe/kayak, water trampoline, surfing (on the windsurf boards without sail with no waves), board games, arts and crafts, hair wraps, tennis backboard, speedbird, or play practice. What's offered depends somewhat on the weather. If it's a cold, rainy day inside electives will be offered. If it's a hot sunny day, there will be more water ones. There are also sometimes random ones like washing the camp dog or the counselors cars.

[campCardinal]

We have choice activities twice a week. It's tough for the couneselors and the campers. Counselors have the task of coming up with unique and interesting activities. We can't open any of the water elements or ropes elements... so it's basically land sports. Also, we have to stay in or around our unit. We usually have options like a hike, relaxation, soccer, arts and crafts, water games, or something else like that. One counselor is the sign up counselor.

We have all the cabins sit down at the sign up station and each counselor explains their activity and then heads to where it will be held. Campers sit and listen to all the choices. Then, cabin by cabin, the kids come and sign up with the sing up counselor. If they want to switch activities they come back and sign up again. It works very well for us... but we have a small program-- 60-80 kids. And counselors can tell if a camper is wandering around... so that's not an issue either. Each counselor usually works with a partner as well.

[CAMPFRIEND]

We don't have free time for campers at our day camp. Our campers do all the activities with their age group!

[rockinsmiles]

We have a choice period around twice a week. As the groups get older the choices periods decrease (we also have electives around twice a week). The thing is choice period the campers stay with the group and only one group will have choice during that time slot. So the counselors along with ideas from the campers have to come up with something to do. Since we cant go to activities where specialists are because other groups are there it puts a limit on what we can do with the campers. Electives are basically like choice besides they have to have an "educational" nature. Those are good for hikes, team building games, etc. All in all I'm not a big fan of choice period.

[collissimon]

We have one choice period a week, where they get to choose whether they want to go to go-karts, jewelry, arts and crafts, hockey, soccer, etc. etc.

Then we have one evening activity a week called 'Clubs' which is similar, but there are different activities on offer, e.g. no go-karts, in case it gets dark!

[EchoLaker]

Our senior villagers have a full elective program during the day time 10 AM - 6 PM (except Thursday which is off-site trip day).

They sign up to their electives on Monday breakfast time for Wednesday, Friday, Saturday; and on Saturday breakfast for Monday and Tuesday.

From time to time our activity areas will run "Camp-within-a-Camp", which is a 3 hour block of elective time dedicated to that activity, and those kids stay in all that period.

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After evening line-up we then have evening activity, then canteen.

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On main camp, the amount of flexibility varies with the age groups; they might have a "Club" period where there's a specific couple of elective slots each week where you'll have the same club each week in that slot. So the periods might be Tuesday Period 3: Club 1 and Thursday Period 2: Club 2; so you have 2 clubs all summer - where the rest of the daily schedule is programmed.

Or, we have "Choice" an elective in the true sense, where you get a variety of activities that you can sign up for, and you aren't tied down to it every week.

There's also something called "Mix" - which is a set of say 3 activities that are blocked against eachother, Mix 1, Mix 2, Mix 3 (lets say one of the mix combinations is Radio, Photography and Cooking, another might be Boating, Tennis and Gym), and so you'd sign up to a different series of Mix each week - and where your timetable would be labelled Mix 1, Mix 2 and Mix 3 on 3 seperate slots on different days.


As the kids progress through the years, the amount of fixed programming reduces - so that in the early years they get a taste of so many of the activities that the camp offers; and then in the Upper years they have the flexibility to specialise in things they have taken too.

[who_stole_my_loofa]

We call our choice periods "options" and they change every 2 weeks. The campers have AM options and PM options. We have about 30-40 different options they can choose from(depending on if the option if offered to their age group or during that period- sometimes we keep PM closed until AM is full or vice versa).

The way they choose is the first full day of camp we have option come around(where all the people running options come to the reck hall and do a fun skit about their option... we used to have option go aroudn when i was a camper and the kids went to every option all over camp and they did the skits there- I DO NOT RECOMMEND!!!). After OCA we have set up papers for each option in the unit's time period (use yellow for AM and green for PM- less confusing) and give each kid 2 stickers with their names on it. One goes on the yellow sheets and one goes on the green sheets. We usually do all 3 units per area together and call cabins in random order. The 2nd 2 weeks the order flip flops so everyone gets a fair chance at picking the options they want before they are full. We try to get the kids to do at least 1 athletic activity because some kids so photography and video or whatever and to us that is not enough activity- some kids you just can't budge. Unfortunately those are usually the kids that need the athletic activity the most. I think our method works great but I wish that options only lasted a week(they last longer so kids can train for things like high ropes or so they can learn techniques to go on out of camp trips like rock climbing or kayaking) so the kids could do more things (sometimes though we have special days where they can go to whatever option they want just to try it out).

[camper]

one of the cool things about options at my camp is that it changes daily...so you can pick something different each day. some kids like to pick the same thing each day though, which is ok too...we don't encourage them to change it up b/c they get to try everything during the rest of the day anyway since the entire rest of the day is structured. the fun thing about it is that the kids tend to pick the same couple of things that they like so they get a core group of kids at one activity in each age group. the senior girls are known to play some GREAT basketball games...i should know, i did bball and tennis options every day when i was a senior!

[CampCraft]

I hate free choice times. I really do. I hated them when I was a camper, when I was a counselor, and especially now when I'm a program director. They're always tragically understaffed or overstaffed, last-minute thrown-together lame activities because it's not just one age of campers! Everything is wrong about the way I've expierienced "choice" options, it seems.
First, no coherent way of running the sign-ups exists as I can see. It's all a popularity contest. "Oh, so-and-so is running the nature activities, I want to do that!" But what if it turns out soandso got moved to run the pool instead? Then the camper is bummed. Or, every high-school girl wants to weave on our antique looms, but we only have 10 of them! What now? Meadow games or a hike? The options are so limited that it never turns out well. There's also always the way that staff never know what activity they've been assigned to until right before it starts!
From the other side of the program, the directors have a hard time implimenting new activities. For example, as soon as the campers find out we can make s'mores in camp craft, they don't care about much cooler activities like all the games I have with compasses or the projects we can do with soap carving or the lesson about fire building.
It's an unfortuante state of affairs. Thankfully, the camp director is going to eleminate this time of "free choice" and replace it with more camper interaction in schedual planning with the counselor. I think this is a needed and welcome change!

[collissimon]

That's really interesting CampCraft...

We run through our choices before the kids get to choose, and don't mention who is running the activity. The Unit lines up in bunk lines, and the first one to arrive and be quiet will have first choice. They are told before that's how it works, so they're not bummed out. Sometimes they get frustrated, but usually only about one, because we always emphasise how you don't always get your first choice, so have a second one thought up...

I can see how they're difficult for Directors though!

[prettysocks]

Okay... So how are camp works, is that there is different PROGRAMS. Whether choice or chosen, the campers go to PROGRAM. Program includes: arts and crafts (run by the same person all summer), sledge hockey, archery, swimming, ropes, environment, life skills, games, music and drama, pottery.. i think that's all. oh, and sometimes sailing.

So the 2 periods in the morning are cabin choice.. which is basically chosen by the counselors, but the whole cabin goes together. The two afternoon ones are chosen the night before.. this is how: earlier in the day the program staff does a little "promo" for their activity by doing a little skit or song or explanation of the program specifically for that day..... then later, during night snack, the counselors ask the kids what activities they want for the 2 periods, and the senior counselor signs the kids up best they can. Sometimes, with popular ones like pottery and ropes, there isn't enough space so campers have to make a 2nd choice.

Yeah.. okay... uh.... whatever. :)

[CSLProgramDirector]

At Camp Seneca Lake, we have had a basic program that has been working for us for a very long time. We also have periods, two in the morning and another two in the afternoon. Instead of having "choice" periods, the campers are able to select Hobbies that they can participate in throughout the summer. They are given a number of hobbies to choose from. The program director (myself) then organizes them into groups that they will have for the entire session (3 or 4 weeks). These hobbies meet at least twice a week for one of the periods throughout the day. It understandable that this post does not make very much sense. Feel free to email me where I can give a better description.

Cheers.

[lifer]

We have two different kinds of choice periods, and we run them pretty similarly to what many others have already said....

In the morning we have two skill periods. Our sessions run for one-two weeks, so at the beginning of each week, we put out papers with all the different options for the periods. (Our periods are almost always land sports, plus arts and crafts, sailing and blobbing.) Each camper gets his/her own piece of paper with the options for the week-- each cabin will get a different piece of paper because juniors (12 and under) and seniors (12 and over) have different activities choices, and also because cabins are pre-arranged to go to the climbing tower or high ropes on certain days. After the camper circles his/her choices on the individual paper, he/she goes inside and rights his/her name on each separate activity sheet.

Having the different papers is nice, because the individual ones get taken back to the cabin and hung on the wall, which helps campers remember what they are doing on what day, and what they should wear-- younger ones especially. On the sign up sheets, we have a limited number of lines, so we can regulate how many kids are at an activity.

In the evening, we have twilight activities, which occur right after dinner and right before our big all-camp games. Twilight is like a mini, spur of the moment skill period. Someone on Management Team asks each counselor what he/she would like to run-- it is usually a toned-down version of a skill period. The different choices are announced and campers can choose, on the spot, what they would like to go to.

Hope this helps.... skill periods run pretty smoothly for us, and kids love them, but it has taken many years of trial and error to get it right ! :)

[CampFreak]

At my camp we have two different choice periods.

The first kind, we give the campers around 3-4 options on what they can do, and the counselor is in charge of finding a fair way to sign everybody up to an activity. Then the next day the kids that got to pick first pick last and so on.

The second kind, is a counselor's choice, where it is up to the counselor what they do. The only problem about this (which is at my camp due to a lack of organization) is that counselors don't know what places are already taken, so our counselor choices are rather lame.

[campnerd99]

We do rotations where everybody is given a choice of 5-6 differnt activities, then campers write down their top three. Everybody gets to participate in two of their activites. Not necessairly their top two, it depends on how many other people picked the same ones. After an hour/hour and a half we switch activites.

[Marzz]

When I was program director, we had "workshop" day twice a week (week long sessions). Every camper and counselor (unless they were on their 2's) participated. The workshops lasted for 2 hours and each camper could sign up for 2 one-hour workshops, or 1 two-hour workshop. On opening day, the counselors would read off the list of choices to their unit. Each unit could have 2-6 participants per workshop depending on what it was. The girls would sign up for the activities they wanted to do. Each activity was usually led by 2 counselors. I liked this method because EVERYONE participated and it gave the campers a chance to interact with kids and counselors outside of their own unit. It also gave the counselors an opportunity to lead an activity they were especially good at or really liked. Some of the workshops we did when I was Program Director were: tie dye, new games, project wild!, dancing, photography, various hikes, dreamcatchers, rag dolls, candle making, and jewelry making. If there was one activity that the whole unit really wanted to do, we would arrange for a time for it and sign up for different workshops.

Now, they have "choice" twice a week and each unit chooses whether or not they want to participate. There are about 6 choices of activities, led by one counselor. No one signs up in advance, so the girls can go to whichever activity they want, but they have to stay at each one for the whole time. Each rotation lasts 30 minutes, and the girls can go to 3 of the choices. As a former program director, I did not like the way this was organized. 30 minutes was not enough time, and you never knew how many kids you were going to get - could be 30, could be none. We had choice days twice a week.

In addition to "choice" on another day we had "playground" which I loved! Playground lasted for one hour and the girls were free to wander between activities as they wished. There were three stations, indoor games (board games), outdoor games, and arts and crafts (drawing and painting). playground gave the girls a chance to move around, hang out, and do what they wanted.

If I were program director, I would stick to the old way of doing workshops, but would add "playground" into my schedule as well.

[YUrocks!]

What kind of activities are popular for choice time?

We're implementing choice time into my camp program this year but by the time they get to their stations they will really only have about 30 minutes. I'm planning on organising this at the beginning of the summer so that staff aren't wracking their brains in mid-August for a cool acitivity to do.

Some of the activity ideas I've come up with so far ...

- juggling
- ultimate frisbee
- bracelet making
- pet rock making
- hike
- various crafts
- skits
- campfire songs
- orienteering
- Chuck the Chicken
- Rubber chicken bucket ball
- tower building
- scavenger hunt
- obstacle course
- hangin' with the guy with the guitar
- computer games
- hacky sack
- and ...?
-

[CampFreak]

We have one 50 minute block for a choice activities which change everyday. One day might be a game, archery and fishing, the next might be nature, ols, and arts and crafts. Thats how we do it and the choice activity are counselor lead so it doesn't bother our specialists during their lunch break.

[Smudge]

We have one Yo-yo (your on your own) a week - during this time the kids get to sign up for what they want - they are given 15 mins at the begining to do this and they split up into their activity groups - there are usually between 10 and 12 activities to sign up for and these usually have specific theme. Yo-yo last an hour and then we go back to normal programming.

[audur]

Reading this, I just remembered that we did something like that my last time at camp (2006). It's the only time I've had to deal with it, and I can't even remember what they called it!

It was (is?) a two-hour time slot on Friday mornings, I think. Staff would sign up for activities to lead, and most weeks we'd end up with a mix of regular activities like boating or climbing wall, and some more unusual. I seem to remember unit staff signing their kids up for activities - we'd have a talk with them and tell them what their choices were. Only a limited number of girls from a unit could sign up for each activity, and I'd usually just do pick names at random if a lot of the girls wanted to do the same activities. But there was also someone who was disappointed, and it was only offered once a week, so they didn't get a chance to get their first choice every week.

It was really chaotic, and I hated it. I really can't remember it very well, which is weird... Maybe Annknee can help me out with this if she's around.

Edited to add... I think this may have been summer 2005, in which case Toto won't know anything about it. Because in 2006 we had all-camp on Friday mornings. Hmmm...

[laurathistle]

We have free choice every week night for 1 hour 20 mins. At breakfast on Mondays staff sign up to the activities they would like to help run and can suggest new activities. At lunch times cabin counselors are given a sign up sheet for their cabin which is filled in at rest period and returned at dinner. Choices include fishing, water polo, three times around the house, jazzercise (my favourite!) wiffle ball, camp news letter and drama.
Saturday night the whole camp plays capture the flag together and Sunday is Movie Night.

[annknee]

Definately 2005! We did all camp on Fridays, though we did have the amazing race where counselors signed up to lead an activity but all the kids had to go to every base in their unit groups. last yearwe did a similar thing with the international week but had more bases and campers could chose to do anything they wanted out of a selection of about 10 activities. It was a litle hectic!