The CampHacker Podcast

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2024/01/camps-and-ai

AI really proliferated right before we all went to camp in 2023.

Some of us started playing with it, but over the summer, while we were living in our “unplugged” utopia, many parts of the world began to change without us. 

Now that we’re back, directors and industry partners are readily using AI, but in our haste to catch up, have we taken a second to consider the bigger picture? 

No shame if you haven’t yet. You’re busy, and that’s why we’re here!

We welcome back EmJ and Jack from The Summer Camp Society Podcast to help guide Camp Pros on unpacking this important discussion.

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• Chris - Beanie w Headlamp (🇺🇸 - https://amzn.to/47reRJJ, 🇨🇦 - https://amzn.to/3NRlnm0)
• Travis - Emergency - Neil Strauss (🇨🇦 - https://amzn.to/3H61PGv, 🇺🇸 - https://bookshop.org/a/84130/9780060898779)
• Jack - How to run great meetings - How to Run Effective Meetings | Matt Mochary | The Tim Ferriss Show podcast
• EmJ - Giant Postits - 4 x 6 (🇺🇸 https://amzn.to/3H9dTai, 🇨🇦 - https://amzn.to/3H8ISmJ)

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Jack Schott, Co-Founder The Summer Camp Society
• EmJ Juszczyk, TSCS Podcast Producer and Programs Director at Project Kindred

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

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UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/the-pudding/good-for-everyone

We intuitively know that camp is a good thing.

We can tell a million heart-filled stories about how camp changes lives.

But as you all know, the proof is certainly in the pudding - so for the discerning camp pros (or camp families we are trying to convince to come to camp!) this episode will be a great place to start!

Dr. Mandi Baker and Travis unpack some of the major findings over the last few years of research when it comes to the benefits of the summer camp experience for everyone involved.

You’ll hear about:

• Why being in nature is a foundational part of the benefits of the camp experience
• The psychosocial benefits of positive community and relationships
• How camp develops physical literacy and a healthy relationship to risk
• How camps are a developmental relationship super-charger
• Where to get your hands on this research

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UPLOADS - The Understanding and Preventing Led Outdoor Accidents Data Systems (UPLOADS) Project

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• Dr. Mandi Baker, Researcher - Summer Camp, Outdoor Recreation, Sociology and Hospitality/Tourism - [email protected] 
• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro - [email protected]

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The American Camp Association - Illinois

The American Camp Association of Illinois is made up of nearly 289,000 members, volunteers, campers, families, and professionals who believe in the power of camp. We work to disrupt the effects of poverty by providing fundamental services for children and families, and learning opportunities for camp professionals. Learn more about ACA Illinois by visiting acail.org.

Camptivities

You know the impact you want camp to make in a child’s life. But figuring out the day-to-day details can be overwhelming. Let Camptivities help you make that impact by streamlining the creation of your camp activity schedules. Schedule a demo at camptivities.com.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

When we talked about climate change and camp 10 years ago, the conversation usually was about how we can be a bit more sustainable, how to teach campers about nature appreciation and maybe looking at recycling a little bit closer.

That’s not what this conversation is about.

We need to seriously consider how the climate emergency is going to fundamentally impact many of our programs. Power availability, infrastructure, air quality, the sheer ability to go outside - as some would say - the very essence of camp is on the line here. Maybe not for us, but surely for the next generation at our camps.

Chris and Travis are joined by Danny Sudman from Green Camps, an organization that empowers camps to reduce their environmental impact and inspire the next generation of eco-leaders.

This isn’t just a “doom and gloom” episode (although, there’s certainly some of that), the team brings solutions and inspiration to help camps feel inspired to think about this in a serious way.

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• Chris - Windproof Waterproof Rechargeable Lighter (🇺🇸 - https://amzn.to/3S9bhPG, 🇨🇦 https://amzn.to/423B3IR)
• Travis - Warheads for Panic Attacks - https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2023/12/01/tiktok-warheads-trend-panic-attack-experts/71754898007/
• Danny - Energy and Water Efficiency Checklist for Camps and Retreats https://www.greencamps.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/ES_Checklist_Camps_Green-Camps-co-brand.pdf

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Danny Sudman, Founder & Executive Director - Green Camps

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/12/giving-up-on-dei

We believe that summer camp should be an accessible place where individuals feel welcome and included for the unique and wonderful things they bring to the community.

Right?

While many camps would say that they believe this - but if they honestly look in the mirror, would their commitment to DEI be the same as it was in 2020?

While DEI may not be in the headlines as much these days (which, isn’t good on it’s own) - camps that truly believe that camp should be for every child and staff member, need to keep their foot on the gas.

Chris, Travis and Gabz join to share what they have been hearing from the industry, why DEI initiatives are still essential, and how we can get back at it.

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• Gabz - Highlighter Pen - staff gift during exam time
• Chris - The Hundred’s Years War on Palestine
• Travis - Bottle Brush

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Gabrielle Raill, Camp Director - Camp Ouareau

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://gocamp.pro/the-pudding/being-in-nature

Being in nature is good for us - we know this intuitively.

But did you know that science backs this up?

It is proven, beyond doubt, that being in nature decreases anxiety, decreases rumination, and alleviates low mood.

Dr. Mandi Baker and Travis unpack some of the major findings over the last few years of research when it comes to being outdoors and its effect on the individual.

You’ll hear about:

• The scientifically proven physical and emotional benefits of being in nature
• Why getting into nature is especially critical in this day and age
• How our bodies process emotions and how nature can be a way to shortcut that processing
• How can camp professionals explain the benefits and the research to camp families

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• Dr. Mandi Baker, Researcher - Summer Camp, Outdoor Recreation, Sociology and Hospitality/Tourism - [email protected] 
• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro - [email protected]

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The American Camp Association - Illinois

The American Camp Association of Illinois is made up of nearly 289,000 members, volunteers, campers, families, and professionals who believe in the power of camp. We work to disrupt the effects of poverty by providing fundamental services for children and families, and learning opportunities for camp professionals. Learn more about ACA Illinois by visiting acail.org.

Camptivities

You know the impact you want camp to make in a child’s life. But figuring out the day-to-day details can be overwhelming. Let Camptivities help you make that impact by streamlining the creation of your camp activity schedules. Schedule a demo at camptivities.com.

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/12/demographics-tcsc

Whether you are a camp with a wait-list, or you’re hoping for a few more “bums in bunks”, something that we need to seriously be thinking about is the potential to serve a the demographic in the world. And, this isn’t just in a “be better at DEI” lens (although we should all be consistently trying to be better with our DEI practices). Communities are getting older, more racially diverse, more neuro-diverse, more accustomed to technology, privacy - the list is literally endless.

For camps that are being thoughtful about this, it’s an opportunity to not only bring in new campers, but to bring in new investments into your programs and facilities. 

But - it doesn’t come easily.

Luckily, you’ve got some incredible camp pros on your side. Travis and Chris are joined by Jack and EmJ from The Summer Camp Society Podcast to help guide Camp Pros on unpacking this vast discussion.

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• Jack - https://jamboard.google.com/?pli=1 Mr. Pen- Dry Erase Board https://amzn.to/3SNTCxW - US - https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Erase-Board-Black-Marker/dp/B08L45NSRM?th=1 
• EmJ - Canva Magic Studio https://www.canva.com/magic-home
• Chris - Ali Abdaal’s Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@aliabdaal 
• Travis - https://getreadytosend.com/

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight
• Jack Schott, Co-Founder The Summer Camp Society
• EmJ Juszczyk, TSCS Podcast Producer and Programs Director at Project Kindred

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/11/no-tech

“No technology at camp” is a sacred part of many of our summer camp cultures. The value of unplugging. Being “in the moment”. “Being real” are all things plastered all over our website and marketing materials.

Is this the right way? Or is it just the way that…wait for it…we’ve always done it.

The answer definitely isn’t clear - but Travis and Chris wade into the murky deeps of the techno-sphere and how camps can more intentionally think about technology at their camp.

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• Chris - JBL Clip 3 Mini Bluetooth Speaker
• Travis - OLIGHT I1R 2 PRO - Can: https://amzn.to/3QRBuRk  US: https://amzn.to/3SLHE87 & - https://www.reddit.com/r/summercamp/

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/11/parent-coms-2023

How confident are you that your camp parents will read and act on your emails?

Getting your information to parents. The most necessary and maybe one of the most difficult parts of the job.

Even though the communication landscape is constantly shifting, what remains the same is that you have important information that parents need. So - adapting is once again - the name of the game!

Chris and Travis get together and talk about the hellish present and…maybe less hellish future of communication with parents.

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Chris - An earpiece for your walkie-talkie! Total James Bond!
Travis - Photo sorting and AI editing: https://aftershoot.com/downloads/

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Chris Hudson, Camp Consultant and Director - Camp Highlight

-

Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/11/camp-magic

Every camp professional, whether new or seasoned, knows what we mean when we say “camp magic”.

For most of us, we think of camp magic as this ethereal, indescribable, ever-present part of camp. This “magic” is what many of us feel sets camp apart from everywhere else.

To a camp researcher, this camp magic is something that is actually definable.

Tune in to this episode to hear Travis and Mandi unpack their vast experience living and researching this “insiders-only” concept.

You’ll hear about:

• What does camp “being a bubble” have to do with camp magic?
• How are the people at camp integral to creating that magic?
• What elements go into creating this “world apart”?
• At what point does “camp magic” become “camp cult?”
• How to support camp staff while they’re living and working in the “bubble”

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• Dr. Mandi Baker, Researcher - Summer Camp, Outdoor Recreation, Sociology and Hospitality/Tourism - [email protected] 
• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro - [email protected]

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis

Have some feedback? A topic suggestion? Text us!

Find full show notes and links at: https://camphacker.tv/podcast/2023/11/small-systems

Travis is joined by Dr. Lydia Hughes Evans to discuss systems of project management, personal efficacy and organizational development that any camp pro can pick up and start using today.

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• Back next episode!

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• Travis Allison, Summer Camp Consultant - Go Camp Pro
• Dr. Lydia Hughes-Evans, CEO, Author and Speaker

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Rate and Review the CampHacker Show

(Thank you!)

-

UltraCamp

Imagine camp registration software that actually gives you MORE time for what you love - CAMP! With UltraCamp, you can effortlessly track attendance, manage staff, streamline registration, and more. Explore now at ultracampmanagement.com/camphacker

Camptivities

Why spend hours on your schedules, only to find mistakes and missed activities for your campers! Let Camptivities do the heavy lifting and help you create the best schedules yet, without the mistakes, and in less time. Come check out Camptivities; specifically designed for camps by camp people. Find out more at camptivities.com

Our free Resilient Camp Blueprint diagnostic is available at: https://camp.mba/travis