Kids don’t all come to camp for the same reason – whether they’re excited for the adventure or simply there for summer care, each camper brings their unique personality, comfort level and emotional needs.

Camp staff play a key role in shaping kids’ experiences and can make a lasting impact by building connection, offering support, and helping every child feel safe and confident.

Your campers will not show up the same way:

• Some may struggle with goodbyes
• Others feel uncertain in a new setting with new people
• Some may bring excitement and enthusiasm

common camp challenges

Behavior is often how kids communicate when they don’t yet have the words or understanding to express how they feel.

To help, our On Our Sleeves experts developed a quick guide to common camp challenges – what they look like, how to respond, and what to avoid.

1. separating from parents/caregiver

what it might look like:

• Crying at drop off
• Not participating in activities right away
• Constantly asking when pick-up is or asking to call home
• Clinging to staff
• Complaining of physical symptoms such as stomachaches or headaches

how to help:

• Greeting campers by name
• Assigning them a camp buddy or special helper job
• Redirecting them right away with a fun activity
• Keeping goodbyes short

what to avoid:

• Telling campers to “get over it”
• Drawing excessive attention to the situation
• Calling home too quickly

2. adjusting to a new environment

what it might look like:

• Demonstrating irritability
• Asking a lot of questions
• Not trying new things
• Withdrawing from others

how to help:

• Giving clear instructions about the activities
• Giving warnings before transitions
• Patiently reviewing schedules and routines
• Giving praise early and often

what to avoid:

• Saying “I already told you a million times!”
• Changing the schedule or plan without explaining to the campers
• Giving instructions only once

4. handling mean, excluding or difficult camper behavior

what it might look like:

• Excluding others or forming cliques
• Arguing with camp staff or other campers
• Teasing
• Demonstrating behavior that is disruptive

how to help:

• Addressing issues early and calmly
• Focusing on the behavior, not the child
• Helping all campers to problem-solve social situations
• Setting expectations at the beginning of camp and mixing up groups when needed

what to avoid:

• Labeling kids as “difficult” or “troublemakers” or “the bad kid”
• Using shaming language when correcting their behavior
• Getting into power struggles with campers
• Allowing a negative perception to influence how you respond

6. big feelings: frustration, disappointment and anger (especially during games and competitions)

what it might look like:

• Yelling at teammates
• Throwing things or storming off
• Yelling or being in tears

how to help:

• Keeping the activities about fun and not heavily focused on winning/losing
• Talking about helpful ways to express anger and frustration when both the camper and staff member are calm

what to avoid:

• Shaming or labeling campers
• Creating high stakes competitions with a focus on winning

7. sensory overload and exhaustion

what it might look like:

• Withdrawing from the group
• Being overly hyper or loud
• Putting their head down or their hands over their ears

how to help:

• Giving them breaks before they get overstimulated
• Adding some rest or downtime to the schedule if possible, especially on hot days

what to avoid:

• Framing the break as a punishment
• Packing the day full of activities with no downtime

Camp staff can have a powerful impact on each child’s experience. With your support and connection, campers can feel safe, understood and ready to take on new experiences.