Summer camp is an exciting time for kids! They know that it’ll be filled with adventure, new friendships, and fun activities.
As coach or camp counsellor, one of the most important things you can do to create a positive and engaging camp experience is to learn your campers’ names as soon as possible.
Here are 4 reasons why it’s crucial for you to make the effort to know each child by name right from the start:
It Builds a Personal Connection
Imagine being in a new environment with unfamiliar faces…. it can be overwhelming, confusing and endless butterflies in your tummy.
Now, imagine you arrive in the same situation, but then someone greets you by name.
I don’t know about you, but I’d let out a sigh of relief knowing I’m not totally alone.
Learning kids’ names is the first step in demonstrating that you care and are genuinely interested in getting to know them. By building this personal connection, coaches can lay a foundation for trust and help make campers & gymnasts feel valued, important and more comfortable in their new surroundings.
At camps, we strongly suggest saying hello to every child as they arrive and taking a moment to connect with them. This is something I learned about the hard way – and the lesson about how to welcome kids at camp has carried with me ever since.
Kids are More Likely to Listen!
We all know that effective communication is the key to success in any endeavor, and summer camps at the gym are no exception.
When coaches know their campers’ names, it make communication much more efficient and engaging. Addressing a child by their name grabs their attention and makes them far more likely to actually listen and respond (especially when their backs are turned)!
A good example of this is would be if you’re coaching some forward walks down the beam, but Sally’s struggle to figure out the arm position. If you say “hey try putting your arms out in a T” it’s very possible that Sally may not even know that you’re talking to her if she’s deep in concentration to stay on the beam.
Instead, try using her name first to get her attention. In the same example, I’d say “hey Sally…[pause for her attention to shift to you], try putting your arms out in a T.” You’ll be in a much better position for Sally to make the correction!
This exact same concept works the very same if you’re managing any unruly behaviour!
Promotes Individuality, Inclusivity & Belonging
Every child will come to camp with their own unique strengths, challenges and experience. Learning names is the very first step coaches can take to learn about each child individually.
Once you know a little bit about a camper — starting with their name — you can then begin to provide them with specialized support and encouragement, acknowledge their personal achievements, give tailored feedback , care and guidance.
When a coach uses a campers name, it sends a message that they are worthy to be known – regardless of their background and abilities. This is so powerful for boosting camper self-esteem and building a positive camp environment where everyone belongs.
By making the effort to learn and use their names, instructors help eliminate the feeling of being anonymous, invisible or overlooked, ensuring that each child feels valued and part of the camp community!
Names are Powerful!
Learning the names of campers as soon as they arrive is an essential step in creating a positive summer camp experience!
Take the time to learn names so you can build a personal connection with your campers so you can communicate with them effectively and help them feel included & welcome.
So let’s embrace the power of knowing camper names! It’s such an important tool that holds the potential to make a lasting impact on a kid’s camp journey!
On that note…
Let’s make learning names & getting to know campers more FUN!
I put together 4 of my GO TO Name Games & Get-to-Know-You Games in one easy package that you can download for FREE.
Do you have a favourite name game or icebreaker?
Join our RGP community on Facebook and tell us about it!
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