It’s not a mid-summer camp slump
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It’s all about kids today
If you work at a summer camp (honestly, most of this list), the middle of the summer has a certain vibe to it.
The excitement of staff training and Session 1 has worn off. You've dealt with every issue under the sun. The staff are falling into routines, the kids know exactly which counselor will let them get away with what, and weeks of summer still stretch ahead.
We always talk about this as the Mid-summer slump (I even called it this last summer lol), but what if we tried a different word.
A slump implies you and your staff have been trying the same things over and over without anything working.
In baseball, when a hitter is in a slump, they're still taking the same approach, but there are just way more misses than hits (plus some bad luck thrown in).
But that's not what's happening at camp. Your staff aren't striking out. Programs are working. Kids are crushing it every single day.
It's more like... a plateau. Or maybe just the natural cadence of a long summer where everyone needs just a little recalibration.
It's the time when you know your staff (and maybe the kids too) need a pick-me-up. Not because anything's broken, but because maintaining high energy for weeks on end is genuinely hard work.
Summer camps are essentially packing a year’s worth of friendships, breakthrough moments, inside jokes, life skills, trust-building and genuine confidence into just a couple of weeks.
That's why I'm trying a couple of new things this summer, plus revisiting what worked last year.
Quick break: I’m pumped to be using CampMinder this summer.
The Campanion app rocks and parents love it (might be their favorite thing).
Getting to see your kids while they are at camp is everything.
Thanks to CampMinder for making that possible.
Check out CampMinder and tell them Jack sent you over
Two New Things I’m Trying This Summer
10+ handwritten thank-you notes.
To the staff who are doing the work that keeps camp running.
The kid cleaning bathrooms without being asked.
The counselor who remembers every camper’s name by Day 3.
The one who stays late to help set up tomorrow’s activity.
Write it down. Tell them specifically what you see.
Most staff members think their work goes unnoticed. Maybe they’re doing the unglamorous stuff that makes everything else possible, and they assume nobody notices or cares.
A handwritten note goes a long way here.
3+ parent phone calls.
Find the staff members who’ve grown the most since June and call their parents.
“I wanted you to know your daughter is absolutely crushing it here.”
It got passed on to me that Iain from Twin Creeks (hey Iain!) was doing this and I thought it was just such an awesome idea.
We tend to think of our staff as fully formed adults, which they kind of need to be in this gig. But many are teens and their parents still want to know they’re doing great.
Parents love hearing this, staff love knowing you noticed, and my bet is it builds loyalty for years.
What Still Works (From Last Year)
Last summer, I shared an approach for mid-summer staff gatherings that I’d love to see camps still using because it actually moves the needle.
By this point, your staff aren’t missing technical skills. What they’re missing is perspective.
They need three things:
Time to connect and remember why they love working with each other
A chance to reflect on what’s meaningful about this work
Evidence of their own growth and impact on kids
The structure is simple but effective. Gather everyone for about an hour (absolute tops).
Start by having them share some summer stories. Start with what’s been awesome about being on staff together?
Then shift to camper moments. What interactions have meant the most so far?
Finally, ask them something like: if your best friend was starting at camp tomorrow, what would you tell them about making it incredible?
Wrap up with small groups preparing one person to deliver a short pump-up speech about why finishing strong matters.
Bring the speakers. Crank the sound. Play music.
Go purposefully over the top if you need to. To me, it should almost feel like we’re making fun of pump-up/ motivational stuff while also doing that exact same thing. Weirdly, that works with a camp crew. They get it.
And look, I totally get these are tough to pull off. I’m not even sure I can pull it off this summer, but if you can, 100% do it.
The Real Point
Look, you don’t need to reinvent anything mid-summer. Your staff don’t need new skills or different training. You don’t need to break a “slump”.
They need to reconnect around a mission and get recognized for the stuff they’re doing well.
Not surprisingly, small actions create big energy shifts. Handwritten notes take like maybe an hour. A few phone calls take thirty minutes.
Staff meeting takes one evening (and some logistical planning). But the downchain effects set the tone for the rest of the summer.
If you’ve got strategies you’re pulling off mid-summer, I’d love to hear them.
We aren’t about fixing what’s broken. We’re leaning into the stuff already working.
Summer staff do crazy, incredible things every single day. Reminding them that you see it is worth A LOT.
You got this,
Jack
PS - The stories from this summer, the re-energized staff, the memories, they are the engine that powers your recruiting for next summer.
Like I said last week, this is the best thing I've done this year.
Check out the free WriteFromCamp.com email series we put together to get started with this.
Get my newsletter every week.
It’s all about kids today
Jack Schott
Summer Camp Evangelist