ACA Home Forums Evening programming for a small group of teens

This summer I am responsible for a small group of teens. About 16 or so, boys and girls. I have to come up with evening programming for them each night. I have a good bunch of ideas, but am looking for more as it will be the same campers on and off the whole summer. Looking for variety and fresh ideas :)

Why would you do all the work? They're older teens, almost CIT age, have them take ownership and plan they're own program.

They more or less do independent CIT-ish stuff all day (it's not a traditional CIT program but kind of the same concept) They totally get a say in what they do for evening programming to a point. It is the only time other than sleeping time that they are all together as a group. I was just trying to figure out some exciting things to throw in the mix.

being CITs I'm guessing they are at least 15. My recommendation is to give them a hang out spot. Maybe a fire pit if you can where they can be themselves and socialize.

Teens want to relax and hang out so make sure to put a lot of time in there for that. Often we treat them like 10 year olds and try to plan out every minute when all they want is to sit and talk.

When I was a CIT we had the CIT lounge which was just a couple of old couches in the back of the weight room. It was our space to plan what we where working on during the day. At night it was our hang out spot to just talk after evening program.

Definitely agree with LukeBK. Teens honestly just want time to hang out and be teens, so give them that option sometimes. I'm not sure how much programming you're expected to plan for them but when I was a CIT Director, we'd spend our nights sitting around the campfire hanging out or some nights we'd have game nights when we play games as a group. Simple stuff like pictionary, spoons, or whatever else you can think of.

Yes, that age group really does like to just hang out! Though, you can't just hang out every night. We try to mix things up a bit with movie nights and socials.

Last summer we tried to set aside a camper lounge for the older campers, but it didn't really work out. I think it didn't work out because it was a shared space with the Fine Arts program area. Any advice or other ideas on how to impliment a camper lounge?

- Teenster

Tipster a extra cabin that you can lock when you don't want them in there always works well. Honestly even if you just build a new camp fire area with benches that is "theirs" can go a long way.

I think the "problem" we had was that the Fine Arts PDs wanted the area locked when no one was using it. They were worried about their equipment and supplies (which makes sense).

- Teenster

We do have a lounge for them and their own campsite near their cabin. I totally plan to give them plenty of hang time. These are all great ideas.

These campers are not CIT's, we don't have a CIT program at our camp. But they do a few similar things that a traditional camp would have a CIT do. We have always made it a point to remind this group (and younger staff members) that they are campers! They can end up being about the same age as some of our kitchen staff.

I am expected to have some sort of programming for them every night. They traditionally do tie-dye one night, a sleep out, we are going to do a trivia night. Their training is tomorrow so I'm going to be asking for their input as well.

Camp Counselor Autograph-Find an interesting fact about each that no one else would know, create a page of boxes with those different facts and have them walk around finding out what fact belongs to what person and have them autograph the box.

Chopped for CIT's-created from the food show.

[quote=LukeBK]Tipster a extra cabin that you can lock when you don't want them in there always works well. Honestly even if you just build a new camp fire area with benches that is "theirs" can go a long way. [/quote]

Thats a great idea.