The Kids Aren’t Listening to Me! - with Emily Golinsky - The Day Camp Pod #120

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"They Just Won't Listen!": Expert Tips for Managing Camper Behavior Challenges

It’s the second week of camp, and you can anticipate a good percentage of your frontline staff going to their supervisors and declaring, “the kids aren’t listening to me!”

What do you do? What do you say? Going backwards, what should you have done during training that would have helped give them better tools? For this universal topic, we bring in Emily Golinsky, our resident camper behavior expert, who has a bunch of webinars this Spring that we highly recommend to for your leadership team.

Highlights:

• 02:09 Understanding Camper Behaviors

• 03:51 The Importance of Building Relationships

• 06:36 Generational Differences in Staff and Campers

• 19:10 Emotional Regulation and Staff Training

• 29:42 The Importance of Structure in Camp Counseling

• 32:46 Gamifying Responses for Better Engagement

• 35:36 Supporting Stressed Counselors

• 46:03 Balancing Individual and Group Needs

• 52:54 Encouraging Unstructured Play

• 56:59 Celebrating Small Wins and Everyday Magic

Links from this Episode:

• Essential Behavior Skills Staff Need 2025 - ACA National - (c) Bright Moose LLC

• 2025 Bright Moose Offerings Flyer

• The Kids Are Not Listening 2025 ACANE - (c) Bright Moose LLC

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Your Hosts:

• Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day Camp

• Sam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park District

• Jordanna Grossinger, Director - Camp Robin Hood

• Emily Golinsky, Trainer, Professional Development Leader & Consultant - Bright Moose, LLC

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Sponsors:

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors who help make this Go Camp Pro podcast possible:

• AMSkier

  • AMSkier is a leading insurance and strategic partner for many of the finest camps in America. AMSkier partners with camps to provide public relations, legal, medical, behavior support and more - Experience the AMSkier difference. Learn more at amskier.com.

• Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS) 

  • Looking to elevate your camp experience? For over 25 years, Commercial Recreation Specialists has been transforming camps with water inflatables, Splashpads, playgrounds, and more! Boost your programming, drive registrations, and attract more campers. Our team of Recreation Specialists is here to help you design the ultimate space. Let’s take your camp to the next level – because we’re serious about FUN! Find out more at https://crs4rec.com/

• CampMinder

  • Campminder has the most robust offerings of features out there. But more importantly, every feature works together to create a full, seamless system that helps camps run more efficiently. Visit them today at campminder.com

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