Preparing Staff for the Reality of Today’s Campers - with Ruby Compton - Camp Code #163

Written By Etienne Lefebvre

Training Staff for the Kids That Show up Today

This Camp Code episode explores the realities children are facing today and how those realities must reshape the way camps train their staff. Beth, Gabrielle, and Ruby unpack how comparison culture, constant visibility through photos and video, heightened global awareness, anxiety, loneliness, sensory overload, and shortened attention spans are showing up in camper behavior. They emphasize that today’s campers arrive overwhelmed, not broken, and that many challenges labeled as “behavior issues” are actually signs of stress, disconnection, or unmet emotional needs.

The hosts connect these challenges to concrete shifts needed in staff training: moving away from assumptions about campers’ skills, teaching counselors how to respond to big feelings with both validation and regulation, building predictable routines with flexibility, supporting attention and sensory needs, and proactively addressing loneliness and inclusion. They also highlight the importance of trust, intentional quiet, team-based problem-solving, daily camper check-ins, and giving staff language and practice for difficult moments. The core message: when staff are trained to understand today’s kids, their confidence grows, camper experiences improve, and camp becomes a place of belonging, growth, and meaningful connection.

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Best Practice for Leadership Training

From Beth,

Camp environments are loud, busy, and unpredictable—energizing for some kids but overwhelming for others. Sensory sensitivity is increasingly common, and overload can show up as meltdowns, withdrawal, or sudden emotional reactions that seem to come out of nowhere. These moments are not misbehavior; they are signals that a child’s nervous system is overwhelmed.

Staff training should help counselors recognize early signs of sensory overload and intervene before campers hit their limit by offering quiet breaks and access to calm spaces. Creating designated low-stimulation areas allows kids to reset and return to activities when they’re ready. When staff understand sensory needs and are given tools to respond with empathy and intention, their confidence grows, camper experiences improve, and camp becomes a safer, more supportive place where kids feel seen, understood, and able to thrive.

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Etienne Lefebvre
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Anxiety in Young Adults - with Ruby Compton - Camp Code #162