The Day Camp Pod - From Go Camp Pro

Early Childhood Programming - with Lauren Dermody and Dave Thoensen - The Day Camp Pod #134

Send a textFind show notes and more at https://gocamp.pro/day-camp-pod/preschoolManaging Preschool Day Campers: Tips, Strategies and Success StoriesWorking with preschool day campers requires a completely different playbook and this episode breaks down exactly what that looks like. The hosts and guests dive into the real world challenges of programming, staffing, routines, transportation and parent communication for your youngest campers. You’ll hear practical strategies, thoughtful insights and experienced perspectives that can immediately improve how you support your youngest campers. Whether you’re refining an existing program or launching one for the first time, this conversation offers ideas you can actually use. If you want happier campers, more confident staff and smoother parent relationships, this is an episode worth your time.02:49 Challenges and Strategies for Managing Young Campers06:27 Programming Goals and Activities for Preschoolers10:34 Staffing and Group Management14:06 Daily Schedules and Routines21:30 Parental Communication and Expectations29:50 Parent Visitation Policies31:44 Setting Expectations with Parents32:56 Communicating with Parents36:18 Special Events for Young Campers44:31 Transportation Challenges and Solutions50:55 Program Tips for Preschool CampsYour Hosts:Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day CampSam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park DistrictJordanna Grossinger, Director - Camp Robin HoodYour Guests:Lauren Dermody, Staffing Coordinator - Elmwood Day CampDave Thoensen, Camp Owner/Director - Tamarak Day CampSponsors:Thanks to our wonderful sponsors: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/CampminderCampminder 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---Fill out the 2026 Podcast Survey by February 28th and enter your email for a chance to with a $250 gift card from our friends at Gopher Sport. Find it at gocamp.pro/podsurvey

How "Whereabouts" is Solving the Camp Director’s Biggest Headache - with Ryan Rosen

Send us a textClipboards, Kaizen, and Connection: Revolutionizing Camp Attendance with Ryan Rosen*This is a piece of sponsored content by our friends from Camptivities and Whereabouts. We are so grateful for Ryan and the Camptivities team for their support of many Go Camp Pro podcasts and we're excited to bring you this episode to share more about Whereabouts and it's intentional design - Check them out whereaboutsapp.io*--In this episode, Travis sits down with Ryan Rosen, a 28-year camp veteran and owner of a premier Los Angeles day camp, to discuss the intersection of "tech-free" camp philosophy and high-efficiency logistics. Ryan shares the origin story of Whereabouts, an innovative app designed to bridge the communication gap between parents and camp offices. From the "Spirit of Kaizen" to real-time attendance reconciliation, this conversation explores how small, iterative improvements in camp tech can lead to massive gains in safety, staff sanity, and parent satisfaction.Key Takeaways include:The Spirit of Kaizen: Success isn't always about massive overhauls; it’s about the "incremental improvement" of systems. By questioning why "we’ve always done it this way," directors can identify stagnant procedures - like where T-shirts are handed out or how attendance is taken - and refine them for a better experience.Closing the "Lunchtime Gap": Many camps don't fully reconcile bus lists with group rosters until midday. Ryan explains how real-time widgets allow directors to know exactly who is on-site before the morning assembly even ends, meeting modern parent expectations for safety and transparency.Passive vs. Active Engagement: There is a fine line between "convenient" tech and "isolating" tech. Ryan discusses moving away from passive check-ins (like unattended QR codes) toward "human-powered" technology that prompts staff with camper birthdays or medical alerts during the check-in process.Empowering Gen-Z and Alpha Staff: Modern summer staff are digital natives. Asking them to manage complex paper-and-pen systems often leads to errors. Providing them with intuitive, mobile-first tools like Whereabouts aligns with their skills and reduces operational friction.Tech-Enabled Emergency Safety: Beyond daily attendance, the episode highlights the importance of "Emergency Pods." In the event of a wildfire or evacuation, having a cellular-connected system to track which kids are on which bus in real-time is a critical safety upgrade for any modern camp.---Thanks to Camptivities and Whereabouts for sponsoring!Your mission is campers. Ours is making their experience coordinated and connected.Whereabouts is the only camper management system that keeps Parents, Admin, and Staff in sync in real time - so every camper’s day runs with confidence, clarity, and care. Check them out at whereaboutsapp.io

Weather, Operations… Steve Maguire! - The Day Camp Pod #133

Send a textFind show notes and more at https://gocamp.pro/day-camp-pod/weather-operationsSmart Weather Strategies Every Camp Leader Needs Right NowExtreme weather is no longer the exception, it’s part of the new normal for day camps. In this episode of The Day Camp Pod, “camp weatherman” Steve Maguire breaks down how camp leaders can prepare for heat waves, wildfire smoke, tropical storms and everything in between. From understanding dew point and UV index to using smarter weather tools and creating effective daily weather briefings, this conversation is packed with practical, real world strategies you can actually use. Steve also challenges camps to rethink shade, infrastructure, and staff preparedness in ways that improve safety and the camper experience. If you’re responsible for making weather related decisions at camp, this episode will help you move from reactive to confidently prepared.00:13 Meet Steve Maguire: The Camp Weatherman05:41 Challenges of Extreme Weather at Camps08:56 Importance of Shade and Weather Awareness15:07 Preparing Staff and Campers for Weather22:03 Proactive Measures for Camp Safety27:27 Innovative UV Index and Sunscreen Dispensers28:07 Mandatory Hats and Sunglasses for Safety29:37 Proactive Weather Monitoring Tools32:33 Daily Weather Briefings and Staff Coordination35:49 Evaluating Camp Infrastructure Beyond Buildings37:57 Staffing and Engagement Strategies41:03 Continuous Improvement and Fresh Perspectives50:54 Under-Invested Areas in CampsEpisode Links:Obsessed with the Weather PodcastYour Hosts:Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day CampSam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park DistrictJordanna Grossinger, Director - Camp Robin Hood-Your Guest:Steve Maguire, Speaker, Trainer, Teacher and more - Go TurnstoneSponsors:Thanks to our wonderful sponsors who help make this Go Camp Pro podcast possible: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/CampminderCampminder 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.comAMSkierAMSkier 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 AMS

The Intentional Staff Leader - with Michael Brandwein - The Day Camp Pod #132

Send us a textFind show notes and more at https://gocamp.pro/day-camp-pod/intentional-leaderHandling Staff Behavior with Purpose, Not PanicSince the pandemic, many camp leaders have found themselves spending more time managing staff behavior than camper behavior, and it can feel exhausting. In this episode the hosts sit down with renowned educator and camp trainer Michael Brandwein to explore how intentional leadership can replace reactive, panic driven responses. You’ll learn how to develop staff who truly align with your camp’s mission, values and expectations. The conversation is packed with practical coaching techniques, real world examples and mindset shifts that help leaders build accountability without burning out. If you’re looking to strengthen staff training, handle everyday behavior challenges with confidence and create a culture where staff feel both supported and responsible, this is a must listen episode.03:11 Michael Brandwein's Insights on Camp Leadership 06:32 The Importance of Continuous Learning 11:48 Intentional Staff Development 23:26 The Role of Feedback and Coaching 30:29 Staff Training Strategies 37:06 Key Moments in Day Camp Training 37:24 Handling Late Arrivals 43:41 The Name Tag Problem 46:38 Managing Break Times 50:33 Addressing Talking During Sessions 58:59 The Importance of Feedback 01:06:05 Final Thoughts and ResourcesEpisode Links:Michael’s WebsiteBrandwein on Super Staff SuperVision-Online CourseYour Hosts:Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day CampSam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park DistrictJordanna Grossinger, Director - Camp Robin HoodYour Guest:Michael Brandwein, Speaker, Trainer, Author - https://www.michaelbrandwein.com/storeSponsors: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/CampminderCampminder 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.comAMSkierAMSkier 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 am

Marketing Through Community Engagement- with Marissa Allaben, Ali Rothenberg and Heath Levine - The Day Camp Pod #131

Send us a texthttps://gocamp.pro/day-camp-pod/community-engagementBuilding Community Partnerships: How Day Camps Can Connect LocallyWhat if your day camp was known not just as a program, but as a true community partner? In this episode of The Day Camp Pod , guests Marissa Allaben, Ali Rothenberg and Heath Levine join the hosts to discuss how camps can build authentic, local connections that really matter. From partnering with schools and municipalities to showing up at community events and using street teams creatively, this conversation is packed with practical, boots-on-the-ground ideas. The guests share real examples of what’s worked, what takes time and why consistency is key to earning trust. You’ll also hear how social media and in-person outreach can work together to amplify your camp’s presence. If you want your camp to be seen as a giver, not a taker, this episode offers clear inspiration and actionable next steps.00:00 Introduction: Are You a Giver or a Taker?04:12 Rolling River Camp's History and Legacy08:41 Community Engagement and Marketing Strategies14:06 Building Genuine Relationships in the Community14:41 Engaging with Schools and Local Organizations17:11 The Power of Partnerships and Consistency27:01 The Role of Street Teams in Community Outreach29:01 Engaging the Community with a Street Team31:39 The Power of Mascots in Camp Marketing35:40 Building Relationships Beyond the Screen41:51 Leveraging Social Media for Camp Promotion51:36 Holiday Camps: A Gateway to Summer Enrollment54:04 Final Thoughts and Best Practices-Episode Links:Rolling River Camp Connectors-Your Hosts:Andy Pritikin, Owner/Director - Liberty Lake Day CampSam Thompson, Recreation Supervisor - Crystal Lake Park DistrictJordanna Grossinger, Director - Camp Robin Hood-Your Guests:Marissa Allaben, Director - Rolling River Day CampAli Rothenberg, Associate Director - Rolling River Day CampHeath Levine, Director - Shibley Day Camp