Creating a Meaningful Moment

Make Moments Extraordinary

We all have life experiences that are extraordinary:

  • Graduating high school
  • Birth of a sibling
  • Passing a certain level in a class here at camp (like Advanced in Tennis)

Moments don’t just have to happen – we can also take something ordinary and make it extraordinary!

For example, in the past at camp, we have…

  • Passed out some surprise chocolate bars to our campers with a golden ticket in one when watching the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
  • Rented the biggest foam machines imaginable for a special Evening Program event.
  • Went for the Guinness World Record at camp for the most people dressed as dogs.

We take regular, ordinary nights (movie night, Evening Program) and make them into unforgettable memories. When campers look back on a particular summer, they can say, “I remember when we did ___.”

This summer, camp will have many extraordinary moments. However, beyond that, YOU have the power to make moments extraordinary in your classes, at your table, and in your cabin.

Keys to making moments:

  • Can’t happen all of the time: If everything is big, exciting, and special, girls don’t know what to expect. Also, the fun doesn’t feel as fun. You need the ordinary, everyday stuff to then have the extraordinary.
  • It doesn’t have to be extravagant: As some of the examples show below, many of extraordinary events don’t have to cost money, and you don’t need excessive supplies. Creating moments is thinking about what campers would like and what you can do easily.

How to Create Moments

Try ONE of these things in your class, at your table, or in your cabin throughout the session. You don’t need to do it all!

Boost the Sensory Appeal

To “go all out” on something to really get in the moment; applies specifically to visual and sensory “feel” when something is happening.

  • In your cabin: If you have two leftover socks after laundry day, plan a sock wedding. Have the girls decorate for the ceremony and dress up the socks for the big day. “Set the mood” for the big day.
  • In your class: If you teach at the pool, try lazy luau day, where you borrow some leis, put pool floats in the pool, play luau music, and do fun luau themed events and pool games. Even have girls do a funny luau dance when they check-in and have them say a funny phrase when you call their name on the roll (i.e. Aloha Laura here now, ready for the luau).

Break the Script

Defy the normal expectations.

  • In your cabin: If you usually have a nightly dance party, surprise the girls after EP one night with a “black-out” dance party – turn off the lights, use flashlights and/or glow sticks, and have special music planned.
  • In your class: In Archery, try out a Susie’s Stupendous Shoot-off event at the end of the class, where girls have to shoot balloons with funny faces drawn on them (let the girls draw them!); have real judges and funny prizes for the shooting winners.

Creating Moments of Pride

Recognizing others in a personal way.

  • At your table: Have someone that is quiet at your table? Have funny questions ready to ask your whole table (“What character would you be in the Wizard of Oz?” or “What is the funniest thing that has happened to you at camp so far?”); then, have a special prize for the best answer, making sure to recognize that quiet camper at some point. She can be in charge of the “king honey bear” for the day or wear a construction paper badge during the meal or even pick first when dessert arrives.
  • In your class: Find a way to recognize girls in surprising ways. In Basketball, have a special Basketball Olympics challenge, and then award all girls with fun prizes, like “The Lebron James dunk skunk” for the girl who got closest to a dunk.

Celebrate Milestones

Take note of when you reach a milestone (silly or serious!) and mark them in a special way.

  • In cabin: Is your cabin having a hard time cleaning? Set a goal and do something fun when you accomplish it. “Girls, if we reach 7 straight days of perfect inspection, then we are going to have a special joke telling time with Jimboy after a meal. I have it all set up!”
  • In classes: What if when you reached the 3rd day of Volleyball, you created the 7 Day Slam volleyball challenge? When girls complete it, add their name to the poster board hanging on the Landports deck.

What do people remember?

  • The beginning
  • The end
  • The highs
  • The lows

How do we apply this to camp?

  • Beginning: What is your first class going to be like? What is your first meal with your cabin going to involve? How do you start each class? (i.e. with a fun swimming song you sing most days?) Think intentionally about the beginnings!
  • End: How do you end each class? (i.e. with a high five, class cheer, or fun chant?)
  • Highs: How do you use one of the ideas above to make your cabin time a high? (i.e. Create a Moment of Pride: pair up girls as secret buddies for a week at a time – tell girls to write each other notes about what they like about each other, etc.) How do you make your class one where girls will look back and think of it as one of the best parts of their summer? (i.e. Waterpark Olympic counselor vs. camper challenge day, etc.)
  • Lows: How do you take something that could be a low (like a very hot day in a class) and plan for it, making it easier for the girls?

In what ways can you take an ordinary day or moment and make it extraordinary this summer? All it takes is a little advanced planning and a desire to make a difference!

Remember: everything cannot be extraordinary! But, many everyday occurrences can become extraordinary for one day (or even one hour or one minute) during the summer.