Prepare For An Exciting Week of Camp

By: Amy Cato, Event Coordinator for the CentriKid team

Raise your hand if you experienced summer camp as a child! I love camp. Lifeway’s CentriKid Camps offer so much for your campers. CentriKid is a place where every moment is designed to be a part of something bigger. I have seen it first-hand as a camper, summer staffer, Group Leader, parent and now as a CentriKid Event Coordinator. While the majority of what we do at CentriKid is about creating small moments that will lead to huge impact on your campers’ lives, we also want to make camp easy and fun for you, the Church Group Leader. We want to give you more time to do the Peach Shake side-by-side with your students and less time with a clipboard and 3” binder collecting forms!  

Let’s dive into a snapshot of ways you can prepare for camp each summer, including specific resources.

First, look at your overall children’s ministry calendar. Pray, reflect, and determine the best time to go to camp. Most churches are also hosting VBS so you want to make sure you plan around those dates. At CentriKid, we have an easy registration process. Did you know that CentriKid registration opens each summer on June 1 for the following summer? We make it easy for you to grab that perfect date and location of camp with no deposit due until February 15.  

Next, communicate your summer camp plans to the parents in your church. Whether you have been coming to CentriKid for decades or this is your first year, there are always campers who are leaving home for the first time. Our goal is to help you put parents at ease while their camper is at CentriKid. First and foremost, we know that parents are instilling trust in you as you make plans to head to camp. At CentriKid, we ensure you receive a complete toolbox designed to help put parents at ease. The Parent Page and Parent Packs and the Group Leader Prep Center are your guides as you plan and communicate with parents. Our monthly emails to Group Leaders will remind you of due dates and fun things happening behind the scenes! We know that the more we prepare you, the better you can confidently communicate plans to parents.  

It’s vital to begin spiritually preparing for camp. Pray for the campers who are already registered for camp. Ask God to open your eyes and reveal children in your community who may not yet know of the opportunity to come to camp. Invite parents in your community to reach out to other parents in their circles, inviting their child to join you at camp. Pray for your Adult Leaders who will accompany you to camp. As the exciting time gets closer, our CentriKid Group Leader Prep Center has devotions to prepare your group for the week of camp ahead.  

Finally, plan for fun! At CentriKid, our goal is to allow you to have freedom from paperwork so you can develop and deepen your relationships with the kids in your ministry. As you pack for your week of camp, plan some wacky outfits or hairstyles to surprise your campers. Plan and pack a variety of games (we call them “Back Pocket Games” at CentriKid) to be able to whip out when your group is waiting for the next activity to start or waiting in lines for meals. Prepare fun and intentional conversation starters as you walk and talk with campers around your camp location. Dust off your best dance moves and be willing and ready to look silly with motions. There are countless opportunities to have fun side-by-side with your campers!

We pray your summer camp plans may include CentriKid. We have a week full of big ministry moments with your campers in store. For more information, check out our website!