Awesome Summer Camp Theme Guide

If you if you want to start a summer camp or simply revamping an existing one, a very important aspect to consider is the theme of your summer camp. A summer camp theme definitely adds character to a camp, but it also helps you work out the camp schedule and showcase some of the cool activities campers will be taking part in. A great summer camp theme has 4 basic elements:

1. Fun / Exciting

2. Breeds Curiosity

3. Full of Discovery

4. Educational

A summer camp is effective only when it provides a stimulating atmosphere that helps a child work on social skills, harness the power of inquisitiveness and also continue to learn and grow. The purpose of a summer camp is not just time away from home or school. A camp theme must thus be aligned with these goals and be able to enhance the camp experience. Here are some awesome summer camp themes that you consider and implement:

Fun and Fitness Camp Theme

Obstacle courses are fun and campers don’t think of them as fitness activities. These can be as simple as running over dirt mounds, doing 10 seconds of jump-roping, kicking a soccer ball around some cones, throwing a ball through a hanging tire and running back to the start. They can also be mega-elaborate. Your choice. Hold a Sports Buffet where campers get to try different sports. Have them rotate stations. Each station will have a different sport to try (swimming, skating, ultimate Frisbee, competitive jump roping, martial arts, boxing, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, handball, fencing, archery, etc.).

Challenge Week Camp Theme

Color Wars, Olympics, ropes course and team initiatives, capture the flag, treasure hunts, archery and any activity where campers can be competitive in a healthy environment. Create groups of varying ages so that it’s not older campers vs. younger campers. Keep track of points on a large display that campers can see throughout the day. A winner can be announced at the end of the week, but all campers will participate in the winning festivities.

How about the arts? Hold shows for crafts, photography, music and drama. Each entry earns points for their teams. You don’t have to announce a winner you can just say that the red team got 354 points based on their 15 entries and the blue team got 287 points based on their 13 entries. Nobody will know who’s craft, photo or skit was “the best” or not. It’s all about the team, not the individual.

Recycled Run Camp Theme

Recycling in itself is an important concept that needs to be understood and adapted by each one of us. A recycling theme can be adapted in many ways in the activities as well as setting up the camp location. The whole idea is to let children understand the need and ways of recycling in a fun way and be inspired to make it a part of everyday life.

Travel and Adventure Camp Theme

Wanderlust and the thirst for adventure are very strong driving forces for most of us! Make your summer camp a place that inspires traveling and adventure. A glimpse of the excitement of traveling to a new place, an experience of adventure never imagined… great theme that promises great enthusiasm!

Magic Camp Theme

It may sound like an overused and stereotype theme but this is definitely one of the most interesting themes for a summer camp from a child’s perspective. Go deeper and beyond wizards and fairies. Try talking about the magic of real life- friends, family, happiness. Make it more real than a fantasy. And when it comes to magic, the possibilities are absolutely endless.

Time Travelers Camp Theme

Whether you decide to take your children back in time or into the future- both have equal potential. Set up an old age charm and show how far we have come or take them years ahead and let their imaginations run wild thinking what could be and what could lie ahead. It definitely has some amazing possibilities for décor as well as activities. Bring out various craft supplies and let the campers use their imagination. Have a counselor dress up as caveman and introduce a dinosaur hunt. Campers then go out into camp and try to find as many dinosaurs as possible. Dinosaurs can be small plastic dino toys, stuffed animals, or paper cut-outs posted up around the area. Children of all age groups can put on their thinking hats and relive the past or try and foretell the future. Build a time machine as a craft project.

Art Camp Theme

While you may be planning on certain art activities, art is so much more than most people understand. Let your children discover the numerous forms of art and let them explore their potential and interests. Sports, music, crafts, dance, pottery, painting… there are so many beautiful forms of art and the more the children know the more they will be able to expand their horizons. Open up a world of art and opportunities for them.

Each of these camp themes has offers multiple possibilities for styling as well as learning for campers. Just make sure that everyone and everything is aligned with the theme and it will definitely pack in enthusiasm for your summer camp. A great camp theme can help children grow, learn and discover all at the same time. It’s time to theme up!