Making camp normal for new parents

Jan 16th, 2025

Tell me if you’ve been here before.

You’re explaining your camp (which we know is awesome) to a prospective family, describing the incredible traditions, the color war, and devotions by the lake. And… it just isn’t landing at all.

Glassy eyes, maybe some polite head nod. Mostly crickets.

But wait, didn’t they just hear everything about the senior camp overnight? How are they not freaking falling in love with this place?

I know when I sell camp, I’m often doing it the way I fell in love with it - through the singular lens of magic and tradition I’ve known for what feels like my whole life. And for alumni parents or folks who’ve been to sleepaway camp as a kid, that’s all good. They have a frame of reference.

Unfortunately, there’s a whole group of parents out there who need something completely different.

They didn’t grow up making friendship bracelets, keeping in touch with camp peeps, or singing those same 15-20 songs.

And unless your camp is super niche (I’m looking at your sports camps, coding camps, dance weeks, or fine art camp), then nostalgia and good vibes just might not be enough.

The Nostalgia Trap

What percentage of your camper base had parents who also went to sleepaway camps?

There’s no specific data about this, but it’s been something I’ve been thinking about more and more. My guess is the number is pretty high (70% -ish? I’d love to hear your guess).

Those of us who grew up at camp live in this kick-ass bubble of shared experiences. We get it, like, instantly. When someone mentions an evening program or flag raising, we’re right there, just in the framework of the camp we attended. We can smell the campfire and hear the dining hall cheers.

Sound familiar?

But you see the potential problem, right? A certain (maybe huge) number of parents don’t have those reference points. And if we keep selling camp through our nostalgia-tinted glasses, we’re missing the chance to connect with them where they are.

Plus, there’s even a risk it all sounds a little too weird.

Breaking Through to New Camp Parents

What I’ve noticed working with camps across the country is that when we shift our message - when we translate our camp magic into today’s parent language - everything changes.

Instead of leading with traditions, we can talk about what camp actually delivers: kids learning to navigate their world, building genuine confidence, and developing real leadership skills away from screens.

Some possible strategies when connecting with (and selling to) non-camp parents:

Skip the history lesson Your camp’s amazing legacy matters, mostly to you and your alumni. New folks aren’t going to care. Instead, lead with today’s benefits. Modern parents care more about tomorrow than yesterday.

Translate camp skills Everything we do at camp builds valuable life skills. Cabin clean-up? That’s actually learning teamwork and responsibility. Campfire cookouts? Problem-solving, group work, and self-reliance all in action.

Address modern concerns Being unplugged for a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks (depending on your camp) isn’t just about missing that hilarious TikTok trend or the latest Rizzler video. Nah, it’s about creating space for real connection, actual confidence building, and relationships. All of those are tougher and tougher to find out in the real world.

Oh, and maybe don’t use the word “real world” either. These aren’t pretend kids.

The Magic of Modern Translation

As my friend Erec Hillis at Camp Champions says to parents, “Your kids are going to summer camp in a few years, it’s called college.”

Start translating camp experiences into the outcomes parents are looking for, and ooh baby, that’s when we start dialing it up. Suddenly, those same parents who were hesitant about “just playing in the woods” or “missing their kids for a few weeks” start seeing camp differently.

Quick real talk: We don’t need to water down camp or change what makes it special. The opposite is true. When we articulate how these traditions deliver exactly what parents want. We get to lean into the weird. KEEP SUMMER CAMP WEIRD. We just need to help parents see how our traditions and activities deliver exactly what they want for their kids.

Making It Happen at Your Camp

A way I’m challenging myself this spring is a practical shift in messaging. Taking camp’s core activities and translating them almost 100% into parent-focused outcomes:

Evening programs = Social confidence and community building

Activity choices = Decision-making and time management

Camp traditions = Leadership development and belonging

Cabin living = Independence and conflict resolution skills

Every wild activity at camp is just another way to get cool growth opportunities for kids.

A Few Next Steps?

And maybe a challenge for all of us on this list.

Look at your marketing materials with fresh eyes. How much of it assumes deep camp knowledge (including the photos)? How much speaks to first-time camp families?

Find those current families who came to your camp for the first time (parents included). What convinced them to take the leap?

Go through all the simple ways for prospective families to get comfortable with camp concepts before signing up. Open houses, virtual tours, parent info sessions. You know the drill there.

The beautiful thing is, camp is still camp. The magic, the growth, the transformation - it’s all still happening. We’re just getting better at helping new parents understand why it matters.

Because at the end of the day, whether a parent went to camp or not, we all want the same thing: kids who are confident, capable, and ready for whatever comes next.

You got this,

Jack