Camp Conversation Guide
Camp makes a positive impact in hundreds of young lives each year, and camp has the greatest impact when those experiences are encouraged and reinforced at home. Here, find resources to help you talk to your children about their time at camp and explore faith together. Includes a helpful glossary of camp terms, and some questions that may help you spark conversation on the ride home and beyond!
Camp Terminology:
ADE – After Dinner Entertainment. A skit, “game show”, or song performed by counselors after dinner.
Alpha – Morning devotion, done between morning movers and breakfast. We start and end each day with prayer and reflection. (See omega)
Bell – Our central gathering point, the bell is used to “tell time” at camp. The bell rings to signal different activities starting and ending, and is used in several games.
Canteen – Small shop where campers can buy snacks and drinks, usually twice a day, while they can play 4-square, tetherball, and more.
Clean Cabin Awards – Awarded in Bronze, Silver, and Gold, a daily competition where cabins are judged on cleanliness, orderliness, and environmental stewardship (lights off, door closed). Competition is heated.
Cookout – Campers work together at one of our remote cook sites to make a meal together with their cabin.
Campout – Campers put up and sleep in tents together either in our field (Elementary), remote campsites (Middle School), or on the Shell River (Junior High and up).
Fish Pit – A campfire pit at the far end of Lake Morgan, accessible by trail or canoe.
Grace – In reference to meal time, we say–or rather we SING–grace at every meal. Grace is never the same twice in a week!
High Ropes – A part of our challenge course, includes our 35 foot rock climing wall, zip line, and challenge elements like the floating islands, Jacob’s ladder, and grapevine walk. 4 challenge elements together also referred to as the “full diamond”. (See low ropes)
Bible Party – Daily Bible study where the theme is explored with a different focus each day. Mix of guided and open-ended discussion as well as games and activities to illustrate themes.
Low Ropes – A part of our challenge course, includes initiatives and elements such as the Spiderweb Traverse, Blind Maze, All Aboard and Trust Fall. Low ropes elements are focused on teamwork, problem solving, and creative thinking.
Morning Movers – Silly songs and dances done each morning to get the day started. Done all together, some favorites include The Banana Song, Boom-Chicka-Boom, and O Chester.
Omega – An evening devotion and reflection done with cabinmates. We begin and end each day with prayer (see alpha)
Outdoor Chapel – A chapel with altar and benches but no walls or ceiling found along the path to the swim beach.
Afternoon Activities – Time where campers can choose from a variety of activities offered each day.
Great conversation starters:
What was your favorite game this week? How do you play it?
Were there any songs you sang this week that you already knew? Any songs you learned for the first time? Was there a favorite camp song you sang this week?
What did you do during seekers each day?
What was the theme for the week about?
Were there any interesting Bible stories you heard this week?
What were campfires like?
How is worship at camp different that worship at church? How is it the same?
Was there a message you heard this week that meant a lot to you?
Describe your counselor in five words or less.
What was your favorite meal?
Can you teach me a grace you learned this week?
Did you learn anything new about praying this week?
Do you think you prayed more often at camp than you’re used to? What was that like?
What is your favorite place at camp?
Tell me about one person in your cabin you didn’t know before this week.
Did you experience anything cool in nature this week?
Was it difficult or easy to give up technology for the week?
Do you think that this week has helped you grow in your faith? In what ways?
Is there anything you did at camp you’d like to do more often in your everyday life?
