We're in an action phase at camp, or at least we hope they are in an action phase. That "they" is camper parents.

On this episode, we're laying out five strategies backed by recent insights that can help lead parents to the critical actions we want, and need, them to take right now. We want to lead them to register, recruit, and retain. These key actions, and leading as many parents as possible to take them confidently and decisively, can be catalyzed by our intentional intervention and effective engagement.

Each strategy is then paired with an attainable action that we can take right now that will help lead these parents to action. Grab your favorite notepad or task manager and get ready to contextualize your next steps.

Plus, our #StatOfTheWeek highlights where we were post-camp 2026 with parent likelihood to recommend camp, and helps us wonder what we're doing to equip and empower those enthusiasts to tell our story.

Quick Links

Camper Recruitment & Retention Playbook - Travis Allison

Immersive 1st & Day Camp Community - Dan Weir

Cho-Yeh Cookies

Tic Tac Toe Marketing for Camps

#StatOfTheWeek

Why Camp? Kit

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On this episode, we're around a table with five incredible camp leaders bringing different perspectives from their role, to geography, to camp journey, to denomination, and more. We're sharing this table while gathered at Camp Wapo in Amery, Wisconsin for CampWell X Sacred Playgrounds - a training event around well-being at camp in partnership with our friends at the Alliance for Camp Health.

We know summer staff are the heart of many of our ministries. We also know that camp builds incredible skills and consequential character. The question is, how? What does it really look like, and how do camp ministry practitioners create space and facilitate an experience that does this?

Jared guides a conversation around the mic with Jess Gulseth from Red Willow Ministries, Jesse Klosterboer from Sugar Creek Bible Camp, Hazel Banisky from Camp Wapo, Aidan Tack from Covenant Point Bible Camp, and Henri Santelman from Luther Crest, uncovering some of the on-the-ground, happening now things that actually build the summer staff experience in a way that impacts these young adults, for life.

Our #StatOfTheWeek shares what can happen when a summer camp staff experience creates space for God to call people to a life of professional ministry.

Quick Links

Camp Builds

CampWell x Sacred Playgrounds

#StatOfTheWeek

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There's a shift coming, and it affects camp in significant ways. On this episode, we'll talk about why, how, and when it's coming, and leave you with some ideas to get ahead of it.

When you lay out the story thread of camp over the story of demographic shifts through our past and present, you can wonder with wisdom about what's next. As we follow things like rate of live births, replacement data, diversity, as well as the impact of milestones like the late '90's and early 2000s participation swell, the 2007 peak birth rate, the 2016 election, the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent decline in birth rates, and more, we can then extrapolate the potential camper numbers that follow.

We'll unpack the conversation and learning that Jake had with respected demographer, Ken Gronbach, who had deep insights based on waves of historical demographic changes and the impact of recent shifts for what's ahead for industries like camp. Jake then got the chance to join our friends from GoCampPro on the CampHacker Podcast to begin this conversation with fellow camp leaders. Today, we dive even deeper and bring some context to this reality for Christian camps in particular.

Here's the truth - we have to get ahead of this. We'll leave you with seven things we can begin to do in our ministries to help us thrive in the midst of this opportunity. Buckle up.

Our #StatOfTheWeek sets the table for our conversation with the stats on demographic differences in Christian affiliation. Our #QuickQampQuestion is flipped this week, and at our site you can see the list of camp-leader-crowd-sourced ideas for podcast to listen to, books to read, professionals to follow, and other communities to connect with.

Quick Links

CampHacker Podcast Enrollment Cliff Episode

Demographer Ken Gronbach

Pew Religious Landscape Study

#StatOfTheWeek

Camp Crowdsourced Leader Resources

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Support the show

Connect with our team. Support the podcast. Ask about advertising opportunities. Find us on Facebook & Instagram.