Working with Groups
Working with larger groups of campers can present unique challenges, especially in more relaxed out-of-school settings. Here are some way to make projects and activities at camp more organized and stress-free.
Paper First
Generally speaking, you want to provide the materials you’ll be working with before you provide the tools. For example, give kids paper to draw on first, then provide markers. Sometimes when campers are given arts supplies, they can get excited about using them… and the art ends up on the table, the walls, other campers. So try to provide an appropriate outlet for that creativity before giving your young makers all the tools to realize their ideas.
Box It Up
Especially if you’re working outdoors or traveling with supplies, it can be convenient to use close-topped boxes — pencil boxes, craft organizers, cardboard, or plastic shoe boxes — to organize common materials. This makes set-up and clean-up a breeze. It also gives campers a clue as to where to find the items they need and where to return things when they are done. You may also want to have campers bring a box to decorate to hold all their inventions if you are hosting a multi-day camp. Or consider placing tools for each group — rulers, scissors, pencils, etc. — into a close-topped box for easy distribution.
Make the Cut
Many times, when using supplies you may want to give out smaller pieces of materials so that you can limit waste and ensure you have enough for everyone. It’s worth taking some time before your program to cut down cardboard, paper, tape, and other supplies into more manageable pieces for campers to use. This can also make it much easier to transport items.
You’ll also want to consider cutting items like tape or wire into smaller pieces, especially if you are working with young campers who are still developing their fine motor skills. Something as simple as ripping pieces of tape in advance and sticking them to the top of an inverted plastic take-out container or bowl, can reduce frustration and keep the creativity flowing.
Carry It All
Often at camp, you’ll have many kids moving around a space. When collecting supplies for a project, it can be common to see young makers loading up their areas with materials, only to bump into someone and drop everything in the dirt.
Provide lunch trays, shoe boxes, or paper lunch bags for campers to use to transport their supplies. This can even provide a fun challenge for projects, i.e. “You can only use the materials that fit in the bag.” After all, resource management and budgeting are important ideas to learn early in making.
You may also want to encourage teams to talk and plan their materials first, then send just one representative to the supply table for the group. This tends to increase collaboration and planning while decreasing mess and waste.
Set Expectations
Taking five minutes at the beginning of a program to review your behavior expectations can go a long way to having a smoothly run camp program. Do a quick review of safety rules. Remind campers of important maker mindset goals like, “process over perfection.” Encourage kids to share their ideas and listen when others are sharing theirs. Let young makers know how you’ll get their attention. Are you more of a quiet coyote leader or a pattern clapper? Make sure your inventors understand the timeline for the day and what they’re going to learn and create. And include an opportunity for campers to add to the group expectations so that they feel empowered and confident.
Group Wisely
A good group activity is one where there’s enough for each person to do and it’s easy for several people to work on the project at once. Be thoughtful about group size. Generally speaking, the more kids there are in a group, the harder it is to keep everyone communicating and engaged. Especially for younger kids consider having them work in pairs.
Deal with Disagreements
Disagreements are a normal part of collaboration and they can lead to really important learning experiences. There are several strategies you can use to facilitate those tough discussions.
Ask campers to reiterate each other’s ideas. Sometimes disagreements come from a simple misunderstanding.
Explain to the group how ideas can have many parts. Can you pair two ideas together for something new? Can you use a part of each person’s idea?
Rapidly test multiple ideas. Have campers each build a really quick prototype or draw their solution, then compare to see which idea may work best.
If time is short, or they really can’t come to an agreement, consider a neutral tie-breaker like rock, paper, scissors.
Debrief
Save some time at the end of your program to review what campers learned, how they collaborated, what worked and what didn’t, and to share their experiences. Not only does this ensure your campers are walking away with the knowledge you were hoping they’d gain, it cements the idea of collaboration in their minds. This is also a great opportunity to offer reinforcement and feedback.
