When my daughter was in preschool, her teacher would give me an end-of-week report that briefly outlined a few of the activities she participated in with her class. That was 16 years ago. Now, parents have apps that give them play-by-plays of everything their toddlers are doing. From diaper changes to snacks, and trips to the playground, parents want to know it all! This trend is impacting the way you need to communicate with your parents all summer.
Parents expect this kind of detailed information, and they’re going to hold you to it. How are you going to accomplish this additional burden while making sure your campers have the best summer ever? That’s the question on every camp director’s mind!
First, create a plan of what you’re capable of providing, and do NOT overpromise! Come up with easy solutions that will pacify parents. Involve campers and CITs. They’d love the chance to write and design a camp newspaper or lead a podcast. Create as much as you can before summer starts. For instance, graphics with menus or activity planners can be designed now and sent later. Then, manage your parents’ expectations. Let families know well in advance when they‘ll receive communications from you. Make sure they know where to find this info and how to see photos.
There are many easy tools you can utilize to stay in touch with parents such as the myCAMPapp. This all-in-one solution is a game-changer for camps! You can send notifications, share photos, and target specific audiences all at your fingertips. Parents love it, and it’s very easy to implement.
Get creative with your communication with ideas such as a bunk Zoom night. We recommend there be a “goal” on these calls so it doesn’t become a “free-for-all”. Perhaps it’s a trivia game or campers create a presentation that they share. Have strict rules and when the time is up you say goodbye!
The way parents are accustomed to getting information has changed over the years, but ultimately their communication priorities are the same. They want to know their child is happy and safe. With proper planning and strategically using technology, you can absolutely do that!