The Summer Camp Daily Brief – October 27, 2025

Why Camps Need to Think Like AI-Ready Schools: Smarter Staff Training, Workflows, and Camper Experience

The school bell rings differently this fall. Walk into any high school classroom and you'll find something remarkable: 84% of students are using AI tools like ChatGPT for their assignments. Meanwhile, their teachers are scrambling to redesign homework, rethink assessments, and figure out what learning looks like when everyone has a digital assistant.

But here's what caught my attention as someone who thinks about camp all day: only 13% of educational organizations consider themselves "AI-ready." That means 87% are still figuring out the infrastructure, data governance, and how to turn pilot projects into real value.

Sound familiar? If your camp is still using manual tracking sheets, one-way slide decks for training, or rigid session formats that haven't changed in years, you're not alone. But you're also sitting on a massive opportunity.

The Learning Revolution Is Already Here

Think about it this way: your future counselors and campers are growing up in a world where AI is as normal as smartphones were to millennials. They're used to personalized learning, instant feedback, and tools that adapt to their needs. When they arrive at camp expecting to "fill out another worksheet" or "sit through another hour-long orientation," something feels off.

The disconnect isn't just about technology: it's about expectations. These digital natives have been trained to expect intelligent systems that learn from their input and respond accordingly. They've grown up solving problems with AI assistance, but they still need to develop the critical thinking skills to use these tools effectively.

That's where camps have a unique advantage. We're already in the business of building problem solvers, fostering creativity, and developing interpersonal skills. The question is: how do we blend smart technology with our core mission of growing independent thinkers?

Why This Matters for Your Camp Right Now

Staff Training Gets a Brain Boost

Remember those all-day orientations where staff glazed over by hour three? Or the printed manuals that somehow never got read? The AI revolution suggests we can do better.

Imagine micro-learning modules that staff complete on their phones during breaks. Picture AI-generated scenarios specific to your camp: "A homesick 8-year-old won't leave their bunk during swimming. What's your first move?" The system learns from responses and creates follow-up situations based on what your team needs to practice.

This isn't about replacing human mentorship: it's about making it more targeted. When AI handles the routine knowledge transfer, your experienced directors can spend more time on the craft of leadership, the art of reading camper emotions, and building the camp culture that makes your place special.

Operations That Actually Help You

From registration headaches to scheduling puzzles, many camp operations are perfect candidates for smart automation. Not robot takeovers, but intelligent assistance that handles the predictable stuff so humans can focus on the unexpected.

One camp professional told me she spends two hours every Sunday manually checking which campers have dietary restrictions for the coming week. An AI system could scan registrations, flag conflicts, and even suggest menu adjustments: in about two minutes.

The goal isn't efficiency for its own sake. It's creating space for the human touches that make camp magical: the impromptu conversations, the creative problem-solving, the moments when a counselor notices something subtle and responds with exactly what a camper needs.

Camper Experience That Feels Fresh

Here's where it gets interesting. Campers who are used to AI-assisted learning don't want to abandon all technology: they want to use it thoughtfully. The magic happens when camps provide structured opportunities to practice problem-solving both with and without digital tools.

Consider a nature scavenger hunt where campers use AI to research what they find, then discuss their discoveries around a campfire without devices. Or an arts and crafts session where AI helps generate creative prompts, but the actual making happens with hands and traditional materials.

This approach honors both worlds: it acknowledges that AI literacy is now a life skill, while preserving the deep, device-free thinking that makes camp brains grow stronger.

Three Things You Can Try This Week

Map One Manual Process and Automate a Single Step

Pick something small but annoying: maybe how you track staff certification renewals or how you handle parent pickup changes. Ask yourself: what's the one step that could be automated or digitally supported?

Don't aim for a complete overhaul. Just eliminate one friction point and see how much time you save. Often, that first small win builds momentum for bigger improvements.

Create Your First Micro-Learning Module

Instead of waiting for next summer's staff training, create a 5-minute digital lesson right now. It could be a quick video on handling homesickness, a quiz about your emergency procedures, or a prompt that asks: "Describe a time when you turned a difficult camper situation into a positive one."

The key is making it actionable. End with a simple task: "Try this approach with one interaction this week, then report back." This creates a feedback loop between learning and practice.

Design One Camper Activity with Digital Reflection

Choose any regular camp activity: maybe a team challenge or creative project. Add a simple digital component afterward: campers use a tablet to record one thing that surprised them and one thing they'd change for next time.

Then: and this is crucial: actually use their input to adapt the next round. When campers see their feedback creates real changes, they learn that their voices matter and that reflection leads to improvement.

Rolling Forward Without Losing Your Soul

The camps that thrive in this new landscape will be those that use AI to amplify their human strengths, not replace them. Here's how to stay grounded:

Keep Technology Incremental: You don't need a complete digital transformation overnight. Simple automations like reminder emails, digital check-ins, and smart scheduling already create significant value.

Make It Human-Centered: Every piece of technology should either save human time or enhance human connection. If it doesn't do one of those things, skip it.

Track What Matters: Measure time saved, staff satisfaction, and the quality of camper interactions. Even informal observations help you understand what's working.

Build a Culture of Smart Experimentation: Treat every new tool like a pilot program. Ask for feedback, learn from what didn't work, and adjust quickly. This mindset is more valuable than any specific technology.

The schools that are successfully integrating AI aren't the ones with the fanciest tools: they're the ones with the clearest vision of how technology serves learning. For camps, that vision centers on developing independent problem solvers who can think critically, connect authentically, and solve challenges both with and without digital assistance.

The Opportunity in Front of Us

We're living through a moment when the cost of experimentation is lower than it's ever been, but the value of getting it right is enormous. The camps that start small and smart today will become the models others follow tomorrow.

Your campers are already growing up in an AI-assisted world. The question isn't whether to engage with these tools, but how to do it in ways that build stronger thinkers, better problem solvers, and more confident young people.

The device-free moments at camp aren't becoming less important: they're becoming more crucial. When kids spend most of their year with AI assistance, the ability to think independently, solve problems creatively, and connect authentically becomes a superpower.

That's what camps have always been about. Now we just have smarter tools to help us get there.

What would you try first at your camp? I'd love to hear about your experiments.

Follow @mattlovescamp on Instagram for more ideas, and join our community at www.ilove.camp to connect with other camp professionals navigating this exciting frontier.