What Does a Fitness Instructor at Camp Do?
Making sure children understand how to stay fit and healthy is something Camp Directors are looking for more and more. Being a Fitness Instructor at camp will allow you to gain more hands-on experience while you enthuse the campers about your form of fitness and show them new and fun ways to stay healthy. You’ll run fitness sessions with different groups of campers, all while getting involved in traditional camp activities.
Skills & Experience
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Forms of Fitness
You can teach the following forms of health and fitness at camp:
- Aerobics
- Athletics
- Personal Training
- Running
- Yoga
- Zumba
Any previous experience, qualifications, or training in instructing these activities will look great as part of your application. For example, you might have you Level 2 Fitness or Gym Instructor qualification, a Yoga certification or other sports coaching experience.
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Childcare
Even though you’re an activity specialist, you’ll still likely have counselor duties when you’re not teaching or taking your time off. Any childcare experience can be great to include in your application. As a counselor your duties will include waking campers up in the mornings, joining in with mealtimes and evening activities and then making sure they go to bed at night. You’ll be keeping them organised and safe, making sure they listen to instructions (and follow them…) and also serving as a key source of fun and entertainment throughout the day!
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Enthusiasm & a Fun-Loving Attitude
As well as finding talented individuals who can help campers to improve their fitness Camp Directors are looking for Fitness Counselors who can make sure their campers enjoy the best summer ever.
By approaching every day and every activity with enthusiasm and fun, you’ll make sure your campers feel the same way too. They’ll be much more willing to step out of their own comfort zones and embrace new experiences, especially if they’re first-time campers who might already be feeling a bit unsure or nervous.
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Communication
From sunrise to lights out, you’re likely talking to someone, somewhere. From your campers themselves, to other counselors and staff members, you’re going to need your communication skills to be in tip-top shape.
With the campers, you need to be able to strike the balance between understanding and following rules and expectations, and creating incredible memories of one of the best summers they’ll ever have. Although, remember communication isn’t just about talking - you’ll need to actively listen to any problems or concerns, and make sure campers feel valued and heard.
With other counselors and staff members, you’ll also be building a network of hugely supportive relationships at camp, and likely developing new friendships you’ll have for years and years to come. Communication becomes one of the most important aspects of the teamwork you’ll need to make sure each day runs smoothly.
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Patience
You’re going to spend a minimum of 9 weeks working with kids of varying ages at camp. They’re going to be excited and energetic, and you just wait until the sugar in those s’mores hits their system!
Patience is a hugely valuable skill to have in your remit. By being patient you’ll be able to let the campers express themselves to their fullest, all the while retaining control, maintaining the fun and being as supportive as you possibly can. When a challenge arises, patience can help you navigate it with ease.
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Flexibility
Camp life and kids are unpredictable, so having some flexibility is going to help you out a lot in daily camp life. Joining this together with some problem-solving skills, you’ll be able to navigate plenty of tricky situations.
From changes to the schedule, handling bad weather or dealing with unexpected events, being flexible will help you handle a changing camp environment in a way that means your campers likely remain oblivious to the fact that this wasn’t the plan all along. The more enthusiastic you are about new plans, the more on board your campers will be too!
Requirements
Ready to go? Make sure you tick all the boxes.
Check out our requirements
Check out our requirements
Typical Day
How to Apply
Real Experiences
Don't just take our word for it - this is just a snapshot of the amazing summers our participants have had at summer camp and why they keep coming back for more.
Going to camp really pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to experience new things, from being trained in how to operate a ropes course to managing a team of staff.
Camp is literally my second home! I cannot wait to be back with my campers and my camp friends. Camp is a place you can completely be yourself and make new memories that will last you a lifetime!
Not only do I love everyday camp life and ensuring the campers have the best time possible but I also love connecting with different cultures! Camp is one of the best experiences you can have.
Being away from home comforts really makes you appreciate the little things at camp. I love the weather, the lake and activities, but creating smiles and excitement for others really motivated me.
Staff started camp with a mix of experience but none of that mattered. You are well trained and everyone supports each other creating a close-knit community like no other.
Camp America gave me an understanding of responsibility that I hadn’t experienced before. By the time I came home, I’d gained valuable leadership skills to take into future careers.
Why Be a Fitness Instructor at Camp?
As a summer camp fitness instructor, you’ll get to spend the summer organising and running fitness sessions for your favourite activities. You’ll be getting back to nature in a beautiful environment while working with all different age groups and abilities. Whether campers are with you for a day, a week, or the entire summer, you’ll be able to watch with pride as they grow and improve with your coaching and have so much fun in the process.
