Sacred Playgrounds Podcast

Good news! Camps are, in general, keeping parents satisfied with the level of communication and preparation prior to camp.  We learn that much in this week's #StatOfTheWeek. And, there's an opportunity to go beyond satisfactory amounts of information, to a noticeable shift into mission and faith formation, even during this often-underutilized phase of pre-camp prep, when families have si...

2025 summer camp staffing is top of mind, heart, and task list for many camp leaders right now. We're in the heart of recruiting season, pre-camp prep time is on the horizon, our staff training schedules are maybe beginning to materialize, and our plans for the summer staff experiences have their foundation laid. The data tells us emerging adult staff are after 3 things when they are consider...

The most impactful ministry just might happen in the under-programmed times, the times sitting by the well (or the campfire) hearing someone's story. When we give our staff members, and even campers themselves, the "how" - meaning the skills and the practice in listening, welcoming, and connecting-building - we give them a gift they can and will take into the rest of life. On this e...

Self-confidence. Leadership. Resilience. Faith in daily life. These are all character traits we measure. There is real data that says camp in exceptional at building character through the highly experiential, highly relational programs you offer. And that's a good thing, because the research says parents and caregivers care as much about the character being built in their kids as anything els...

Answer : because kids need a safe place to __________________. Question : Why Camp? This question matters to you, camp or church leaders, because it's a question the parents in your world are asking. They have to, for one reason or another. It's because they have a lot of options, and they are assessing the quality of any experience they sign their kids up for. It's because they are...

Campy New Year! Our 4th annual New Year's resolutions for camp episode is here! We have a blast with this each year, and we've got 5 fresh data-backed resolutions for camps and their leaders in the year ahead. Here is your keyword teaser: Scripture Enthusiasts Cabin Conversations Noticeably Society Our #QuickQampQuestion is a fun, personal one, and our #StatOfTheWeek shares the #1 factor...

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas from our sacred playgrounds to yours! We're donning Christmas hats and embracing Advent as we prepare for Jesus to come...to camp! This season reminds us that our ministries have audiences of influence - those we serve, those who serve with us, and those we impact, sometimes without even knowing it. On this episode, we'll break down how Jesus comes to cam...

Leaders who thrive learn from other leaders. Recently, Jake and Jared got to participate in and lead workshops at annual camp conferences for Lutheran Outdoor Ministries and the Campfire Collective (PCCCA, OMA-UCC, OMI, + more). They had the chance to sit down with 4 camp leaders from different locales and traditions to gather insightful perspectives and stories on 3 key questions. We asked these...

Sometimes we love to hang out in our camp bubble, don't we? Sometimes even so far as to, at least in part, shut out the outside world. It makes sense, because there's something special about camp being set apart. And yet, we're part of an ecosystem, a culture, a community. Last week, election day in the United States brought on emotions and actions and reactions across the spectrum....

What's your favorite scary movie? This week, we're embracing the spooky season with our #QuickQampQuestion. Post yours in the comments on our website , Facebook , or Instagram ! On this episode, we've got 3 "scary" things to share about traditions we prioritize and the wellbeing of those we serve. We're sharing one scary story about a still-common camp activity, a sca...

"The most effective way to get campers this summer is to get last summer's campers to come back." On this episode, Travis Allison from Go Camp Pro joins us to talk through what's actually effective in recruiting and retaining campers and their families. Built from a sense of frustration that so many camp leaders spend so much time, energy, and money on things that don't wo...

A meaningful camp experience can be a powerful catalyst for family faith formation . That truth is at the heart of the Rhythms of Faith Project, the Lilly Endowment, Inc. funded project that Wheaton College/HoneyRock and Sacred Playgrounds are partnering on. We've spent the last year taking in current and past writing, qualitative and quantitative data, and powerful stories about the impacts...

Ministry is about impact . It's what we hope for, plan for, program for, recruit for, market for, evaluate for, and pray for. It's maybe the one thing that aligns the entire outdoor ministry industry. We may not even define impact in the same way (fyi, we don't!). Yet, we're aligned in that our deepest foundational mission is to impact lives for the sake of the Gospel. So how d...

Season 4 of the Sacred Playgrounds Podcast is here! We're back behind the mic and behind the research for another season of camp-centric content focused on leaders like you. On this episode, we'll share a quick what-to-expect from this season, and then dive into what we learned through the Post-Summer Pulse Check survey we launched a few weeks ago. Plus, we've got a quick qamp quest...

finale {n.} the last and often climactic event or item in a sequence It's the last episode of season 3 of the Sacred Playgrounds Podcast! Whether it's your first time or you've been along for the ride since our first episode, thanks for listening! It's an honor, and a lot of fun, to talk camp with you and for you. On this episode, we'll run through our season 3 episodes wi...

On this episode, we're sharing the mic with a good friend and camp research colleague! We're deeply honored to chat with the Senior Director of Research and Education for the American Camp Association (ACA), Laurie Browne, PhD. Laurie joins us to unpack some key camp research learnings from the big picture at the ACA including important projects like the ACA Youth Impact Study , the Char...

Every now and then, I get a little bit restless And I dream of something wild - Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart" Eclipse week! Epic, singular experiences are our specialty at camp, and yet, how we prepare campers and families for integration of faith in the totality of life is the real heart of our ministry. On this episode, we'll hear the story of Jake and his family'...

It's launch week for Holy Ground 2024! It's no secret, so says the research, that summer staff are the heart of camping ministry. We know they need support, agency, and faithful community to thrive. That's why we constructed the Holy Ground summer staff guidebook for the third year. On this episode, we'll quickly share the what, how, and why of Holy Ground. Then, the heart of t...

Check! We're gearing up,  camp family! For many, it's time to begin forming our plans for staff training, even as we continue to recruit and hire staff. We're bringing you 8(+1) items on a summer staff training checklist to help you frame up a successful, impactful staff training experience that gets your summer staff well-equipped and wisely-prepared. Have an idea to add to this li...

We're constantly learning. Every season, we take care of each individual and/or group of camps we work with - creating reports, digging in with consults about the findings, and creating ways to help those insights tell stories. And, we take that data and compile it, looking at it from a higher level with richer numbers of responses. We do this to learn and identify trends across our broad out...

We're making a new friend in this episode as we talk with author Maria Warner who wrote a book all about her family's transformational experiences at family camp, a specialized kind of camp that can, as Maria passionately shares, help families thrive. Listen as we hear stories from the book and capture some of the secrets that make family camp work so well, and wonder what might be possi...

We're hitting rewind on an episode from last season where we broke down some of what we know about emerging adults today. Knowing who they are, what they care about, and what motivates them makes a big difference in how we connect and communicate with them, especially during the recruiting process. Rev. Anna Sorenson and I will bring some fresh context to this episode, answer a #QuickQampQues...

Camp staff outcomes align remarkably well with the top skills employers identify as most important for the 21st-century workforce, including teamwork, communication skills, leadership, and problem-solving. Being a member of a Christian summer camp staff builds vital skills needed for impactful careers and faithful lives. On this episode, we're breaking down 4 things camp builds in summer staf...

Happy New Year! We're back with our third annual New Year's Resolutions episode! We're sharing 5 fresh resolutions for sacred playgrounds like yours for 2024. Here's what you'll find: Build resumes Complete the circle Look to the stars Transition well Keep learning We'll also share a bit about what you can expect from our sacred playground in the year ahead, as we wor...

Merry Christmas from Sacred Playgrounds! Green beans and great songs and cookies and memories, these are a few of our favorite things! (Sing it or it doesn't count) On this episode, we share some favorite fun in an extended, Christmas-themed #QuickQampQuestion. AND, we'd like to hear yours.  Here's the list: Favorite Christmas song Favorite Christmas food Favorite Christmas traditio...