Activity Specialists Make a Better Summer Camp Experience For Kids
When choosing a sleepaway camp, one important difference parents may not immediately notice is how counselors are hired and trained. While many camps employ general counselors who rotate with campers through daily activities, Adirondack Camp, one of the best coed sleepaway camps in the US, invests in staff who both live with campers in a cabin and teach what they truly love. This approach creates stronger instruction, deeper engagement, and a more rewarding camp experience for kids.
Why Activity Specialists Create Deeper Skill Development
At ADK, we hire for activities first. Our counselors come with relevant experience, qualifications, and, just as importantly, a genuine passion for what they teach. Whether it’s sailing, kayaking, wakeboarding, or rock climbing, campers are learning from people who truly love their craft. Because our campers choose their own weekly activity schedules, they spend time doing what excites them most. That choice, paired with knowledgeable instructors, creates a powerful motivation. Campers often don’t just try an activity once, they build skills over time, week over week and even summer over summer, progressing from beginner to advanced levels with consistent guidance and encouragement.
How Camper Choice and Expert Instruction Build Confidence
Our activity program is built around long-term skill development, not just one-off experiences (although a one-off is okay too sometimes!). Campers work with the same instructors week after week, allowing counselors to understand each child’s abilities, challenges, and goals. And they get to know each other better too and build deeper connections! This continuity makes a real difference. Children have consisten advocates in their activity instruction, see measurable improvement, gain confidence, and learn the value of persistence. Improving their skills in activities also counts towards points for their color war team, adding another layer of incentive for campers. ADK also offers the chance for many to take their skills beyond the peninsula like kayaking on real whitewater rivers, climbing on natural rock walls, or canoeing in other parts of the Adirondacks, led by counselors trained and competent in these settings.
Training, Mentorship, and Safety: What Parents Should Look For
Our specialization is reinforced through extensive training, mentorship, and certification. Many of our activity staff, and all wilderness trip leaders, hold Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certifications. Most waterfront staff are Red Cross Lifeguard certified, with additional credentials for other staff in CPR, boating safety, and climbing safety. We also benefit from an exceptional group of Senior Mentors who return year after year to Adirondack Camp. Experts like Damien (wakeboarding), Viveka (fencing), Ron (archery), Sandy and Frank (kayaking), Peter (canoeing), and Clint (rock climbing and staff certifications) bring decades of experience and elevate both counselor training and camper instruction throughout the summer. This layered approach of passionate staff, strong and relevant certifications, and seasoned mentorship ensures campers are always learning, growing, and being safely challenged.
Choosing a camp with specific activity counselors means choosing depth over surface-level exposure. It means your child learns from people who are invested, experienced, and excited to teach, while also forming close bonds with counselors who live alongside them every day. At Adirondack Camp, this model creates an experience where kids don’t just try things — they grow into them and become masters. Skills deepen, confidence builds, and each summer becomes all that more meaningful.
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