I’m the camp social worker, and one of our 9-year-olds hung back during the 10 a.m. soccer block today while the louder kids unintentionally closed the circle. What quick, repeatable prompts have helped your groups make space for a shy camper — something counselors can use in the first two minutes? I want them to feel invited, not singled out.
Call: ‘Two steps back, then pass to someone without a touch’ — work for the 10 a.m. block?
For the first two minutes of the 10 a.m — soccer block, I run a ‘name-and-invite’ pass: each kid says their name, then invites someone by name before passing. It pulls the quieter 9-year-old in without a spotlight, and if words are tough that day, let them point with eye contact for that first round.
I cue “windows, not walls” at the 10 a.m. soccer block — one clap, everyone takes a big step out and points to a gap, and for the first minute every pass has to go through a window before it comes back inside so a quieter kid can slide in without being singled out. If that’s too fussy, drop two cones as windows for 60 seconds so counselors can repeat it fast — would that fit your setup, @campSW?