Running an Effective Camp

Proper Communication of Camp Goals

Often, facilitators are unsure how to describe the Anywear Academy in course catalogues and camp advertisements. When the camp is described as simply a coding class, students can be discouraged from taking it or might sign up expecting a more traditional experience.

The power of this camp is from subconscious learning, where a student will embrace the roleplay experience and end up learning something along the way. It is an incredibly effective way to encourage students who would normally write it off, but only if this aspect is broadcasted and emphasized.

Facilitators should make sure to convey that roleplay and enjoyment are the forefront of the experience, and that the learning will be alongside these things. Neither should be elevated above the other, for fear of turning away children who might otherwise enjoy the camp.

For example, kids without prior interest in programming wouldn't be taken by the description of a coding camp, but might be intrigued by pretending to be a superhero. Those who sign up expecting a class that will teach them to make video games might be disappointed that the end result isn't a game.

Giving the Camp Proper Resources

The Anywear Academy is incredibly flexible, and can theoretically be run with a variety of people or time. However, to allow the camp to be properly effective, certain allowances should be made.

Running the camp with the appropriate amount of people, shown here, is incredibly important to allow proper enjoyment for the kids. Attempting to do everything alone can overwhelm the facilitator, and lead to a more negative experience for campers.

Allowing proper time for roleplay, learning, and bonding is critical for the camp's effectiveness. Additionally, making sure campers have not already come from another high-intensity learning experience (school, another camp, etc) is beneficial for them. It is recommended that this program runs over weekends, or on weekdays without school, for at least 3 hours per day.

Keeping a consistent group ensures camper bonding. If player attendance is sporadic, maintaining roleplay is much more difficult not only for the campers, but the facilitator as well.

Making the Camp Original

The Anywear Academy is incredibly flexible, and as such, can be customized to better suit the enjoyment of campers. For instance, if an inside joke arises about a certain location or event, work it into the story! After all, the story of the academy is much more engaging if the campers can affect it!

Managing Time

The battle between letting campers make their own experience and staying on track for missions can be difficult even for experienced facilitators. The key to this is to gently redirect play, and encourage campers to complete their mission in a relative timeframe. The following tools are all to be used for gently redirecting play without taking power away from campers.

• Create an in-game reason why a time limit might exist. For example, the fairy queen only has so much longer before she needs to leave for an important meeting. Metro city could be having a festival in only an hour and a half, and campers must finish before the timer goes off.

• If campers are confused or lost, having a facilitator provide subtle hints in-character as to how to continue can reengage campers. Sometimes, only a small link is missing in a chain of thought.

• If campers are distracted, removing the distraction might be necessary. This could mean handling an unruly camper, or perhaps a character reiterating that the timer is counting down.