Junior Summer Camp Instructor Professional / Summer Camp Instructor Associate

As a Junior Summer Camp Instructor, you're leading activities and managing groups of kids all day, every day. You might be teaching swim lessons in the morning, leading a nature hike after lunch, running arts and crafts, organizing group games, and managing cabin or group dynamics. At the junior level, you're often assigned a specific age group or activity area, learning to keep kids engaged and safe while more experienced staff handle program planning and parent communication.

The work is intensely social and physically demanding. You're on your feet all day, projecting energy even when you're exhausted, managing behavior and conflicts, ensuring safety, and making sure every kid feels included. The ratio of planning to execution is low — you might prepare an activity for an hour only to have kids lose interest in ten minutes, requiring improvisation. You live and work in the same place during camp sessions, which means limited personal time and boundaries.

The hardest part is the emotional and physical exhaustion combined with constant vigilance. Kids test boundaries, get homesick, fight with each other, and require relentless attention and energy. You're responsible for their safety and wellbeing every moment, which creates real pressure. People who thrive here genuinely love working with kids — they find the chaos and unpredictability energizing rather than draining, and they can handle being constantly needed.