At Cub Creek our campers are aged 7-17 - this is a big range! As you can imagine teaching a class to our youngest campers is much different to teaching our oldest. Having an understanding of typical physical, social, emotional, and intellectual traits of different ages will help you to understand their behavior and better meet camper needs.
We classify campers as either a Junior or Senior. Juniors are ages 7-11, while seniors are 12-17. Cabins are also arranged by age, with most having campers that are the same age or just a year or two older or younger. While you may be placed in a cabin with a specific age, it is important to understand how to interact with, give directions, and understand behaviors of all age groups.
Physical
Steady increases in large-muscle development
Increasing strength, balance and coordination
Displays boundless energy, often relentless and fidgety
Boys are slower to mature
Social
Sees adults as authority
Follows rules out of respect for authority
Displays noisy and argumentative behaviors at times
Displays humorous behavior
Emotional
Accepts parent/family beliefs
Admires and imitates older children
Develops decision making skills
Looks to adults for guidance and approval
Needs recognition/ praise for good work
Is self-conscious, afraid to fail, sensitive to criticism
Responds to being upset by name-calling and teasing others
Intellectual
Becomes quick, eager and enthusiastic
Varies greatly in academic abilities, interests and reasoning skills
Increases attention span but interests changing rapidly
Begins to think logically and symbolically
Wants to know the how, what, and why of things; extremely curious
Sees things as "black and white" and "yes or no"
Special Considerations for Activities:
Organize large and small group games and sports where everyone can be successful
Working in groups in cooperative activities
Exploring interests in collections and hobbies
Discussing reasonable explanations for rules and decisions
Hands-on activities
Making and doing "real" things and using "real" tools
Physical
Changes rapidly in physical appearance
Experiments with behavior to enhance sensory stimulation (e.g. drug and alcohol use)
Loves food
Social
Looks more towards peers than parents, seek peer recognition
Seeks acceptance and trust; lacks self-confidence
Searches for adult role-models, and often identify with admired adult appearance and mannerisms
Questions authority and family values
Joins friendship groups or cliques that are often small but intense
Emotional
Compares self to others
Shows concern about development and emerging sexuality
Is uneasy about being liked by friends, social graces, grooming
Strives for independence, yet want and need parent help
Wants to be part of something important
Exaggerates and uses sarcasm to describe subtle meanings
Intellectual
Needs information for making decisions
Finds justice and equality to be important issues
Thinks abstractly and hypothetically
Imagines consequences of acts
Is ready for in-depth, long-term experiences
Special Considerations for Activities:
More structured and adult-like activities
Complete projects - emphasis on precision and prefecting
Making Decisions
Fun, learning experiences
Physical
Is concerned about body image
Discovers various ranges in size and maturity among peers
Desires to do things that give an adrenaline rush, or the extraordinary
Has varying appetite and weight issues
Social
Has high degree of social needs and desires
Shows interest in coed activities
Beginning to achieve independence from family
Prefers to set own goals rather than accept those set by others
Accepting of differences more readily
Makes and keeps commitments
Wants adult leadership roles
Emotional
Has strong identification with admired adult
Desires respect
Begins to accept and enjoy own individuality, but still seek status and approval of peer group
Is introspective
Is able to initiate and carry out own tasks without supervision of others
Intellectual
Begins to think of occupational choices
Wants point of view heard and to participate in planning
Enjoys demonstrating acquired knowledge
Thinks abstractly
Will lose patience with meaningless activity
Special Considerations for Activities:
Be part of the decision-making process
Show and value their individual differences
Take on responsibility for others
Apply leadership skills
Demonstrate self-expression
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Think back to a time when you were 9, 12 and 15 years old...
Where did you go to school? Who was one of your teachers?
What did your room look like?
Who was your best friend?
What style of clothing did you wear?
What did you do after school or on Saturdays?
What was your favorite TV show?
What kind of music did you listen to?
What was a favorite 'toy' you had?
What 'gadget' was technologically advanced at that time?
Who was your hero?
What kind of relationships did you have with your parents?
What is your worst memory at this age?
What is your memory of this age?
Next: Managing Camper Behavior