Appearance & Presentation
What is the primary reason for having a staff dress code?
To ensure staff are easily identifiable with campers, guardians and public.
Campers start jokingly calling you names like mommy and baby and say they love you in a baby voice. How can you set an appropriate boundary?
Acknowledge the comments, be firm in your boundary, but redirect the conversation/play. If it continues, loop in a supervisor and/or document.
Example: Say something like "I'm glad we can have fun together at camp. I don't really like this game we're playing. I want to be called by my name _____. Would you like to play with the blocks over here with me and Tom?"
A child has deliberately walked away from the group throughout your time at Iroquois Park and is imposing a safety risk. This is an unusual and new behaviour for the child. What form should you fill out?
Behaviour report. Inform supervisor and parents.
At pick up, a parent asks how their child's day was. What is the best way to respond?
A) Say they had a good day and proceed with sign out.
B) Share specific examples of their participation and share honest feedback while keeping it positive.
C) Say they had a tough day and share examples of what you did to correct the behaviour.
B) Share specific examples of their participation and share honest feedback while keeping it positive. Example:
Timmy had lots of fun playing with the Lego today. He had a bit of a challenge waiting his turn for the swing while on the playground but it quickly resolved when a leader stepped in to work through the disagreement and they went back to playing. Timmy seemed to really enjoy the animal craft this afternoon.
Is it appropriate to ask your coworker about their weekend during camp hours?
Yes- to an extent ;)
Absolutely okay to engage in conversation at work, but be sure to keep the topics work appropriate and professional. This should also not interfere with engagement and supervision of children!
Why should staff and campers avoid perfume/cologne or other scented products at camp?
Because it can cause allergic reactions, and be overwhelming to participants/bystanders in group settings.
Why is kneeling down to a campers eye level effective during conversation?
It shows respect, reduces intimidation and helps children feel heard.
Are cell phones permitted to be used during offsite activities?
Yes, staff can use their cell phones to contact supervisors especially if you are offsite. Radios may not work depending on the location, so cell phones may be your best bet in an emergency or means of communication.
It's bright and early Friday morning and you are subbing for the leader. A parent asks about an incident you weren't told about. What is the best course of action?
Refer them to the assistant that was present during the incident. If they were not, refer them to your supervisor whom will have the incident report readily available.
True or False:
Staff are permitted to sit in the hot tub or in the seating area during pool days.
False!!!
Staff should be in the pool engaging with campers, unless otherwise disclosed with supervisors in advance. This is due to safety of campers as well as pool ratios for children under the age of 7.
You're scheduled to hit the pool this afternoon at camp, but you've forgotten a swim suit. What professionalism issue does this highlight?
Improper attire and lack of preparedness. Both compromise safety and professionalism.
You’re leading an early years program when a 4-year-old falls and scrapes their knee. They begin crying and, when you kneel down to comfort them, they reach in for a hug. Is it appropriate to respond with a hug back while at work?
In this situation, given the child is young, seeking comfort and initiated the hug, it can be appropriate.
If the child were older, it can be best to offer a side hug, hand on shoulder or comforting words to soothe the child. Always ensure side hugs are brief to best respect personal boundaries, and the child is initiating. Staff should prioritize childs' emotional safety while maintaining professional standards.
What are a few protocols when transitioning campers between program areas? (ie. playground to pool)
headcounts, attendance, collecting trash/belongings.
A parent begins complaining about an issue in front of other campers and staff. How should you respond?
Politely continue the conversation in private, listen actively to their concerns and refer to a supervisor if necessary. Your reaction sets a tone, builds trust and shows you're capable of handling concerns responsibly and respectfully.
A camper is speaking to you, but you're busy checking a meme your friend texted you. What message does this send?
You're not listening, you don't care about the camper and it ultimately breaks trust.
A coworker frequently shows up looking disheveled and smells of body odour. Campers are starting to notice. What should you do?
Approach them privately and empathetically or bring it to a supervisor's attention if needed. It impacts the teams professionalism after all.
Campers are constantly climbing on you, hanging off your neck, arms and legs. They are enjoying roughhousing and physical play. Is this an appropriate way to engage with campers?
No, this is not appropriate engagement while working with children. Allowing campers to climb on you crosses professional boundaries, poses safety risks and can create unequal and uncomfortable dynamics with other campers.
You realized you made a mistake on an incident report the other day. What is the most professional way to handle the mistake?
Inform your supervisor, correct the report honestly, and ensure accurate documentation. Resubmit to your supervisor.
A parent has consistently arrived 5-10 minutes late for pick up 2 days in a row, causing you to stay past your shift, despite mentioning the pick up times and the penalty for late pick ups. What is your course of action?
Inform supervisor. Re-explain the policy re: $15/5 minutes parents are late. Explain this puts staff into over time and inform the parent a supervisor will be reaching out to them regarding this.
You're having freeplay at the playground with another camp. All the leaders are standing in a circle chit chatting. Why is this considered unprofessional?
No direct supervision and increases risk of incident/accident. Shows the children you don't care to engage with them. :(
You love expressing your personality through bold statements like coloured hair and makeup. You have a few tattoos on your arms and have several ear piercings, but you're not sure how it aligns with your camps tone. How can you balance self-expression with the camps expectations for professional appearance?
Camp is about individuality and leadership! We hired you for a reason- not because of your appearance. On top of ensuring you're wearing your camp uniform and have a clean appearance, you're welcome to wear accessories that spark connection with campers such as fun socks, bracelets, earrings, pins, without distracting from your role.
IE: Showing up ready to work, clean and dressed in a way that supports your responsibilities and respects community standards is all we care about!
You're an inclusion worker at camp. You're feeling overwhelmed managing a campers behaviour. Patience is wearing thin. What is the professional course of action.
Ask for support from another leader or supervisor. Take a break to recollect yourself. It is important to prioritize camper and your safety and reacting emotionally will not help the case.
You're at a playground and you encounter a stranger engaging with a group of campers. How can you professionally address this safety concern to the stranger?
Politely inform the individual that we are a summer camp group and we strongly encourage our campers not to interact with strangers under any circumstances. Thank the individual for their understanding. Remove children from the area. If this continues, leave the area, incident report and contact supervisor/non emergency.
A parent asks you questions about another campers behaviour and says they are a "troublemaker". They want to know why their child keeps mentioning stories about poor behaviour. The parent asks why the child is still permitted to attend camp with all these instances. What should you do?
State you are sorry to hear their child is feeling concerned about another camper. State you are aware of this child, but cannot share information about other children. Then, redirect to focus on their own childs experience.
It's July 2nd and you've just been invited to Sunfest over the August long weekend — Bailey Zimmerman is headlining, and you're thrilled to go. However, you didn’t request the time off during your interview or in your availability form, and the schedule has already been made. What is the most professional and responsible course of action?
Speak with your supervisor as soon as possible, acknowledge that it’s a late request, and understand time off may not be granted due to fairness and staffing needs. Arrange coverage, and explain in detail the activities planned for the days requested off.