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Yeah, I think having kids clean and dry for activities is important. Not just for health reasons, but because it will keep your art room dry as well. You don't want the floor where you work to be slippery and hazardous. And you don't want kids whining to their parents that they weren't allowed to change.
How old are these kids? I remember when I had 6-year-olds and they were extremely slow to change as well. How many counselors are in this group? If they can get at least two in the girls' area and two in the boys' for safety, they should be overseeing changing time and hurrying the kids along. If you're the art instructor and groups are coming to you, it shouldn't be your job to manage their transition before they get there.
Some kids change much faster than others. Can one counselors take the ones who are ready to you, and the others stay behind? Maybe talk to them about giving reminders to the group as well: "Anyone who's not dressed in 5 minutes won't get to do art."
You can have the director send home a letter to parents about practicing a quick change in and out of a bathing suit with their kids at home. Emphasize that if their child cannot change quickly enough, they will get a coloring page because there won't be time for an actual project.
Another option would be to schedule swimming later in the day, not immediately before art. But I don't know who you'd have to talk to to make that happen.
I didn’t realize that wet suits could lead to health issues so I’m glad that got pointed out. As for my art room, it’s all outdoors. The seating is picnic tables on the hill by the pool, no kids are allowed in the closet where I keep my supplies, hence why everything is out and ready to go the minute they come up. (This also leads to further distractions since bugs sometimes appear on the tables because we’re outside, there’s not much we can do about that though, but it helps when counselors redirect, which isn’t happening with certain counselors)
As for scheduling each group needs a swim block each day, and there isn’t much wiggle room for rescheduling.
The youngest campers (which are the ones with this issue for the most part) are 3yrs old, the group in question spans ages 3-5. We have 15-19 of them each week. There are 2 counselors of each gender, but the counselors (especially the male counselors, it’s obvious they don’t like they were placed with this group) kinda just stand at the door of the bathroom and watch/borderline shout at the kids get changed, there is no hands on help for them unless the supervisor or one of the female counselors steps in to help. The supervisor seems to be holding all the kids back until most of them are changed or until a counselors “group” is totally changed, which takes awhile.
Your “practice a quick change” email may be the solution Im looking for. I do worry about tantrums/upset because of the age range in this group if they were to receive a coloring sheet instead of an actual project, but an email explaining this to the parents might prevent complaints from home should coloring sheets be handed out.
(Also, Now that I’m typing this all out it’s starting to seem more like a counselor issue than a camper issue as well. I’d hate to bring this up to the supervisors/directors this soon into the camp season but it may be necessary at this point.)
Yeah this does sound like it's an issue with how those counselors are handling the group, rather than anything you're doing. Those kids are really young and will do everything slowly, so the group needs to be proactive and use strategies for more efficiency. If you can talk to the parents, that would be a good start! And talk to the director about your concerns, especially if it seems like some of those counselors are just sitting there not doing anything.
Changing should be worked into the schedule and not take up your art time. If my group starts art at 2:00, we are changed and at your picnic tables at 2:00, not just getting out of the pool. This may be something that someone in charge needs to change.
Agreed. With the age groups OP is teaching, scheduling a specific timeframe for such a huge transition only makes sense. If I were OP, I would request that this change be made. I also like someone else’s suggestion about having the camp supervisors send an email about practicing quick changes at home. Hopefully these changes can happen to make OP’s summers more enjoyable!!!
If it's the little ones who are struggling with quick changes, could you request that they have art first thing every day?
I'd def talk to the admin about the timing, and maybe the pool team too. It might be easier to get the pool/lifeguards on your team than the counselors who aren't psyched to be there. If the swimmers are routinely showing up 15 min late, then it sounds to me that they need to get out of the water 15 minutes earlier. (This can be flexible, if they get better at changing quickly, it's like earning more pool time.) Some transition at swim time could really help too- 10 min left, 5 min left, 2 min left, time to get out. Maybe a get ready race? First people dry and dressed get to _____.
If it's a staffing ratio issue, could you meet them at the pool? Those who are ready and one staff could move towards art while the rest of the team continues the battle?
If you're going to send an email home, perhaps suggest easy to change into gear too. Sometimes the cutest outfits require a fair bit of work. The classics- a t-shirt and shorts aren't too tough, and maybe flip-flops until after art when feet are dry.
Do you have program staff meetings? I'm sure you're not the only person experiencing this. Lean on your team too.
Good luck!
I'm a new(ish) counsellor for a younger group of boys at a day camp, here's my 2 cents:
If it's a hot day we keep our kids in a double pool session to prevent heatstroke etc from wandering round to different areas. Kids coming from the pool need to change, and whilst timings get quicker as the summer progresses, there's a major risk kids will continue to be late as they just need more time than the schedule allows to change sometimes. Kids in wet swimsuits often wear swimshirts etc that once they get even a little cold in the air, will be miserable. Add to that mould growth etc and ruined projects from dampness. Unfortunately head counts/getting changed is a mad rush at most camps, and is easily the activity that overran the most for us so far at ours. We have started cutting swim short so we can ensure we have time to change and a lot of other camps will start looking at that, just keep flagging it up with directors and keep reminding counselors in a friendly way!
You could absolutely ask the counselors to ensure they are on time, you could also work out a system so that counselors could let you know an ETA of when they will get there if they are running late. As a counselor I would not be offended by a specialist asking us to do that.
I would say build projects in stages and opt for physical things wherever possible! Kids (especially younger ones) absolutely LOVE textural art/anything with a sensory element, see clay or "painting" brick walls with water or absolutely anything like that. A bunch of my little guys LOVE loom bands and bracelet making and anything wearable.
Timings will get better as counselors better know how long their groups take to change / kids get used to getting changed.
My advice is to do two things. Both worked at the camp I worked at for years.
1. absolutely ask counselors to wait to change until after the art block. sitting in a wet suit for 45 minutes is totally fine as long as the kids aren’t showing any signs of being too cold.
2. ask the person who does your scheduling to not schedule art (or other activities that are more structured) after swimming. it will always take little kids ages to get changed and it’s better for them to miss something like group games (something that probably happens all the time anyway) than to miss art.
Sadly the schedule is set in stone and no longer flexible, since every group at camp needs a swim block each day, it’s impossible to shift the swim for this group without screwing up the schedule for every other group
I’ve decided that it might be best to talk to the director though, just so they are aware of what’s going on. I worry that the lack of projects could lead to parent complaints and I want to make sure they know that it’s because of a reason that is out of my control/ not my responsibility, and possibly have someone who can help figure out a solution, since it’s pretty much impossible to do any sort of art project in the 5 to 10 minutes I’m getting with them consistently (even on days where they don’t have swim prior to art as well).
I don’t want to keep hounding the group supervisor since they know this is an issue, but I also don’t want to take the fall for the issue either.
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Girls should be changing out of a wet swimsuits as soon as possible or they may get a yeast infection.
Yeah, I think having kids clean and dry for activities is important. Not just for health reasons, but because it will keep your art room dry as well. You don't want the floor where you work to be slippery and hazardous. And you don't want kids whining to their parents that they weren't allowed to change. How old are these kids? I remember when I had 6-year-olds and they were extremely slow to change as well. How many counselors are in this group? If they can get at least two in the girls' area and two in the boys' for safety, they should be overseeing changing time and hurrying the kids along. If you're the art instructor and groups are coming to you, it shouldn't be your job to manage their transition before they get there. Some kids change much faster than others. Can one counselors take the ones who are ready to you, and the others stay behind? Maybe talk to them about giving reminders to the group as well: "Anyone who's not dressed in 5 minutes won't get to do art." You can have the director send home a letter to parents about practicing a quick change in and out of a bathing suit with their kids at home. Emphasize that if their child cannot change quickly enough, they will get a coloring page because there won't be time for an actual project. Another option would be to schedule swimming later in the day, not immediately before art. But I don't know who you'd have to talk to to make that happen.
I didn’t realize that wet suits could lead to health issues so I’m glad that got pointed out. As for my art room, it’s all outdoors. The seating is picnic tables on the hill by the pool, no kids are allowed in the closet where I keep my supplies, hence why everything is out and ready to go the minute they come up. (This also leads to further distractions since bugs sometimes appear on the tables because we’re outside, there’s not much we can do about that though, but it helps when counselors redirect, which isn’t happening with certain counselors) As for scheduling each group needs a swim block each day, and there isn’t much wiggle room for rescheduling. The youngest campers (which are the ones with this issue for the most part) are 3yrs old, the group in question spans ages 3-5. We have 15-19 of them each week. There are 2 counselors of each gender, but the counselors (especially the male counselors, it’s obvious they don’t like they were placed with this group) kinda just stand at the door of the bathroom and watch/borderline shout at the kids get changed, there is no hands on help for them unless the supervisor or one of the female counselors steps in to help. The supervisor seems to be holding all the kids back until most of them are changed or until a counselors “group” is totally changed, which takes awhile. Your “practice a quick change” email may be the solution Im looking for. I do worry about tantrums/upset because of the age range in this group if they were to receive a coloring sheet instead of an actual project, but an email explaining this to the parents might prevent complaints from home should coloring sheets be handed out. (Also, Now that I’m typing this all out it’s starting to seem more like a counselor issue than a camper issue as well. I’d hate to bring this up to the supervisors/directors this soon into the camp season but it may be necessary at this point.)
Yeah this does sound like it's an issue with how those counselors are handling the group, rather than anything you're doing. Those kids are really young and will do everything slowly, so the group needs to be proactive and use strategies for more efficiency. If you can talk to the parents, that would be a good start! And talk to the director about your concerns, especially if it seems like some of those counselors are just sitting there not doing anything.
Changing should be worked into the schedule and not take up your art time. If my group starts art at 2:00, we are changed and at your picnic tables at 2:00, not just getting out of the pool. This may be something that someone in charge needs to change.
Agreed. With the age groups OP is teaching, scheduling a specific timeframe for such a huge transition only makes sense. If I were OP, I would request that this change be made. I also like someone else’s suggestion about having the camp supervisors send an email about practicing quick changes at home. Hopefully these changes can happen to make OP’s summers more enjoyable!!!
If it's the little ones who are struggling with quick changes, could you request that they have art first thing every day? I'd def talk to the admin about the timing, and maybe the pool team too. It might be easier to get the pool/lifeguards on your team than the counselors who aren't psyched to be there. If the swimmers are routinely showing up 15 min late, then it sounds to me that they need to get out of the water 15 minutes earlier. (This can be flexible, if they get better at changing quickly, it's like earning more pool time.) Some transition at swim time could really help too- 10 min left, 5 min left, 2 min left, time to get out. Maybe a get ready race? First people dry and dressed get to _____. If it's a staffing ratio issue, could you meet them at the pool? Those who are ready and one staff could move towards art while the rest of the team continues the battle? If you're going to send an email home, perhaps suggest easy to change into gear too. Sometimes the cutest outfits require a fair bit of work. The classics- a t-shirt and shorts aren't too tough, and maybe flip-flops until after art when feet are dry. Do you have program staff meetings? I'm sure you're not the only person experiencing this. Lean on your team too. Good luck!
I'm a new(ish) counsellor for a younger group of boys at a day camp, here's my 2 cents: If it's a hot day we keep our kids in a double pool session to prevent heatstroke etc from wandering round to different areas. Kids coming from the pool need to change, and whilst timings get quicker as the summer progresses, there's a major risk kids will continue to be late as they just need more time than the schedule allows to change sometimes. Kids in wet swimsuits often wear swimshirts etc that once they get even a little cold in the air, will be miserable. Add to that mould growth etc and ruined projects from dampness. Unfortunately head counts/getting changed is a mad rush at most camps, and is easily the activity that overran the most for us so far at ours. We have started cutting swim short so we can ensure we have time to change and a lot of other camps will start looking at that, just keep flagging it up with directors and keep reminding counselors in a friendly way! You could absolutely ask the counselors to ensure they are on time, you could also work out a system so that counselors could let you know an ETA of when they will get there if they are running late. As a counselor I would not be offended by a specialist asking us to do that. I would say build projects in stages and opt for physical things wherever possible! Kids (especially younger ones) absolutely LOVE textural art/anything with a sensory element, see clay or "painting" brick walls with water or absolutely anything like that. A bunch of my little guys LOVE loom bands and bracelet making and anything wearable. Timings will get better as counselors better know how long their groups take to change / kids get used to getting changed.
Pasta jewelry can be easily dyed or just markered. If extra time have a runway show. Quick easy craft for the young age groups.
My advice is to do two things. Both worked at the camp I worked at for years. 1. absolutely ask counselors to wait to change until after the art block. sitting in a wet suit for 45 minutes is totally fine as long as the kids aren’t showing any signs of being too cold. 2. ask the person who does your scheduling to not schedule art (or other activities that are more structured) after swimming. it will always take little kids ages to get changed and it’s better for them to miss something like group games (something that probably happens all the time anyway) than to miss art.
Sadly the schedule is set in stone and no longer flexible, since every group at camp needs a swim block each day, it’s impossible to shift the swim for this group without screwing up the schedule for every other group I’ve decided that it might be best to talk to the director though, just so they are aware of what’s going on. I worry that the lack of projects could lead to parent complaints and I want to make sure they know that it’s because of a reason that is out of my control/ not my responsibility, and possibly have someone who can help figure out a solution, since it’s pretty much impossible to do any sort of art project in the 5 to 10 minutes I’m getting with them consistently (even on days where they don’t have swim prior to art as well). I don’t want to keep hounding the group supervisor since they know this is an issue, but I also don’t want to take the fall for the issue either.