How to organize a day camp for children?

Summer vacation is a good time to organize day camps. As a church, we organize such camps annually to provide a useful and interesting time for children and adolescents in the localities where we operate. Below I will present the important steps for organizing a day camp.

Set the goal

The main purpose is to teach children thoroughly the Holy Scriptures so that they may come to know the Lord Jesus personally. It doesn’t make much sense to just give children a time of excitement and fun activities. These things can be found in other places, while the study of God’s Word, unfortunately, is seldom offered. That is why, in day camps, let us teach the children the Gospel. Plan the Bible study course that you will complete with the participants.

Gather the team of leaders – volunteers

This point is difficult if the church you belong to is a small one or does not have people who are able to teach others. Therefore, it is good for the organizer to invest in his personal team and, respectively, to plan in advance a period of training with volunteers. Such trainings are offered at the sessions of the Institute for Inductive Bible Study within the Precept mission, where workers who invest in raising and educating children are trained. However, in order not to miss this summer, invite a group of experienced leaders to organize Bible study camps in your locality, and those in your church can get involved in learning how to make a day camp. Write a message with all the details to info@precept.md and you will be contacted for help in this regard.

Plan all the details well

The Bible says:

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5 NASB)

At this stage it is important to involve all volunteers, so that everyone knows their place and role in the camp. Delegate responsibilities to trusted people. Don’t forget the financial aspect of the camp either. If you do not have the necessary resources for the camp, then think about what can be excluded from the camp budget, things you can do without, but in no case do not cut from the budget for Bible study materials, because you will miss the main purpose. The camp and the effort will not make much sense without the value that the Scriptures give.

Don’t be discouraged by hardships

Difficulties are not an indication that it is not the Lord’s will for the camp to take place. The will of the Lord is very clear, namely that:

Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:25-26 NASB)

Put it into action

Don’t let the intention stay at the level of plans. There are many who dream of doing something, but never achieve it, because they start working or planning, but do not set deadlines.

May the Lord bless all who want to organize day camps!

Transtaled by Didina Vicliuc