Promoting attendance for Scout camp in 2025 requires a multi-faceted approach that speaks directly to the key decision makers: parents, Scouts, and unit leaders. Or to use 2025 vernacular these are the “influencers”.  

Tailoring promotional strategies to the unique interests and concerns of each group will help your council and camp leadership spark excitement, ease concerns, and generate enthusiasm. Whether through engaging social media campaigns, informative parent outreach, or incentives for unit leaders, these 50 ideas offer a variety of creative ways to ensure Scouts experience the adventure, growth, and fun that Scout camp has to offer. Here’s a list of strategies to help boost your camp’s attendance and create lasting memories for Scouts in 2025. Have another idea to add to the list? Suggest it in the comments! 

Promoting to Parents: 

1. Parent Camp Tours: Offer open house days for parents to visit the camp and see the facilities. Be intentional about marketing this open house direct to parents. 
2. Camp Testimonials: Share stories from parents whose children benefited you’re your Scout camp in previous years. ]
3. Safety Information Sessions: Host webinars or meetings addressing parents’ concerns about camp safety. Many new parents do not know about HOW we build safe camp programs. Think of it – NCAP is a sales tool! 
4. Parent-Specific Emails: Send tailored emails focusing on what parents care about—safety, skill-building, leadership and character development. Remember that data we presented last fall? If not – check out that recording here.  
5. Cost-Benefit Highlight: Create clear comparisons of camp costs versus the personal growth and value gained by their child. Talk about the value of some of the merit badges your camp offers as a part of their child’s camp experience ROI.  
6. Scholarship/Financial Aid Info: Provide details about available financial aid or camperships to help alleviate cost concerns. Not every unit shares this information directly with the parents in their unit.  
7. Progress Updates: Share stories or photos of campers’ achievements throughout the camp experience. We are constantly selling camp – even during camp! 
8. Family Discounts: Offer incentives for multiple children from the same family attending. As a mother of twin Scouts BSA boys myself, even just $10-$20 off, makes a difference. 
9. Camp Packing Guides: Offer simple and helpful guides for preparing for camp, reducing the stress for parents. A “Leader’s Guide” is great for unit leaders but can overwhelm a parent. Consider an appendix that is all the information a parent needs to know that their unit leader can share with them directly and/or post it on your camp’s website. 
10. Engaging Social Media Content: Post videos on social media showcasing the fun, adventurous aspects of camp that appeal to parents. 
11. Parent Camp Webinars: Run virtual Q&A sessions with camp directors for parents. People want to put a name and a face on the people responsible for their children. 
12. Parent Alumni Networks: Encourage parents who are former campers to share their own positive experiences with new parents. Hey there’s even an NCAP experience about camp alumni (see NCAP RP-161).  
13. Highlight Camp’s Educational Value: Emphasize how the camp experience complements school by fostering skills like teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. Building these “21st Century Skills” is another way Scouting helps partner with parents. 
14. Safety and Medical Care Transparency: Clearly explain medical and safety protocols, staff qualifications, and emergency procedures. Wait NCAP is a sales tool? Yes! 
15. First-Time Camper Orientation for Parents: Offer sessions where parents can learn what their child will experience. This is especially important for Scouts who just crossed over from their Arrow of Light den/patrol.  
16. Parent Engagement Activities: Introduce events where parents can join in, like family camp weekends or parent-camper competitions.  
17. Letters Home Program: Encourage parents to receive periodic letters from their kids to track progress. Teaching kids to write a letter is a cool skill (and hey it could be a postcard or even an email!).  
18. Online Photo Galleries: Post photos and updates from camp regularly for parents to follow. This is the Instagram generation. They love to see THEIR kids in action. 
19. Transportation Options: Provide transportation information or shuttle services to make it easier for parents to send their kids if you offer “provisional” programs. 
20. Testimonials from Experts: Feature endorsements from local educators or experts about the benefits of camp experiences – especially your specific camp experience. Have a member of your board from your local School programs? Ask them to attend and then write a testimonial! 

Promoting to Scouts: 

Ok it can be tricky to connect directly with Scouts but don’t underestimate the peer-to-peer marketing opportunities. This could also be a great way to engage your Order of the Arrow lodge. 

21. Adventure Teasers: Send short, exciting video clips or pictures of camp activities like zip-lining, swimming, or archery. 

22. Social Media Challenges: Run social media challenges where Scouts can earn rewards by posting about what they are excited for. 

23. Exclusive Patches or Swag: Offer limited-edition camp patches or merchandise to those who sign up early. 

24. Personalized Invitations: Send custom postcards or emails to Scouts, highlighting the fun activities planned for camp. Who doesn’t love mail? Especially a generation who never gets mail?! 

25. Camp Story Contests: Ask Scouts who have attended previously to share their favorite camp stories with prizes for the best ones. Our best salespeople are our Scouts! 

26. Scout-Specific Emails: Send fun, activity-focused emails directly to Scouts with sneak peeks of new camp programs. Send it to their parents and tell them to share with their Scout! 

27. Peer Influencers: Recruit older Scouts or staff members to share why they love camp and mentor younger Scouts. 

28. Camper Countdown: Send regular countdowns to Scouts, building excitement as camp approaches. 

29. Outdoor Skill Demos: Hold local demonstrations of outdoor skills or other fun camp activities, where Scouts can experience a taste of camp. 

30. Special Events for Returning Scouts: Create exclusive programs or events for Scouts returning for another year. Camper retention is critical! Hey, wait there is an NCAP standard for that too! (see NCAP RP-160).  

31. Camp-Themed Scout Meetings: Incorporate camp-themed activities or challenges into troop meetings to build excitement. Encourage your camp staff to visit troops! 

32. Specialty Camps Promotion: Highlight niche or specialty camps (like wilderness survival, range and target activities, or aquatics) to appeal to Scouts’ specific interests. 

33. “Bring a Buddy” Discount: Encourage Scouts to sign up with a friend by offering both of them a discount if they register together, making camp more fun and accessible. 

34. Scout Vlogs: Ask Scouts to create short vlogs about their camp experiences to share with others. 

35. Create Fun Challenges: Offer fun summer challenges like “Best Camper Prep” or “Most Creative Packing,” with recognition at camp. 

36. Camp Talent Show Teasers: Promote camp traditions like talent shows or camp wide games, where Scouts can showcase their skills. 

37. Camp Reunion Events: Hold local “mini-camp” day events for Scouts who’ve already attended, sharing their enthusiasm with new Scouts. 

38. Countdown Chain Activity: Give Scouts a printable countdown chain to mark the days until camp. 

39. Highlight High-Adventure Opportunities: Showcase the “extreme” adventures only available at your camp, like rock climbing or whitewater rafting. 

40. Early Bird Registration Bonuses: Offer early sign-up bonuses like a free t-shirt or camp sticker. Water bottle stickers are a great collectible!  

Promoting to Unit Leaders: 

41. Leader Camp Planning Guide: Provide unit leaders with a detailed guide for planning their unit’s camp experience but not just what to expect at camp but also WHY to sign up for your camp. Consider length. No one has time to read 112 pages. 

42. Incentives for Full Troop Participation: Offer discounts or recognition for troops that send a full or percentage of their troop roster of Scouts to camp. 

43. Leader Pre-Camp Orientation: Provide a pre-camp orientation where unit leaders can ask questions and get tips for a successful camp. Hey there’s an NCAP standard about this too! (See NCAP PD-108).  

44. Leader Recognition Programs: Offer special awards or recognition for unit leaders who promote camp and achieve high participation. And there is an NCAP standard for this too (anyone else seeing a pattern here?). See NCAP RP-160. 

45. Campsite Loyalty Programs: Offer the chance for units to reserve their preferred campsite for future years if they attend consecutively. 

46. Commissioner Outreach: Have local Scouting commissioners personally reach out to unit leaders to encourage camp attendance. Especially units who haven’t attended your council camp in a couple of years but especially a troop who hasn’t attended any camp.  \

47. Leader Testimonials: Share testimonials from leaders about how camp has benefited their units and the Scouts they lead. 

48. Exclusive Leader Trainings: Offer special leadership training courses or certifications for unit leaders attending camp. Hey, let’s just make this a pattern… see NCAP standard RP-153. 

49. Unit Competition Teasers: Promote inter-unit competitions or challenges, where leaders and their Scouts can compete, which is always a highlight for the week. 

50. Promotional Materials Kits: Provide unit leaders with a ready-made promotional kit (posters, videos, flyers) to help them promote camp to their Scouts.  Something simple they can send and give to parents. Multiple times! 

The updated Cub Scout program has a significant new number of outdoor focused adventures that can be a great addition to your district or council event. We will continue to highlight these new outdoor focused Cub Scout adventures over the coming months. Have a great idea? Submit it to outdoorprograms@scouting.org and we would love to feature it on an upcoming blog! 

Knife Safety 

One of the highlights of the Cub Scout experience has been the Bear Claws Adventure and the Whittling Chip program where Cub Scouts are introduced to pocketknife safety. The updated Cub Scouting program now includes elective adventures centered around knife safety for Bears, Webelos and Arrow of Light!  

• Note to use a knife in Cub Scouting, the Cub Scout must first complete the knife safety Adventure for their rank, even if they earned the knife safety adventure in a previous rank.  This replaces the Whittling Chip and introduces continuous certification for the use of a knife. 

• Consider hosting an activity during a council or district event that showcases the new knife safety adventures for each rank. For example, you could have an adult showcase to a group of Webelos Scouts how to choose a correct cooking knife, and then learn to slice, chop and then mince. They could even use the items they chopped in a cooking recipe to cook a portion of a meal or for a snack. 

Boating 

Boating adventures are available for Bears, Webelos, and Arrow of Light. These new adventures provide Cub Scouts the opportunity to use a canoe, kayak or stand-up paddleboard.   

• Encourage district and council event planners to offer boating during district and council events to assist packs with earning elective adventures.   

• Partner with local marinas or boating clubs to offer hands-on experience days give Cub Scouts a chance to paddle.  

• Include opportunities for the Cub Scouts to learn about different types of life jackets, how to properly fit them, and why they are essential. Include interactive demonstrations showing how life jackets keep you afloat and the importance of always wearing them while on the water. 

• Note the boating adventures require Cub Scouts to pass the BSA swimmer test before beginning the rest of the adventure requirements. However, not qualifying as a “swimmer” during the swim test does not mean a Cub Scout cannot go boating for fun. It simply means they cannot earn their boating elective adventure yet. For example, a Bear Scout can still canoe during an activity if they adhere to current aquatics guidelines, however, to earn the Cub Scout Adventure Bears Afloat, they must first pass the swimmer test. 

Camp has just ended it seems and already you know it is time to begin the process of hiring your staff for next season. Hiring the right staff is one of the most important things for you to do to ensure your camp’s success. With camp staff directly interacting with Scouts and adult leaders, staff members need to embody the camp’s values, be responsible, and work well in team environments. Let’s take a few moments to look at some techniques as you begin to interview and hire your staff for the next season. Also – register for our webinar on November 14th and learn more how to navigate the legal requirements of hiring camp staff.  

Key Interview Techniques 

1. Structured Interviews
   Summer camp staff is a “real job” and as such it requires you to think about it in that manner. This begins with your hiring and interview process. A structured interview shows that you are serious about the role of a camp staff member and shows you value the employee. This means asking each potential staff member the same set of questions to ensure you can evaluate them objectively. Begin with warm-up questions to make the interviewee feel comfortable and relaxed.

• Example questions: 

• “Why are you interested in working at camp this season?” 

• “Can you tell me about a time you were part of a successful team and what role you played?” 

Your goal in these questions is to get to know the Scout a bit and learn more about their motivation for wanting to work on your camp staff.  

2. Behavioral Interviews
   They say that past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. This is why we use behavioral questions in our interviews. Behavioral interview questions focus on past experiences, to help provide insight into how a potential staff member might behave in a similar situation in the future. This is especially important for camp staff, who will often face challenging, high-energy situations.

• Example questions: 

• “Describe a situation where you had to manage a group of Scouts. How did you handle it? What was the hardest part?” 

• “Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem under pressure. How did you go about it?” 

The goal of these questions is to evaluate how the staff member thinks about situations. These questions are even more important for your leadership team or area directors as you determine who should be the leaders of your camp.   

3. Scenario-Based Questions
   These help assess how a potential staff member might handle camp-specific challenges. These can test problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills.

• Example questions: 

• “What would you do if two Scouts had an argument during an activity?” 

• “How would you manage a Scout who refuses to participate in the merit badge discussion?” 

• “What would you do if a Scout attended your merit badge session each day but was not able to complete the requirements?” 

The goal of these questions is to put the potential staff member in real life situations and ask them to evaluate how they would respond. These questions help you understand their thought process and how they would handle these situations.  

4. Follow-up Questions
   Encourage the potential staff member to expand on their responses with follow-up questions. This allows you to assess their thought processes more deeply.

• Example follow-ups: 

• “Why did you choose that approach?” 

• “If you could go back, would you do anything differently?” 

These questions are best used when a response is not exactly what you were expecting or when you need some more clarification.  

Reminder…What Not To Ask… 

In asking any questions, remember there are several types of questions that you may not ask.  

These include: 

• Questions about age  

• Questions about race, nationality or ethnicity 

• Questions about gender or sexual orientation 

• Questions about religion 

• Questions about disability or health 

• Etc.  

You can find more information about these at the EEOC website https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/small-business/what-shouldnt-i-ask-when-hiring   

Hiring 15-Year-Olds: Federal Legal Considerations 

When hiring minors, particularly those under 16, there are specific federal regulations to consider under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA sets guidelines for working hours and conditions for minors. 

• Hours Restrictions: 
  For 15-year-olds, federal law restricts the number of hours they can work during the school year and summer. They are limited to: 

• No more than 3 hours on school days and 8 hours on non-school days. 

• No more than 18 hours in a school week or 40 hours in a non-school week. 

• Work must be done between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., though this extends to 9 p.m. from June 1 to Labor Day. 

• Prohibited Occupations: 
  There are also specific tasks 15-year-olds cannot perform due to safety concerns, such as operating heavy machinery, using certain power-driven equipment, or working in roles deemed hazardous. 

Camp directors must be aware of these laws to avoid compliance issues, as violating child labor laws can lead to fines and penalties. You can find more information at the department of labor website www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/youthrules/young-workers  

The Importance of a Letter of Agreement 

Once a potential staff member is hired, having a letter of agreement is a crucial step. A letter of agreement outlines the terms and conditions of employment, setting clear expectations for both the camp and the staff member. It helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures transparency. 

Key components to include in a letter of agreement: 

• Position title and job description 
  Clearly define the role the staff member will be filling, including a brief description of their duties. 

• Start and end dates of employment 
  Be specific about the time frame of employment, especially for seasonal positions like summer camp jobs. 

• Salary and benefits 
  Outline pay rates, any available benefits, and when and how the staff member will be paid. 

• Work schedule 
  Be clear about expected work hours and any time-off policies. 

• Camp policies 
  Include information about camp rules, codes of conduct, and any policies regarding safety, camper interaction, and staff behavior. 

• Signature of agreement 
  Both the camp director and the staff member should sign the document to acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of the terms. 

Hiring camp staff is more than just filling positions—it’s about ensuring you have the right people to create a positive, enriching environment for the Scouts and leaders coming to your camp. Using structured, behavioral, and scenario-based interviews can help you assess potential staff members more thoroughly. When hiring younger staff members, ensure compliance with federal labor laws to avoid legal complications. Having an employment agreement with a clear letter of agreement is key to setting up a successful working relationship. By following these steps, camp directors can feel confident in their hiring decisions and focus on delivering a great camp experience.