Nothing’s worse than a camp photo album full of backs of heads and blurry faces. Make sure you’re capturing all of the fun and all of the happy faces with summer camp group activities that lead to awesome photos.
Camp is all about making connections, and photos of campers having a blast together are a must. When there are too many people in a photo, however, you can’t see individual faces, and the emotion and story are lost. The best group photos include a small group of campers and highlight their expressions.
Parents want to see their kids in action, and they want to be able to find them easily. With Campanion’s Face Finder feature, parents and campers can personalize their Campanion experiences. When a parent uploads a camper’s photo, Campanion will find that camper in albums and group shots.
Don’t let campers and their experiences get lost in a crowd. With the following summer camp group activities, you can take photos that will make it easy for campers and parents to use the Campanion app to find and share their favorite camp moments.
Take it to the Stage
Any activity that puts a small group of campers on stage invites the perfect group photos. Stages are easy to frame, and depending on the activity, photographers can predict where campers will be and when. Here are some fun summer camp group activities that will get small groups photo-ready and on stage.
Improv
Improv promotes teamwork, intuition, and play. It’s also a great way to get some hilarious group photos. You can adapt any improv activity to fit your camp’s theme and the ages of your campers. Involve staff to get things going and keep up the energy. Campers can be shy about improv at first, but once they get into it, they have a blast.
Check out this post from KidActivities.net for some fun improv games for kids.
Skits
Skits are a camp staple, and when campers are involved, they’re even better. Some of the best camp skits are the ones that campers get to make up. Give campers guidelines that require them to often all face the same direction, making it easy for photographers to get great small group photos.
Dance-off
Break campers into small groups and give them time to choreograph the ultimate dance routines. Props and costumes are a must. Let campers pick their own jams, or give them a fun mash-up.
Lip Sync Battle
Bust out some of the latest, and not-so-latest, pop group hits for the ultimate lip sync battle. From One Direction to Spice Girls to NSYNC, there are plenty of entertaining songs for campers to perform in small groups. Obviously encourage sweet costumes and dance moves, which will lead to even sweeter photos.
Small Group Talent Show
Follow a traditional talent show format, but require campers to show off their talents in small groups. Up the fun with a panel of counselor judges and an energetic emcee. Give campers basic parameters like time limits and maybe a theme, but keep it mostly open so that the creativity and fun can flow.
Get Crafty
Arts and crafts are a great way to get awesome summer camp photos. Even though campers usually work independently on their own creations, you can be thoughtful about how you position them so that you can get some great group photos. If campers are working at tables, set them up so there are small groups at each table so you can easily snap engaging group photos.
The supply table is also a great place to get some good group shots, as several campers are usually there at a time. Spread supplies out a bit so that campers aren’t in a line but are in small groups huddled around tables or sections.
With Campanion, you can organize photos by activity, which is great for arts and crafts. Upload progress photos to show off campers’ creativity and finished projects so that parents can see the hard work behind the arts and crafts their kids take home.
Arts and crafts are a great way to get awesome summer camp photos. Even though campers usually work independently on their own creations, you can be thoughtful about how you position them so that you can get some great group photos.
Bust Out the Board Games
Awesome for rainy days or evenings, board games are great summer camp group activities that lead to fun photos. It’s easy to get close, and campers are positioned next to each other. For the best photos, choose games that involve some movement and require players to look up and not always at the table.
Games like Jenga, Hedbanz, Pictionary, and KerPlunk lead to awesome photo ops.
Revisit Classic Schoolyard Games
Even though many schoolyard games involve large groups, it’s easy to get photos of smaller groups with these classic summer camp group activities. Choose games that require campers to often face the same direction and have predictable actions and outcomes. When photographers can let the action come to them and predict when small groups will be facing the camera, they can get better photos that make it easy for others and Face Finder to pick out individuals.
Red Rover
Two groups of campers interlace their arms in two rows facing each other. One group makes the familiar call “Red Rover, Red Rover, send __________ on over!” The camper who is called must run towards the opposite line and try to break through. If the called camper breaks through, they take another camper from that line back to their line. If they can’t break through, they must join the opposing line.
Red Rover is great for small group photo ops because photographers can zoom in on parts of the line, especially when a camper is trying to break through.
Simon Says
We’re pretty sure you know how to play Simon Says, so we won’t waste your time with the rules. To make Simon Says a great summer camp photo op, have campers play in a space where they are close together. Prompt your photographer to take pictures of small groups and to listen for actions that won’t have campers covering their faces.
Duck Duck Goose
Like Simon Says, this classic is one you probably already know. It’s also great for small group photos because you can zoom in on parts of the circle, and campers in the shot will be facing the same direction. When a goose is called, you can get some fun action shots of the chase and a few campers laughing at the fun.
Musical Chairs
Starting with one less chair than there are players, position the chairs in a circle facing out. You can also use pillows rather than chairs. When music plays, campers walk around the outside of the circle. When the music stops, each camper must sit in a chair. There can only be one camper per chair. Whoever doesn’t find a chair is out. After each round, remove a chair from the circle, making it more difficult for campers to find chairs.
Take great photos of small groups of campers trying to sit in the same chair. Photographers should position themselves in front of a couple of chairs and wait for the campers to come to them. Because the chairs are facing out, you’ll likely get some good shots of campers’ expressions.
Have Fun With Food
Food is fun to play with and fun to photograph. The following summer camp group activities lead to great photo ops.
Cake Decorating Contest
Divide campers into small groups , and give each group a sheet cake, frosting, and decorations. You can just let them do whatever they’re like, or you can give them a theme. Because cake decorations are so colorful, this activity will deliver some eye-catching group photos.
Gingerbread House Contest
Just like cake decorating, campers are working together in a small group to create something colorful. Up the challenge by having campers create gingerbread models of camp or their favorite places.
Spaghetti & Marshmallow Tower Contest
Give each group a package of spaghetti and a package of small marshmallows. Groups will have 30 minutes to design and build the tallest structure that they can. Set a timer, preferably in a visible place or on a big screen, and give time warnings along the way. Plan fun music to encourage campers to stay active and engaged.
When finished, have counselors or staff make a show of measuring and judging the towers. Hold an awards ceremony honoring the tallest towers.
Huddle Up Around the Fire
Campfires are a great way to get groups of campers together. From stories to songs to marshmallows to new friendships, many of the best things about camp happen around the fire. Make sure your photographer can take night photos, and be tactful about the moments they capture and potentially interrupt.
No matter which summer camp group activities you choose, make sure your photographer knows where and when each is happening. Prompt them to be ready for key moments, and make sure your they know how to take action shots and has their camera set accordingly. Show them Campanion’s Face Finder feature so they know how it works and what kinds of photos work best. The more happy campers facing the camera, the better.
Make it easy to find campers having fun with their fellow campers by planning activities that lead to awesome small group photos. Upload photos onto the Campanion app so that campers and parents can use the Face Finder feature to find individual campers and nobody gets lost in the crowd.