Camp Fire Just Keeps Getting Better (On Purpose)

Camp Fire’s Thrive{ology} framework teaches kids to have a Growth Mindset and Reflect on what they’ve learned. And we like to practice what we preach! We want to make sure our programs deliver on our promise: to help young people find their spark, lift their voice and discover who they are. That doesn’t happen by […]

Your Child’s Work Future & the Urgency of Social-Emotional Learning

You know Camp Fire’s mission is to help kids and teens find their sparks right now. But we also know that giving youth the tools to thrive today means they’ll keep on thriving tomorrow. So, we want to take a quick break from our usual present-focus to talk about how Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) sets kids […]

What in the World is Social-Emotional Learning?

We’ve spent some time on the blog this year helping connect the dots between Camp Fire’s long legacy of leadership and the movements happening in the wider youth development world. You may remember our post about how Positive Youth Development research has backed up Camp Fire’s kid-first approach. Today, we’re looking at another trending term […]

8 Ways to Encourage Youth Inclusivity and Diversity

Want to help the kids in your life embrace diversity and learn to welcome everyone? True inclusion is a lifelong process. Here’s how to get started. Investigate your own biases and privileges. Getting acquainted with our personal blind spots is the first step to helping the kids in our lives grow up with wider eyes. […]

“So this is where they keep the stars…”

SUMMER CAMPS! It’s that time… it’s almost camp season. The school-year is winding down, and we’re getting fired up to spend the summer with tens of thousands of campers across the country! We know there a million different things you and your family can fill your summer with, but these are four reasons why a Camp […]

Ilse Browner: A Woman of Tolerance

Camp Fire’s alumni are AMAZING. And not just because we’ve got some celebrities on our rolls (hey, Madonna). Anybody who’s worked hard to find their sparks, practice a growth mindset, learn to set goals, and reflect on their progress is going to make a difference in the world. Today, Ingrid Busch, a long-time Camp Fire […]

WOHELO: Camp Fire’s Original Watchword

If you’re new to Camp Fire, you’re bound to ask: Wo-what? That word you keep hearing people say, keep seeing on pins and signs and badges? It’s wohelo. And it’s been a part of Camp Fire since the very beginning. Cofounder Charlotte Gulick invented the word in 1910 to celebrate three of Camp Fire’s core […]

Camp Fire & the Positive Youth Development Movement

If you’ve been around Camp Fire at all, you’ve probably heard the term Positive Youth Development (PYD). Good ol’ context clues can tell you that this movement is about helping young people grow up happy, healthy and engaged, but here’s the deeper dive: It wasn’t until the 20th century that adolescence was recognized as a […]

Youth Voice, Upcoming Walkouts, Marches, & Your Role

From our beginning, Camp Fire has supported and encouraged youth voice. We know that for kids and teens to really thrive, we must invest in who they are right here and right now – not just their future potential. Part of that investment is creating an environment in which they can ask questions and express […]

5 Ways to Make a Big Impact for Absolutely Incredible Kid Day®

Here at Camp Fire, every day is about helping kids thrive. But we wanted to take one day a year to really do it BIG. That’s why we started Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® in 1997. Every year on the third Thursday of March, thousands of adults across the country join Camp Fire in lifting up […]