SeriousFun Children’s Network, in collaboration with the American Camp Association, is advancing a shared priority: ensuring that every camp experience is intentionally designed to support the character development of children living with serious medical conditions.
Led by the American Camp Association, the joint recent research initiative, Promoting Character: Counselors’ Training Programs at Medical Specialty Camps, explores how counselor training shapes the quality and impact of camp experiences, particularly in medical specialty settings.
Supported by the John Templeton Foundation, the initiative studied 12 medical specialty camps from around the globe — including 6 SeriousFun camps— and found that well-trained counselors are the core drivers of camper experience and outcomes. It also found that camps that explicitly train counselors to model and teach values like empathy, responsibility, and resilience see stronger developmental outcomes among campers.
As a result of the study, SeriousFun and the American Camp Association codeveloped a Character Development Framework and an accompanying Playbook of Character in C.I.T. Programs at Medical Specialty Camps to guide camp practitioners in fostering character strengths tailored to their campers’ unique experiences and challenges. These tools are included in a suite of practical and accessible guides and videos now available to the general public, free of charge.
Together, the tools equip camps everywhere to intentionally create experiences that build confidence, connection, and resilience, outcomes that stay with children long after camp ends.