larp summer camp Archives - Guardian Adventures

Hey there, Summer Camp Directors!

Let’s dive into how you can make your camp unforgettable, not just during the summer but all year round. Imagine keeping your campers and staff hooked with epic stories and adventures, even when they’re not at camp. Here’s how you can use online LARPs (Live Action Role Playing) and Zoom (or other video conference platform) to keep the camp spirit alive…

1. 1. 1. Leave Them Hanging: End your summer with a bang and a cliffhanger! It’ll keep your campers thinking about camp all year, eager to jump back into the story when it goes online.
    2. Zoom Into Adventure: Set up regular online meet-ups where your campers can continue their quests. It’s a great way to keep the story rolling and the creativity (and learning if this is an EduLARP) growing.
    3. Level Up: Encourage your campers to “power up” their characters in the off-season. If you run a Guild Hall or other means for campers to increase their in-game skills then you can do an online version of this during the online LARPs.
    4. Dive Deeper: Run some sessions that explore your LARP’s world. The more your campers know about the land and its lore, the more invested they’ll get.
    5. Make New Friends: Use these online LARPs to help newbies understand how the game works and make friends before summer even starts. Nothing like shared adventures to bond over, right?
    6. Get Creative with Staff: Let your staff head up the storytelling (as long as it is in keeping with your mission and the world of the LARP you have created). They can help evolve the plot and bring fresh ideas that will make next summer even more awesome.
    7. Feedback is Gold: After each online session, ask what everyone thought. This helps you tweak things to make your LARP adventures even better. One thing to remember: When you run an emotionally intense session, even if it is over Zoom, always include a Debrief at the end so that the campers can process the their feelings about the adventure in a safe environment. This has a significant impact on the retention and use of new knowledge if your camp uses LARP to explore SEL or STEM topics.
    8. Off Season Revenue: Think about charging a small fee for the off-season sessions. It’s a win-win: extra funds for you, continuous adventure for them. And the events are not weather dependent!
    9. Global Overnight Camper & Staff Reach: Off-season Zoom-based LARPs can extend your overnight camp’s reach beyond your region, inviting kids and potential staff from all around the world to join in the fun. This global connection not only enriches your camp community with diverse perspectives and cultures but also allows international campers to make friends, familiarize themselves with your camp’s culture, and get excited about possibly attending in person in the future. It’s a great way to build a worldwide camp family and showcase your camp’s unique experiences to a global audience.
    10. Tease Them for Next Summer: Drop hints, teasers, and cool updates about what’s coming up in the camp’s story and activities. It keeps the hype going and might even attract new faces – especially if your campers are allowed to invite their friends.

An in-person event idea is Mini-LARPs for Locals. If you run day camps, how about in-person mini-LARP events nearby during the off-season? Keep your local campers engaged and excited and encourage them to bring their friends.

If you keep the adventure going all year, you’re not just a summer camp; you’re a year-round community. Your campers and staff will be more engaged than ever and excited for summer to roll back around. Let’s make camping more than a summer thing – let’s make it a lifelong adventure!

Guardian Adventures provides LARP and game consulting and program development for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Live Action Role Playing (LARP) tailored for children requires a cohort of staff members who are not just guides but also imaginers, educators, and guardians of what can possibly be a transformative experience. The success of a LARP hinges on the team behind it—those who can turn a simple game into a rich, educational narrative. Below are the ideal qualities your staff members should possess and the training necessary to prepare them for the unique challenges of a children’s LARP.

Desirable Attributes in LARP Staff

The first attribute to seek in potential staff members is a genuine enthusiasm for role-playing and storytelling. Enthusiastic guides can make the difference between a memorable LARP and a forgettable game. Consider a candidate who lights up when discussing their favorite storybook or who has a penchant for dramatic flair—this natural inclination towards storytelling can keep children captivated.

Secondly, experience with children is invaluable. A candidate who previously worked as a summer camp counselor, where they orchestrated group activities and mediated the occasional squabble. This is a person who knows how to communicate at a child’s level and maintain engagement, even with a diverse group. We have a saying that a person who can work with kids, also knows how to work with adults. But not necessarily the other way around.

The ability to think on your feet is another important skill – improvisation skills are a must. Imagine a scenario where the planned story takes a turn due to the unpredictable input of a child. A staff member skilled in improvisation can seamlessly weave this input into the narrative, enriching the experience and even creating a sense of agency for the child.

Patience and adaptability are non-negotiable. Children’s energy levels and attention spans can be highly variable. A staff member must remain patient and adaptable, able to switch from a high energy outdoor chase scene to a quiet indoor puzzle-solving session as the situation demands.

Lastly, a deep understanding of safety and boundaries is critical. LARP activities should be fun but never at the expense of safety. An ideal candidate is someone who can assertively but kindly set clear rules and boundaries without dampening the adventurous spirit of the game.

Experience to Look for in Candidates

When looking for the right candidates, a background in education or child development can be a significant asset. These individuals bring an understanding of educational pedagogies that can be leveraged to create learning moments within the LARP. For example, a candidate with a background in science education may expertly weave in a lesson on ecology while the children are on a quest through the “enchanted forest.”

Theatrical or performance experience can also be extremely beneficial. Those who have stood on a stage know how to command an audience’s attention and can make a scripted role feel alive. They can don a costume and not just play a part but become it, convincing the children of the reality of the world they’ve entered.

With the above in mind, we have found that applicants who have a degree in Theater Education are the best candidates. They tend to have experience working with children, improv skills for theater, and knowledge on how to integrate education into the experience.

Having a current or event past first-aid certification or the willingness to obtain it is another practical requirement. Accidents, though rare and minor, can happen, and having staff on hand who can provide immediate care is essential.

Experience in roleplaying games or LARPing can be beneficial for understanding concepts like story arcs and solid game play. However, we have found that this is only applicable if the candidate has sufficient experience playing with children in the age demographic of the LARP you are seeking to create. See above about experience working with adults is not the same as experience working with kids.

Training Strategies for LARP Staff

Training should begin with a child-centric approach, ensuring that staff are equipped to create an environment where every child feels valued. For instance, role-playing exercises during training can prepare staff for the wide array of questions and scenarios they might face, from a shy child reluctant to participate to an overzealous participant who tries to dominate the play.

A comprehensive safety and emergency response training program is also vital. This training should cover everything from basic first aid to conflict resolution, with regular role-playing drills to ensure that all staff members know how to respond swiftly and effectively in various situations.

Character and story development workshops can serve as a creative incubator for staff, allowing them to craft compelling characters and plots. Staff could, for example, be tasked with developing backstories for their characters that weave educational elements into the lore of the LARP world.

Effective behavior management is another crucial aspect of training. Staff should be equipped with strategies to manage large groups of children, maintaining engagement and focus without stifling fun. They should learn to recognize signs of distress or exclusion among participants and intervene in a manner that supports positive group dynamics.

Finally, inclusivity and sensitivity training is necessary to ensure all children, regardless of their background or abilities, can enjoy the LARP to its fullest. Staff should be trained to be mindful of cultural sensitivities, to support children with special needs, and to foster an atmosphere of acceptance and encouragement.

It may sound like a lot to consider when you are hiring people for a LARP for children. But the right staff can make such a difference in the experience and the memories of the participants. Truly interactive, person-to-person activities are the most ripe for a transformative experience while reminding us of the importance of connecting with each other.

can lay a solid foundation for a successful and memorable event, while also optimizing resources and minimizing risks.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and program development for museum and science centers, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Live Action Role Play (LARP) provides an engaging and interactive platform that allows participants to immerse in a narrative world and experience stories firsthand. When you integrate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) elements it becomes an EduLARP. This lets you not only offer educational opportunities but also add depth and complexity to your story.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to seamlessly incorporate STEM into your EduLARP, amplifying the narrative through scientific intrigue. If you are using our free Universal Game System Lite, we have provided you with examples for each of the themes covered in that LARP system:

1. How will STEM fit into your Story?

Determine how STEM will fit into your story’s universe. Whether it’s a post-apocalyptic world that relies on renewable energy or a medieval setting with rudimentary machines, ensure the science serves the story.

- Zombies: Discover the formula to reverse the zombie condition.
- Medieval Fantasy: Alchemists use techniques to transform elements.
- Superhero: Science holds the key to amplifying or understanding powers.
- Space: Exploration is driven by new scientific breakthroughs.
- Spy: Technology is pivotal for deciphering critical information.
- Nature Protectors: Science aids in conservation and understanding ecosystems.

2. Which STEM concepts do you want to explore?

Then start identifying the STEM concepts that you want to incorporate into your LARP according to the theme. For example, if you want to focus on engineering, you can use puzzles that require players to create machines or structures. If you want to add math, use puzzles that require players to solve equations or calculate probabilities. This can encourage your players to use their problem-solving skills and also show how to apply STEM concepts in problem solving.

- Zombies: Delve into biology and viral studies.
- Medieval: Explore simple mechanics and alchemy.
- Superhero: Dive into physics and genetic mutations.
- Space: Astronomy and advanced propulsion systems are key.
- Spy: The art of cryptography and decoding is paramount.
- Nature Protectors: Understand ecology and conservation.

3. What kind of STEM vocabulary can you introduce?

To make your LARP more educational, introduce STEM-related vocabulary that players can use to describe the concepts that they are working with. This can include terms like “engineering,” “physics,” or “programming.” By using these terms, players can begin to understand the underlying concepts behind the challenges they are presented with.

- Zombies: Terms like “antidote”, “contagion”, and “mutation”.
- Medieval: “Leverage”, “fulcrum”, and “transmutation”.
- Superhero: “Kinetics”, “mutation”, and “acceleration”.
- Space: “Orbit”, “gravity well”, and “spectrometry”.
- Spy: “Cipher”, “algorithm”, and “encryption”.
- Nature Protectors: “Biodiversity”, “conservation”, and “habitat”.

4. What kinds of props will elevate the experience?

Invest in quality props that simulate real-world STEM equipment. This could range from lab equipment for experiments to simple pulley systems. Authenticity can greatly enhance immersion.

- Zombies: Microscope slides with “infected blood.”
- Medieval: Mock alchemical instruments.
- Superhero: Gadget blueprints.
- Space: Telescope or star charts.
- Spy: Cipher wheels.
- Nature Protectors: Sample collection kits.

5. What puzzles will drive the Narrative?

One way to integrate STEM into your LARP is to create challenges that require players to apply the STEM concepts you introduce to solve problems in a way that the solution pertains to the story. This not only adds a new level of excitement to the game, but it also makes the challenges more exciting by propelling the player through the story.

- Zombies: Discovering the right biological compound for a cure.
- Medieval: Crafting a pulley system to draw water during a drought.
- Superhero: Constructing a gadget harnessing sound waves.
- Space: Navigating the cosmos using star maps.
- Spy: Decoding an encrypted message using mathematical sequences.
- Nature Protectors: Identifying species through DNA analysis.

6. How to deliver the educational concepts?

Whenever players encounter a STEM element, provide a brief educational background. This can be done through NPCs (Non-Player Characters) who are experts in the field or through in-game texts.

- Zombies: An NPC describes virus transmission.
- Medieval: An elder explains gear mechanisms.
- Superhero: A scientist NPC elucidates sound wave principles.
- Space: An astronaut NPC teaches about constellations.
- Spy: A mentor figure introduces encryption methods.
- Nature Protectors: A biologist NPC talks about local flora and fauna.

7. How to allow for Trial and Error?

Real-world STEM often involves hypothesis testing and iteration. Design your challenges in a way that encourages players to think critically, try different solutions, and learn from their mistakes. So plan in enough time during the challenges for failure and new attempts.

- Zombies: Test various compounds before finding the cure.
- Medieval: Iterate on pulley design.
- Superhero: Refine gadget functionalities.
- Space: Correcting navigation errors.
- Spy: Testing different decryption keys.
- Nature Protectors: Hypothesize on the best habitats for species.

8. Where can you incorporate Collaborative Learning?

Easy: Design STEM challenges that require collaboration. For example, a complex machine might need multiple players to operate different parts in sequence. This promotes teamwork and reinforces the idea that many scientific endeavors are collaborative in nature.

- Zombies: Collaborate to “synthesize” a cure.
- Medieval: Working together to operate a trebuchet.
- Superhero: Team up to calibrate a “power enhancer.”
- Space: Group navigation through a cosmic “minefield.”
- Spy: Assemble pieces of a deciphered message.
- Nature Protectors: Collaboratively conduct a “species count.”

9. What’s next? Seek Feedback and Iterate

After your LARP event, gather feedback from participants on the STEM elements as well as the story and interactions. Understand what worked, what didn’t, and what areas can be improved. Use this feedback to refine your approach in subsequent events.

- Zombies: Which scientific aspects intensified the survival feeling?
- Medieval: Were the mechanical tasks engaging and educational?
- Superhero: Which gadgets seemed most plausible?
- Space: Was the navigation challenge too easy or hard?
- Spy: Was the code-breaking sequence intuitive?
- Nature Protectors: Did the environmental science tasks feel impactful?

The above gives you a starting point for integrating STEM into your LARP. But remember above all… make your adventure fun and engaging. Incorporate creative storytelling and believable characters that players can interact with, as well as exciting challenges. This is how your players are more likely to want to continue playing and learn more about STEM concepts.

Guardian Adventures provides consulting and a free LARP for afterschool programs, summer camps, amusement & attraction industries, and more.

Live Action Role Playing, or LARP, is a fun and engaging way to immerse your campers in a world of stories and adventure. Running a LARP at your summer camp can be an exceptional program for increasing camper retention and creating a sense of community among campers.

Campers who participate in LARPing are often more invested in the camp experience, and in our experience, are more likely to return year after year. Here are some of the ways that offering a LARP program can increase camper retention:

Immersive Storytelling
LARPing provides campers with an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a fictional world. When you create an engaging storyline and safe but exciting interactions where campers have a sense of agency, there is an increase in the camper’s desire to return year after year to see how the story evolves as well as their own role within it.
Positive Peer Interaction
LARPing requires teamwork and collaboration, which can promote positive peer interaction. This type of positive interaction can create a sense of belonging and community among your campers, many of whom may not fit the classic summer camp programming based in sports or hiking. Connecting to others who are like them can give them a sense of belonging and elevate the camp experience. These interactions can also be made more effective when the LARP you design is inclusive and accessible. When you take the time to design activities (including LARPs) to be inclusive and accessible, you will attract more campers and people of various lived experiences.
Encourages Creativity and Imagination
Campers who participate in LARPing are constantly exposed to an activity that requires creativity and imagination – in fact, it’s the common foundation of all LARPs. This can contribute to the overall development of your campers while also giving them an encouraging outlet for trying out new ideas.
Teaches Problem-Solving Skills
LARPing requires campers to think on their feet and come up with creative solutions to problems. This type of problem-solving can be a valuable skill that your campers can transfer into other areas of their lives, while also having a positive impact on their confidence and self-esteem.
Fosters a Sense of Belonging
By participating in a shared experience, campers can feel like they are part of a group, which can be especially important for campers who may be shy or introverted. As mentioned above in #2 positive peer interactions add one-on-one connection… but when everyone in your program has a passion for the adventure and their role in it, this sense of belonging and community is greatly enhanced.
Learning
Education is always a value-add for any summer camp program. But when education (either STEM or Social Emotional Learning) is integrated into a LARP, the learning becomes exciting and memorable. When an 8 year old needs to learn Newton’s Laws of Physics in order to cast her first level spells as a wizard, she may be inspired to seek out higher level science classes or even a career path in STEM. As well, parents consider education as a high value-add in the camp experience, especially if it can address summertime “Learning Loss”. This makes the parents or guardians (who pay the camp tuition) more likely to consider returning their child to a LARP camp.
Year-Round-Engagement
You can also run LARPs online during the off-season. Some game systems provide instructions on how to convert your LARP into an online adventure which means you can schedule a few Zoom sessions where campers can see their friends and play their character in a supplemental adventure that encourages them to sign up for the next season right away. It also helps to drop hints during these online adventures that can be useful for when they return to camp.

These are just a few of the ways that a LARP program can increase your camper retention. Of course, most retention doesn’t just come from the kind of programs you provide… but the quality of the experiences within those programs. Make certain that your LARP is engaging, safe, accessible, and perhaps educational, and you should notice more campers coming back to your camp year after year.

About: Guardian Adventures provides free and licensed educational games, adventures, and LARP systems for summer camps, schools, and recreation organizations.

Integrating Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) into a summer camp can be an exciting and engaging way to provide campers with a unique, educational, and immersive experience. LARPing allows campers to physically embody a character and interact with others in a live setting, which can help to build problem-solving techniques, improvisational skills (thinking on your feet), and competency in teamwork.

The first step for integrating LARP into a summer camp is to decide on a theme or setting for the game. This can be based on a fictional world, historical event, or even a real-world scenario. The theme or setting you decide on will provide the foundation for the game and will help to guide the creation of the story, characters, costumes, and props.

Once the theme or setting has been decided on, the next step is to create characters for the campers to play. These characters should be well-rounded and have distinct personalities and abilities. They should also be appropriate for the setting of the game. Providing a character sheet with the character’s background and abilities can be helpful for the campers to better understand and connect with their character, as well as for remembering what their chosen skills are, and how many times they can utilize them.

In order to further the immersion of the experience, campers should be provided with (or have time and resources to make) costumes and props to help them fully embody their characters. These can be as simple or as elaborate as desired, but they should serve to amplify and support the setting of the game.

If the game style involves physical conflict scenarios with play weapons then foam swords and shields or NERF Blasters can be provided for safe interactions. Or if the conflict (which is what makes an adventure a challenge) is only verbal, what real-life or pretend skills can you provide that help the campers navigate the conflict and succeed through the practice of those skills?

The set of game rules and mechanics (how the game works) are also important. Choose a system that is not too complex, making it hard to comprehend, and not so simple as to make it limited and boring. If you are a novice at LARPing, you may choose a simple LARP system to start and then graduate to a more robust LARP system that provides more character, skill, and interaction options.

The final step is to create an interactive scenario, or “quest”, for the campers to participate in. This scenario should provide a clear goal, perhaps one that is in alignment with your camp mission, for the campers to work towards. The scene should also include challenges and obstacles that will require the campers to work together and use their characters’ abilities. Ideally, each scenario requires a diversity of skills so that each camper has the opportunity to “shine” in the moment when they use their special skill to accomplish the goal.

The scene may also require campers to accrue their skills through the completion of projects based in STEM or other academic topics. The important thing is to make sure that the STEM is directly related to the challenge the campers are facing and not just “tacked on” as an educational lesson. These educational elements add a much higher level of value to the camp program because the campers can learn topics applicable to their studies at school.

It’s also important to have a clear safety protocol in place and to train staff and campers on safety rules before the start of the LARP event. This includes the use of safe weapons and shields, guidelines for physical contact, and even established rules of verbal conflict that keep the interactions from escalating to an “out of game” situation where the campers feel personally attacked.

In addition to the LARP event, there are opportunities to include other activities that tie into the game. This includes workshops on crafts that fit the theme such as archery or fencing lessons, historical reenactment and improv lessons, negotiation and social-emotional exercises, and other activities that will help to further immerse the campers in the LARP while also enriching their lives outside of the game. You can even run online LARPs during the non-summer camp season so as to keep your campers engaged in your camp alongside the friends they made at your camp.

Integrating LARP into a summer camp can be an exciting and engaging way to provide campers with not just an entertaining and exciting activity, but a truly enriching and educational experience. Give it a try with our free LARP game and see how quickly your campers will feel like heroes as they take on the challenge of saving the world.

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About: Guardian Adventures provides free and licensed educational games, adventures, and LARP systems for summer camps, schools, and recreation organizations.

Keep the Campfire Burning with Off Season Online LARPs

How to Staff for a Children’s LARP

Desirable Attributes in LARP Staff

Experience to Look for in Candidates

Training Strategies for LARP Staff

How to incorporate STEM into your LARP

How LARP Increases Summer Camp Retention

Immersive Storytelling

Positive Peer Interaction

Encourages Creativity and Imagination

Teaches Problem-Solving Skills

Fosters a Sense of Belonging

Learning

Year-Round-Engagement

How to Add LARP into your Summer Camp

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