Post by yankydoodle on Jun 25, 2006 11:37:23 GMT -5
Here is a message from the person who compiled all of these great night activities.
Dear Night Activity Director,
Night Activity plays an important role in camp and adds perhaps its most integral component (Oleh-Tayreh Chai). Boruch Hashem, you were zoicheh to be the Night Activity Director! Well, you may be in for a surprise.
Contrary (la'afookay) to the myth (bobeh maiseh) that the N.A.D. has nothing to do all day (aside for N.A.'s and preparation), Night Activity Directing is a 24 hours-a-day job! He is to spend his entire day infusing the campers -and staff- with joy. In short, he must have a funny, joking, friendly, all-out personality and spread it wherever he goes. He might just walk in to the dining room for lunch on a regular Wednesday dressed a bit strange… As one N.A.D. put it to me: "By the second week there should be a heavy chshash by the campers that you're takeh abissel meshugeh…"
On a serious note, keep in mind: When campers see that the N.A.D. -with all his mishugaasen- is a "living example" par excellence, and the epitome of a chossid, this leaves a tremendous impression.
In addition to all of the above, there are always particular activities to be arranged by you (or to participate in) e.g. "Shmayunkee" on shabbos afternoon, story telling (to a bunk or to the entire camp), Bog War, Color War, Bean Week, Skits (Moshiach day, Tish'a B'av etc.), Bonfire, Overnights, Visiting Day, Staff Play, Rainy Days, v'chooloo. Then there's always the kid who's under-the-weather stuck in bed for three days and needs a private N.A. to cheer him up…or a homesick camper who needs someone to talk to…You have the ability to change the life of some "special" camper (no shortage of these in camp)…a smile, a joke, you get the picture.
And now down to business, concerning N.A. itself:
The campers spend the entire day running around from one thing to another. By the time N.A. comes around, they're dead tired and finally sit still (maybe) for 30 to 40 minutes. Take this opportunity to round off the day with a meaningful and enjoyable experience. After all: "vee men leigt zich shlofen, azoi shteit men oif".
In other words, N.A. does not have to be void of toichen. The way you speak, the questions you ask, the cheers you sing, all these (and more) can, and should be in the spirit of shtus d'kedusha. Towards this end, in the summer of 5756, after every N.A. I would call on several campers to share a lesson in avodas Hashem to be learned from that night's N.A. (The best lesson would receive a certificate etc.). An even better idea might be to give a theme to each N.A. e.g. "Tip the bucket" would be "every act we do may just be the one to tip the scale and bring Moshiach…"
A few points to ponder:
N.A. is supposed to be entertaining, not necessarily always funny (although - the funnier, the better). "It's not so much what you do, but how you do it". In other words, you don't necessarily have to prepare jokes to tell, but rather excitement out of normally insignificant things and details.
Establish a clear set of rules e.g. no flashlights turned on, younger kids in front, raise your hand to be called on, when on stage - follow instructions (no touching etc.), and most important, practice being quiet and making noise (cheering etc.) in the proper times.
A good way to keep kids off the stage is to set up several benches up against each other (so that no one can sit there) directly in front of the stage.
Try to have a Head Counselor present at all night activities. In the event that you have to end N.A. early, it really helps.
Discipline during N.A. is important, and although you must be "in charge", let it be in a fun way, not imposing.
Be very cautious as not to embarrass anyone. Some kids are very sensitive. When playing a game, always give a small prize to the loser as well. Avoid "gray areas".
It is not a mitzvah to get every camper full of ketchup and his brand new sneakers soaking wet. You can still have fun without a raw egg in your hair.
Some things must be tested before you get on stage, for example: the right amounts of flour and water to make a dough (see "Beat the Clock").
Have a song that everyone sings together each night before N.A., as well as a cheer (or two). A good idea is to incorporate the N.A. rules into your song.
Give as many kids as possible a chance to be on stage (don't call on the same ones every other night). Once in a while, you can hand out questionnaires during the day for campers to fill out to give them an opportunity to sort of "earn" their way on to stage. This takes care of "why don't you ever pick me?" complaints.
Have a designated helper/shlepper for setting up each night and taking care of things on stage.
Staff participation is what really makes it happen - nudge them to attend and to make noise.
Promote M.B.P.!!
Last, but most important: Nothing is set in stone! This booklet contains many ideas, but is by no means the Bible of N.A. Play around with the ideas; make changes, experiment with new mishugassen. The key is to find the balance between those things that are "tested and proven", and being "original". May all the simcha and chayus lead to the ultimate C.G.I. experience, in Yerushalayim, Now!
P.S. I wish to thank the following N.A.D.'s for their help and/or inspiration: Yosef Konikov ("Yoface"), Yitzy Horowitz ("Zambony Kangooroo"), Efraim Zaltzman ("Zaltzy"), S.Z.Lipsker ("Huba Huba"), Y.Y. Munitz ("J.J."), and Reb Shmuel Munkis (The world's very first N.A.D.)
Dear Night Activity Director,
Night Activity plays an important role in camp and adds perhaps its most integral component (Oleh-Tayreh Chai). Boruch Hashem, you were zoicheh to be the Night Activity Director! Well, you may be in for a surprise.
Contrary (la'afookay) to the myth (bobeh maiseh) that the N.A.D. has nothing to do all day (aside for N.A.'s and preparation), Night Activity Directing is a 24 hours-a-day job! He is to spend his entire day infusing the campers -and staff- with joy. In short, he must have a funny, joking, friendly, all-out personality and spread it wherever he goes. He might just walk in to the dining room for lunch on a regular Wednesday dressed a bit strange… As one N.A.D. put it to me: "By the second week there should be a heavy chshash by the campers that you're takeh abissel meshugeh…"
On a serious note, keep in mind: When campers see that the N.A.D. -with all his mishugaasen- is a "living example" par excellence, and the epitome of a chossid, this leaves a tremendous impression.
In addition to all of the above, there are always particular activities to be arranged by you (or to participate in) e.g. "Shmayunkee" on shabbos afternoon, story telling (to a bunk or to the entire camp), Bog War, Color War, Bean Week, Skits (Moshiach day, Tish'a B'av etc.), Bonfire, Overnights, Visiting Day, Staff Play, Rainy Days, v'chooloo. Then there's always the kid who's under-the-weather stuck in bed for three days and needs a private N.A. to cheer him up…or a homesick camper who needs someone to talk to…You have the ability to change the life of some "special" camper (no shortage of these in camp)…a smile, a joke, you get the picture.
And now down to business, concerning N.A. itself:
The campers spend the entire day running around from one thing to another. By the time N.A. comes around, they're dead tired and finally sit still (maybe) for 30 to 40 minutes. Take this opportunity to round off the day with a meaningful and enjoyable experience. After all: "vee men leigt zich shlofen, azoi shteit men oif".
In other words, N.A. does not have to be void of toichen. The way you speak, the questions you ask, the cheers you sing, all these (and more) can, and should be in the spirit of shtus d'kedusha. Towards this end, in the summer of 5756, after every N.A. I would call on several campers to share a lesson in avodas Hashem to be learned from that night's N.A. (The best lesson would receive a certificate etc.). An even better idea might be to give a theme to each N.A. e.g. "Tip the bucket" would be "every act we do may just be the one to tip the scale and bring Moshiach…"
A few points to ponder:
N.A. is supposed to be entertaining, not necessarily always funny (although - the funnier, the better). "It's not so much what you do, but how you do it". In other words, you don't necessarily have to prepare jokes to tell, but rather excitement out of normally insignificant things and details.
Establish a clear set of rules e.g. no flashlights turned on, younger kids in front, raise your hand to be called on, when on stage - follow instructions (no touching etc.), and most important, practice being quiet and making noise (cheering etc.) in the proper times.
A good way to keep kids off the stage is to set up several benches up against each other (so that no one can sit there) directly in front of the stage.
Try to have a Head Counselor present at all night activities. In the event that you have to end N.A. early, it really helps.
Discipline during N.A. is important, and although you must be "in charge", let it be in a fun way, not imposing.
Be very cautious as not to embarrass anyone. Some kids are very sensitive. When playing a game, always give a small prize to the loser as well. Avoid "gray areas".
It is not a mitzvah to get every camper full of ketchup and his brand new sneakers soaking wet. You can still have fun without a raw egg in your hair.
Some things must be tested before you get on stage, for example: the right amounts of flour and water to make a dough (see "Beat the Clock").
Have a song that everyone sings together each night before N.A., as well as a cheer (or two). A good idea is to incorporate the N.A. rules into your song.
Give as many kids as possible a chance to be on stage (don't call on the same ones every other night). Once in a while, you can hand out questionnaires during the day for campers to fill out to give them an opportunity to sort of "earn" their way on to stage. This takes care of "why don't you ever pick me?" complaints.
Have a designated helper/shlepper for setting up each night and taking care of things on stage.
Staff participation is what really makes it happen - nudge them to attend and to make noise.
Promote M.B.P.!!
Last, but most important: Nothing is set in stone! This booklet contains many ideas, but is by no means the Bible of N.A. Play around with the ideas; make changes, experiment with new mishugassen. The key is to find the balance between those things that are "tested and proven", and being "original". May all the simcha and chayus lead to the ultimate C.G.I. experience, in Yerushalayim, Now!
P.S. I wish to thank the following N.A.D.'s for their help and/or inspiration: Yosef Konikov ("Yoface"), Yitzy Horowitz ("Zambony Kangooroo"), Efraim Zaltzman ("Zaltzy"), S.Z.Lipsker ("Huba Huba"), Y.Y. Munitz ("J.J."), and Reb Shmuel Munkis (The world's very first N.A.D.)