It feels good to get out. And while I don’t have any hard and fast numbers, on a recent trip to the airport, I can see that a good number of people are also feeling “free to move about the country.” There is of course, one caveat to that. Summer Camps. For a long time, summer camp was where working parents dropped off their kids, and they could experience fun, hands on programming and field trips. This year however, the loss of field trips has created a gap for many summer camps. It can be challenging enough to provide enough programming to fill a week but losing field trips has only made a challenging business even more challenging.

GameTruck @CAMP

This is where GameTruck and our GameTruck @Home program have really been a bright spot for camps and summer programs. Perhaps I should call it GameTruck @Camp! With students being kept on sight for safety reasons and to allay health concerns, GameTruck has been called upon more than ever to provide that much needed spark of interactive engagement. 

Here is what Miss Figs had to say about arranging GameTruck for her students:

Wow! What an amazing experience for our students. We had 2 weeks to plan for an end-of-year party. I called around and GameTruck promptly responded. No wait time which is crucial due to the amount of paperwork required. We booked, the owner sent the paperwork, and we were able to get approval at the last minute! This was exactly what we needed! Prompt, courteous service. On the day of the event, it was pouring outside. I asked the GameTruck staff if they could move the truck AFTER they had already set up to give the students coverage as they waited in line and the coaches moved with no complaints. The students had so much fun and not one complaint from the students. Bravo! Job well done. Made our last minute event a success!

Camps are Different from Birthday Parties

Providing services for organizations and businesses is often completely different from providing events for birthday parties. Believe it or not, the relationship of the group often affects the perceived experience of the party. Birthdays? They happen with family and close friends. The birthday VIP is treated… well like the very important person they are. This is inherently unfair! But we like it that way for a birthday celebration because it is a form of recognition and respect to let the birthday child pick their games, sit where they want, basically be treated like a King or Queen. If everyone has a great loud raucous time all the better! 

However, for schools, camps, churches, the dynamic is different in important ways. First, communication and organization is important. Second, fairness, everyone getting an equal turn is a high priority. Third, game selection is largely not up to the players, but must be reviewed and approved by the host.  Games are set up maximize player participation and to be inclusive.  

This is one reason our Game Coaches make such an important difference. They understand how important a smooth-running operation is.  They have the experience to know what games kids will love to play, and they can move players in and out of the games quickly and efficiently.   What’s more, as in the example above, they are accustomed to going the extra mile to make an important event work for the clients.

In addition to the traditional video game trailer, GameTruck also offers video game systems that can be brought inside and setup. The Nintendo Switch is especially popular. This enables kids to rotate through a “game room” and play and have fun with minimal line up and transition time. What’s more our staff are present to help get players into games and have a great time. 

Conclusion Takeaway

GameTruck has spent more than 15 years learning how to create amazing events that engage and entertain players of all ages.  While our signature birthday parties are legendary, we also provide awesome services to Summer Camps, Schools, and Churches.  These events are managed with the same care and dedication that we pay to birthdays.  The player dynamics are different, and the games available to them are different.  We do a lot of work for organizers who care deeply about kids but know very little about video games.  Our goal is to make the organizer who said yes to video games look like a hero.  This starts by knowing what the kids will play that also meets the hosting organizations guidelines.

If you’re looking for something fun and engaging to fill the holes in your summer camp lineup, give us a call, GameTruck can help.