A few years ago I was asked to run an arts and crafts block.
It went… poorly.
What was supposed to be kids making friendship bracelets and doing shrinky dinks turned into me having campers carry stuff around camp because I needed things like Carpetball and banners set up in different places.
The truth is I completely suck at arts and crafts. Can’t draw. Can’t paint. Struggle to cut things out. I didn’t want to do it. I love that arts and crafts exists at camp, but it’s always a struggle for me tbh.
Because I was the boss, I was able to make the executive decision to do something different, but the effects were essentially the same.
The result? A lot of quasi-disappointed kids who signed up for A&C and got camp manual (albeit fun, we always make it fun) labor instead.
Looking back, I can see exactly what went wrong.
This same principle explains why some kids absolutely light up at camp while others take a bit longer to find their groove.
Why your child might come home with endless stories about certain activities and counselors they can’t stop talking about. Why some camp experiences become the stories they’ll tell for decades.
There’s actual science that explains exactly why my arts and crafts block went sideways. And even more importantly, it reveals how kids can absolutely thrive at camp and in other places in life.
It’s Self-Determination Theory, and it explains a heck of a lot about how we interact with the world.
The Guy Who Figured Out Motivation
I recently interviewed Dr. Richard Ryan. Richard co-developed Self-Determination Theory, and he’s basically the world’s leading researcher on what actually motivates people. Plus, he’s from Rochester, New York, like me, Go Bills!
On a high level, it’s fairly simple:
Not all motivation is created equal.
We sometimes think motivation is like a gas tank. You either have a little or a lot. But Richard’s research shows there are completely different types of motivation, and some work way (and I mean waaaay) better than others.
The motivation that comes from external rewards and punishments?
Yeah, it might get some compliance in the short term, but it doesn’t stick. And forget about creating engaged and enthusiastic kids.
Relying too heavily on rewards-based motivation is basically training kids to be like “What’s in it for me?” instead of “How can I contribute to this community?”
In my A&C session, I was there because I had to fill in there, not because I wanted to be there. The kids could feel it, and the whole thing mostly fell flat.
Though the saving grace was talking about doing stuff they normally don’t get to do, move heavy things (competence), to help the rest of camp (relatedness)
Richard’s research explains why this happens, and maybe more importantly, what actually works to help kids genuinely engage.
Three Things Everyone Needs
The math here is kind of easy: Everyone has three basic psychological needs to be truly motivated:
Autonomy → It’s not about being independent or doing whatever you want. It’s about having choice and ownership over what you’re doing. Think, “I choose to do this,” instead of “I have to do this.”
Competence → Feeling effective and like you’re growing. Not being perfect, but seeing that you can have an impact on the world around you.
Relatedness → Connection and belonging. Noticing you matter to the people around you and that they have your back.
When these three needs are met, kids are naturally engaged and confident. When they’re not met, even the most enthusiastic children can struggle.
Camp is uniquely set up to meet these three needs in ways that most other environments can’t. Autonomy, competence, and relatedness are baked into nearly everything happening at Kenwood & Evergreen.
And when these three needs are firing on all cylinders, you get kids who don’t need to be pushed or prodded.
They’re self-motivated to dive in (literally & figuratively), try new things, and take ownership of their experience.
What This Means for Kids at Camp
The shift from rule-follower to community member isn’t always seamless for every kid.
But it’s the difference between kids who need constant reminders about expectations and kids who are internally motivated to contribute and grow.
Richard Ryan spent 50 years researching what we’ve always known intuitively: when kids feel autonomous, competent, and connected, they flourish.
At camp, this science shows up everywhere.
Kids choose their own activities during free time (autonomy).
They see themselves getting better at new skills, whether it’s archery or making friends (competence).
And they experience genuine belonging through cabin life and camp traditions (relatedness).
The culture of caring I wrote about after Winter Weekend? That’s relatedness in action. When older campers naturally mentor younger ones, that’s competence and autonomy working together.
When kids protect camp traditions because they matter to them, not because they’ll get in trouble if they don’t, that’s intrinsic motivation at its finest.
It all works. On every level.
The Bottom Line
We can all agree we want kids to experience more than just following directions and staying out of trouble in life or at camp (or kind of wherever).
The shift from external motivation to genuine engagement explains why camp works for child development in ways that surprise even us sometimes.
It’s why kids come home not just with fun memories, but with genuine confidence, stronger relationship skills, and a clearer sense of who they want to be.
Richard Ryan’s research confirms what happens every summer: when kids feel autonomous, competent, and connected, they don’t just have a good time, they grow in ways that stick.
This science also explains why the K&E approach works so well.
The culture Scott and the team have built over the years creates exactly the conditions kids need to thrive, not just survive their summer experience.
Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t be running much arts & crafts this summer. I hear Lauren is the best at this!
Though if I do, I’m motivated to get it right this time.
You got this,
Jack