The activity of group drumming is experiencing a resurgence in today’s educational and recreational environments. Summer camp is an ideal place to expose children to group drumming and rhythm making. Below are five reasons why a summer camp should consider implementing a drumming program.
Rainy Day Activity
Drumming can be done indoors or outside in nature. On rainy days, drumming can be done indoors and only requires a small amount of space per participant. It provides campers with a low impact physical activity that can provide a necessary outlet for pent-up energy from not being able to be outdoors. (And we all know how campers can get after that third straight day of rain.)
Music Making Activity
Group Drumming and drum circles provide a low barrier entry into music making. Campers are able to follow a group rhythm and participate in the way that they are comfortable contributing. No prior experience is necessary in order for the camper to be able to enjoy group music making.
Educational Activity
There has been a recent focus and push by parents for camps to have educational programs and activities for their children. With the guidance of a facilitator or instructor, campers will be participating in an educational activity that is also recreational. Music making increases children’s capacities for learning.
Unity and Community Building
When people drum together it can create a sense of unity and connection among the group. Drumming with a group requires playing, listening, and interacting with others. These are all important skills involved in being a member of a community, team, bunk, or division.
Fun
Drumming is contagious. Rhythm is infectious. Campers love it because it is fun.
There are many varieties of drumming programs. Whether you have an experienced facilitator that comes to camp for one day, or you implement your own daily activity that is run by your staff, drumming can be a practical addition to any camp’s schedule of activities and events.
Read more about the programs that Path To Rhythm offers for summer camps here. And feel free to email me or find me on Twitter @pathtorhythm.
6 comments… add one
Fran January 26, 2010, 5:26 pm
Path to Rhythm is a valuable program to enhance the camp experience. Campers love the activity, and enjoy participating.
Great programming idea!
Mark January 26, 2010, 7:21 pm
Kids and counselors will enjoy the drum circle experience,Music is a great way to build unity and build self esteem in a fun way.
Philly January 27, 2010, 7:25 am
Tell it, brother.
Don Jennings February 28, 2010, 10:15 pm
There’s no better place to drum than camp! My staff and I developed a program that led to one of the more memorable experiences of my camping career. The guys led their campers through 4 weeks of classes, including learning about the history of drums, making drums, and writing pieces for performance. At the final banquet the whole group took the stage – an enthusiastic and varied bunch of boys, some with no previous musical experience – to perform the piece they’d written together. Before I knew it the whole dining hall was on its feet, clapping and stomping and pogoing along. It was feral and joyous and perfect… I actually ran downstairs to watch the dust fall from between the boards! Moments like that make lifetime memories, and that’s what camp’s all about.
Adam Issadore February 28, 2010, 11:06 pm
@Don..
Awesome story. I couldn’t have said it better myself, “There’s no better place to drum than camp!”
Mike November 20, 2012, 5:43 pm
I have spent many days drumming at camp. And yes, I have many legitimate band camp stories to accompany my experiences. Since these early beginnings I have morphed my knowledge of drumming and more importantly my feelings toward this instrument and the years of joy it brought me into doing Community Drum Circles. Doing so has allowed me the opportunity to share the spirit of the drum with anyone who is open to the experience. Anyone, the young as well as the young at heart, can appreciate the group drumming. I can’t stress enough the immense potential that group drumming can bring about in a young person. I’m 40 now and the thrill of drumming has never left me. As the saying goes, you can take the boy out of band, but you can’t take the band out of the boy.
I have deep gratitude for my parents who made this life journey possible for me.