Camp Chants, Cheers, and Yells

We all know it – we love to Y-E-L-L when we get to camp! Yelling, chanting, and cheering is what makes summer camp seem like so much more fun than regular life, going to school, even playing after-school sports. Camp gives kids the freedom to do what they want, when they want to, all within the guidelines, of course, of good fun and safety. We as camp counselors and directors want to give campers the most opportunity to express themselves, have fun, and form lifelong friendships. We want a kid to go home, thinking, gosh, I miss camp. What makes them miss camp? Well it’s the little things that are special, unique to camp that they just cannot do when they go back home.

When you are at camp, it’s normal to YELL and do a chant after the camp director, counselor or someone else in authority has said the word “okay” on campfire stage, right? Yes! Well, you can’t do that in school (in fact, I remember being a kid coming back to school in September after a blissful August spent at camp, and when my 3rd grade teachers first said, “okay, kids”, I almost burst out in chant, “okay, okay, okay okay okay, HEY!” – yeah, that would not have gone well).

Camp is the place to CHANT, YELL, SCREAM, dance, have fun! It’s what makes the little boring things – giving announcements (oh no, did someone just say announcements…?), instructions to a game, etc., all the more fun. The ability to yell and cheer and chant actually makes kids pay attention to what you’re saying. They’re dying to know when you’re going to mess up and say the thing you are *not* supposed to say. Does it get old and disruptive after a while to hear campers chanting all day? Sure. But does it actually help them listen, feel united, and have fun? YES. That’s all that matters.

See our list below of common camp cheers, camp yells, camp chants, and more! Add your own, too.