Picture this: Camp Champions basketball courts, mid-summer. 60 campers moving this way and that.

Basketballs flying towards the hoop.

Different animal sound impressions.

Groups standing inside of hula hoops.

Toilet paper rolling in all different directions.

Smiles. Laughter. Shouting. Whispering.

To the untrained eye, this would look like an activity in disarray, kids in a constant state of motion, everywhere and nowhere at once. But if you take a closer look, you see that what’s going on is one of the coolest hours of camp, or maybe anywhere.

Last time, we talked about the concept of durable skills — those lasting capabilities that serve kids throughout their lives. The idea is powerful, and I want to show you these skills in action, right in the heart of camp life.

In fact, there’s one activity from last summer that might just capture everything we’re trying to do in a single hour of controlled chaos.

A Relay Race Unlike Any Other

The Progressive Relay, the invention of our Division Leader Ryan, transforms our basketball court into a hub of energy and problem-solving. Five lanes are marked off with cones, each occupied by a cabin of 9 and 10-year-olds. Each cabin receives a list of 25 challenges to complete in any order they want.

Easy enough, right? Fastest kids win relays? Not this one. In fact, in this relay, speed gets you ahead in some parts, but can put you behind in others.

The genius of this activity is that it’s intentionally overwhelming. There’s simply no way to complete all 25 tasks in the allotted time. This isn’t a mistake in design — it’s the whole point.

The tasks range from straightforward:

• Shoot and make a three-pointer
• Drink an entire pitcher of water as a team (hydration made easy)
• Unroll a roll of toilet paper (then roll it back up)

To moderately challenging:

• Balance a basketball on a teammate’s head for 10 seconds
• Build a standing tower using shoes from each camper

To camp-crazy complex:

• The Hula Hoop Escape — every group must fit inside a hula hoop and then exit without touching it
• Silent Line-Up — arranging themselves by birthday without speaking a word

Some cabins immediately huddle up to strategize. Others dive right in, tackling the easiest tasks first. One group splits into smaller teams. Each approach reveals something about how these minds work together.

There’s no “right” way to go about this. At the same time, there’s also no “wrong” way to tackle everything.

And it’s downright impossible for two teams to try the same things. In fact, if given the chance, the same team probably wouldn’t repeat the same strategies over again.

Take the Hula Hoop Escape. At first, they’re puzzled. “There’s no way we can all fit!” you might hear someone say.

But then another suggests they all stand inside as the counselor holds it at waist level, and then carefully duck out one by one. Problem solved through plenty of collaboration and a dose of critical thinking.

In another lane, a quieter camper who rarely takes the spotlight suddenly becomes the cabin’s hero when he figures out how to arrange everyone in birthday order without saying a word — using just hand signals and gentle nudges.

Durable Skills in Action

And as you watch this unfold, it seems unstructured, even wild — but if you really dial in, you see every camper finding his or her place.

Athletic campers excel at physical challenges. The theatrical kids shine during the “whale song impression” (yes, you read that correctly) they must perform for their division leader.

The methodical thinkers organize the group’s approach. Every strength becomes valuable. Every camper has a chance to lead. Every kid has a chance to listen. Nothing is left out. Everything matters.

And perhaps most importantly, unlike your typical relay race where kids shuttle back and forth in clean and crisp lines, this one has no clear “winner” at any point.

No cabin knows how the others are progressing (everyone is working in different orders), no one can tell who is “ahead.” So everyone remains fully engaged until the final whistle. There is no comparison, just a commitment to the task at hand.

The real win comes at the end, during cabin debriefs, when counselors ask key questions:

“What worked well?”

“Who stepped up as a leader today?”

“Who really had to listen to someone?”

“What would you do differently next time?”

What starts as something silly and fun turns into where durable skills come to life:

• Collaboration — Every cabin sees in real-time that working together completely laps going at it alone.
• Critical Thinking — They have to prioritize tasks and use strategy, not just speed. In fact, in some places going too fast is a detriment.
• Adaptability — When one approach doesn’t work, they quickly pivot to another. And if that doesn’t work? On to another idea.
• Leadership — Different campers step up at different moments. There’s no other way. It’s impossible for one camper to lead every piece of the race.
• Resilience — They push through frustration when challenges prove difficult.

The lessons don’t come from a textbook or a lecture. They emerge organically through play, challenge, and cooperation.

Many parents ask me, “Will my child be okay without me at camp?” The answer is of course YES (I’m going to write about this specific question in a couple of weeks).

Instead of adults solving problems for them, your campers figure it out together.

Instead of following a rigid structure, they make their own strategic decisions.

Instead of focusing solely on winning, they celebrate progress, teamwork, and creativity.

These are the moments that build not just strong kids, but durable ones.

And that’s the magic of camp—where a goofy relay race on a basketball court isn’t just fun and games. It’s life skills in disguise, wrapped in smiles and teamwork, building tomorrow’s leaders one hula hoop escape at a time.

Erec Sir