Camps and clubs
Camp certificates or letters, one for every camper.
A good camp certificate names the moment that camper will remember from the summer, like a swim test passed on the third try or a painting hung at the showcase, in a title that is theirs alone. Add a few quick notes about each camper, and we turn them into an award certificate with its own title, a letter in your counselor's voice, or both, ready to hand out on the last day.
A camp session of 40, award certificates: $120 ($3 each)
By Scott Mackley, founder of learnerborn · Updated
What to write on a camp certificate
Counselors see a lot in a week. Pick the one moment that was that camper's, and say what it showed.
- One moment from camp that was theirs: a first, a try that worked, a kind thing they did.
- What it showed about them: brave, curious, a good friend.
- How they changed from the first day to the last.
- A wish for next summer.
- Nothing that ranks campers against each other.
Free template
Camp certificate template
Copy the wording and fill in the brackets for each camper. It works for day camps, sleepaway camps, sports camps and clubs.
Want a different one for each person, without filling in blanks? That's what learnerborn does: you add a few notes about each person, and each one is written for you to review and print.
Letter template
Dear [first name], What a [week or summer]. On the first day you [where they started]. By the end you [what changed]. The moment I'll remember is [a moment from camp that was theirs]. That showed me [what it says about them]. I hope we see you back next summer. [Counselor's name], [camp name]
Certificate template
The [their camp moment in a few words] Award Presented to [first name], [camp name] For [the moment, in one sentence]. [Counselor's name], [session and year]
Three real examples
From a few notes to a certificate or a letter they'll keep.
Notes for three campers, Henry at day camp, Penny at art camp and Lena at science camp, and what came back. Shown exactly as written. The names and camps are made up.
Letter
CertificateFor Henry, from Counselor Jess
What Counselor Jess said
“Henry passed his swim test on the third try and jumped off the high dock on the last day.”
The certificate
The Never-Gave-Up Award
You passed your swim test on the third try, and that tells me everything about who you are. When you finally made it, the whole cabin celebrated with you. Then, on the last day of camp, you climbed up to the high dock and jumped, even though I know how scary it looked from up there. You showed all of us what courage really means: not being unafraid, but doing it anyway. I'm so proud of you, Henry!
The letter that came back
Dear Henry,
What a summer! Watching you work toward that swim test, I saw the kind of determination that makes me proud to be your counselor.
You didn't pass it on the first try, or the second, but you kept coming back. That takes real courage. When you finally passed on that third try, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger smile.
And then, on the last day of camp, you climbed up to the high dock and jumped. I know how scary that looked from up there, with the water so far below. But you did it anyway. That moment showed me everything I need to know about who you are: someone who doesn't let fear win.
I hope you're as proud of yourself as I am of you, Henry. You proved this summer that you can do hard things, and that's something you'll carry with you long after camp is over.
I can't wait to see what you take on next summer!
Counselor Jess
Letter
CertificateFor Penny, from Ms. Rosa
What Ms. Rosa said
“Penny painted a sunset with five shades of orange and hung it at the front of the showcase.”
The certificate
The Five-Shades-of-Orange Award
You painted a sunset with five shades of orange that we hung at the front of the showcase! The care you put into it showed what a thoughtful artist you are. That painting was beautiful, Penny, and you should feel so proud of what you created this week!
The letter that came back
Dear Penny,
That sunset you painted was absolutely incredible! Five shades of orange, Penny. Five! When we hung it at the front of the showcase, it was the first thing everyone saw.
I could tell how much care you put into every brushstroke. That painting showed me what a thoughtful artist you are.
Seeing your sunset at the front of the showcase made me so proud. You created something beautiful, Penny, and you should feel really good about that.
I hope you keep painting and trying new things with color. You have a real eye for it, and I cannot wait to see what you create next!
Ms. Rosa
Letter
CertificateFor Lena, from Dr. Kim
What Dr. Kim said
“Lena asked why the slime changed color and then tested her own idea to find out.”
The certificate
The Real Scientist Award
Congratulations on a summer of true scientific thinking! You asked why the slime changed color, then came up with your own idea about what might be happening, and then you tested it. That is exactly what real scientists do: they notice something interesting, form a hypothesis, and design a way to find out if they are right. You did not wait for answers. You went after them yourself. Your curiosity and your courage to test your own ideas made this summer special, Lena. Keep asking questions, keep testing, and keep being the kind of scientist the world needs.
The letter that came back
Dear Lena,
You are exactly the kind of scientist I love to work with: curious, brave enough to test your own ideas, and never satisfied with just wondering.
That moment with the slime stopped me in my tracks. You asked why it changed color, then came up with your own idea about what might be happening, and then you actually tested it. That is real science, Lena. Not following instructions or memorizing facts, but seeing something interesting, forming a hypothesis, and designing a way to find out if you are right. Watching you work through that process made me so proud.
What you did this summer is what scientists do every single day: they notice something, wonder about it, and then figure out how to get answers. You have that instinct, and it is going to take you so far.
I cannot wait to see what questions you ask next, Lena. Keep testing your ideas. Keep being curious. Keep being you.
Dr. Kim
Award title ideas
Awards that celebrate each person's own strengths.
Each camper gets their own title, written from your notes, so every camper goes home with one and nobody is ranked. A few come from the examples on this page; the rest are ideas in the same spirit.
- The Never-Gave-Up Award
- The Five-Shades-of-Orange Award
- The Real Scientist Award
- The Lead-with-Heart Award
- The Friend to Everyone Award
- The Dragon-Maker Award
- The Helpful Hands Award
- The Mystery Writer Award
- The Six-Page Comic Award
- The High Dock Jumper Award
- The Campfire Storyteller Award
- The First-Day-to-Last-Day Award
How it works
About a minute per person, start to finish.
We use AI to draft each certificate or letter from only the notes you give us. Nothing is final until you approve it.
- 1
Pick the occasion and a design
Thanksgiving, the holidays, the end of the season, a thank you or just because. Choose a design for your certificates, your letters or both, and your group's colors.
- 2
Type or say a few notes about each person
A moment you noticed, how they grew, what you'll remember. Messy is fine, and the more you say, the fuller and more personal each one will be.
- 3
Review, change anything, print
Review each one, change anything you like and approve it. Then download print ready PDFs and print at home.
Day camps, sleepaway camps, clubs and after-school programs
Questions
Last names are optional, stay on your device and are never saved. Everything is deleted 30 days after your order is finished, or 60 days after an order is started and never finished.
Who writes the certificates and letters?
You do, with help. We use AI to draft each certificate or letter from only the notes you give us. Each one is about that one person, and each letter is in your voice. You review each one and change anything you like before you download, and nothing is final until you approve it.
Do the certificates or letters compare kids with each other?
No. Each certificate or letter is about one person and never compares them with anyone else. Award titles celebrate that person's own strengths and growth.
How long does it take?
About a minute per person once your names are in, start to finish, including the time you spend talking or typing. Most of that minute is you saying what you noticed. The writing, the design and the layout are done for you.
Can I use my group's colors and logo?
Yes. Pick your group's colors, and add a logo if you have one. They appear on the certificates and letters.
How much does it cost?
It depends on what you make and how many people are in your group. A certificate is $3 to $5 per person, a letter $6 to $12, and both together $8 to $15. The bigger the group, the lower the price per person, and you see the total before you pay. See all prices.
Send every camper home with a certificate that is theirs.
Start with first names and a few notes. You'll have an award certificate, a letter or both for each camper, ready for the last day of camp.
Certificates from $3, letters from $6 each for groups of 16 or more.