Where do I start?

When you walk into your first RV Activities assignment, your first course of action should be scheduling. . .figure out the schedule. . .find a manager, an assistant manager, even one of the guests who return year after year. . .sit down with them and ask. . .what usually goes on. . .what type of activities have you done in the past?

If you are very fortunate, the previous activities director will have left a plan from the previous year for you to follow.  I was not so fortunate in my first assignment. . .however. . .a guest from the previous season told me what they had done, and I went with her plan. . .nothing wrong with that. . .you have to start somewhere.  

Listed below is the weekly schedule that we came up with for our park.  This is only used as an example.  Your circumstances may be totally different, and you should adapt accordingly.  

Saturday - Breakfast Buffet Style - charge per person

Sunday    - Ice Cream Social        - charge per scoop

Monday - Bingo - charge per card - all proceeds go back to the players

Tuesday - Pot Luck - everyone contributes - followed by Poker and Pokeno

Wednesday - Free Night - Activity Center opened for Game night

Thursday - Poker and Pokeno

Friday - Bingo - charge per card - all proceeds go back to the players

Our group would have loved to have Bingo three times per week. . .we chose to only have two nights. . .

This is the very simplified set weekly schedule. . .there were many, many other varied and sundry activities that were planned and scheduled at various other times during the week. . .we will discuss those later.

Please do not hesitate to comment or offer questions and ideas. . .

The RV Park Activities Center. . . or in other words. . .the Facilities

What do you look for as far as facilities for activities at a park?

As I am sure you have observed in your travels, RV parks have facilities as varied as a room with a few chairs, and a TV, all the way up to a commercial kitchen, and complete set up for rallies. . .

If this is your first activities position, you will want to research the facilities, and the easiest way to do this is online. . .simply go to the RV Park website. . .and see if they have any pictures posted of their Clubroom, or their Library, any game rooms they may have, etc.

Most really large parks have a list of the activities that are provided. 

 Research the list, and see how many of the activities are a fit for you. . .do you love to cook. . .if they serve breakfast every Saturday morning, as we do here, you will need to know how to prepare and cook for a crowd.

If crafting is listed as an activity, you will either need to have some crafting skills, or you will need to be very gifted at twisting arms, and getting others involved in teaching craft classes for you.

For your very first Activities Position, perhaps it would be best to start with a small park.  This would give you an opportunity to spend one on one time with the guests, and discover what they love doing, and design your activities program around their wishes.

Flexibility will be the key. . .when you arrive at a park. . 

.the facilities, and the budget will determine what you can make happen.

As we progress in our discussions, I will give you step by step pointers on activities, 

functions, and crafts that anyone would be able to bring together.

Hope this answers your question. . . feel free to comment, and to ask additional questions.

How do you become an Activities Director?

That is the question I am asked most often.

The next question is. . . you're so lucky. . .how did you ever get this job?

Truthfully, luck played a big part of it this first time around, however, we did have skill sets that have allowed us to be successful, and that is what I would like to share with you.

If you love people. . .if you love making others happy. . .and especially if you love organizing. . .then you are definitely a candidate to become an Activities Director for an RV Park.

However, there is a caveat.  If you need to be patted on the back, and told, "good job", after each success, then you are probably not a good candidate.  If you are thin skinned, and easily get your feelings hurt, you need to look in another direction.  If you have difficulty saying NO, and are easily manipulated, or talked into things, run the other way as fast as you can.

On the other hand, you must have the patience of Job, be open to all ideas, and finding a way to make them work.  After all, your job will now be pleasing the RV'ers in the park, and they know exactly what it will take to make that happen.

You will need to have a smile on your face, and a spring in your step.  No one needs to know your problems, or that you are having a bad day.  You will now be the "JOY" maker, and oh what a joy it is.

With that said, working with Fulltime RV'ers has been an absolute delight. . .they are thrilled to see us coming, they are game for anything, and they enjoy life to the utmost.

Together we will explore avenues to make your dream of becoming an Activities Director a reality.

I look forward to your questions and comments as we begin this journey together.