Staff Favorites: Check-In Questions

Every day at camp brings countless opportunities to learn a whole lot about the people around you. It might happen elbow-deep in the dish pit, mid–media office grind, during small group icebreakers, or in a good old-fashioned hangtime. The truth is, the right question can turn any moment into something meaningful, or at least memorable. Silly or serious, these staff favorite check-in questions will help you walk away knowing someone better… or at the very least, learning which animal they’re convinced they could take down!

“I always start ropes training by asking everyone: ‘What is the biggest animal you could beat in a fight in the dining hall?’ It really helps me gauge who has a realistic view of themselves and who is a little overconfident.” — Marc Wood, Silverado Men’s Director

“I like asking people what their favorite icebreaker question is and what their answer is. On a more serious note, for check-ins I like asking, ‘What makes you love God more?’” — JD “Rambus” Moore, Ranch Camp Director

“One of my favorite questions to ask is, ‘What is something you’re excited for or looking forward to?’ It’s super open-ended, but it gives so much insight into what someone is passionate about. I love that the answers can range from something as small as, ‘I’m excited for the dinner I’m making tonight,’ to finding out someone is having a kid! Another favorite of mine—especially when someone is sharing a struggle—is asking, ‘Do you want me to just listen while you vent, offer a hug and empathize, or help you problem-solve?’ I’m always amazed at the responses I get. I personally tend to jump straight into problem-solving mode, but I’ve realized that isn’t always what people need at the moment!” — Alyssa “Flee-on-huh?” Andreone, HR & Benefits Generalist

“It’s simple, but I love the question, ‘How’s your heart?’ It cuts through all the day-to-day and gets our conversation going at a deeper level.” — Jesse “Schmoe” Garner, Sr. Director of Engagement

“‘What’s in your Top 5 right now?’ This question just gets people talking about things that they’ve really loved recently—beverages, shows, music, books, habits, cool things and people in their lives, etc. It’s a great way to get to know someone’s recent life and talk about things they love! Three is quicker—but five is where the money is at!” — Conor “Flow” Barry, Ridge Camp Director

“Hang-time-wise, I love to throw a good: ‘What has been your highest high and lowest low of X amount of time?’ OR ‘What has stood out to you in X topic/event?’ And group hang/icebreaker, my go-tos are: ‘If you could describe your week/day as a color, what color would it be and why?’—I have done the same thing as describing it as a food/meal! ‘What is the best birthday party you’ve ever had?’ ‘What is your walk-in song?’” — Mandalyn “Barky” Dumke, Operations and Marketing Assistant

“The first question I like to ask is ‘Who is your best friend? Tell me about him/her. What’s something you’ve learned from them?’ Everyone loves talking about their friends and how much they mean to them, but for some reason, we don’t ask each other this very often. I find that staff are always pleasantly surprised when I ask them. For me, my best friends are some of the biggest examples of God’s faithfulness in my life. Another question I like to ask is, ‘What’s something you should be praying about that you aren’t? Let’s pray for it right now.’ It’s so easy to talk generally about ways to grow in a check-in, but my hope is that guys leave feeling like they’re already moving toward growth. This is an awesome question that is both convincing and empowering. It says, ‘Let’s acknowledge where you need to take a step and help you start to take it!’” — Colin “Sneaky Pete” Post, Ridge Associate Director

“One of my favorite questions is, ‘Who/what was your middle school obsession, and did you have an Instagram fan account for them?’ It’s a really good and silly icebreaker that can have some crazy answers!” — Kara “Crashy” Muyia, Towers Associate Director

“I like to ask people, when they are at a restaurant, are they more inclined to order an appetizer or a dessert? It’s an easy, low-pressure question and helps me have an idea of what kind of treat I can surprise and delight them with later in the summer!” — Chloe “Risk It” McGrath, HR Training and Engagement Manager

“My go-to check-in question is always: ‘What’s been the best, the most surprising (good or bad), and the most challenging part of this week/semester/month/job/etc.?’ I’ve seen a lot of cool moments happen as they reflect on what they’ve been learning recently!” — Kate “Jiggy” Burns, Springs Women’s Director

Ready. Set. Ask! We hope these tried-and-true check-in questions make their way into your drive to school, dinner table conversations, or maybe even your next hangtime. You never know what story, dream, or wildly unrealistic animal matchup might come out of it!