working at camp
Thank you for your interest in a position at Tumbleweed Day Camp. A summer job at our beautiful camp will give you the opportunity to develop leadership, communication and problem solving skills. Working outdoors with children promises to be a fun-filled, challenging and rewarding experience.
what our staff say about working at camp
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I love working at Tumbleweed because it gives you an opportunity to meet a group of children, to develop a bond with your group, and to watch the children grow. Some may think, well how much growing can be done in an 8 week period? In reality, it's a tremendous amount. You get to watch the child who was painfully shy on the first day of camp become extremely outgoing and comfortable with the rest of the group, you get to watch the child who has always been great at Gaga take the time to teach the new child entering the group how to be the "best" Gaga player, and you get to watch the child who is terrified of an activity learn to trust you and your assistant counselor enough to try the activity with your help. As a staff member you have all of these opportunities to watch the children of your group grow, and you get to share in this experience with coworkers who care about the children and about you.
frequently asked questions
Tumbleweed’s mission is to build happy people through teaching critical life skills. This is hard work, and camp is a great place to do hard things! But we can’t do hard things alone, which is why everyone at Tumbleweed commits to supporting each other’s growth from the beginning. Just like our campers, we unplug, explore and play throughout the day. We teach play, and we play while we work. Expect to get dirty, wear silly costumes, and be a hero to your campers. Expect to work long days and to have camp songs stuck in your head months later. Expect to collaborate with everyone at camp and to make life-long friendships. We have a growth mindset as an organization (we wouldn’t have stuck around since 1954 if we didn’t), and you’ll succeed here if you do, too. This isn’t your typical job, and we don’t have typical expectations. If you want to make the world a better place, expecting more from yourself and your job is a great first step. We’re excited to take that first step with you!
How do I apply?
Start by reading this whole FAQ page and doing some research on our website. If Tumbleweed sounds like a great fit for you, you can apply here! All currently available positions are listed at that link.
I can’t decide which position is right for me. What should I do?
We want to welcome as many exceptional people as possible into our community, so just apply for the position that feels like the best fit, and we’ll work with you to find the perfect match. Because we’re committed to working together from the beginning, you can just complete one application, and we’ll take it from there.
I’m only available part-time or can’t work all summer. Should I still apply?
Nearly every role at camp is full-time (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm) from mid June through mid August. We generally only hire staff whose availability fits these requirements, but we do occasionally have other positions available. Shorter-term and/or part-time positions will be listed at the Apply Now link when they are open.
Is housing provided for camp staff?
Since we’re a day camp, we’re unable to provide housing, meals or transportation.
Speaking of transportation, how does that work?
All of our campers come to and from camp on our vans, so nearly all of our staff are involved in our transportation process. That means that part of your job, each morning and afternoon, will be either either supervising campers on a bus (riding it to and from camp) or being a part of the camper drop-off and pick-up process.
I’m not 16 years old yet. Can I apply to work at camp?
All staff must be 16 years old by the first day of orientation. If you won’t be 16 yet, please check out our Counselor-in-Training program.
I don’t live in the United States. Can I still apply?
We accept applications from all candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. In addition to housing in Los Angeles, all international staff must have their own method of obtaining a visa that allows the holder to work for any employer; we don’t have a visa sponsorship program.
I already applied to work at camp. What’s next?
We take lots of time to consider each application we receive, so you’ll hear back from our hiring team within 10 days of submitting your application. If you have questions before then, please email work@tumbleweedcamp.com.