A cheerful person is not automatically ready to supervise children. Look for calm judgment, reliability, clear speech, respect, and the ability to notice someone at the edge of a group.
Use an application, interview, relevant checks, references, and a practical exercise. Follow local rules for screening and privacy. Ask a candidate to explain a game to a small group of adults pretending to be new campers. Then add a problem: one person refuses, another needs the toilet, and a ball rolls near a road.
Ask what they would do first and whom they would call. Good answers protect the group and seek help. Be cautious about answers built on shouting, humiliation, physical punishment, or “I would just leave them for a minute.”
Give each role a written job outline. Name hours, pay, preparation, cleanup, breaks, reporting, prohibited conduct, and supervision limits. Decide who leads each age group and who provides relief.
A junior helper is not automatically a full staff member. Define what they may do, who supervises them, and whether local rules allow them to count toward required cover.
Do this next: Hire a reliable backup plan, not just enough names for a perfect day.