Camps: June 10 - June 14

• CERAMICS with MEGHAN
• FORT BUILDING with KERRY
• FRISBEE with GRIFFIN
• ASTRONOMY with SHAWN
• RELAY RACE with BRIDGET
• NAVIGATION with LISA
• PAPER CRAFTS with CAIT

In CERAMICS with MEGHAN friends worked with an air dry clay to create a one-of-a-kind sculpture. Each day was a little different in what we added to the experience. Some days friends went on a nature walk to find materials to incorporate into their ceramics, while other days painting the pieces was of more interest. Most of the children has something specific in mind when creating their ceramics, everything from bowls and vases to plants and animals. Each day was wonderful, and we noticed many parents getting talked into taking home moist clay, because the sense of pride in their creations was so wonderful!

FORT BUILDING with KERRY - Many adventures were had this week in fort building. We utilized a wide variety of materials available to us in Room 6, and everything from benches, tables, chairs, silks, and nap mats were transformed into something new. Some days friends were more interested in creating tunnels, and other days they wanted tents and houses. Each day the children led as a group while they move, manipulated, and created structures to climb on, crawl under, get into, and play in.

FRISBEE with GRIFFIN - Each day was new and exciting for friends working with frisbees this week. We worked hard to discover a new and interesting way to use the frisbee and everything from tossing it back and forth with a peer, seeing who can throw it the longest, or trying to shoot it through our hula hoops. For some this was the first experience with throwing a frisbee, which helped those who had done it before has an opportunity to show them how it's done. Maki and Lucy were thrilled to show some of our younger friends easy ways to hold the frisbee, and how to throw it really far!

ASTRONOMY with SHAWN - This week in Astronomy, we explored our universe and the mysteries within it! We started everyday with a brief introduction into the concepts of planets, solar systems, stars, the big bang, and the idea of nothing. We then moved on to looking at each planet in our solar system, noting fun facts about each along the process. We did an activity where we got to experience the orbit of the earth around the sun, by playing a game where each student was challenged to spin clock-wise while making revolutions around a yellow ball in the center of the room (The Sun). We looked at a few images of nebulae and talked about how stars come into being. We finished our time together with a painting project where we created our own planets based on information learned during the week and any previous learning we came into the camp with.

RELAY RACE with BRIDGET - This week we were off and running in the relay summer camp. We explored different ways of moving across our space as well as how to use the materials we had. Many students were just interested in running, but we also tried jumping, skipping, and even bike riding. Wednesday we got rained on, but it didn't slow down the fun we had.

NAVIGATION with LISA - It has been so wonderful to have a new adventure everyday and to share this with the Children. The children have amazingly picked up navigation skills so quickly. We have been using compasses to follow a map with directions through the school and playground. We make silly, fun stops along the way and have a good time taking tiny steps, dancing steps, leaps and making up our own navigation songs along the way. At the end of our trek the children find a surprise basket filled with journals, markers and a new book each day that we read together. The children practice writing direction dials and the letters "N, S, W, E." They also have filled the journals with their own maps, drawings of compasses and I can't wait to look through them with the children! My favorite part of the Navigation Summer Camp is our camaraderie when we wear bandannas with the letter "N" on them. We are quite the team!

PAPER CRAFTS with CAIT - From intricate origami to large-scale construction projects, each preschooler had their own ideas of what to do with paper during summer camp time. Origami creations included different boats - some of which sailed across the table with lung powered wind, as well as cubes and  a variety of shapes that tumbled and twirled when dropped. Other friends chose to cut, glue, draw, and fold paper into an assortment of free forms. Creating and drawing cards was popular as well as creating rocket ships, and animals. Using several sheets of cardstock, Issac L. glued together a floor, four walls, and a slanted roof with a window and an "emergency exit." It was exciting to see all the different ways of making things with paper.