Here We Go!! Life is Here to Enjoy!!

Life is Here to Enjoy         ~Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

What a concept! Such a simple quotation and such a simple mantra and we don't do it very often; but in the next two weeks, my coworkers and I are going to have a great deal to enjoy!  

Six days and Summer Day Camp-Listening and Language is happening!  So exciting!  

Here's just a little taste of the activities:

The 'Little Travelers' will be singing, listening to rhythms and durations, moving with the sounds, and playing an instrument; cooking – sharing the fun with the older campers in putting together their snacks; Ducks and playing in the water (buckets of water); Splash with other animals and playing in the water (buckets of water); Pop with bubbles and balloons.  The 'Little Travelers' will be doing this with the guidance of a parent.  Woo hoo! That's only the first week!

The 'Junior and Master Travelers' will also be singing, dancing, and cooking.  They will be Dinosaur excavating; discussing Dinosaurs and their Fun, Dinosaur Games! Generally become Dinosaur Experts!  

The older campers, or 'travelers', will have partners; and some of the partners are siblings.  They will be enjoying activities that help them understand each others actions and feelings.  Discussion within a game among the siblings and friends will target behaviors and emotions, so that they learn to listen to each other and understand what is being said along with understanding the emotion that goes with the behavior.  In other words - walking in another man's shoes.  

Overall, summertime and camp 'Here we go!'  

Youth comes but once in a lifetime.         ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

and I get youth for my whole lifetime!  What fun!

 

It's Almost Here! Camp Time!

Once again, I spent time putting together activities for summer camp and I am so excited I have the opportunity to do this!  I met with friends and co-workers to discuss and explore the fun we are going to have in one month.  Wow! one month away.  But I wanted to write it down one more time and see what you think.  A camp of fun - listening and language. 
Balloons - you can do so many things with balloons.  I read that in a workshop book for children and they were right!  Elicit language while moving a balloon across the room without using your hands. Two campers will be working together to move their 'dinosaur egg' (that's our theme this year-Dinosaurs) to the nest on the other side of the room.   Campers have to make a plan and tell each other what they need to do to move the balloon.  Pick dinosaur names and share with the group - talk about your dinosaur and what your dinosaur will do-paint a puffy dinosaur, make dinosaur feet prints and plan a dinosaur t-shirt!  That is all in one day!  And we plan on doing so many other things for two weeks.  Campers will be moving around in physical motor skills, dancing and playing games.  Campers will be chefs and deciding on what dinosaurs will be snacking on for the day.  Campers will show feelings of dinosaurs and discuss family siblings.  Campers will just have overall fun while 'listening and learning language'. 
The young ones of the camp will be having water fun through Splash, Quack, and Moo!  Sounds fun already.  Through the use of music and learning animal movements - students will use their vocalizations and words to talk about the heat, talk about 'cooling off' and talk about splashing in the water.  They too, will have music, snack and overall fun.  Come on - you know you want to join us - please do!