Summer Camp: Friendship Rocks, Day 8

Our day was jammed packed with fun.

• We used our self-made surfboards for a dancing game. 
• One group played a "Summer Matching Game" and the other group a "Summer Fun Friendship Board Game."
• But we especially liked the following two projects:

DRIP AND FOLD WITH A FRIEND

This art project is very simple yet addresses lots of social and communication skills: working with a partner; sharing materials with a peer; taking turns, e.g., with the rolling pin; compromising (e.g., what colors to apply to the paper); using materials as intended; commenting.

A poster board (approximately 11x14) is pre-folded and then opened up again. Campers work in pairs and apply dabs of paint all over the paper with the help of Q-tips. When enough paint in different colors is applied, the paper is folded in half again. Campers can use their hands or a rolling pin to spread around the paint. Then, the paper is opened up again and the kids can admire the design they created and talk about it.

  

WATER BALLOON CANVAS PAINTING This activity is a combination of an art project and a gross motor game with a big bang at the end. The activity is very popular with a great variety of ages and works for all skill levels. Supplies needed per small group are: canvas, paint in containers with a spoon, big tarp, water balloons. First, the kids work together and apply blobs of paint to a canvas with a spoon. Then, the canvas is placed in the middle of a big tarp (it will get messy). Next, the students take turns tossing water balloons onto the canvas and therefore mixing the colors on the canvas. The group can work on good sportsmanship behavior by cheering their friends on, giving high 5s. And here is the beautiful painting:

Summer Camp: Friendship Rocks, Day 7

Today, we played a fun game to review our friends' names:

 

FRIENDSHIP BOZO BUCKET GAME

Buckets with kids’ pictures are spread out on the floor. The player whose turn it is will stand behind a line and will try to toss a bean bag into one of the friendship buckets. Each player can try 3 times to hit a bucket. When the player hit the target, review the name of the kid, whose bucket the player hit. The player can also get a little treat (for added meaning treat can be in heart shape box) out of the bucket. The player then hands the bean bag to another camper to indicate the new player's turn.

Here are some other games we engaged in at camp that are great ice-breaker games and can be played to increase awareness who is in the group and to learn and review names. 

 

MY PLACE IS EMPTY (verbal skills required)

 

Students sit in a circle on chairs. One chair will be empty. The player whose chair on the right hand side is empty will call on a friend to sit next to him: “My place is empty, I'm so sad. ______ (name of friend) come sit with me and I’ll be glad. Make sure that the kids use the correct names.

 

BEACH BALL TOSS/PASS

Kids stand/sit in a circle and toss around a beach ball. Different variations can be played, e.g., beach ball is thrown to a specific person and the person with the ball has to say the name of the other student first and make eye contact; the ball can be passed from one person to another; passing the ball between the players’ legs without using hands. Let students come up with ideas how to pass the ball.

Summer Camp: Friendship Rocks, Day 5

Another exciting day at camp: As always we started off the day with free play and our Clubhouse camp chant. Two of us stand in front of the whole group and lead the chant (a great way of practicing talking in front of a group as well as greetings).

 Here is how the chant goes:
Friendship.
Group: What?
Friendship.
Group: Rocks!

The two campers, who led the chant, then each pick a picture of another camper from the roll call board and greet those campers by handing the picture over to them.

We received our super fun Clubhouse hats and of course we had to take some pictures:

 

 

We also would like to thank our wonderful volunteers Elizabeth, Addey and Amanda. All three are full of energy, enthusiasm, dedication and commitment and help make our camp run smoothly. YOU ROCK!!!

Elizabeth, Addey, Amanda!

Summer Camp: Friendship Rocks, Day 4

Today, we had a super busy and fun day at camp:

• We made volcanoes.
• We played musical chairs.
• We went trough an obstacle course with a yogurt cup on a scooter board. practicing our team work skills and cooperation skills.
• We created camp poster by painting plexi glass and pressing paper on top of the plexi to make an imprint.
• We practiced our non-verbal communication skills by playing the "Silent Cup Game."

 

Featured activities of the day:

VOLCANOES

•  This is a great activity to get all age and skill levels excited and motivated while focusing on turn taking, waiting one's turn, peer communication, following directions and impulse control (e.g., pouring the vinegar into the hole slowly).
• Let students take turns to fill the bottom cup with baking soda (e.g., cup needs to be filled about 2/3). Let them add a small amount of food coloring and mix with baking soda. Attach cup with hole (upside down) to cup without hole and tape. Let kids take turns pouring vinegar with the help of a yogurt cup into the hole of the cup. Make sure that kids don’t get too close to the hole with their eyes. Encourage peer communication (e.g., “What do you think will happen when the vinegar is poured into the cup?”). Tip: Use fresh baking soda and make sure that the cup is filled 2/3 with baking soda. This way you will be able to produce plenty of volcano eruptions.
  
  

  Silent Cup Game

• The students are divided into small groups. Each group receives three opaque cups that are turned upside down. One player closes his eyes while the other player hides a treat under one cup. The other player then tries to find the treat. However, only non-verbal communication is allowed so it is crucial to play close attention to each other. The student who is looking for the treat has to point to a cup and then wait for his partner's non-verbal response (i.e., nodding for "yes" or shaking his head for "no").

Summer Clubhouse Camp: Friendship Rocks, Day 1

Our Summer Clubhouse Camp "Friendship Rocks" is off to a great start. We were excited to see new and old friends.

We played many fun games:

• We made our own bowling pins for camp and then of course we had to use them right away and played a round of bowling outside. We tried not to melt away in the really hot weather while cheering for our friends.

• We explored the fun play structure on our camp site. The climbing wall was a hit.
• We also played with the parachute and danced the FREEZE DANCE.
• We earned many friendship points for being good friends.
• And we learned a new friendship handshake.
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  FEATURED ACTIVITY OF THE DAY:
  
  
  Friendship Placemats
  
  
  
  
  
  Students created placemats by using stamps or cookie cutters dipped in paint, stickers and markers. The twist was that they did not make their own placemat but that they decorated it for one of their camp friends. To determine who they made the placemat for, they drew a picture of a Clubhouse camp friend out of a bag. 
  
  Variation: Students add pre-made compliment sentences to the placemat. Encourage kids to think about the friend they are making the placemat for: What does the person like? What do I like about the person? They can also ask the friend, they are making the placemat for, questions.