Happy last day of camp!

Today was such a fun day. The campers had a fantastic camp out last night, with dinner, s'mores and breakfast at the campfire, games on the lawn, and a night walk!

These past three weeks have been so much fun! All of the campers had a great nature learning experience, and we enjoyed our time with each one of them. We can't wait until next year!

Thank you for the wonderful time!

Shannon

Camper reading in a tree!

Some finished tie-dye shirts!

 Marshmallow time!

Fun games around the campfire!  

Early morning breakfast! 

Happy Thursday!

This morning was busy! After morning council the campers split off into groups. Some campers went with Chantelle and Tyler to shelter. They have completed all of the different shelters in the play woods! Allie and I had a group painting stones, making tie dye shirts and making paracord bracelets. Laura and Julie had a fun porch group finishing up all the crafts. They also started and completed wind socks with the campers! They look awesome.

After lunch and recess, the campers had quiet time. They sanded and worked on drawings. Others read their books.

In the afternoon, some campers took hikes around the Land Lab. Others worked on tie dying and finished up their windsocks. I took a group to play ultimate Frisbee. The kids had so much fun!

The campers switched over to soccer in the afternoon and made paracord bracelets. It was a relaxed afternoon!

We are looking forward to the fun camping overnight! Soon we will start setting up tents and later we will make dinner.

We are looking forward to the family picnic tomorrow!

See you then!
Shannon

Windsocks on the porch!

 Painted stones!

 A camper helps with the fire making!

Fun times at shelter!

Frisbee on the field! 

Happy last Pond Day!

Today was a great day. The campers started off getting ready for the day's activities. A small group cut up the vegetables with Allie and Julie. Thank you for all the wonderful veggies!

All the campers headed to the pond and started swimming right away. It was cloudy in the morning but the campers made the most of it. By the pond, many campers played soccer, collected sticks for the fire, and caught some wild life specimens.

At lunch time the campers sat around the pond to enjoy our stone soup! According to some of the campers, the soup was the best we've had so far! After lunch the kids had some free time. During this time about 10 small groups of campers, or single performers, planned out their act for our first Land Lab talent show.

The talent show was performed during the afternoon and everyone had so much fun! The acts varied from singing to magic tricks. During the rest of the afternoon the campers swam and did activities by the pond. The sun came out and it was a great time.

We thank Quin and Tyler again for the extra help around the Land Lab. Also a thank you goes out to Jeffrey for being the lifeguard for the day!

See you tomorrow!

Shannon

 Campers play cards as the soup cooks!

Hanging by the pond! 

 Talent show!

Frogs caught by the pond!

Hello everyone!

Today was a great day! The morning activities included shelter building with Allie where the campers made a mini shelter next to the larger one. The kids had a great time with this. Julie and Chantelle had a group of campers in the wood shop area to paint stones. The designs came out great! Laura did fun porch activities with the mason jars. I had a small group of campers working on the paracord bracelets.

Lunch time went well and the kids played capture the flag and basketball for recess.

In the first afternoon block, Julie took a group of campers to cut the vegetables for tomorrows stone soup. Laura had a group on the porch to continue the mason jar activity. They were all filled with beautiful colors! Chantelle and I took a group of campers to do some photography.

During the second block, there was a large group of campers that had a soccer game. Chantelle finished up the tin can lantern craft. The new campers loved it! More campers watched the big game.

We would like to thank Tyler and Quin for making guest appearances at camp today! It is great to have MSS Alumni on hand to help out the campers!

As a reminder, tomorrow is pond day! Bring all the necessary items for the fun day.

See you then!
-Shannon

 Campers work on stone painting!

A happy camper in the shelter!

 Photography in the field!

 Salamander friend!

Eating lunch in the grass! 

Happy Monday!

We were excited to start the third week of camp. There are a lot of fun activities going on this week! Our morning council went well and all of the campers started off with the blind string walk. This walk allowed the new campers to experience the fun group activity. After the walk, the big group split into smaller ones.

A big group went to continue the shelter with Julie, Chantelle and I. The shelter is really starting to look spectacular! Another group went with Allie to collect rocks for a painting craft. Laura and our special guest, Quin, took campers to the porch to make mandalas. The mandalas are a nature craft that uses leaves to decorate a beautiful design.

After the morning block, the campers had lunch, recess and quiet time. During the first afternoon block, a group of kids went to the porch to work on more mandalas with Laura. Chantelle and I worked on paracord bracelets. The new campers got the opportunity to make them! Allie had a group go out to experience the "ants eye view" walk. All the campers get very low to the ground to experience what it would be like to be an ant.

During the second block, the campers organized a fun soccer tournament! Others painted stones in the barn and a group went to the porch again for more crafts.

The weather was wonderful today and the campers had an awesome day!

Tomorrow feel free to bring vegetables for stone soup on Wednesday!

-Shannon

 Allie's book introduction to an "Ant's eye view"

 Campers with their new paracord bracelets!

 Building shelter!

Painting stones in the barn! 

Hello everyone!

Happy Friday! Today was one of the more chilly days we've seen at the Land Lab. It was still a beautiful morning with light mist!

A group of campers worked on their string art projects and tin can lanterns with Julie. Allie took a group out for a Stalking exercise. Chantelle and I had fun activities to do with campers on the porch. The campers loved playing the board game of Life.

After lunch the kids played a game of soccer. The were very excited about this game because they made some signs and flags to use.

During quiet time, some went to the porch for some card games and bracelet making. Others stayed in the barn to work quietly on a craft.

In the first afternoon block, Chantelle and Julie took a group out to do some photography and select walking sticks. They observed some amazing insects! The kids love finding unique sticks. I played a game of soccer with some campers. The first block activities continued through second block because all of the campers were having so much fun!

We had such a fun week and can't wait until our third week!

Have a great weekend!
Shannon

 A neat insect that the photography group found!

 Campers stopped by the shelter on a hike!

Board games on the porch! 

Hello everyone!

Today started off great. Morning circle welcomed a special alumni guest, Quin!

The activities for the morning were exciting. Some campers went out to build the shelter with Julie and Chantelle. The new shelter is really starting to look great. Laura had a group of kids on the porch working on some new birdhouses! The birdhouses are made out of Popsicle sticks and the campers love them. Allie and I took a group to the barn to do some tie dye. The whole process is fun and the campers came up with some awesome designs.  Every camper got to tie dye one bandana and one t shirt.

After the morning block the kids ate their lunches and played a fun game of soccer.

In the afternoon block Allie continued the tie dye project. The shirts that we saw at the end of the day look amazing! Chantelle and I took some campers on a hike and we caught a ton of frogs. Laura and Julie continued the Mason jar and bird house activity. In the second block a group played soccer and other campers worked in the barn. The kids has the opportunity to meet my fuzzy ferret Koda. They loved her and she loved them!

We look forward to a fun Friday!
Shannon

 Tie Dying in the barn!

 More tie dye!

 Afternoon game of soccer!

 Frog collecting by the pond!

The new shelter! 

Happy pond day!

Today was fun! The weather was perfect - not too hot and not too cold. All of the campers gathered during morning circle and made their way to the pond. A small group cut up the vegetables. Thank you for all the great ingredients!

The campers got their usual pond safety instruction by Julie. The morning was fun! Campers swam, canoed, and played on the land. Some campers played soccer, collected wildlife and made bracelets.

Next, the campers had lunch and got to enjoy their fresh stone soup. It tasted so great! After lunch we had quiet time.

The swimming and activities started again after lunch and quiet time! Allie even went for a swim!

The whole afternoon was filled with many fun activities. Some campers caught huge frogs!

Overall, the day was awesome. All the campers had so much!

See you tomorrow!
-Shannon

 Relaxing on the grass!

Fun in the pond!

 Camper in a fish towel!

Some campers caught a frog!! 

Happy Tuesday!

Today started off great with some new activities planned. For the morning work block, two groups of campers went with Allie to Jack and Carol's house for a garden tour. The group loved the tour. Chantelle and Laura made an awesome loom. It is a giant weaving activity and the campers loved it! Julie and I took a group to the porch for a new mason jar activity. The campers stuck glass stones and rocks to the sides of the mason jars. These are great for pencil jars or a simple decoration. The final crafts came out so awesome!

Right before lunch, some campers went outside to play soccer. The rain eventually came, but it didn't dampen the spirits of camp! 

After lunch, the campers had quiet time. This was a silent quiet time for the kids to relax and work on something like sanding or drawing.

After quiet time, the some campers made more decorated mason jars. In the barn, another group of campers worked on lanterns. The lanterns are made out of tin cans and they look great! The kids had a lot of fun with this activity.

In the second block, some campers made paracord bracelets. Others went out on a hike when the sun finally came out. Some campers prepared for tomorrow's stone soup! 

Overall it was a great day; despite the weather.  The campers are welcome to bring in some vegetables for the stone soup and tin cans for the lanterns. Also, a reminder that tomorrow is pond day! Please bring all the necessary items for the fun day. Can't wait for tomorrow!

-Shannon

 Mason jar fun!



















 Soccer free time!

Weaving!

Coming back from the garden tour!

Lantern making! 

Hello everyone!

Monday was exciting. The kids were ready to get started for the day right away. The morning circle was quick today. Some campers then went off to terrarium with Julie and I. They had two buckets to put insects and leaves in for observation. Allie took a group of campers to the porch for some nature watercoloring. Chantelle and Laura had some campers finishing up their crafts of string art, paracord, and bracelets.

Lunchtime started a little early today as there was a fun surprise afterwards for the campers. After lunch, we had a special appearance from The Wild Zoo. They brought in some fun animals! The campers got to learn about monkeys, baby goats, tortoises, snakes and more! It was such a fun presentation.

After the presentation, the kids had some free time to play soccer or go for a hike in the woods.

In the afternoon block, a group of campers went to the porch to do some watercolor and drawing projects. Another group went stalking with Allie. Some campers wanted to continue their game of "World Cup" with a soccer ball.

The entire day was a lot of fun and the weather ended up being great! We are looking forward to some new activities for tomorrow.

Shannon

 Terrarium!

 Shelter in the play woods!

Baby kangaroo time!

Campers loved the snake! 

Happy Friday!

Today it was a little rainy in the morning, but we were pleased to see that it cleared right up! The campers started their morning with a circle meeting.

Today was a similar schedule to yesterday. Julie took another group of campers to Jack and Carol's organic garden. The students enjoyed making their sunflower pots.  Allie and Laura did string art with other students. The projects are looking great! Some campers even completed them.

Meanwhile, Chantelle and I took a group around for more photography. The campers enjoyed getting neat "action" shots.

After lunch, the kids had a free period after to play soccer or do an activity in the barn.

In the afternoon, we did a variety of activities.  Some campers completed their bark frames and wind chimes with Julie and Chantelle. I took a group to do a fun stalking exercise. The campers were awesome at it! They try to move quietly throughout the woods and not to be heard by the person who is blindfolded. The string art was a popular activity in the first block with Allie and Laura.  In the afternoon block Allie took a second group of stalkers out for a walk. Campers continued working on their crafts and a group also played a fun game of soccer.

Our first week was fantastic! Everyone had so much fun and we are looking forward to next week.

Have a great weekend!

-Shannon

 Fern presentation!

Pond poetry!

















  Frame making!

Bracelet making! 

Hi everyone!

The weather looked awesome today so we were all excited for the activities. The morning sessions were packed!

Today after morning circle, we all split off. Allie took a group of campers into the barn to do string art. The campers started their art with a wood piece of board. They sanded/decorated the board and then hammered some nails into it with their chosen design. Then each camper wove string around the nails. The finished products were awesome! 

Julie and Laura took a group for a tour and activity with Jack and Carol Lawyer. Each camper got to plant a sunflower. All the campers loved learning about the organic gardens. Meanwhile, Chantelle and I took a couple of groups through the fields to take photos. All the campers got shots of different parts of nature. They plan on making frames for their photos!

After the fun morning, all the campers ate lunch and participated in quiet time. Some played cards, while others sanded and made bracelets.

For the afternoon block, Allie led some new campers through nail art while Chantelle and Julie took campers to collect nature items for wind chimes and picture frames. In the second block, I ran a mini soccer clinic with a group. Allie took a group to go stalking in the fields - one of the campers' favorite activities!! All the other campers continued to enjoy working on their nail art, wind chimes and frame creations for the rest of the afternoon.

We all had an awesome day today! The weather was beautiful and the campers had a blast. We are excited for a fun Friday.

-Shannon 

 Campers before photography!

 Jumping photos!

 Visits to the garden

Soccer on the field!

Frame making with sticks!