Welcome 2016 Campers!!!!

Today was a great first day of camp. It was a chilly one, but we still managed to have fun. We started out meeting in the barn to go over rules, procedures and any questions the campers might have. Then, we paired up with partners for the famous blind string walk, where one camper is blindfolded and the other carefully directs each step. It's a great team building and communication activity. They all did great and enjoyed it. After that, we all warmed up with a hike to the "playwoods" for some free time and exploration of the area. Before we knew it, it was time for lunch and recess.

We had a visitor during gathering this morning.

Then, we enjoyed some quiet time, where some of the campers chose to sand wood in the barn, while others were on the porch reading or drawing.

Block one- Allie took a group to the porch for bracelet making, a camp favorite. Laura and Josh hiked out to the "playwoods" to start prepping and clearing a spot for shelter. Stephanie took a group to make their own terrarium,  which was really cool. They found toads, slugs and salamanders.

Block two-Josh and I took a group of campers back out to shelter and collected logs to start the building process.  Laura and Stephanie did more porch activities; bracelets, board games and journal writing. Allie took a group stalking, another camp favorite.

All in all it was a great first day. Tomorrow we will start prepping for our traditional stone soup which we enjoy on pond day (Wednesday). Please remember to bring in one vegetable item to add to our delicious soup.


*Note:Just a friendly reminder - Please send spare socks and extra layers as we may experience similar chilly days this week and some of our campers were cold today.


See you tomorrow,

Chan

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!