Paint the Counsellor
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers (20 minutes)
Requirements:
·
Paint Brushes, Paint, Soap,
Water, and Bucket to wash hands in.
How
to play:
1. Gather materials and find a shaded area near the safety village (close
to running water to wash hands in outdoors).
2. Explain the rules to campers and create guidelines of where the
campers are allowed to paint.
3. Give each camper a paint brush, and allow them to paint the
counsellor.
4. Get each camper to wash their hands outdoors in buckets.
Rules:
1.
Campers are only allowed to
paint the counsellor, not each other
or any other object.
2.
Counsellors must give campers a
guideline of where to paint; example drawing cut off points to ensure that it
is not on their clothes.
3.
Campers must use one paintbrush
for each colour.
Skills
Built
·
Campers develop imagination and
creative skills by taking art off of the paper.
Assets
Built
·
Creative Activities: Child
participates in artistic activities.
·
Positive Peer Influence:
Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue on to finger painting
and more structured art.
Make your Own Playdough
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers (40 minutes)
Requirements:
·
Flour, Water, Salt, Vegetable
Oil, Food Colouring, large bowl, large tarp, baggies, marker for writing names
on bags, bucket of water for hand washing.
How
to play:
1.
Gather materials and find a
shaded area to set up.
2.
Have campers sit around the
edge of a large tarp. Explain the rules and talk about what you are doing as
you are doing it.
3.
Counsellor begins mixing
ingredients. Once partially mixed and not liquid, add the food colouring. When
it becomes mixed enough to not make a mess, allow campers to help mix up the
play dough one at a time.
4.
Once everyone has had a turn to
help and it is completely mixed, divide the play dough up to each camper.
5.
Allow campers to play with the
play dough and create their objects.
6. When finished, clean up and place each camper’s play dough into a
ziplock bag to put in their bag. Explain that play dough can only be kept in
the refrigerator and up to one week following.
Rules:
1.
Campers must not eat the play
dough.
2.
Only play with the play dough
on the tarp.
Skills
Built
·
Campers develop creativity and
imagination by creating shapes.
Assets
Built
·
Creative Activities: Campers
use imagination to create shapes.
·
Learning Engagement: Campers
learn how to make play dough and help in the process.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue on to other
imagination activities and develop creative working skills.
Cookie or Cupcake
Decorating
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers (20 minutes)
Requirements:
·
Cookies or cupcakes, toppings,
tarp or table cloth. *Allergies must be taken into consideration.
How
to play:
1. Gather materials and find a shaded area.
2. Explain rules, and allow campers to decorate their cookies.
3. Allow to dry and send home at the end of the day, or eat as a group.
Rules:
1.
Campers can only use _____
number of toppings.
2.
Campers only decorate and eat
their own cookie.
Skills
Built
·
Campers develop creativity and
imagination by decorating cookies.
Assets
Built
·
Creative Activities: Campers
use imagination.
·
Learning Engagement: Campers
learn how to make cookies and help in the finishing process.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue on to other
imagination activities and develop creative working skills.
Finger Painting
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers.
Requirements:
·
Paint, soap, art paper, bucket
and water for washing hands.
How
to play:
1. Find an outdoor, shaded area to complete finger painting.
2. Explain rules and allow campers to use only their fingers to create
their drawing.
3. Wash hands and clean up.
Rules:
1.
Campers can only use one colour
at a time.
2.
Campers only touch the paper,
not each other or the buildings.
Skills
Built
·
Campers build on painting
skills using different objects to create their masterpieces.
Assets
Built
·
Creative Activities: Child participates
in artistic activities.
·
Positive Peer Influence:
Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue to object painting
work with designs; example potatoes, leaves, stick painting, etc.
Scavenger Hunt
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Treasure Map, Item to find.
How
to play:
1. Before hand, counsellor hides an item to find.
2. Explain rules, and stay together as a group to follow the map/clue
to find the item.
Rules:
1.
Stay together as a group.
Skills
Built
·
Campers develop the ability to
use hearing and sight as well as working as a team to complete a group task.
Assets
Built
·
Planning and Decision Making:
Campers work together to complete a task.
·
Positive Peer Influence:
Campers create bonds and positive relationships from learning from each
another.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue to basic leadership
activities.
*VARIATIONS: ABC Scavenger Hunts; List
Scavenger Hunts, Matching Scavenger Hunt, Clue Scavenger Hunts, Puzzle
Scavenger Hunts.
*NOTE: All choice activities must have a
purpose towards them. Example: Paint the Counsellor can be done before a nature
hike, trying to camouflage into the trees. Be creative to find meaning for
doing the activity.
Side Walk Chalk
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·
Sidewalk chalk
**Make sure you limit the number of pieces given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
**Make sure you limit the number of pieces given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
How
to play:
1. Allow campers to use their imagination and draw using the sidewalk
chalk behind the safety village.
Bubbles
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·
Bubbles and bubble sticks
**Make sure you limit the amount of bubbles given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
**Make sure you limit the amount of bubbles given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
How
to play:
1. Allow campers to play with bubbles, create a chasing game of it (see
if they can catch them!).
Explore the Safety
Village
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·
Campers
How
to play:
1. Explore the safety village and look at all the different buildings.
Make it a learning component.
*Variation: Puddle jumping, Wave Tag, Finger foods. Make sure to explain boundaries and safety components.
*Variation: Puddle jumping, Wave Tag, Finger foods. Make sure to explain boundaries and safety components.
Hoola-hoop Pass
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·
One hoola-hoop
How
to play:
1.
Make a circle with campers and
join hands. Place a hoola-hoop between two campers linked between their arms.
2.
Campers must figure out how to
get the hoola-hoop around the circle while keeping arms linked, and stepping
over/lifting arms.
3.
Once they figure it out, time
it! Do a couple times seeing if they can work together and beat their own time!
Rules:
1.
Campers must not unlink their
hands.
Finger Painting
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers.
Requirements:
·
Paint, soap, art paper, bucket
and water for washing hands.
How
to play:
1. Find an outdoor, shaded area to complete finger painting.
2. Explain rules and allow campers to use only their fingers to create
their drawing.
3. Wash hands and clean up.
Rules:
1.
Campers can only use one colour
at a time.
2.
Campers only touch the paper,
not each other or the buildings.
Skills
Built
·
Campers build on painting
skills using different objects to create their masterpieces.
Assets
Built
·
Creative Activities: Child
participates in artistic activities.
·
Positive Peer Influence:
Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What
can we do next:
·
Continue to object painting
work with designs; example potatoes, leaves, stick painting, etc.
Full body Tracings
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers.
Requirements:
·
Large paper (to fit entire body
laying down) for each person, crayons or paint.
How
to play:
1.
Get each camper to lay down on
the large paper and trace their body. Then allow them to colour or paint in
their self portrait.
Beach-ball Soccer
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play, large beach
ball or scamper ball
How
to play:
1.
Play soccer with a large beach
ball or scamper ball
Rules:
1.
Campers only kick the ball.
2.
Must stay within the set
boundaries.
Crab Soccer
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play, soccer ball
How
to play:
1.
Play soccer on all fours
walking like a crab!
Rules:
1.
Campers only kick the ball. And
be aware of surrounding people.
2.
Must stay within the set
boundaries.
Lifeguard
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Parachute
How
to play:
1.
You pick one person to be a
shark and one person to be the lifeguard. All of the children sit down with the
parachute covering their legs.
2.
The person who is the shark
lurks under the parachute while the rest of the group creates waves by shaking
the parachute. The shark is to grab the legs of someone and try to pull them
under the parachute.
3.
The person who is being pulled
under yells LIFEGUARD LIFEGUARD. The lifeguard has to run to the rescue of the
person and pull them from under the parachute before the shark pulls them
under.
4.
If the shark gets them first
they become a shark as well.
Rules:
1.
NO shoes on the parachute.
EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.
All Change
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Parachute
How
to play:
1.
Teacher calls out birthday
months, numbers and colours. Campers swap places under the chute before it
falls to earth. Make sure that those who remain around the edge allow the
parachute to fall rather than pull it down.
Rules:
NO shoes on the
parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for
future years.
Cat and Mouse
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Parachute
How
to play:
1.
Everyone holds the cute
stretched out at about waist height. Someone becomes a mouse and goes
underneath.
2.
Another camper becomes a cat
and goes on top. The rest of the groups try to hide the mouse by moving the
chute up and down.
Rules:
NO shoes on the
parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for
future years.
Popcorn
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Parachute, balls
How
to play:
1.
Pop the popcorn, see how high
it can bounce. Divide teams to get the popcorn in the holes; one team trying to
get it in, the other try to keep it out!
Rules:
NO shoes on the
parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for
future years.
Mushroom
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Parachute
How
to play:
1.
On the count of three, children
raise their arms, lifting the parachute over their heads, pulling the chute
behid them sitting down with their bottoms on the edge of the chute. You can
tell stories in the mushroom.
Rules:
NO shoes on the
parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for
future years.
Grounder
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Playground
How
to play:
1.
Counsellor is it to keep
activity safe. All campers on the playground. Counsellor’s eyes are “closed”
and trying to listen, walking around to catch campers who walk on the stones
off the playground. If called “GROUNDER” or touched, that camper receives a
point (to keep from eliminating). Least points wins!
Rules:
1.
Boundaries are the playground.
2.
No running on the playground,
or around the playground.
3.
Only one person on the slide at
the time.
4.
No Scampers or Rovers on the
monkey bars.
5.
Strap on sandals or closed toe
shoes should be worn on the playground. Be aware of flip flops.
Picture Frames
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Construction paper picture
frames (2X2 inches)
How
to play:
1.
Give each campers one picture
frame and have them stand at a designated spots around the same object. For
example they could all be standing around a large maple tree looking up at the
branches. Quickly go around the group and have each camper describe what they
see. Some campers may notice the swaying leaves, while others may see a bird or
other life. During the hike you may periodically stop to perform this active or
any other.
Rules:
1.
Stay within the boundaries.
Mini Village
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
About a foot of string for each
camper.
How
to play:
1.
Give each camper about a foot
of string and tell them to find a spot that they can lay the string in a
circle. Tell them that inside their circle is their mini village. Give them
several minutes to get to know their village. Give the village a name, talk about
who lives there or who has been there before, which way the wind blows, etc.
Then have each child introduce their village to the rest of the children or to
you individually.
Rules:
1.
Stay within the boundaries.
Secret Spots
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Paper and crayons for each
camper.
How
to play:
1.
In one general area, let the
campers disperse and find their own secret spot away from the rest of the
group. Give them a piece of paper and some crayons. Let them explore their
immediate surrounds. This spot is not for sharing but for quiet time and
reflection. They can draw or write about what they see and how they feel in
their secret spot. Depending on the group, this activity may be well received
and campers may wish to revisit their secret spot later in the week. Share
drawings after.
Rules:
1.
Stay within the boundaries.
Super Sniffer
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Spray bottle with water and dye
(optional) *do not drink!
How
to play:
1.
This activity requires a group
and a counsellor with a vivid imagination! Using a spray bottle with water and
food colouring (optional), explain to the camper that the bottle contains a
“magic super sniffer” solution. This solution when sprayed intensifies the
small greatly (be creative and elaborate)! Have the children smell pieces of
nature and react to you what they small through vivid explanations and
immediate reactions. The super sniffer is great with younger children.
Rules:
1.
Stay within the boundaries.
Basketball
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Basketballs, hoola hoops to
shoot through.
How
to play:
1.
Teach basic dribbling skills
and shooting through a hoola hoop outdoors.
Soccer
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Soccer ball, markers for nets.
How
to play:
1.
Teach basic dribbling skills
and shooting through a designated net.
Volleyball
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Beachballs.
How
to play:
1.
Teach basic volleying skills
and play a “keep it up” game. May work best with beach balls!
Sand Castles
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Sand toy bucket
How
to play:
1.
Give campers sand toys and
allow them to build sand castles, tunnels.
Rules:
1.
Each camper can have only two
toys at a time to avoid sharing complications.
Talking about bugs
Age
and Number of campers: Scampers, Rovers, all
campers
Requirements:
·
Paper
·
Drawing materials (markers,
crayons, or paint)
What
to do:
1.
Talk with campers about
different types of bugs. What kind of bugs do they know about that live around
London?
a.
Here are some examples:
spiders, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, worms, ants, dragon flies,
mayflies, grasshoppers/crickets, moths, flies, bees, wasps, mosquitoes, lady
bugs, cicadas.
2.
Ask them what do bugs do?
a.
Bugs can pollinate flowers,
fruit, and vegetables, help recycle dead plants and bring nutrients back into
the environment.
3.
Ask them if there are any bugs
that scare you? Why are they scary?
4.
Look at the bug pictures
(attached). What are the different names of the bugs?:
a.
Page 1: Grasshopper, Dragonfly,
Monarch Butterfly, Moth, Monarch Caterpillar. Page 2: House fly, Ladybug, Honey
Bee, Bumble Bee, Wasp, Ant.
Talk about how butterflies
are different than moths:
b.
Moths are normally nocturnal
(sleep during the day and are awake at night) and are usually camouflage
colours to hide during the day. Butterflies are awake during the day and are
usually bright colours. Moth’s bodies are normally fat and fuzzy, while
butterflies are normally slender and smoother.
Talk about how honey bees,
bumble bees, and wasps are different:
c.
Bumble bees are fuzzy and will
only sting if you threaten them or their nest. Honey bees take nectar from
plants and trees and make honey in their nests. They have little hairs on their
legs that pick up the nectar. They have stingers. All bees have queens who live
in the nests. Wasps do not have any hairs on their bodies and do not have
queens. They have stingers and feed on nectar.
5.
Draw some bugs, your favourites
or some that you see at your house. You can use the pictures as a reference.
What
can we do next:
·
Go on a nature walk to see how
many bugs you can find at FCA
Bug Hunt
Age
and Number of campers: Scampers, Rovers, all
campers
Requirements:
·
Can use nets and jars to catch
bugs, or
·
Use no materials and just look
at bugs
What
to do:
1.
Walk to a wooded area with the
group. Take your time and see if you can hear any bugs (cicada, grasshoppers),
or see any.
2.
When you get to the wooded
area, search for different types of bugs. You can capture them if you have the
materials, to look at them up close. Release the bugs after looking at them for
a few minutes.
3.
Look for spiders in their webs,
ants on the ground or on trees, butterflies and moths flying around, turn over
rocks or logs and see worms and potato bugs.
What
can we do next:
·
Review what you talked about
earlier and see if they learned anything new
Octopus
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play, markers of
two distinct ending zones.
How
to play:
1.
Get a group into a straight
line beside one another. Pick one camper to be the octopus, and have them face
the rest of the group that is lined up.
2.
The octopus yells “OCTOPUS” and
the rest of the group has to run to the other side without being touched.
3.
If the octopus does get you, then you become
seaweed. This means you have to sit down and try to get people as they run by
you.
*Note, if the game is going too long, then you can yell, “SEAWEED ALIVE”, which means that all of the people who are seaweed can get up with the octopus to try to catch campers.
*Note, if the game is going too long, then you can yell, “SEAWEED ALIVE”, which means that all of the people who are seaweed can get up with the octopus to try to catch campers.
Rules:
1.
Campers must be honest if they
get caught to sit down, another game can be played.
2.
Set boundaries where campers
must stay in.
Freeze Tag
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play.
How
to play:
1.
Pick one person to be it and
they have to tag the other people. If you become tagged, then you become
frozen. This means you have to stand still with your arms up at your sides
(like a T).
2.
To become unfrozen, another
person has to run under your arms.
3.
Once a person is frozen three
times, they become the new “IT”.
Rules:
1.
Campers must be honest if they
get caught.
2.
Set boundaries where campers
must stay in.
*Variations: Toilet Tag, Knee Tag
*Variations: Toilet Tag, Knee Tag
Scamper Ball Soccer
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play, large
scamper ball.
How
to play:
1.
Play soccer with the large
scamper ball.
Rules:
1.
Campers only kick the ball.
2.
Must stay within the set
boundaries.
Red Light, Green Light
Age
and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of
campers
Requirements:
·
Large area to play. *Works
great as a transition game.
How
to play:
1.
Have the campers line up. Pick
one camper to be it, or counsellor can be it.
2.
The camper will stand in the
middle of the area and call out directions.
Red Light: Stop
Green Light: Go (run)
Yellow Light: Slow (walk)
Red Light: Stop
Green Light: Go (run)
Yellow Light: Slow (walk)
Rules:
1.
Campers must follow the traffic
laws.
2.
Stay within boundaries.
**Note: Variation- VCR *Another great transition game.
Play: Run
Stop: Freeze
Rewind: Backwards
Eject: Jump up and down!
**Note: Variation- VCR *Another great transition game.
Play: Run
Stop: Freeze
Rewind: Backwards
Eject: Jump up and down!
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