Camp Tales - Underground Railroad

Many camps offer a variety of activities that not only get the kids outside and having some sort of adventure, but also teach. At the camp I spent the most time working, we offered an Underground Railroad program. It was a combination project that gave the kids a background in the Underground Railroad, then divided them up into groups, and sent them through the woods to go through a number of "Railroad Stops", while not being caught or shot (water gun) by slave chasers (often their counselors). Each stop had different things they had to successfully maneuver, while getting their entire "family" group safe into the North. It was a combination of adventure mixed with history. One summer one of the staff decided he wanted to bring an new element to the project and offered to dress like a runaway slave and give an mini scene as part of the presentation. He came to me about creating a costume for him.

Using an old white shirt from the paint shirts in the Craft Hall I went to work dying it in multiple couples from my tie dye buckets to give it a dingy appearance, let it dry. I even rolled it in the dirt, stomping on it as I went. (Receiving a few interesting looks from passing campers and staff that didn't know what I was working on) I placed it on his body then armed with a pair of scissors I went to work shredding the sleeves and edges, then made slips across his back like whip marks.

Using what I had on hand, which happened to be make up, I bloodied up the edges of the whip marks with red lipstick mixed with mascara and blush.

We completed the costume with an old pair of jeans he had, a beat up pair of unlaced boots, a chain we borrowed from something on camp, and a walking stick he found on camp. Using more of my make up, I made marks on his skin underneath the slits on his shirt with my light colored concealer (it looked great on his dark skin for this effect), red lipstick, black mascara and eye liner, with a mixture of eye shadow and blush.

He prepared his own scene to introduce himself as a runaway a slave before the kids were sent off on the journey and was waiting for the in the "North" when they got there. The reaction of the kids to his character and the whip marks we created was amazing to us both. A couple of the kids forget we were playing and were afraid that touching his painted arks would cause him pain. It had a definite impact on a number of us and brought a new depth to the project that any of them had participated multiple summers.

Camp Tales - The Snake

One of my favorite camp memories is about a snake. This wasn't just any snake, this was a snake that decided to take up residence in the Craft Hall for the better part of a day.

It started as a typical tie dye day in the Craft Hall. (Tie Dye Day was always weekly must.) Before my first session I was prepping the space. I had dye ready and waiting in the buckets with rubber bands, clothes pins, masking tape, & fabric markers set out in wait for eager hands, a tie dye shirt on, and was hanging multiple examples from the rafters to help inspire them. (When working with groups, especially kids, I prefer to have a variety of examples to show them everything does not need to end up looking the same.)

Standing atop a ladder, I was about halfway across the rafter hanging shirts (from my large personal collection) when I looked up, coming face to face with THE snake. I admit, I do not know my snakes as well as I wish I did and had no idea what kind it was; only that it was very large and that it was currently only a few feet above where I would soon have a group of eager campers. I calmly stopped what I was doing, climbed down the ladder, and moved quickly to the camp office next door to find the Environmental Ed Director (or Head Naturalist) to let him know I had visitor. Excited, he came to check out our new friend, who he explained was a female rat snake, harmless to my human campers that would be arriving soon. Knowing the kids would be fine, I decided to not let them know about the new friend right above them, in an attempt to have the snake left alone.

One of my campers, a little girl, was armed with her camara when she arrived and was happily clicking away throughout the time she spent with me (and the snake resting above). We made it through the morning without any of the campers realizing the what was right above one of the front rafters (not over any of the tables). The little girl was telling me about how much she loved nature and all sorts of creature and wanted to get as many pictures as possible. She showed no fear or nervousness over the dirt or bugs or critters that are often a part of camp life, so as most the campers were gone, leaving mostly just counselors, I asked the girl if she wanted a special photo op. She was eager and ready.... so we all thought.... until.... I pointed out my new friend. The little girl who loved nature and all critters DID NOT LOVE SNAKES and at the sight of the serpent stretched across my rafter she took off screaming on horror. Not the pretend kid of horror... the "I think it's going to eat me" horror. We did catch and calm her down (a bit anyway), but she did not return to the Craft Hall as long as my friend was perched above.

The female rat snake became a nearly instant camp celebrity as she stayed in the rafters for most of the week, whether stretched out along the rafter or curled up in the corner of them. The rest of the staff (from the Camp Director on down) asked about her at meals and some visited. I had an increase of curious boys doing crafts and spent some time on multiple occasions explaining why we were not going to chase the snake away by throwing things at her or spraying her with the hose with my constant conversations involving respecting nature and remembering that we were surrounded by woods. This was their home, we were merely summer visitors. We also had many conversations about the benefits of snakes and I had to put a line down on the floor where they could watch the snake while giving her some space. For the staff, many of the counselors and campers, the snake was an awesome opportunity to see something so beautiful so close. She was that week's celebrity.

Eventually, she moved on, hopefully, taking some of the mice form my Craft Hall with her.

Teaching Colors

A few years ago I spent my summer not at camp, but taking care of a three-year-old on a daily basis and traveled with the family as their nanny. Everyday we tried to do projects that would help her explore her world and learn new things.

She knew her colors, but in exploring how to mix colors we did tie dye. (Because tie dye is awesome.) Using dye in the three primary colors (red, yellow, & blue for those who weren't sure,) and various shirts her mother had pulled (it was a great way to being new life to those light colored shirts with stains that every kid's parent has stuffed away), she learned all about how to mix the three primary colors to create the secondary colors (purple, green, & orange). We used bottles to make make things more usable for a little girl and created a rainbow of creations.

Camp Crafts

Napkin Holder made for an adult helper.

Drying Tie Dye

Over the past years, I have spent a few summers working at camps as an Arts & Crafts Instructor or Craft Hall Supervisor. I picked up a few tricks along way, got some great chances to work with all sorts of kids, adults, volunteers, and families. I have had fabulous opportunities to be a positive influence and to encourage creativity in many people, to build on my skills and knowledge, and to let my own creativity grow (often times on a very, very limited and nearly non-existant budget). These are a few highlights from one of those summers.

(I loved camp life... most of it anyway and I loved some of the experiences and peoples who's lives I got to be a part as a result.)

Pet Rocks

Drying Table

Mosaics from Misc. Objects

Tile Coasters

 You can also find some of these crafts where I have posted them on www.cutoutandkeep.net (yes, this is a favorite site of mine):

Cement Garden Stones

Tie Dye
Napkin Holder
Mosaic Tiles
Concrete Stepping Stones