Indiana Jones Obstacle Course- The Crank

Our day camp theme this year is Jungle Adventure.  When I think of famous individuals who've had adventures in the Jungle, Indiana Jones comes to mind.  We always have an obstacle course at day camp and this year I wanted to expand it and make it an amazing Indiana Jones type course.  One of our obstacles the boys have to get through is "The Crank".  It's built out of 1" PVC pipe.

It's handy to have a draftsman in the house.  I told Dode what I was thinking and we sat down in front of Autocad to draw it out.  That way we knew we'd get the dimensions right.

It's similar to an obstacle on the TV show Wipeout.  The boys have to walk across the balance beam while avoiding the crank.  If it touches them, they have to start over.  No ducking under either, that's cheating!  Once Dode built it, my children had a fun time testing it out.  A den leader will have to turn the crank.  We learned during testing that they'll need to be blindfolded or facing away from the youth.  It's too tempting to slow the crank down to help them succeed!

Miriam tries out "The Crank"

If you build this, you also need to make some sort of finish mark on the balance beam.  Miriam likes to cheat by jumping off early in order to avoid the crank.

The 2x4's will be planted in the ground at day camp, so they'll eventually be vertical supports, not horizontal like in the photo.  We didn't want to add three holes to the grass just for a photo!

In the drawing above, Dode specifies what size hole he drilled.  I wanted mine to be portable and reusable so we started with hole and kept a few joints in the PVC unglued.  After the kids hit it a few times and twisted it, we modified it with a slot and glued all the joints.  We used a bolt to keep the pipe in while turning it.  

Love that purple glue!  

I'm planning on painting it to look like bamboo, we'll see how it turns out!

National Camp School 2012

I have been a cub day camp program director for 11 camps.  I really enjoy day camp and think it can be a fun time for the youth and the parents helping out.  Anyone running a camp needs to attend a training called National Camp School.  I attended as a participant the first time I was program director.  I'd been back two more times to teach at the camp school.  This year was my third time serving as an instructor.  In order to teach at the school, you need to have your name suggested by your local BSA council and then approved by the national office.  We're representing BSA and have to wear the full uniform.  I've borrowed a pair of pants before but this time I had to buy myself a pair of scout pants.  I'm really unhappy with how they fit.  Small were skin tight but medium fall right off.  So, I end up with a bunch of gathered fabric bunching up in the front giving me a nice tummy pooch.  I'd buy a skirt in hopes it'd be more flattering but they don't make them anymore.

Part of the fun of day camp is using a theme and creating a camp around that theme.  The national office suggests a theme each year for day camps to use.  This year's theme is "Jungle".   I had fun looking at Dollar Tree and Value Village for jungle type decorations I could use at camp school and at my own camp in July.  Dollar Tree puts out all their Luau stuff the day after Easter and I was fortunate to get there on day one to get the best selection.

The cabin I taught in.  

I saved the big tissue paper flowers my mom and Millie made for my surprise party and used them as part of the decorations.  Some of the things are from Dollar Tree.  The rest are from two big tubs of luau decorations a friend gave me years ago.  That blue fabric on the wall is a "sticky wall".  It's just ripstop nylon sprayed with mounting adhesive.  It works way better than a flannel board for putting things up while you're teaching.

Another view of the cabin I taught in.  I'd never seen it before and didn't know what I should bring.  Once I got there, I wished I'd brought more of my luau decorations.

There was a mantle in the room which worked great for displaying stuffed animals and silk greenery I've been collecting for the last year.

My costume.  I used the vest Elizabeth decorated and adjusted for Halloween.  I was a bit worried how I'd fit into an 11 year old's vest but she'd left it pretty big so I didn't have a problem.  There is a parrot on my shoulder and everyone loved it.  I wore a coat over my outfit for part of one day and I had a few people ask where the vest had gotten to.  Some even took photos for inspiration at their own camp.  The parrot is definitely looking worse for wear.  He's already attended two day camps and gone trick-or-treating.  In between those appearances, he's stuffed into the costume drawer.

The camp school was held at a scout camp near Olympia called Camp Thunderbird.  It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive from home.  I had to go down on Thursday to decorate, set things up and have a meeting with the other staff for camp school which began Friday morning at 8:00 am.  Once camp school starts, information is continually delivered to the participants from 8:00 am until 10:00 pm for two full days.  Someone told me it's like trying to drink from a fire hose.

I've been to a lot of BSA trainings over the years and many of them have left me feeling like I'd wasted my time.  National Camp School is the Disneyland of BSA training.  All the staff are excellent teachers with enthusiasm for their subject.  Everyone goes the extra mile with preparation, visual aids, doo-dads (fun  handouts).  As I was preparing, the entire kitchen was filled with decorations and visual aids for my classes.

just PART of the mess that was all organized by the time I left

The kids told me that the other teachers would be blown away by what I was bringing.  I wasn't feeling that way.  I was worried I wouldn't be up to teaching at the national standards.  I'd taught some of the classes before but I worried I'd be the boring teacher everyone couldn't wait to hear the end of.  The course director kept emailing me to check on me and make sure that I was ready and had noticed that the syllabus had changed.  I think she was as nervous about me and I was about myself!  I had noticed changes in the syllabus.  In fact, some of my suggestions from when I'd taught a few years ago had made it into the crafts and woodworking class I'd be teaching again.

I love teaching at camp school and sharing my enthusiasm for day camp.  A big problem for me is that we're teaching a national curriculum and aren't supposed to talk about what we do at our own camp.  Even if it's something you do, you're supposed to say, "I've seen .... done at a camp".  Although I realize they don't want you to share things that aren't national standards or to bore everyone with long stories about your own experiences, I think there's value in letting someone who has experience share some of the things they've encountered.

One of the classes I taught was called "Camp Morale".  I gave suggestions for ways you can maintain and revive camp morale.  I was a bit nervous because as part of my presentation, I showed a photo of myself from last year at camp.

Last year it rained every day.  I wore an umbrella hat over my costume as a way to get people to smile.  I showed a slide of the photo as an example of an easy way to boost camp morale and was worried that later the other staff would say something to me about using something for my own camp.  Instead, they said that showing that slide really caught the learners' attention.

Teaching camp morale.  I'm dressed like a doctor because you need to assess the health of your camp and look for symptoms of a "sick" camp.  Isaac is the cute cub scout on the slide.

I came home Sunday pretty exhausted.  The participants' days go until 10 pm.  At 10 pm the staff is cleaning up, getting ready for the next day, and having a staff meeting.  We never got to bed before midnight!  I couldn't even make it all the way home without a nap.  I got to the point where all my eyes wanted to do was the "blank stare".  I pulled off at a rest stop in Federal Way and was instantly asleep for a half hour nap.

We had 70 participants from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California.  I met some really nice people from around the Pacific Northwest.  One challenge  of the camp school  is that everyone there is a leader.  At times, we had "too many chiefs and not enough Indians" in the group.  Tensions were strong with some teams as individuals clashed.  One thing we got dinged on in the course evaluation filled out by the participants was that although we taught stress management (actually I taught it), we didn't always practice it.  I wish learning was as easy as teaching something and being able to apply it perfectly!  As we sent them on their way fully trained on Sunday morning, it was a nice feeling to know they'd be going out to run their camps, affecting hundreds of youth and hopefully have as much fun doing it as I do.

The participants get into it as much as we do.  They used decorations from around the room for their costumes during their final presentations.  I hope they invite me to teach at camp school again.

2011 Day Camp

We've survived another year at cub scout day camp!  Although I don't currently have any cub scouts, my kids sure look forward to camp each time.  The girls get to go to "tags" where they have their own activities and get to participate in some of the program activities I plan for the cubs.  Jacob has been attending day camp since he was 8 years old.  First as a cub, then the last 7 years as a helper at headquarters and store keeper.  I didn't know if he'd be with us this year but at the last minute, he decided to come up three of the four days.  Isaac and Anastaya were gone at scout camp and girls camp. 

Our theme this year was the Wild West.  It was tough designing the program.  The majority of our cubs come from LDS units filled with boys who do pioneer activities each year at church.  I struggled with coming up with things that would be new and fun for them.  In the end, it actually was the most successful theme I've designed so far!  We are given a different theme each year and it is the responsibility of each camp to develop their own program (they are on a  five year rotation which means 2012 will be the 3rd time I've done a jungle theme.)

covered wagon snack carrier

We had a map where people could mark where they were from.  We had people from all the continents of the world (except Antarctica)

There is a daily riddle.  If they get the correct answer, they get a smarties candy from Yoda.

I got him at Value Village and the cubs loved him, he's not western but how can you look at him and not smile?  One of our riddles from this year....  How could a cowboy ride into town on Friday, stay two days, and ride out on Friday?

Recognition prize window

The boys were recognized for doing extra things with dots on their map name tags.  When they got enough dots, they were able to redeem them for a prize.  (By the time I realized I didn't have a themed recognition spot for this year, my brain was mush.  Thankfully, my mom was up for dinner that night and came up with a cute western window.  (She put a sign that said, "Take at your own risk, dead or alive" and I had so many boys ask me in seriousness what the risk was!))

Our store and part time storekeeper.

It was Elizabeth's first year helping with the store.  We sell 10 cent and 25 cent candy as well as pop and cookies.    The money we earn supplements the $23/per boy I receive from the BSA council.

 I work really hard to come up with fun classes but in reality, the boy's favorite classes are ALWAYS archery and bb guns.  Some of our theme program classes that were a real hit were...

"panning" for gold (spray painted aquarium gravel, sand, colander)  They all LOVED this!

building tee-pees
(putting those produce co-op laundry baskets to use)  and I got some new co-op converts from adults asking about my 250 baskets!

stomp rockets

(Space, the Final Frontier)

Greg cut out enough disks for all 151 cubs to make a "string thing" pioneer game

shoot the moon pioneer game

biscuits on a stick

slingshots

we used dog food for artillery and shot them at aluminum pie plates which made a satisfying loud noise

covered wagon derby cars

Dode built me the track

cow roping

Paul Bunyon Ball

These girls are "tag-a-longs" (children of adult volunteers)

We had a magician come for lunch time entertainment on Thursday.

Since it was pouring down rain, he took his show from group to group who were hiding under canopies and even made balloon animals for everyone who wanted one.  (That's a lot of balloon tying!)

 my costume for the year

A sheriff badge from Wall Drug in South Dakota (bought when we visited in 2010)

A western shirt from a 2nd hand store in Dubois, Wy

A theme apron holding my schedule, map, sharpie, etc.

An umbrella hat for the wet day

Even though I've planned and put on day camps for years, each camp is different because we have a different mix of boys, volunteers, and weather every time.  Our weather left a lot to be desired. It rained non stop for much of the last day. We got at least a little rain each day/night which left the grass we were walking in all day wet. Within five minutes of arriving at camp each morning, my feet would be soaked! As the day would wear on, I'd start to dream about getting into dry shoes once I got home. It was the first thing I did each day.  As a leader, I recognize that it's my job to keep morale up.  I bought the umbrella hat several years ago to wear in case of rain and this is the first year I've needed it.  I put on my umbrella hat and walked the camp, checking in with the groups and station leaders.  I earned a lot of smiles with that hat! 

One tiring thing about being the program director is how long camp lasts (all year long).  As soon as one camp is over, I start brainstorming and looking for ideas for the next year.  Then comes developing the program, creating instructions for all 28 classes, buying things, training volunteers.  Finally, it's time for camp itself and I'm the first one there in the morning and the last one there at the end of the day.  Once camp is over and we haul everything home, I've still got to go through and inventory everything, throw away trash, clean dirty things, and put everything away.  Once all that is accomplished, I'm still not officially "done" with day camp until I meet with an official from Boy Scouts of America to "close out" our camp and review the expenses for the year.

It's hundreds of hours of service and I sometimes feel like I get more complaints from grumpy volunteers than thanks from happy parents.  Our local BSA council has never been good about saying "thank you" (they don't) and while that really irks me, I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing how much fun the boys are having and from hearing from parents that their sons sure wish camp lasted five days instead of four.  After this many years, it's hard to imagine summer without day camp.

I'm the program director which means I come up with all the "program" for the boys (classes, recognition, opening and closing ceremonies, riddles, lunch time programs, etc.)  If you can see it at camp, I planned it.  I work with a camp director who is responsible for health and safety, making sure we're following the BSA policies for day camp, and dealing with discipline problems at camp.  I've been working with the same camp director for five years.  We've developed a great system but this was her last year.  You have to attend a three day overnight training put on by BSA in order to run a camp.  That training allows you to run a camp for the next five years. She went once and said never again.  (I've been three times, once as a participant and twice as an instructor.)  Next year, I will be working with a new person (my 5th).  Does it say something to have exhausted that many different people?

I tell the boys and the leaders that our #1 rule at Camp Mckinley is "Everyone has fun!"  I try my best to make it a great experience not just for the cubs but for the adults as well, including me.  I love day camp!