Camp Wannaread

[auntiemeesh]

I promised to help out with the summer reading camp at the library this morning. Unfortunately, there weren't very many kids there, but it was fun anyway. We had the kids (3 small, 1 medium and 2 large) make bags of trail mix and then we went on a short nature walk through the woods, looking for birds, insects, etc. We found a butterfly with a broken wing, and a cricket. Then we turned around because everyone was wearing flip-flops and the grass was wet, lol.

After that we painted birdhouses (which I forgot and left at the library). It was very entertaining to watch the different approaches each of the children took with their birdhouse. While the adults cleaned that mess up, the kids ran around outside. Then we had a visit from Wildlife Encounters. This man brought a truck full of small wild animals to the library and gave a little talk about each of them, and then allowing the kids to gently touch the animals. He had a chinchilla, an African Pygmy Hedgehog, a snapping turtle, a baby alligator, a tarantula, a small boa constrictor and probably some others as well (I ended up taking the librarian's toddler out to play because he was too fussy to enjoy the show). The guy was really good at getting down to the kids' level, keeping them focussed and letting them know when they were getting out of line. Everyone enjoyed the show a lot.

We never did get around to reading any books, lol. But everyone had a lot of fun, and the camp is happening again tomorrow, with s'mores and other fun things. Sadly, it's in the afternoon tomorrow so I won't be able to help, but it was a great time this morning.

Comments

[topaztook.livejournal.com]

Sounds fun. The kids at my mom's library built castles this summer. Not directly reading, either, but they had fun.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

That sounds like fun too! It gets the kids to the library, regardless of what they do once they're there. That's the most important thing, I think.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great activity. I'd come just for the s'mores. The animals would be a be draw too, but the s'mores.....

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I'm disappointed that I'm going to miss the s'mores tomorrow. *pouts* Oh well, the animals were a lot of fun.

*builds fire*

*puts marshmallows on sticks*

*hands a stick to Grey Wonderer*

*makes gooey, sticky s'mores*

*eats gooey, sticky s'mores*

*mm, so yummy ;)*

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Yum! I feel better now. We had LJ s'mores! Thank you. Now we can look at the stars for a bit and then make more s'mores. Bilbo would be so proud of us!

[lily-the-hobbit.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a lot of fun!

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It was. The only downside is that I've had sand in my hair all afternoon, lol.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

I`ve always found it fascinating to watch children draw. It`s something with seeing how their creativity comes out. :)

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

The youngest child was about five and she took great care with what she was doing. The next youngest was a boy about six and he just slopped the paint on in a very messy, haphazard way. It was the same during the animal show. The little girl sat very still and quiet while the slightly older boy squirmed and twisted and asked hundreds of questions. It was very funny to watch. :D