Summer Camp memories

I promised to write more about summer camp, and am just now getting around to it (can you tell that it's pouring outside?).

Kids spent a lot of free time playing in the creeks at Crow's Nest: Pine Creek, French Creek, and Mine Run.

After July's major storm the creeks ran like chocolate for water. When the turbid waters cleared the kids searched for fish, climbed across the creek on a cable bridge, hung out in a natural (simulated) whirlpool, and built villages in the streamside sand.

We also played in the giant arcade in the barn, with nature-themed games such as giant checkers (cherry versus walnut tree cookies), Chinese checkers made from six different woods from the preserve, and tic tac toe: invasive plants versus the preserve manager.

The whole barn was made into a giant game of chutes and ladders where the kids moved through the life-sized game board with the roll of the dice. Rewarded for good environmental choices ("You freed a tree from invasive vines") when they landed on these spaces, the kids climbed ladders and walked scaffolding to advance in the game (this also built their self-confindence). Landing on spaces with poor environmental choices ("You littered") the kids regressed in the game via cardboard and fabric tunnels. The 5th and 6th graders developed the criteria for the game's progression and regression squares. "Winners"—everyone who completed the game, were awarded the title "Eco-Star: Pride of the Planet."