During our reflection session on our last over-night camp, several tent groups thought of things they would like to improve with their meal planning. In today’s camping session, Clair demonstrated a handy cooking technique that is particularly useful for eggs. Each student had a go at cooking their own egg.
Several groups decided to include eggs on our next camping trip.
During our camping experience this weekend I was reminded again of the huge importance of this endeavour to our children’s lives. I reflected on my own childhood play, which despite living on a housing estate, involved playing outside getting very dirty and being intimately involved with nature, whether climbing trees, stomping in mud, finding tadpoles or building a den in the bushes. This weekend, I had the pleasure to observe the children inquiring into the magnificence of spiders and their web building techniques, learning to gently handle a grasshopper, engaging with nature and relishing in it’s wonder. The children showed collaborative skills in pitching the tents and cooking as a group. Taking initiative and problem solving as they went along. When one of their friends was hurt they came together and gave reassurance, care and attention. Camping in the park provided so many valuable possibilities. The opportunity for joyful, sensory rich and adventurous play. A rich context for curiosity, wonder, mystery and ‘what if’ thinking. A perfect space to navigate and negotiate the social world of friendships. An encounter with the natural world and an understanding of our place in it. I am very much looking forward to our next camp in November.
Today was the final day before going on our first camp.
Each student got their backpack and sleeping mattress.
Each group got a cooking stove, and a tent.
Students got double checked for this coming Friday; what to put on in daypack and big backpack;
where to meet on Friday! All students were very excited of this Friday!
In today’s session the students were planning what food they would eat on our camping expedition next week. Grace and Vienna talked about some of the meals they had cooked in the previous session and explained what worked well and what didn’t work so well. Then the children broke up into small groups to work with their tent buddies to plan what food they would eat and to assign responsibilities.
Before we can go out on an overnight in YIS Camping Club, there are certain skills students have to master. If they’re going to eat, they’ll need to learn how to safely use a camping stove.
This week, with arm’s-length supervision, tent partners unpack all the bits and pieces of their stove, figure out how to build it, fuel it, light it, boil water, extinguish it, clean it and pack it away again! Next up… How to actually make food on the thing!
For now, enjoy an hour of camp stove exploration, condensed to a minute and a half!
How to Use a Camp Stove from YIS 2R on Vimeo.
Today we pitched tents. The children have all been assigned tent groups, these are listed on the Blog. Some children are very experienced tent pitchers and for others it was their first time. The children all cooperated and helped each other and successfully put up the tents and then dismantled them and packed them back into the tent bags.
Today was the first session of the Elementary School Camping Club. We began the session by sharing our camping experiences.
Then the students checked out the camping club blog which contains all the information they will need for the next ten weeks of camping club.
Our final camping trip of the season began with glorious weather and the children were able to spend hours playing together in the park as well as showing their expertise in pitching tents and cooking meals. The rain on the second day did not dampen anyone’s spirits as the children are so used to wet weather and come prepared with appropriate clothing so that they continued to enjoy being outside.
The children’s camping skills have developed tremendously and it is hugely evident in the the children who have now come out on their fourth overnight trip. Putting up tents has become much easier and the children are so much more confident in using the cooking stoves to prepare hot meals. It was marvelous for the teachers to observe the many wonderful things that are happening for the children during their outdoor play experiences in the park. Revisiting the same space each time provides the opportuntity for the children to feel confident in the surroundings and to be able to take risks. On each visit the children have found a new area of the park to explore and develop games in. Tremendous opportunities for cooperating, sharing, and problem-solving occur outdoors. Children’s imaginations take hold and their spirits soar. They observe nature and ask questions that help them understand themselves and the world. Through being outdoors the mind, body, and spirit are united.
In good camping club tradition, the rain started just as we were doing our pre-departure kit check. This posed no problem to our happy campers who had learned from previous trips and were properly kitted out in waterproofs. An hour into our hike, the sun came out and we had great weather for the rest of the trip.
On top of the obvious learning that takes place through pitching tents, cooking meals etc, there was enormous ‘social’ learning. The children played together without adult interference for hours. They played games passed down through generations such as “cops and robbers” and created their own new ones. They collaborated, problem-solved, negotiated, compromised, cooperated and supported. We adults were reminded, yet again, of the importance of giving children opportunities to experience the freedom of unstructured play in the great outdoors.
Click here for an article on why it’s so important for your children to get outside and engage with nature.
Students spent sessions 3 and 4 learning how to assemble and use the tangia cooking equipment safely. They began with cooking easy things like noodles and boiled eggs. It will be interesting to see how the menus develop over the coming weeks!
