Exploring Routes - Day 1
Welcome campers!! We started our day together with some games to get to know each other and then went on a tour of the property to get see where we will be staying this week. The lake location is pretty ideal - directly out the front door!
The campers were then given the option of heading out on our first hike or taking a more restful day to get settled for the week. They unanimously chose a restful day…the rainy weather definitely made a cozy day sound inviting!
Although the weather was not super warm for swimming, we have some brave campers who decided to jump in anyways! They reported that the water felt like a bath in comparison to the air. After swimming we got bundled inside and ate lunch.
Following lunch was rest/reading time. We then regained our energy and headed out for a Pickleball adventure. We started off only being able to hit the ball over the net three times, but by the end of our time on the courts we were playing real games!
For an afternoon snack back at the cottage, we ate fresh banana bread with butter. We then sat on the porch and painted frames, which we will later put a group photo in.
Each camper received a journal to use for the week and we sat in a circle after painting and did some reflecting. We also took time to come up with our own personal positive mantras to repeat in our heads if needed when hiking. Some chose to share out what they wrote, while others kept it private.
Whenever you head out into the woods, it’s always good to be prepared and know what to do in case of emergency. With this in mind, we discussed outdoor safety, what to always pack, what to do if lost, the importance of hydration and how to go to the bathroom in the woods, etc. Each camper got an emergency kit as well as a “bathroom kit” to ensure we leave no trace!
During free time, campers packed their hiking bags and learned how to make apple crisp! They also learned a new tofu recipe which was a BIG hit. Dinner ended with music and clean up time followed by an energetic game of Pit. We would highly recommend this game if you don’t already know it…
We ate apple crisp and the night began to quiet down in time for our shoutout circle. A shoutout circle is when we share kind things about each other from the day. Campers got ready for bed and then Chloë read Nancy Drew out loud while they worked on friendship bracelets and drank tea. It was a perfect first day of camp :)
