SUMMER CAMP
Growing the Human Imagination
Do you love farms, wilderness and crafts? Join in the adventures of each day at Wild Rose Farm, honoring the innate sense of wonder through working with a farm-and-forest to craft curriculum. Our days may include: cooking over a fire; planting in, tending to and harvesting from the garden; caring for the animals, fire making, metal work, nature crafts, woodwork, theater and puppetry, water and sand play, forest adventures, slip and slide, music making, observational drawing, ink and watercolor painting, paper-making and mini bookbinding, flower stamping, and linocut carving and printing.
Summer Camp is offered each summer for five weeks, each week with a different theme. The themes build on each other but also stand alone as a complete experience so that children who attend one week and children who attend all five have a rich encounter with Wild Rose Farm. Each year we plan new themes and activities, as well as make sure we bring back the ones that we felt particularly met the children the year before. The program is designed for children ages 5 -14 years and is held Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The cost includes a morning snack and crafting materials. Aftercare may be available 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
2024 SUMMER CAMP WEEKLY THEMES
Week 1: Work and Play while Making Hay
As the grasses and flowering plants emerge in spring, the cycle of life is bringing forth nourishment for all to share. As our fields of hay and pasture grow, we ready ourselves to harvest our hay for the winter feeding. Cutting saplings and young trees we prepare all the materials for making hay racks to dry our hay out in the open field.
We will practice cutting the hay with the scythe and the sickle. Then we will gather the hay raking it and loading it onto the hay racks with our hands so that the sun and the wind can dry it for safe storage. Younger children will enjoy playing in and around the hay racks as we hang hay--hay fort anyone? Older children will enjoy learning about, and being trusted with, these incredible hand tools. This is an ancient experience that lives deeply in the human relationship to the natural world. Not only do we gather grasses and plants, the birds, and all the creatures that build nests and store things for the winter will gather from the wonderful gifts of nature.
Week 2: The Golden Fleece
We will learn about a sheep to puppet craft process on the farm. Children will learn about washing, carding, spinning, dying, felting and sewing wool. By the end of the week each child will have a handmade woolen puppet of their very own! The creation of these new friends will imbue children with more imaginative and creative ways of play and communication throughout free time and structured group activities. Our new puppet friends will evolve in character with the acquisition of new knowledge and handmade accessories made from nature findings, and simple crafting materials. Children who attend more than one week of camp will be encouraged to keep their puppet at camp until their last week so that these new friends can accompany them throughout their entire summer camp experience.
Week 3: Fire, Water, Air and Earth
Come explore the magic of the elements as we use our senses to learn about the abundance that surrounds us. Our puppets (made by the children*) will accompany us on this journey. We will dive deep into our ancient bond with fire making (gathering fuel, learning fire safety and science, building rocket stoves and more). We will explore the surprising and powerful nature of water using sand, and other simple materials to conduct exciting experiments. We will study air through our experience of music making with chimes, wind instruments and singing. We will become fully grounded in the garden making compost, shaping garden beds, planting seeds and transplanting. *Children who did not attend the Golden Fleece week will be given the opportunity to make their very own puppet! Puppets will stay at Wild Rose until a child's last week of camp so that these new friends can accompany their child throughout their entire summer camp experience.
Week 4: Gathering the Wild Rose Village
Join us as we become Wild Rose villagers! We will move into our hay field to create a village of farmers, gardeners, medicine makers, artists, and chefs. We will explore the imagination of the village with puppets made during previous weeks.* Additionally, children will transform the hay drying shelters made during the Work and Play while Making Hay camp into a village! They will also prepare food, medicine and crafts for our Village Day. On Village Day, at the end of the week, villagers will exchange their creations for that of their neighbors, culminating in a village celebration and potluck that parents are invited to. *Children who did not attend a previous week of camp will be given the opportunity to make their very own puppet! Puppets will stay at Wild Rose until a child's last week of camp so that these new friends can accompany their child throughout their entire summer camp experience.
Week 5: Preparing the Village for Change
In years past, village week has been so popular that we are offering two weeks this year! We will move the village to the forest to prepare for an upcoming weather or event, or find that our shelters actually will withstand the change in the village (new crafts and crafts people) with some support from our villagers. Our village of farmers, builders, gardeners, medicine makers, artists, crafts people and chefs (and their puppets) will engage in the imagination of the village preparing for a shift or change. Villagers will prepare everything that is needed in a healthy village community. Like the previous week, villagers will exchange their creations for that of their neighbors culminating in a village celebration and potluck that parents are invited to. Please note that the cooking creations of weeks four and five will be different because they will be seasonal, culinary creations that can be prepared right out of our village farm! *Children who did not attend a previous week of camp will be given the opportunity to make their very own puppet!
