A book For teachers and educators alike!
Over many years the summer camps world has built up a large and impressive repertoire of totally screen-free activities that children love. We probably know more brilliant games for children than almost anyone else, with hundreds of ball games, tag games, indoor party games, mystery games, etc., etc. We have a large repertoire of songs that children enjoy singing, from silly action songs to rounds and ballads. We know how to make kites, rag dolls, papier mache masks, model boats or cars, and lots more. We have developed a raft of ideas for helping children enjoy the environment. We know a great many puzzles, riddles, board games that are different and that can be made easily, and situation games. We know about codes, secret writing, trails and tracking, scavenger hunts and treasure hunts. We have a stock of games based round drama and other creative activities.
We are good story tellers.
These ideas can be invaluable to teachers and parents looking for ways of teaching more actively, and to anyone who works with children in any context. Parents who trained as summer camp leaders when younger keep their children occupied with all sorts of activities, and are able to lay on great birthday parties which don’t cost a lot. Teachers who have worked in summer camps use ideas they learned there every day in their classrooms.
An important spin-off from a proper national summer camps sector would be its role in devising new games and ideas for screen-free activities, along with making parts of its repertoire available to anyone working with children.
The Summer Camps Trust hopes in the future to publish a series of resource books - on GAMES, SONGS, HANDICRAFTS, CONTACT WITH THE ENVIRONMENT, etc. Sales of these books will help to finance the work of the Trust, and will give to teachers and parents lots of valuable resources and ideas.
