Week 3, A Blast From the Past

Discovery campers do the Hustle!

Week 3 has certainly been a “Blast From the Past” for Discovery Camp, with exciting activities every day! “Blast From the Past” included 50’s Monday, 60’s Tuesday, 70’s Wednesday, and a field trip to the roller rink for 80’s Thursday. Arts and Enrichment projects this week were also tailored to this week's decade-theme. Campers enjoyed making their very own paper ice cream sundaes, disco balls, and more. On Monday, for the all-camp activity, the kids formed groups, turned a cardboard box into a car, and raced them on the field! They also cheered their counselors on during a fun game of "Inchworm".  On Tuesday, campers got their faces painted and spent the day sporting some groovy designs! On Wednesday, campers learned the Hustle and performed on field. The kids showed off their dance skills again during a crazy game of freeze dance for their all-camp activity. Today (Thursday), the kids hopped on the bus and traveled down to the roller rink for a totally rad day of roller skating!

Leadership Academy

Creativity and communication are Leadership Academy's focal points for this week. On Monday, during their “2 Buckets” challenge, campers worked as a team to figure how to get the contents in one bucket into another bucket, using only ropes to move, tilt, and pour the bucket. On Tuesday, they discussed importance of body language and confidence and their roles in successful communication. On Wednesday, campers then played charades to practice these skills. They also did the famous "egg drop," using only straws and tape to build a cushioned cage for a raw egg, which was then dropped to the ground. They worked together to develop a strategy, encouraging one another and having fun throughout. They finished the day with a viewing of The King's Speech and a deep discussion about the importance of a leader's ability to communicate effectively. Thursday, Leadership Campers brainstormed ideas for their "Strong Kids Campaign" fundraiser. The YMCAs Strong Kids Campaign works to ensure people of all ages are healthier and more productive, regardless of their background. Tomorrow, they will wrap up a productive week by shadowing counselors and getting some first-hand experience into what makes a great leader.

MVP

MVP started off their week with some of Director Allan's “Goofy Games,” such as Mingle-Mingle, Cookie Monster, Red Rover, Musical Pins, Inchworm, and Ball Point. For "Inchworm", campers raced in pairs across the gym, while "Ball Point" proved to be an intense game of every-man-for-himself dodge ball. They also played a few net sports, like volleyball and badminton, throughout the week. On Wednesday, they headed to Lakewood, NJ, for a Blue Claws minor league baseball game. Campers Lucas, Ty, Jake and Luke were even invited out onto the field for a game of musical chairs during the 7th inning stretch! "It was a fun experience," says Luke, and it's one that we're sure he'll carry with him for a while.

Upcoming Events

On Friday, campers will cool off with a visit from the Ice Cream Man! Don’t forget to bring money for ice cream. Next week’s Specialty Camp is cooking! Campers can look forward to bringing home different treats, exploring an array of yummy food and visiting Princeton's House of Cupcakes, winners of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars.

Discovery Camp's theme next week is “Luau Party!” Look forward to a limbo contest, a water balloon battle, and more fun in the sun!

Congratulations to Barrett Miller, from Discovery Camp's Explorers group, for winning last week’s sweepstakes! Barrett won a water bottle and a gift card to Thomas Sweet! She found the cowboy hat icon on the specialty page of the blog! The picture for this week is a disco ball in honor of the week’s Blast From the Past theme. Find the image on the blog and email us for a chance to win a prize!

Sweepstakes winner, Barrett and Explorers Counselor Jamie!

Check out our blog next week for the new sweepstakes icon, and keep an eye out for our "Getting to Know Your Counselors" interview series.