This year, Allen and I got brave... we decided to let all the kids choose a camp, realizing that might mean I'd be driving in several directions at once. Ben wanted science camp at the museum, Maddie wanted art camp, Jon and Will wanted zoo camp (even over scout day camp). When I found all the information, I presented options to the kids. Jon quickly chose a zoo camp that was in cooperation with the art museum -- it would be three days at the zoo, two at the museum, but all the lessons would be combining animals and art with a focus on discovering and creating patterns. Ben went through the science options, but then asked if Jon would learn science at the zoo. I told him that would probably be the case, so Ben chose to do "whatever Jon picked." Maddie mulled over her options, but since Jon was talking about the art at the zoo, she asked, "If I go to the same camp as Jon, would I be doing both zoo AND art camp?" I told her yes. She decided she, too, wanted to go with Jon. I called Allen to see if he had a problem with them choosing the same and making my life easier. Will, being in a different age bracket, chose a five-day zoo camp that will happen in July. This week, Jon, Ben, and Maddie had a blast at zoo-art-camp.
The first day, Will and I wandered the zoo while they were in camp. I taught him how to use my smaller digital camera -- explaining, not just how to take pictures, but how to change the settings, adjust the flash, set up an elbow tripod to keep the camera still, and more.
We worked our way through the zoo, snapping pictures and adjusting settings, and earning the photography belt loop and electives for scouts.
We spent about 40 minutes in the aviary. These photos perfectly capture Will's transformation -- from being nervous that he might get nipped by a bird, to being completely comfortable with one holding on to his shoulder with the pointy claws.
After the river otters, the aviary was his favorite spot. That afternoon, we had lunch with Allen, then met my parents to pick up my niece Julianne.
The second day, Will, Julianne, and I ran a few errands after dropping off Ben, Maddie, and Jon, then we wandered around the zoo for an hour and a half, again spending most of our time in the aviary, so he could show Julianne his bird-friends.
The third day, another at the zoo, Will, Julianne, and I spent the entire morning with the animals. It was great to just take our time, not worrying about whether we would see everything or not. Both kids chose to go to the aviary and enjoyed feeding the birds again. A few times, they were just sweet together -- holding hands as they walked, posing for silly pictures, and Will read the signs to her that she asked about.
We saw Ben and Jon with their small camp group in the aviary, and they excitedly told me how much they were learning and doing. I treated the kids to lunch at the zoo, then we drove to the fishery to meet Gramma and Granddad, and wander around there for a couple hours. We ended the day driving home -- soaking wet because we hiked through a rain storm.
The fourth and fifth days were at the art museum finishing up some of the projects they began at the zoo. The kids showed off their art in a mini art-show -- they were all so proud! The had done a couple different types of scratch art, solar prints, different crayon techniques, drawing, weaving, beading, collage, and several other different types of art. All three kids loved the camp for their own reasons -- Ben loved the animals, Maddie loved the art, Jon loved it all. It was a great experience for all three, and they are already asking when they get to take Will to zoo camp so they can spend many days at the zoo.
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