#camp crafts

[camp-counselor-life]

I have this button from a conference I went to in college that is bright pink, covered in gears, and it reads, "Making Stuff Matters."

Now, since this was an engineering conference, I am well aware that this is a reference to manufacturing. However. I feel it applies elsewhere in my life and probably everyone's.

This is not new advice, what I'm going to say. But saying that, making things with your hands, making something that exists in reality, not just virtually, that is an awesome thing for your mental health.

Camp is somewhat built on crafts and making/doing things, but it doesn't have to end for you at camp! Buy some friendship bracelet string, make a songbook and decorate it, write a letter (yeah, snail mail) to a camp friend or family member or whoever, look up origami and give it a shot, doodle a coffee cup during a staff meeting.

Making stuff matters.

[papaziggy-devblog]

A downside to being essentially a cryptid is accidently scaring your coworkers at night.

Gavin: *Shaking in absolute terror* S-So u-uhh... You... You g-gotta Snap? I-Insta maybe?

[truebluemeandyou]

DIY 6 IKEA Kids’ Forts #UseWhatYouHave 

From IKEA Russia:

Build a house with them. Yes, yes, such as in your childhood, which you built from stools, blankets and everything that came to hand. ⠀ We have prepared instructions for creating houses - from the classic VIGVÅM to the unexpected NORÅ. ⠀ Build houses according to our projects, create your own and upload photos using the hashtag #явдомикеикеа.

Do not miss your moment of glory!

You can find the forts by @ikea_rus on Instagram here (1st seen at dezeen here).

Castle Fort

4 chairs, coat stand, 2 sheets, 16 clothespins, string lights, rug, and 3 pillows

This Castle Fort is by @sevara_verdieva on Instagram here.

Cave Fort

chair, a sheet, 8 books, string lights, 3 pillows, and tape.

Camping Tent

clothing rack, 2 sheets, 8 books, 10 clothespins, string lights, and maybe a $5 pressa hanging dryer octopus below.

Tent Fort

coat stand, 2 sheets, 8 books, 10 binder clips, rope, string lights, and 3 pillows.

House Tent

table, sheets, 10 clothespins, 8 books, lantern, stuffed animal.

The Fortress

sofa, 2 sheets, 10 clothespins,3 pillows, and a throw.

[vintagecamping]

The 1962 Golden Book of Camping

I had this book as a child, although I don’t know where I got it from. It was in terrible shape, but i absolutely loved the artwork by Ernest Kurt Barth. We’d attempt some of these crafts in the woods near my home, often times to no avail...

[camp-counselor-life]

One of the first things that came up when I searched "middle school crafts" was DIY fidget spinners so guess what we're doing at [redacted] program?

[camp-counselor-life]

Image ID: The two buttons meme where the buttons are labeled, "Make a new craft" and "Friendship Bracelets," and the man is labeled Campers. End ID.

[camp-counselor-life]

Help! this is gonna be my second year as a counselor and I only learned how to do 5 finger bracelets last year! How do I do other bracelets??? String is not an issue, I embroidery and have 69 (legit) different colors currently of string

I am here to truly disappoint you anon, because I am, uh, not good at friendship bracelets. I know how to do the one that's fisherman's knots over and over and that is about it. I've dabbled a little, but that's about it. I know there's a 6 stranded one you can do with a little piece of paper and I've attempted the diagonal ones but they never turn out great.

There's tons and tons of patterns on the internet, and there's books too! The "friendship bracelet" tag has some as well, and some pretty examples!

Best wishes in your crafting conundrum!

[camp-counselor-life]

Ways to Use Winter in Activities

So, summer camp obviously happens in the summer. But can you still spend a little time having frosty fun? Here are some suggestions of winter activities that are still fun in the summer heat:

Snow slime - make plain white glue slime with white or clear glitter

Luminaries - not strictly winter, but winter vibes. Use tissue paper and wax paper or parchment paper to cover popsicle stick frames, then glue four together in a cube.

Winter Olympics - games could include sock skating, frisbee curling, and pom pom "shooting" at a biathlon

Fake snow - a fun chemical reaction

Pipe Cleaner snowflakes

Shaving cream snowmen

Cloud in a jar - again, not strictly winter, more rain than snow, but definitely those vibes

Hot cocoa bar - for those cold polar bear dips

Do: try to pick secular symbology for a secular camp and try to pick shared themes, rather than themes that may only apply to a smaller amount of your campers (lavish gifts, two parent households, etc)

Don't: emphasize one religious holiday over another (unless I guess if you are a religious camp)