What is the F.I.E.L.D Program???
Fun, Interactive, Experiential, Learning opportunities that are Developmentally appropriate.
The F.I.E.L.D Program is the following:
· A progressive series of outdoor adventure-based programs providing age appropriate and developmentally specific activities for young children.
· A chance to provide children with an opportunity to develop their life skills and to experience positive outdoor experiences with a range of guided and unguided activities.
· The F.I.E.L.D program provides children with opportunities to grow through creative experiences that are dramatic and creative.
The goals of the Mouse program are the following:
· To provide a program that allows children the opportunity to make use of their five senses to explore the natural world.
· To provide young children with the opportunity to develop a sense of independence from parental figures in a safe and supportive learning environment.
· To provide a program that encourages the development of the following life skills; co-operation, independence, listening.
The goals of the Chipmunk program are the following:
· To provide a program that revolves around co-operative play in an outdoor setting.
· To provide a program that encourages the development of sharing, listening skills, turn taking and the use of positive language.
The goals of the Squirrel program are the following:
· To provide a program that promotes exploration of the natural world through creative and dramatic play.
· To provide a program that encourages the development of the conflict management, sharing, responsibility, judgment skills and the use of positive words.
A typical day at camp…
9:00am Camp starts! Groups will start their day in a circle at DPK to introduce/review/reinforce names and to go over the amazing day ahead of them!
9:15am “Burrow Time” – An opportunity for campers to get their personal belongings organized into their cubbies, a chance for finishing crafts from the day before and an opportunity for the staff to inform the kids about the schedule for the day and any planned activities.
9:45am Swim block (1/2 hour free swim and ½ hour swim lesson) each day of the week.
10:45am Program slot – This could be a daily craft or an activity progression that fits with the pre-planned theme for the camper’s week.
11:30am Lunch – At lunch we like to provide the ‘fast’ eaters with activity stations inside the pavilion that will engage their attention in a non-directed environment (i.e. sand and water tables, sensory tables etc…) In addition, twice a week we will have a sing song with all FIELD campers! On hot days we will sometimes set up a water fun park outside for the campers to play in as a large group before heading back to program!
12:30 Nature Specialist – Once a week the campers will visit with the nature specialist for a 1 hour time block where they will be provided with an educational program revolving around a specific component of nature. This topic could be anything from a wind study, animal habitat, to rainfall collection studies.
In the days when the campers don’t have the Nature Specialist this time block would be used for activity programming. Again all of the activities that the campers do in these time blocks are designed around a central theme and are created with the program goals in mind.
2:00 Craft Specialist – Once a week the campers will visit the craft specialist for a more complex craft that will be facilitated by our Craft Lady. Campers have made crayon candles, woven baskets with newspaper, and created personalized wind mobiles.
3:30ish Burrow Time – At the end of the day campers retreat to their ‘Burrows’ (air conditioned classrooms) for some ‘non-directed’ play opportunities. Classrooms are set-up with several different areas for campers to explore. There are dramatic play areas, sensory stations and ‘chill zones’ for those campers who just need a break from the excitement of the day. Staff uses this opportunity to debrief the day and help the children to develop a language to describe their day to parents when they get home!
3:50 Get ready to move up to DPK (Drop off/Pick up area)
4:00 Home time!
Other activities that campers will do through their week;
· Campers in all the field age groups will have the opportunity to have a canoe experience over the course of their week. The purpose of this canoe experience is to provide them with a positive boating experience that will hopefully engage them in this wonderful and healthy outdoor activity. Mice and Chipmunks will have an experience in our 26ft long Voyageur Canoes. Squirrels will move up to our smaller canoes for a different canoeing experience.
· Parachutes, pool noodles, mud pits, “Cool Nature Thing Finders”, Treasure Bracelets, Rosie the Dragon, Freddie the Fish, The National Leprechaun Forest are some of the things we have created to engage your children in an effort to create the most positive and powerful outdoor experience for them.
· Each day there are at least 2 program slots allocated for staff to deliver activities that are based on their pre-programmed theme for the week. All activities are age appropriate, well planned and pre-approved by a program coordinator. In addition these activity selections are designed with the goals of the program in mind.
NEW Care Takers of the Earth & Animal Care
We want to educate the children about caring for our environment and help them take small steps to protect their future. All children ages 4 to 9 years will be assisting us with an Environmental Enhancement Project each week.
The campers will have the chance to visit with and help care for the animals brought on to the campus by our Animal Therapy Program.