SSA Summer Programs Blog 2011

 This morning, the first thing I stumbled across was a few campers hunting for worms.

"We're going fishing later!" they cried. Snapping some pictures, I promised I'd join them later.

Tennis Lessons

Taking a break from an otherwise ooey gooey day, I visited the youngest Day Camp squads in Tennis. I've watched them throughout the summer, and they are getting so much better! They know how to hold their racket, and they stay in the bounds almost every time they hit the ball now—a huge difference from the beginning.

Waiting for their turn to hit, two campers, one copying the other, made their scariest tennis monster faces. They held the rackets up in front of their faces, and wiggled their fingers. It was too cute for words. Thinking they didn’t see me, I took a picture. But when I put my camera down, the camper who started the monster parade gave me a huge smile and thumbs up! So much for stealth.

Creek Walking

I followed the young Robins to their next activity, a walk in the creek on campus. Campers couldn't contain their excitement, and ran ahead into the freezing cold water.

The creek was beautiful. It's hidden from the road and shaded by huge draping trees. The banks are overgrown with the most lush bushes and plants I've seen, fed by the flowing waters. Shallow and muddy, it is filled with interesting rocks and creepy crawly (and totally fascinating) bugs!

Campers slipped and slid up and down the creek, shrieking when they tripped into the frigid water. Some brave campers explored under the dark bridge, (the perfect place for trolls in my mind). Others took deep breaths, steeled themselves, and jumped all the way into the water! They're going to be candidates for the polar bear club.

 After the little kids left the creek, the Fantastic Foxes stopped by. These older campers had spent the morning collecting exactly thirty two worms.

When they got to the creek they built their own fishing poles out of sticks, string, and safety pins. These are some smart cookies! I'd definitely want to hang out with them if ever stranded in the wilderness. They looked like a whole band of Huck Finns, traipsing around Jackson Island.

I, being the cynic I am, thought that there was no way the shallow creek could contain fish. When the campers yelled that they had gotten a bite, I was sure that they had their hook had just caught on a rock.

Outdoor Adventure Instructor Erika told me otherwise. Only yesterday some of the Fantastic Foxes caught a fish using a net! There are fish in the creek, and the campers can actually catch them.

On the way out of the creek, I stumbled upon two giant carp! I obviously don’t know much.

Non-Newtonian Fluids

Despite my lack of knowledge about fish, I feel pretty smart after hanging out with the Pointie Porcupines. Counselor Mike taught us all about oobleck. Oobleck, if you don't know, is a slime that has properties of both liquids and solids!

If you mix together starch and water, you get the goo. It's exciting because when you apply force to the liquid, it turns into a solid; when you stop applying force, it becomes a liquid again!

Campers got their hands gooey while trying it out. Sure enough, campers could ball it up, pressing the solid oobleck into different shapers, but the second they stopped moving it, it oozed out of their hands! Gross!

Playing with Mud

I spent some time with Ceramics Instructor Lucas, who was teaching two campers how to throw a pot. They were pushing and pulling on the wet clay, and having a fantastic time. I'm heading to Ceramics now to try my hand at it!

Tomorrow will be the last day to enter the raffle for two free Shady Side Summer Programs sweatshirts, so comment below!