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Showing posts from October, 2018

The Importance of Camper-Counselor Relationships

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Camp is a great place for children to get some much-needed time out from mom and dad and form relationships with other authoritative, yet not as threatening, figures: camp counselors. The role of a counselor is not only being of a guardian and caretaker, but a friend as well. Camper- counselor relationships provide long-lasting values for both parties; camp allows children the freedom to grow into independent individuals and teaches counselors teamwork, communication and responsibility. Let's take a look at the benefits of camper-counselor relationships. Counselors show campers that being an adult can be fun.  Children have many adults in their life: mom and dad, the family doctor, their teachers; they're constantly surrounded by someone who either always has something to do, stressed out from work or giving them instructions. A counselor is an adult that is also a peer to the camper. When they see an authoritative figure playing in the mud, ...

Make Poi in 5 Easy Steps

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Fire-spinning has become a sensation at the Bay with our campers delighting in performances put on by our counselors every final camp night. The tradition has become so popular, our campers have joined in the shows and have brought new tricks to the game. Before you start spinning with fire, you use poi to practice your routine. Poi originates from the Maori people of New Zealand and has spread across the globe. Poi is the Maori word for 'ball' on a cord. Maori women used Poi to keep their hands flexible for weaving and men for strength and coordination during battle. The practice was also seen in beautiful dance ceremonies where the poi was put on fire and phenomenal images emerged as they swung rhythmically. Here are 5 easy steps to make poi What you will need:  String or shoelaces Black plastic bags  Scissors  Ruler A4 paper or rice  Rubber bands  Sellotape Method:  Step 1: Pour the rice into the plastic bag until it...

Bringing Art To Life: 3 Traits Every Art Teacher Should Have.

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It's not easy being a kid today; facing chunks of homework and a seemingly never-ending quest for achievement, it appears to be harder being a kid than a CEO of a large corporate company. It's even harder for creative children; to discover and nurture their talent with different social pressures and numerous inconsistent daily requirements. How do we create the next generation of innovative artists? Through all our art teachers across the globe! Listed below are 3 key qualities every art teacher should have. Cultivating these principles assists our aspiring Picassos, aka your students, in finding their role in the creative world and how to play it. Curiosity Curiosity builds a desire for a greater understanding and learning more. Besides innovating your student's creative talent by gaining more intel, curiosity develops awareness and attention to detail for their craft. It is of utmost importance to motivate them to consistently ask questions and to dig deeper. ...

Out of his League

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Being our in-house emergency response CPR trainer for our camp staff and counselors, a self-defence class instructor and a superhero to our planet; we caught up with League on being a mountain guide and how the rhino is his spirit animal.  From rock-climbing in Maine, leading a hike in Vietnam to being a mountain guide in upstate New York, League is definitely living up to his name by being in a league of his own.  We first set our eyes on the great adventurer in 2017 when he was a C.I.T (counselor in training). This is where we watched him transform into the great counselor he is today.  "I was extremely shy, I couldn't look people in the eye when I was speaking to them, it was really bad! Let's not even talk about public speaking!"   He exclaimed. League runs a specialized self-defence class at the Bay where he teaches campers basic moves to protect themselves. "I have been doing karate since I was 3 ye...