Summer Camps

In an attempt to fill the summer with something other than "nothing days" I signed Ellie up for a series of day camps, a dance camp, and some gymnastics. Shortly after we signed up, the dance camp was canceled, but the others were a HUGE success.

I was a little nervous about sending Ellie to a three hour camp by herself without friends that she knew, but I was amazed at how quickly she made friends and luckily many of the same kids attended each week. I love how quick kids are to befriend one another. I wish we were more like that as adults. I'm not sure when we become more reserved - but all of the time I think how Christ told us to be like little children and Ellie shows me all of the time many ways I think He meant that.

I wasn't at the camps, but Ellie always had a lot to say about them...here are some of the things I captured.

The first camp was Horsing around. She got to go on a pony ride, brush the pony, go on a horse-drawn wagon ride, play horse-shoes, learn all about horses and ponies and make several craft projects. Ellie was so excited after her first camp she kept asking what and when her next one was.




Fairytale - She watched a fun Rapunzel movie, made a crown and a Rapunzel tower, played with dragon bubbles, and went on a carriage ride.



Starry Night -Ellie toured the tunnel of stars, learned about the solar system, and went to space in her new space suit.


Frogs - A wagon took the group down to a new classroom and location where they could go on a search for frogs at the garden ponds where they found a huge frog! (This picture isn't from the camp, but it's a fun search for a frog.)


Underwater Wonder - Cousin Mason got to go with Ellie to this camp, so that made it extra fun. When I went to pick them up they were both standing there with little bags of water with a goldfish in them! They had named them Ellie and Mason after one another. Poor little fish died the next day but the camp was successful with shark tooth necklaces, and a tour of fish and sharks in the museum.


Dinosaurs - Originally Ellie did not want to attend dinosaurs, but since cousin Mason was still here I signed them both up and they had a blast. They visited the dinosaur museum, decorated and ate cookies, and made fossils.


Art Smart - Ellie learned about all different types of art and materials. They painted with brushes and fingers, made clay, watch glassed art being blown, and came home with great artwork!


Art Smart was the last day camp and the first thing Ellie said when I picked her up was, "Mom, can we sign me up for next summer?" - "Sure Ellie, that will be fun." "Mom, when is next summer?"

Gymnastics has also been great. I love to go each week and watch Ellie. We took gymnastics a couple of years ago and it's fun to see the difference. She is not afraid of the beams and bars and is really getting good at tuck jumps, cartwheels, and other fun gymnastics moves. She also enjoys it because she gets time with cousin Kamri.




I love the summer!