Day 4 - Activities and Game of Life!
He Calms
Wednesday here at camp was one for the books! To start off, the focus portion of our theme is He calms!
The girls got a glimpse of this at morning watch, where the counselor-lead devo centered around how having Jesus by our side he leads us by still waters! So, we can rest knowing we have peace with Him in our lives. The girls were able to share some examples of times they felt really happy or really sad and our counselors did the same.
The girls got even more of this at campfire, lead by our girls in our Age Out Leadership Training (LT) Program! The LTs gave examples of how our pets at home feel happy and comfortable and how we can feel the same way! The LTs did an amazing job calming the girls before bedtime after such a big night running around camp playing Game of Life!
Activities Today
Arts & Crafts
In arts and crafts today, the girls made bandana charm necklaces! They were given a box of hundreds of charm options, and Kathryn and Susanna taught them how to knot and tie the bandana around each ring to hook on the charm. Then, they placed their charms for new neck wear! Some girls decided to just use a few charms or even just one to make multiple for their camp friends! It was very cute and the conversations stirred about what would be for lunch, dinner, and strategies for the new game of life tonight!
Sports
In sports class today the girls played gotcha ball and foursquare on the basketball court! We have a foursquare court here at camp on the basketball court, so the girls were able to easily switch between games if they got out in either.
Tennis
In tennis today, the girls had a doubles practice match without keeping scores! They did this to try out a few partner options and get to know each other’s strengths to work together for upcoming scored tournaments.
Cheerleading
In cheerleading, the girls worked on their showtime routine. Showtime is quickly approaching - just six days of activities remaining (with special programs filling Sunday and Packing Day). They are working on being in sync and their timing with the music they plan to perform their routine with.
Gymnastics
In gymnastics, the girls learned more of their showtime routine and learned new tricks. Some - cartwheels and roundoffs. Some, back walkovers and standing back bends! It is so much fun to watch their faces light up as they attempt or master something they’ve been wanting to try. It’s also really fun to see the bonds and friendships forming in these activities with the help, encouraging words, and cheers from friends!
Outdoor Adventure
In outdoor adventure, the girls learned about different kinds of mushrooms. Bailey taught the girls where, how, and why these grow. And, mushroom safety precautions in nature with examples! Then, the girls made outdoor forts on our nature trail that circles around camp. They used tarps and fabric to learn about safe structures in the wilderness.
Horseback Riding
This morning in horseback riding, the girls rode in the rings and some had the option to trail ride. If they chose to ride in their assigned ring today, each ring did something different:
Shady: they played ships and sailors on the horse
Center: they worked on their trot or got to try it today
Sunny the girls got to canter!
Tower
In tower, the girls got to climb the rock walls at camp for candy. If a girl made it to the top she got a piece of candy! This is a great incentive for something they are already striving to accomplish - and they loved the candy reward for those final pushes of effort today to conquer walls they’ve been working on!
Dance
In Dance today, the older girls learned more of their dance to perform at show time, and the minis worked on their routine they perform camp-wide friday night! The minis perform their dance routine for all of camp just before the Laney dance, and then they head into their movie night! The ‘mini dance’ is a huge excitement for all of camp, and saying goodbye to the minis is so hard! We have loved watching them grow their skills and independence here at camp this week.
Circus
In circus today, the girls worked on the superman trick and swinging penny drop trick, and practiced with the lyra hoop and silks! As one of the few camps with a circus available to our girls, it is an extremely popular activity with a lot of opportunity for new achievements and tricks. You would be amazed at the progress, technique, and overall improvements that happen throughout the session. Also, it is up in the air - the bravery is rampant and these girls work super hard to make their turns worthwhile and advancing.
Fitness
In fitness, the girls did a circuit workout in the top of summerplace! We have a large projector and equipment there which makes it really nice - not to mention the AC! Our Fitness Head, Claire, is extremely creative with their daily activities! Some days the girls walk to (and browse around) local Mentone spots like the Little River Hardware Store and The Mentone Market. These are both staples in our lovely little town and have some great stuff! Not to mention, a lot of Skyline faces!
Riflery
In riflery, the girls started their marksman qualification shooting today! Results to come at the end of the session with an additional patch if they qualify. The qualifications include laying shots, kneeling shots, standing shots, and are a tiered system of total score over time. We are really excited to see if the girls can leave camp with one of these badges!
Canoeing
In canoeing, each activity period is trying to canoe to camp Laney and back. From Camp Skyline to Camp Laney on the river is about 0.5 miles each way! Each period is one hour in duration, so this can be challenging with the current on the return trip.
Bible Study
We offer separate bible study classes based on age. Our bible studies are admin-lead, so Frances (Camp Mom) and Ivy (Summer Director) lead our younger girls, and Sally (Camp Owner) leads the older girls. Here’s what each of them did today:
Younger Girls: studying Esther in ‘God’s Brave Girl’ devotional book. They have been working in this book and will continue through the session! They also popped over to the basketball court for some games to get their bodies moving and to bring life to the book!
Older Girls: learning how to study scripture without a bible study! Sally is teaching the girls tips and tricks on navigating the bible, context, and more so they can feel confident straight from the source!
Meals
Breakfast
we had biscuits, bacon, grits, eggs, and honeydew! An array of alabama staples. We also have cereal and milk and yogurt options for the girls as well each morning!
Lunch
For lunch, we had roast beef, rolls, peas, and carrots. The girls also have access to a salad bar at both lunch and dinner, and peanut butter sandwiches if they choose! Then, the fruit bowl included apples and bananas! Miss Donna cuts the apples up fresh in the kitchen for the girls once they pick their apple!
Dinner
We enjoyed grilled cheeses with loaded potato soup! We had extra cheese and bacon to add on and it was so yummy! Dessert was brookies - a camp favorite - a cookie in the shape of a brownie extra chocolatey!!
Afternoon Rain!
After beli deli, we got some showers here in Mentone! You can see in our instagram story the mad dash from beli deli to the gym! The girls had rainy day activities in 5th and sixth period, so they got to play games indoors, or in our open air gym, rather than some of our outdoor spaces like ropes, horseback, and swimming! The girls are extremely creative, and we got a glimpse of a lot of summer reading progress around camp!! The girls were excited to shift gears for game of life tonight after the rain passed over us!
Game of Life
Tonight we enjoyed Game of Life here at camp!! Game of Life is a new game to Skyline this summer. Each girl is given three rubber bands (in their club color) which are their ‘lives’. Our counselors dress up in costumes and have socks to tag the girls. If a girl is tagged, they must give up a ‘life’. The goal is to make it to the safe zone, but you only get three lives to attempt! You’ll see in our pictures our counselors go all out in hopes of a fun and friendly club competition. If a girl is returning a band (their life) to be counted, they put their hands on their head to signal they have already been tagged.
Tonight, the results were posted on our instagram story: First Place: Rangers Second Place: Troopers Third Place: Mounties
The clubs are scored by how many lives are lost versus how many make it to the safe zone. If all lives are ‘lost’ before making it, the girls go to the gym to cheer for their club members to make it! It was a really fun night and included a lot of laughs and new memories. We are loving Game of Life as an addition to Skyline’s nighttime activity roster!
