Girl Scout Day Camp 2006

[clydesdale115]

Just got the call this week about working at Girl Scout Day Camp in June! I teach Music and have a great time (apparently no one has noticed that I don't actually have a daughter in Girl Scouts - my son goes to the Tag-along class and has a ball with the other boys!). This will be my 3rd year!

 

Our theme will be "BACK TO BASICS" - campfire building, knots, compass, hiking, tents, first aid, that sort of thing. Sounds like a fun time for the girls.

 

What will your theme be this year?

 

clydesdale115

 

[Tami the Mom]

That theme sounds great! Our council runs camp for 6 weeks, each week has a different theme.

 

What I am most interested in is your tag-along class. How does that work? The problem I have run into with both GS camp and Cub Scout camp is what to do with my toddlers while the older kids are in camp.

[clydesdale115]

Tami - I can actually share about both Tot Lot (Cub Scouts) and Tag-Along (Girl Scouts). Forgive if it's long - I'm sure it will be - but I'm happy to give you my take:

 

Girl Scouts: I was asked to teach Music for GS Camp, so my son goes with me to the Tag-Along class. His buddy is also there (he has a mom and sister in Girl Scout camp). There are about 10 boys, plus 1 or 2 girls too young for Brownies. The Tag leader is a GS mom (also with a son in Tag class). They make their own t-shirts (different from the "girls") to wear, they take a turn doing the flag ceremony, they have a skit at closing just like all the dens, they battle for Spirit Stick, they rotate to all the stations just like the girls. We actually have GS Camp at an elementary school (we take a bus to a near-by pool each day!). So each den has access to a classroom that they decorate to the theme. The Tags are in a hallway by themselves. There is never anything sissy that they are stuck doing - it really is fun doing Music, Arts/Crafts, Science, games, swimming, etc. The Tag leader is really good with the boys. She brings in some games, toys, etc. to keep them occupied during den time, and they also make "SWAPS" during den time just like the girls do. They're called Tag-Alongs, but it's like they are at their own camp.

 

Tot-Lot (Cub Scouts) - year before last I was the Tot Lot leader. My son was attending his first CS Day Camp and I intended to be Den leader, but there was a real need for someone to lead Tots. I have plenty of teaching experience in preschool and elementary age, so I thought it would be fun! And it was, actually. While the boys were sweltering at Day Camp, I was with the Tots at a nearby school (our day camp evacuation location). I had access to classrooms, cafeteria, music, art, gym, playground - you name it! Since we were displaced, we did not participate in ANY of the Cub Scout activities. But that didn't stop us from having a great camp all on our own! I had 1 other lady as my assistant, plus a 16-year old girl. The Cub Scouts were working on an "Indian" theme so I went with that also. (Seems like I had a budget of $300.00.) I made up lesson plans, decorated each location, had a schedule, brought in craft supplies, music, games, you name it. I had to start from ground zero since we were on our own. Each day we focused on a different topic related to Native Americans. Plus, I had each child and leader make a quilt sqaure (AMAZING!), then I quilted it all together just like the Native American 8-Point Star pattern. On my largest day, I had 20 kids (with an extra adult, thankfully)! A couple of kids came a day here and there. Altogether, there were 28 squares on the quilt! I had a mix of little boys and girls, plus some elementary-age girls. I called it the "Pee-Wee Tee-pee" - each child made a teepee in the hall to put their belongings as they arrived - it was so cool! I was worn-out at the end of the week, but it went so smoothly!

 

Well, as good as that was, last year I decided I would definitely be my son's Den leader. I had not seen him at camp at all the year before. Several moms and dads who were volunteering at Camp asked me if I was doing Tot Lot again, and they were really disappointed that I wasn't (smile!). Things were NOT the same last year. Camp was moved to a new location and Tot Lot was on-site - the plan was to keep the kids under a little pavillion at picnic tables in the park where Camp was being held. Then they would rotate to the Scout areas as appropriate or as schedules would allow. It was a disaster. They only had 1 teenager working Tots (it was the same girl who helped me the year before). She started Monday morning with only 3 kids, no plans, no leadership, no IDEA what to do to keep these kids occupied (she did have a coloring book and crayons!). By lunchtime, the parents of all 3 of those kids had called someone to come take them home and that was the end of Tot Lot - no other kids for the whole week. Of course you and I know that we can only volunteer with kid # 1 if we feel kid # 2 is being cared for. I actually felt bad for it all - but I had a fun time as Den leader with my son!

 

I think in the case of Cub Scouts AND Girl Scouts, the ones in charge know that having a "tot lot" or similar is the only way some parents are going to be able to volunteer for camp. It's an important service to offer that frees up the parent to help with camp. I would say having them on-site lets mom or dad see what is happening with their little one, so that's probably ideal. But not if it means staying out all week in the hot sun. You just can't keep a bunch of 3-and-4-year-olds outside under a tent all week. We were off-site and it was like we were in our own private camp - the kids had a ball!

 

I could write more, but the moderator will probably cut me off - thank you for letting me share about my experience with Tots. Private email if I can help more.

BTW, my first name is also TAMI, so I guess I could be Tami the Mom, too!

clydesdale115

 

 

[Tami the Mom]

They both sound terrific! We've had a difficult time securing help at Cub camp because so many folks have little ones at home. Having somewhere on-site for the kids to play would be awesome. Our GS camp is different- they have all the staff they need, and actually make it pretty clear they don't want parents to hang around.