There is a lot of excitement here at Crawford Childcare as our summer camps are in full swing. Summer camps cater for children aged 3 to 6 years through to the end of August. The camps follow the children’s interests in the outdoors in our fabulous natural play spaces.

The children divide into small groups to “hike” to their meeting points. Our beach area is a favourite spot for burying treasure and treasure hunts.

Our camp area is where we mix many a concoction in our ensuite mud kitchen. We often sit around on tree stumps telling stories, making jokes, singing songs and sharing our news. Our tepee is proving to be a fabulous open ended resource. The children have made paper walls, painted them, taken them down, started again and are now working on a wall of string! We have also decorated the entrance with painted bark ornaments suspended by wool which are really relaxing to sit and watch as the wind makes them sway. These were hand made by the children and so are very precious.

Our secret garden is also being tended and we are starting to see this bear fruit – literally. It is also home to bug hunts and butterfly making. We have been chalk drawing on the walls as we plan the construction of music walls, water walls and bug hotels.

Towards the end of camp the small group meet in the large grass area where we have great fun using the Buntus Start programme equipment including skipping ropes, hula hoops, footballs, rackets, parachutes, bean bags and much more. Popular games are proving to be challenging obstacle courses, squeeze and the Bean game!

Ask your children to play the Bean game with you – its great fun for just 2 or a large group. One person calls the bean and then everyone does the action. So when you hear “Runner Bean” – get running, “Jumping Bean” – get jumping and “Jelly Bean” – wibble and wobble!