Camp Tales, Woodcraft Rules and Games (2014-0929)

Whilst people arrived we played a game of Octopus.

We held our News Circle: which people are getting very good at so it went quite quickly: Dylan went to camp and had fun; Ivo cut himself on camp but had fun; Joe went to the London Eye; Rafiq made a Bionical Chicken; Emily enjoyed camp especially the campfire; Izzy is taking the Prep test in Piano; Luke found a Pale Tussock Moth caterpillar (Callitereara pudibunda) on camp; Ximena told us that their other caterpillars (Painted Ladies) have pupated; Isis showed us the mask she has made and has a wobbly tooth; Milly has had an interview at Rye St Anthony school; Debbie's cat, Thomas, has died; Daniel got lost in the maze at camp; John did the challenges at camp; Theo built a Lego model on Sunday; Oliver completed the maze and made a bug house at camp; Morrigan liked weaving on camp; Polly's favourite thing about camp was the merrymoot; Jay went to the street party and watched the Lego Movie in the street; Tim built the campfire at camp.

The last session was a little rowdy, the weather was great and the children were very excited, even games on the field did not tire them out. After a great Elfin Camp the leaders wanted to talk about how we have good times and what makes a session no fun.

The children came up with lots of suggestions: being nice to each other, listening to each other and respecting each other and the school and environment. Woodcraft is about peace and friendship so fighting and being rough is out of place.

Tim explained that if someone kept ignoring requests to join in and was making a session no fun for others then they could be asked not to come the next time, though this has never happened.

Debbie reminded everyone that when someone calls Woodcraft then everyone should stop, reply Folk and then listen to the person who has made the call.

Jay came up with the brilliant suggestion that we do some practice, so we did: everyone larked about and then Jay shouted Woodcraft and we all replied Folk, we then repeated this with leaders calling out until we had it perfect.

We decided to play Dead Ants

then Snakes in the pit

Everyone helped to put the apparatus away.

We had a quick play outside.

We came back in and sang If I had a Hammer, Black and White, Back of the Bus, then held our Closing Circle and sang Charlie was a Pigeon.

Leaders: Emily, Debbie, Tim
Helper: Ximena
Elfins: 15

Elfin Camp 2014

We had an enormous group of elfins and parents, forty though five had to drop out at the last minute.

The weather was fantastic and so was the site: Hill End Centre.

We pitched our tents and then held an Opening Circle.

We walked into Wytham Woods and ate our packed lunch and then carried on walking through the woods.

After lunch we did activities.

Built a campfire.

Ate supper.

Lit the Campfire.

Held our Merrymoot.

Had cocoa and went to bed, and were quickly asleep! The adults moved the campfire in a wheelbarrow to the kitchen fire and sang songs late into the night.

In the morning we packed and finished off a few craft activities.

Packed our tents.

Held our closing circle.

Did a litter sweep, finished packing and went home tired but happy!

Google Story is nearly as good!

Preparing to Camp (2014-09-22)

The evening was bright and not too cold so we decided to meet on the playing field. The children entertained themselves climbing on the substation, in the bushes and running on the field.

We held a circle to see who was here, choose games and have a biscuit.

We chose to start with Stick in the Mud as Dead Ants is a bit too uncomfy on the grass.

Then we played a couple of rounds of Octopus.

We returned inside and Emily led a question and answer session about what to bring to camp.

We sang a lot of songs: Campfire's burning, Bumblebee, Red River Valley, Back of the Bus, Axes, Blue Lake and Rocky Shore and last but not least Charlie was a pigeon.

We held our Closing Circle.

Leaders: Emily, Tim, Rana
Helpers: Ximena, Meriam
Elfins: 22

Tin Can Cooking (2014-09-15)

Whilst people arrived we played a quick game of Octopus led by Emily and the other leaders prepared by cutting up food, getting a fire bucket and laying out the plates and cookers.

We held our News Circle: John went for a guided walk in town; Theo slept at the weekend; Oliver had fish fingers and beans for supper; Daniel rode a camel at Heythrop; Dylan slept on the floor rather than in bed; Matilda ate raw runner beans; Freya celebrated her father's birthday; Rayan went strawberry picking; Ayoub has a new slide; Yasmine has a new kitten; Luke found a hibernating snail; Ximena climbed the Castle Mound for the first time; Emily held an Open House as part of Oxford Open Doors but no one came; Isis went to the caravan for Ivo's birthday, some while ago; Natty learnt some bad opera music; Morrigan played Magic Kitten with a friend; Polly swam a length at swimming; Imogen was bought a bracelet and earrings by Natty; Izzy visited some colleges during Open Doors; Lena went to the fire station for Open Doors and a little boy let off the siren and the crew also had to leave for a real fire; this was Hannah's first Woodcraft Folk session; Jay got flushed down the toilet today (with a pinch of salt?); Ivo missed St Giles Fair; Joe saw floats and some Mr Potato Head people at a fair whilst visiting his grandma in Devon; Rafiq made an Amazon wishlist; Kique showed us a model he had made at Dance Camp. Tim has a new dog Lola.

We started cooking, I forgot to take photos so here is one of a previous session.

The cooking went well, though many ate the cheese and bread raw.

The group played outside whilst the leaders cleared up.

We held our closing circle.

Leaders: Emily, Rana, Tim
Helpers: Meriem, Hannah
Elfins: 22
Woodchips: 1

First Session of Term (2014-09-08)

A rushed start as Tim was late! Emily could not come as Izzy was ill, Debbie could not come as her cat was not well.

Once we were in the hall Rana and Meriam led a game of Dead Ants

We held a News Circle: Polly got a plush parrot when she was with her cousins in France; Ivo got lots of money for his birthday; Isis went to a friend's birthday party; Ayoub, Yasmine's brother, joined us, he has started school; Yasmine lost her kitten; Rayan went swimming with her friend Iona and there was an inflatable island in the pool which was very slippery; Joe went to Paris, Rome and Venice by sleeper train; Natty has a new baby sister; Rana lost all her keys for two days, they were handed in to the library but only after she had had to break into her apartment; Jay was scratched by a cat on Saturday, his father, Brian, has had a heart attack but is doing well and is not in hospital; Theo joined us for the first time; Matilda and Freya both lost a tooth at each other's sleep over; Lena has been to Stagecoach and played the part of a pirate; Daniel swam in a river in France; Dylan is now in the last class at school; John went to Arran by ferry and stayed in a holiday cottage; Kique's sister fainted; Oliver showed us a treasure chest he found; Imogen told us that her and Natty's new sister is called Genevive Charlotte; Tim went to see his new dog Lola which will be coming home on Thursday.

It was decided to play outside.

We came inside and sang songs: Be Happy led by Kique, Bumble Bee, Hammer Song (which did not work well), Bog Down in the Valley Oh (the extended Forest School Camps version) and a finished on Charlie was a Pigeon

We held our Closing Circle.

Leaders: Rana, Tim
Helpers: Meriem, Ellen
Elfins: 20
Woodchips: 1