Camping Theme

Concepts for the Children to Learn:

Bedroll
Have each camper bring a large towel from home. Roll each towel up and tie with yarn. Then have each child pack his bedroll in his backpack to use later for a nap in the open air.

Campfire Fun
Stack some cardboard tube (paper towel, toilet paper) logs; then spark the wood with red and yellow tissue paper flames. Arrange a ring of crumpled bulletin board paper rocks around the fire. Now you’re ready to gather your little ones around the fireside for some campfire songs and a good story or two (see book list). Give campers drums and rhythm sticks to help you keep the beat of favorite songs like “She’ll Be Coming Around the Mountain” and “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”, or some tunes listed below.

To pack it, to pack it,
I cannot wait to pack it.
Crackers, fruit, and sandwich, please,
To put inside my basket.

My basket, my basket,
My special picnic basket.
I'll fill it up with such good food!
I'm glad I made my basket.

At the Campground
(tune: Happy Birthday)
Oh, we like to (hike).
Yes, we like to (hike).
We (hike) at the campground,
Oh we like to (hike).
Replace hike with other action words, such as fish, cook, and camp

Hungry as a Bear
(tune: Row, Row Your Boat)
Hungry as a bear?
What is there to eat?
When you’re at the campground
(Hot dogs) is/are a treat!
Replace hot dog with other camping foods such as s’mores, trail mix, marshmallows, canned beans and fried fish

Fun Action Chant

1. Gather the children to sit in a circle around the "campfire."
2. Tell them that when people or groups go camping they often sing songs around the campfire and that today you are going to sing a "Repeat After Me" song called Boom Chicka Boom.
3. Explain that this means that you (the leader) will sing part of the song and they will repeat each part of the song as you tell them to.

Uh-huh! [Group echoes.]
On Yeah! [Group echoes.]
This time! [Group echoes.]
We sing! [Group echoes.]
HIGHER!

Each time add a different variation such as: LOWER, WHISPER, LOUDER, FASTER, SLOWER, etc

Did You Ever Go A-Camping
Sung to: "Did You Ever See a Lassie?"
Did you ever go a-camping,
a-camping, a-camping?
Did you ever go a-camping
and sleep in a tent?

2. ...and see a racoon?
3. ...and hike in the woods?
4. ...and fish in a boat?
5. ...and have a campfire?

Along The Trail
Sung to: "Frere Jacques"
Let's go marching, let's go marching,
Along the trail, along the trail.
I love to march fast,
I love to march slow,
Along the trail, along the trail.

Additional verses: Substitute other actions for marching

Naptime Song
(tune: Are You Sleeping?)
It is naptime, it is naptime
In our camp, in our camp
Lie down on your bedroll,
Lie down on your bedroll.
Take a nape, take a nap.

A Camping We Will Go
(tune: Farmer in the Dell)
A camping we will go.
A camping we will go.
Hi ho, we’re off to the woods.
A camping we will go.

Sue will bring the tent,
Oh Sue will bring the tent.
Hi ho, we’re off to the woods.
A camping we will go.

Tom will bring the food
Oh, Tom will bring the food
Hi ho we’re’ off to the woods
A camping we will go.

In and Out the Tent
(tune: Go In and Out the Window)
Go in and out the tent,
Go in and out the tent
Go in and out the tent
As we have done before.

SCIENCE

• Leaf and bark rubbings
• Rock collections
• Mystery hike -- follow clues or a mystery map
• Sock walk -- walk outside in just your socks, then shake the seeds out and see what grows!
• Collect sticks, seeds, leaves, nuts, pine cones, etc., and glue them together to form bugs and animals.
• Make Nature Wreaths by gluing found objects to a tagboard circle with a hole in the middle. Add fancy touches like glitter, stars, and gold ribbon.

Sink/Float
Collect various pieces of camping equipment. Fill the water table with water and let the children test, which objects sink or float. If desired make a chart.

Magnifying Glasses
Provide magnifying glasses for looking at objects seen on a camping trip.

DRAMATIC PLAY

Puppets
Develop a puppet corner in the dramatic play area including various animal puppets that would be seen while camping.

Going Fishing
Set up a rocking boat or a large box in the classroom or outdoors. Prepare paper fish with paper clips attached to them. Include a fishing pole made from a wooden dowel and a long string with a magnet attached to the end.

Going to the Beach
In the dramatic play area, set up lawn chairs, beach towels, buckets, shovels, sunglasses, etc. Weather permitting these items could also be placed outdoors.

MORE ARTS and CRAFTS

Easel Ideas
Paint with leaves, sticks, flowers and rocks.

Paint with colors seen in the forest such as brown, green, yellow and orange.

Cut easel paper into the following shapes: tent, rabbits, chipmunks, fish.

Camping Collage
Collect leaves, pebbles, twigs, pine cones, etc. Provide glue and sturdy tag board. Encourage the children to create a collage on the tag board using the materials found while camping.

Tackle Box
Make two holes approximately three inches apart in the center of the lid of an egg carton. To form the handle, thread a cord through the holes and tie. Paint the box. In the box, place paper clips for hooks and S-shaped Styrofoam pieces for worms.

Bear Hunt
This is a chant. Prepare the children by asking them to listen and watch carefully so that they can echo back each phrase and imitate the motions as they accompany the story. Begin by patting your hands on your thighs to make foot step sounds.

Let’s go on a bear hunt…..(echo)
We’re gong to find a bear..(echo)
I’ve got my camera…..(echo)
Open the door, squeak…..(echo)
Walk down the walk…..(echo)
Open the gate, creak…..(echo)
Walk down the road…..(echo)
Coming to a wheat field…..(echo)
Can’t go under it…..(echo)
Can’t to over it…..(echo)
Have to walk through it…..(echo)
(stop patting your thighs and rub your hands together to make a swishing sound)
Got through the wheat field…..(echo)
Coming to a bridge…..(echo)
Can’t go under it…..(echo)
Can’t go around it…..(echo)
Have to walk over it…..(echo)
(stop patting your thighs and pound your fists on your chest)
Over the bridge…..(echo)
Coming to a tree…..(echo)
Can’t go under it…..(echo)
Can’t go around it…..(echo)
We’ll have to climb it…..(echo)
(stop patting your thighs and palce on fist on top of the other ina climbing motion)
All the way to the top…..(echo)
(look from one side to the other)
Do you see a bear…..(echo)
No (shaking head) …..(echo)
We’ll have to climb down…..(echo)
(place fit under fist to climb down)
Coming to a river …..(echo)
We can’t go under it…..(echo)
We can’t fly over it…..(echo)
Can’t go around it…..(echo)
We’ll have to cross it…..(echo)
Let’s get in the boat…..(echo)
And row, row, row
(all sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat with rowing motions)
We got across the river …..(echo)
We’re coming to a cave…..(echo)
We can’t go under it…..(echo)
We can’t go over it…..(echo)
Can’t go around it…..(echo)
We’ll have to go in it…..(echo)
Let’s tip-toe
(use fingertips to pat thighs)
(whisper)
It’s dark inside…..(echo)
It’s very dark inside…..(echo)
I can see two eyes…..(echo)
And a big furry body…..(echo)
And I feel a wet nose…..(echo)
(YELL)
It’s a BEAR…..RUN…..(echo)
(patting hands very quickly)
Run back to the river,
Row the boat across the river
(rowing motion)
Run to the tree
Climb up and climb down
(do climbing motions)
Run to the bridge and cross it
(pat chest)
Run through the wheat field
(swish hands together)
Run up the road
Open the gate…it creaks,
(open gate)
Run up the walk,
Open the door….it squeaks.
(open door)
SLAM IT!
(clap hands together)

GROUP TIME

Camping-Set the scene A circle of rocks and logs for a "campfire" Make a "lake" by marking off an area in your classroom with blue tape A tent- a real one or a big box or several chairs draped with a sheet to make a tent Props: Backpacks Old camera's Old flashlights Pots and pans for camp fire cooking Sleeping bags "Wild" stuffed animals ie: bears, deer, squirrels, etc..... Fish for the lake "Fishing poles" Swim suits for swimming in the "lake"

To add to your campfire ....provide blocks for the children to build a "pit" and place one of your oven racks across the top of the blocks....now the kids can really "cook"! Provide a pretend fishing activity so they can cook the paper fish that they catch. Place a flash light in the "fire pit" to make it glow. Don't forget to turn off the lights!

STICK MAN Take the children out to hunt for their own stick. Then let them paint and decorate the sticks with odds and ends. They can add wiggly eyes also. They come out so cute and bright! We even gave the kids each one of those small clay flower pots and used clay to secure the stick in the pot and filled the pot with dirt or shredded paper. The kids gave their stick men names and they were allowed to paint the names onto the outside of the pots.

INSECTS we had the children go on a hunt for small nature objects such as small twigs, leaves, nuts, pine needles etc etc etc. then they assembled their very own bugs out of the items they found by using glue. they also added paint and wiggly eyes.

CAMPFIRE The children gather a bunch of small sticks. enough for each child to have a few. Glue them together side by side and on top of each other. when dry they can add construction paper or tissue paper flames. Great opportunity to discuss fire safety.

NATURE WREATHS Cut the center out a paper plate. Then children can add nature items that they have found outside. They can embellish their wreaths with glitter and ribbon and other odds and ends!

PAINT WITH STICKS. Do stampings of different nature items. Do leaf rubbings. Paint with earthworms or rubber fishing worms.

Set up a real tent or an imaginary one using blankets and chairs. Sing songs and eat a snack in your tent.

What’s Missing
Have different pieces of camping equipment available t show the children. Include a canteen, portable stove, sleeping bag, cooking tools, lantern, etc. Discuss each item and then have the children close their eyes. Take on of the objects away and then have the children guess which object is missing.

Camping Safety
Discuss camping safety to include these points:
Always put our fires before going to sleep.
Swim in a safe area and with a partner
When walking or hiking away from our campsite, always have an adult with you.
Always wear a life jacket in the boat.

Pack the Backpack
Bring into the classroom a large backpack. Also have many camping items available such as sweatshirts, flashlights, lanterns, foods, raincoats, etc. The teacher gives the children instructions that they are going to pretend to go on a hike to the beach. What is one thing they will need to bring along? Why? Continue until all of the children have had a change to contribute.

Items for Creative Play
picnic basket w/ plates & utensils
camp stove
mess kits
maps
compass
binoculars
kaleidoscope
camping books from Auto Club
canteens
lantern
flashlights
cub scout handbooks
backpacks
small sleeping bags
camp fire built of logs tied or glued together

Fishing Snack
Place goldfish crackers on a blue napkin (as a lake or pond). Have the children dip pretzel sticks (fishing pole) into peanut butter (bait) and then touch the peanut butter to the goldfish.... HEY I caught one:) My toddlers loved this snack.

Make Sidewalk S’mores
Layer basic ingredients, graham cracker square, square of chocolate and a marshmallow,one more cracker. Wrap in foil and lay out on sidewalk in hot summer sun. The heat of the sun will melt the treat. Eat and enjoy later in the afternoon.

Ants On A Log
Spread peanut butter or softened cream cheese on celery sticks, and put raisins on top.

Popcorn
Measure it before and after it's popped, and have the kids guess how much it will make. Graph predictions and results.

Happy Camper Fruit Salad
Everyone brings a piece of fruit to share. Talk about fractions as you cut the fruit up. Mix with orange juice or pineapple juice and serve.

BOOKS