Community Activities, Life, Model Citizens, Non-Screen Activities, outside learning, Summer Camp Common Ground Community Activities, Life, Model Citizens, Non-Screen Activities, outside learning, Summer Camp Common Ground

Animals Visiting at Common Ground during "Animal Jam" Week!

Our Third Week at Camp is ANIMAL JAM!

And we have had so much fun so far! On Monday, we discussed the differences between amphibians and reptiles and created our own favorite animals out of egg cartons! On Tuesday we prepped for animal paper mache masks and played “predators vs. prey” game relays. We will be making Bird Paper Airplanes, laughing through marsupial games, and hunting spooooky cryptids in the woods!

Our local fauna must want to join us… because they have been coming to visit in droves!

We have baby birds currently nesting at the back of our center… we are being very careful not to disturb them, but it is so hard not to peek at Common Ground’s tiniest babies residing just outside the HUMAN baby room!

We also had the Common Five-Lined Blue-Tailed SKINK come RIGHT INTO THE SCHOOL!! Were they hoping to join the camp? Maybe… but we didn’t have a big enough shirt for them. Maybe next year, little skink…

All of our favorite little mammals throughout the center have been enjoying water-play in the bright sunshine!

Share your favorite animal facts here! The more we know about our friends, the more able we are to share this world with them.

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Summer Camp: Brave Explorers Monday!

This is LJ Donnell, you Summer Camp Director! I just wanted to say I am so excited that our camp is beginning MONDAY, JUNE 14TH! Our theme is BRAVE EXPLORERS because your campers will be embarking on a new adventure! If you want to see more about what we will be doing next week, please check out the learning tab in your child’s brightwheel profile! Along with games, crafts, and snacks, it has the pool schedule for both rising kindergarteners and older campers. There is also a section at the bottom with fun (and totally optional) games, discussions, and activities you can do at home if your camper is really excited about the theme.

I wanted to send some quick reminders and give you the opportunity to ask any questions before drop off!

We sent you this INFO AND SUPPLIES blog recently, but here are some key reminders.

  1. Drop off is from 8:00-8:30AM. We do offer breakfast. YOUR CHILD MUST BE HERE BY 9:15AM. We leave for the pool shortly after that, so in order for them to ride the bus, they must be here. We will play on the playground in the morning unless there is inclement weather. We will then be in the Great Hall in our TEAM QUADRANTS. Each school-aged camp child will be either in the red or blue team. Rising kindergarteners will be on the yellow team. We will be sending you a message with your child’s team separately, so don’t worry about this!

  2. Send your children in their swimsuits. ALL THREE GROUPS will either be swimming or doing water play EVERY DAY except Fridays. We can always change into dry clothes after.

  3. Your children will go through a swim test their FIRST DAY at the pool so we can determine what level of swimmer they are. They will receive a swim band they will wear all week that lets us know their swim level. We will keep them observed accordingly. Please do not take off their wrist band, it is water proof and will last the week.

  4. Make sure you've checked out our SUPPLY LIST. The cooler, water bottle, and backpack are especially important. We will be providing bag lunches but encourage packing extra snacks. Water and Gatorade will also be supplied.

  5. CAMP SHIRTS: CAMP SHIRTS ARE REQUIRED DAILY. That is their camp "uniform." Rising Kindergarteners will have their camp shirt sent home on Friday, June 11th. So make sure to look in their backpacks! For all the other campers, we will supply your children's camp shirt the morning of June 14th so you can send them in any shirt otherwise.

  6. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SIGNED UP FOR YOUR BRIGHTWHEEL ACCOUNT. You can see updates on your children, communicate with your camp counselors, and see what they will be doing in their learning tab from your camper's profile, so it is an essential tool! If you need any help with this, please let me know.

  7. My number is 703.498.9073. You may call or text me with any questions before camp. Once camp has started you may use your brightwheel messaging tool! I see all of those, as do your counselors and Camp Leads.

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