Buddies Intensive Camper Program
For adolescents with special needs, ages 12-15
$680/week
Important Notice! In an effort to keep the integrity and effectiveness of our special programs such as Special Needs Campers (40), Buddies Intensive (8), Junior Camp Counselors (12), and Yak Apprentice (12) there will be a cap for participants each week, noted in parentheses. Once the cap is reached, a wait list will be generated. Please don’t wait to register because these programs fill up fast!
Registration Opens April 17th at Noon
Buddies Intensive Camper Program
For adolescents with special needs, ages 12-15
$680/week
Important Notice! In an effort to keep the integrity and effectiveness of our special programs such as Special Needs Campers (40), Buddies Intensive (8), Junior Camp Counselors (12), and Yak Apprentice (12) there will be a cap for participants each week, noted in parentheses. Once the cap is reached, a wait list will be generated. Please don’t wait to register because these programs fill up fast!
Registration Opens April 17th at Noon
Week 2
Welcome to the Jungle!
Welcome wild campers of past and present to our jungle fun with tigers and panthers, oh my! We will have so much fun learning about all sorts of new animals with friends new and old this week. We hope you have a roaring time here at camp!
Day 1
Welcome to our zoo, wild campers! We trek our way into a jungle of fun! Play class played a game called ‘The elephant’s trunk’. Campers learned interesting facts about the elephant's trunk, while playing a game involving passing the beach ball overhead and between their legs to their teammates like the ‘elephants trunk’. In Friendship, we swam in the ocean with fish. Campers listened to the classic children’s story The Pout-Pout Fish and discussed what it feels like to be in the blue zone (sad, tired, or bored) just like the fish throughout the story. Then we talked about ways to lift up our emotions. To top off the class, they got to trace their hands and decorate them to look like a fish. It was a “whale” of a good time! In Cooking, the Orange Team and the Yak Apprentices used the electric burners to cook a black bean and chicken quesadilla using corn tortillas in cooking class today. Yum! Today in Explorers Blue we made a jellyfish craft. We also had fun exploring sensory bins. Buddies made jellyfish to kick off animal adventures week and played with playdough. Today in Discovery the Animal Adventurers came together to read a story called The Rabbit Listened. In the book each animal shares with the main character how they handle conflict, in the end all they needed was a listening ear from the rabbit. We talked about how different friends need different things when they are upset and how we can be good listeners in Discovery. After we began painting our lion name tags for the week.
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Games class was all about Hula Hoop frisbee and the shoe toss. Large cones were set up at different distances away from the starting line. Campers took turns tossing their Hula Hoops to ring the target. For the last ten minutes of class, we stood in a line and saw who could kick their shoe the farthest across the gym. I loved watching campers cheer each other on even when they were not successful on a turn. Today in Yak Academy, we made clothespin insects. There was a lot of creativity with all the bugs everybody created! Our learning target today was to practice our sharing skills by limiting the amount of decorative and constructive supplies on the team’s tables. Campers will step into the roles of zookeepers this week in Chit Chat, learning valuable lessons from animals each day. Today, we learned about each others’ favorite animals, then acted them out! Campers demonstrated the patience of the tortoise when waiting their turns, and the skill of the chameleon when acting out their animals! The Yak Apprentices opened the Yak Shack for its day, so come down for snacks, drinks, and coffee! Today in Explorers Red we worked on our feelings wheel. We designed our own creative animal that was a combo of two animals. We had a great Day! In Projects class we read From Head to Toe by Eric Carle and shared lots of animal facts afterwards.
Day 2
The second day of our jungle trek has even more fun than the last. Games class was all about Hula Hoop frisbee and the shoe toss. Large cones were set up at different distances away from the starting line. Campers took turns tossing their Hula Hoops to ring the target. For the last ten minutes of class we stood in a line and saw who could kick their shoe the farthest across the gym. I loved watching campers cheer each other on even when they were not successful on a turn. Play class played a life-size ‘hungry hippo’ game in which campers worked with their team as ‘hungry hippos’ scooting through the jungle collecting ‘food’ balls with butterfly nets. Today in Friendship class we practiced sharing and working together by making paper bag animal puppets. Campers listened to the popular Eric Carle book Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You See, then got to make puppets of their animal of choosing (from the options provided). As they completed the activity, they got a chance to practice sharing craft materials and helping each other if they asked for it (and getting guidance asking for help when needed). It was a jungle out here in friendship class today! The Explorers Red had their turn using the electric burners to cook a black bean and chicken quesadilla using corn tortillas in Cooking class today. Yum!
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Today in Yak Academy, we made polymer clay animals. We practiced our creative skills by thinking outside of the box on how to make different animals with a set amount of clay. Today in Explorers Blue we made shaving cream marble paintings. We learned about mindfulness and played games in the gym. Today our Buddies made a lion mask and played with stamps. Today in Chit Chat, campers learned from an unlikely hero: the pig! Just like pigs would, campers did an excellent job trying new things and using all 5 senses to observe the world around them. In Discovery the Animal Adventurers began by reading the book The Animal Song, and after talked about how animals can make many different sounds. We then listened to and guessed various animal sounds before each using an instrument of their choosing to make animal-like music. We ended class with a game of animal freeze dance. Today in Mindfulness, after we said our Hellos and did some stretches we went in rounds doing different activities. Campers made MEGA-bubbles at our first station, and at the second station they made their own animal forts out of materials provided. Finally, campers were able to make Quick Sand (oobleck)! At the end each camper got their choice of where to go, then we said our Good-Byes and they went to their next activity. Today in Explorers Red we went on a Nature Walk. We discussed noise pollution and invented our own machines to prevent it. In Projects class we read The Emotions Book and talked about how our feelings affect us. We had fun with the coloring sheets!
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Day 3
We're halfway through our jungle cruise and the fun will never stop. Today Captain Jack and Max the therapy alpacas came to camp, everyone had a blast giving them pets and plenty of treats! Play class played ‘Animal, Animal, Who Has the Animal’, a spin-off of the classic game ‘Button, Button, Who Has the Button.’ In Games, Campers had a blast today with Musical Chairs, and a tic tac toe relay with hula hoops and bean bags. Campers had to work together to come up with strategies for today’s activities. The Friendship class continued their exploration of animals by reading the story Put Me In The Zoo. Campers discussed what it feels like to be left out and how we can be kind and include others. The main activity was making ziploc bag sensory zoos with water, dish soap, food coloring, animal figures, and other craft materials they wanted to include inside. It was fun for all to be included today! The Yak Apprentices created their own slider-size mini cheeseburger with classic toppings and condiments in Cooking. Fresh and homemade is better than a restaurant! Today in Projects we read Firenze’s Light. We then made and decorated snails. Campers used glue, markers, googly eyes, and colored construction paper to make and decorate their new friend.
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Today in Yak Academy, we started constructing huge paper mache volcanoes, with other geological features. We are practicing our teamwork skills by constructing them in a total of three groups per team. The alternative to this activity was rainbow scratch paper. In Explorers Blue we did a polar bear craft. We played in sensory snow and learned how arctic animals keep warm. Today our Buddies made animal puppets and got to paint on big paper. Campers lived as meerkats during today’s Chit Chat class. Both individually and as a team, campers worked together to solve a number of challenges during a scavenger hunt. Every team was able to crack all 12 puzzles! Today in Explorers Red we played with ALPACAS! We loved feeding them carrots and giving them hugs. We also made our animal riddles. In Discovery the Animal Adventurers learned about the different habitats that animals live in through a fun song. We then talked about animals that live in each habitat. Today campers got to choose a habitat and build it however they like, while thinking ahead to what animal they would be making tomorrow.
Day 4
We're almost done with our jungle cruise, while we haven't seen the backside of water, we will have a blast playing in the mist on this hot day! Today in Discovery the Animal Adventurers dove into working on their animals for their habitats. Those who still wanted to work on their habitats had the opportunity to add finishing touches. Each camper then got a “zoo card” to decorate for our zoo gallery walk tomorrow! Explorers Red made Yogurt Parfaits in Cooking Class by chopping up berries and layering them with granola and yogurt. What a great snacky breakfast! Today was new and exciting for campers in Friendship. We learned the American Sign Language (ASL) signs for different animals. Afterward, campers got to show off some animal talents, play a game of zookeeper says (Simon says animal-themed), and I’m thinking of an animal question game. This allowed campers to learn skills in taking turns, managing emotions, active listening, and fair winning/losing. In Games, campers had a blast today with Musical Chairs and a tic tac toe relay with hula hoops and bean bags. Campers had to work together to come up with strategies for today’s activities.
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Play class played the ‘crazy caterpillar’ game. Campers used pool noodles to guide balls onto round dots. If the ball successfully stopped on the dot, the camper is able to collect that dot to build their caterpillar. The camper with the longest caterpillar wins! We started Projects off today by reading The Giraffe Who Found Its Spots and talked about being unique and the joy of embracing your spots. We then used tissue paper, pom pom’s, and other assorted craft supplies to decorate our own giraffes. Today in Yak Academy, we painted our paper mache volcanoes and added finishing touches to them. We did this again as teams, and the kids were so creative! The alternative to this activity was creating art for the “art wall” in the room. In Explorers Red we had a special guest who is a scientist and taught us about amphibians. We made salamanders out of clay. Explorers Blue did a ziploc sensory painting activity. We also did a sensory activity about animals in the mud. Today in Buddies, we made caterpillars and played with paint in a bag. In Chit-Chat, we began constructing cardboard tube lions. Just as lions do, we practiced cooperation as a pride. However, all the campers did much better than lions when it came to asking nicely for help or materials.
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Day 5
Our jungle cruise is ending, but our campers had an absolute blast before docking to go home. In Games, we ended the week on a strong note with open gym time! Team favorites included scooter races and basketball. Campers were all smiles today from start to finish. Week two came to a close in Friendship with a friendly discussion about the themes we learned about: we need to make everyone feel included and that it is ok to feel sad, tired, and lonely sometimes, but we have tools to calm our emotions. Campers concluded the week with a fun animal ear headband craft. Today the Silver Team and the Yak Apprentices made Yogurt Parfaits in Cooking class by chopping up berries and layering them with granola and yogurt. What a great snack or breakfast! Today in Discovery the Animal Adventurers began by taking a walk through the “zoo”. Campers took turns being the “keepers” and “visitors”. Zoo keepers explained their animals and habitats to the visitors as they walked from table to table. After we played a game of “zoo statues”. The campers were awarded their “zoo keeper badge” for a wonderfully wild week!
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We ended week 2 in Projects by reading Personal Space Invader and talking about personal space. We took those skills and created animal masks, working on spacing out and coloring within the plate. Campers used markers, feathers and pipe cleaners to make a whole zoo of animals. For our last day in Yak Academy, we started the day off by making homemade slime. We practiced our patience by waiting for the volcanoes to erupt at the end of class. Today in Explorers Red we did a fun team application where we built jenga domino mazes. It took a lot of teamwork! Wrapping up our second week, our Buddies made paper plate giraffes and played with lots of shaving cream! Play class played a game called 'pool sharks'. Camped used pool noodles while laying on their tummies to guide a ball across the floor into the hula hoop using their core muscles, much like the game of billiards.