by Heather Kent | Jul 30, 2014
Couch Camping with Cloverbuds
Sometimes, kids are just too young to fully enjoy the overnight camping experience. In 4-H, children need to be a least 8 years old (by September 1st) to attend overnight camps. Couch camping is a great way for Cloverbuds (4-H members between the ages of 5 and 7) to explore the world of camping without the mosquitos, rain, or anxiety of being away from home. Couch camping is also a great alternative when your work schedule or the weather do not allow for a “real” camping trip. Below are three simple tips for getting the most out of your next couch campout!
- Atmosphere– Push the furniture against the wall and set up a tent in your living room. Bring out the sleeping bags, pillows, and camp chairs. String white lights over the tent to simulate stars and let the kids decorate empty paper toweling tubes to simulate logs for the campfire. Red lights or tissue paper make great flames. Download sounds of frogs, crickets, and other forest sounds to play in the background. Then all that’s left is to dim the lights and turn on your battery operated lanterns.
- Food– Camp food is a must! Serve hotdogs or your favorite campfire meal and don’t forget the popcorn and s’mores. To make s’mores indoors, simply place your marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. The marshmallows and chocolate will get gooey- the perfect consistency for s’mores. If you are worried about stains on the carpet, place a tarp or plastic tablecloth under your “campfire” eating area.
- Activities– This age group will really enjoy pretend play. Have toy fishing poles and nets for them to fish with. Use stuffed animals (such as frogs, bears or squirrels) and allow them to “track” the animals. Let them build a campfire with wooden blocks. Make shadow puppets or try flashlight reading. Build a simple birdfeeder out of a pinecone, peanut butter, and birdseed. You can also try a scavenger hunt or campfire BINGO. 4-H campfire songs are also fun, but we do not recommend ghost stories for this age group.
If you enjoy working with 5-8 year olds, consider becoming a 4-H Cloverbud Volunteer. There will be a training for Cloverbud Volunteers and preschool teachers on January 24th in Marianna, FL from 10AM-3PM. Participants will receive teaching kits for working with 5-7 year olds, and CEUs will be available for teachers. For more information, contact Heather Kent at hckent@ufl.edu.
by Heather Kent | Jul 23, 2014
Physical exercise was an important component of 4-H Camp, even back in the 1930’s!
For many Florida 4-H members, attending a week-long overnight camp at one of the four Florida 4-H Camping centers is a rite of passage. For nearly 90 years, 4-H youth and volunteers have been making their way to the shores of the Choctawhatchee Bay, home to Florida’s oldest camp, Camp Timpoochee.
Camp Timpoochee was started in 1926 when Jackson County 4-H members auctioned off their poultry flocks at the train station in Marianna to raise money for the camp. During the early years, many 4-Hers paid for their week of camp by bringing chickens and other goods. In those days, camp was a vacation from working on the farm in the summer heat and a chance to meet other youth. Over the last decades, several 4-Hers have even met their future spouse at 4-H camp!
Youth still enjoy many of the same activities at Timpoochee, but they also have opportunities to build robots, rockets, and GPS units.
Today, camp is still a safe environment where youth feel like they belong, learn independence, mastery, and generosity towards others. It is also a vacation from the peer pressure and bullying that many youth experience at school. One camper shared “I love coming to 4-H Camp, because it is the one week where I feel like I belong and no one makes fun of me or puts me down.” Other campers look forward to camp because it is an opportunity to do things they don’t normally get to do, like fish, shoot a bow and arrow, build and launch a rocket, or paddle a kayak.
How do we ensure that Camp Timpoochee will be around for future generations? It pretty much all boils down to volunteers. As long as there are volunteers working with Extension to support 4-H clubs and youth, donors will continue to support the work they do to make sure that future generations can learn valuable life lessons at camp.
How many generations of your family have attended 4-H Camp Timpoochee or Cherry Lake? Let us know in the comment box below. Feel free to share your favorite thing about camp on our blog or on Facebook. The family with the most interesting story will be featured in a future blog post!
To learn more about the Florida 4-H camping program, visit http://florida4h.org/camps_/. If you have a special place in your heart for 4-H Camp Timpoochee, consider serving as a 4-H Camp Volunteer, or even making a donation so that youth can enjoy the same experiences as generations before them. Florida 4-H Camps are also available to host family reunions, church retreats, corporate functions, and other events. You can help support Camp Timpoochee by scheduling your next event there. For more information, contact Heather Kent at hckent@ufl.edu.
