Glowing Stars

Buy glow in the darks stars for the ceiling.

Sample Letter to Parents

Dear Parents and Caregivers,
     The upcoming summer days are anything but lazy. 
At school, August hums with many different kinds of learning experiences.
     The first week makes happy campers out of all of us. 
We learn how to go camping, from pitching a tent and cooking over a campfire
 to making a backpack and binoculars and appreciating the special rules of the great outdoors. 
 If you can, plan a camping trip or camp out in your backyard.

Fire Safety Discussion

Talk with your children about fire safety. We don't play with fire,
matches, lighters. Practice stop! Drop! and Roll!

Flashlight Day

Host a flashlight day.  Have the children bring in a flashlight. Turn off the lights
 and have them lay on the floor and shine their flashlights around the room.

Pajama Day

Have the children wear pajamas to school one day
 and bring their sleeping bags to sleep on or in.

Nature Sounds

Obtain a nature sounds tape. Ask the children what makes the sounds.
You may also find ones that have animal sounds on them.

Misc. Camping Ideas

Lower the lights or turn them off if it's not too dark,sit around the campfire (pretend) and
 sing camping songs. KidsSong Video has a great video on camping. Lots of great
camping songs on it. Give each student a large envelope to decorate for a camp bag.
Have them look in magazines for pictures of things they would take on a camping trip.
Don't forget the bug spray!

Back Yard Camping

Materials Needed:
Blankets or quilts (3 each)
Clothespins
Rope

Directions:
Invite the children to help you tie a rope between to trees, swing set or fence.
 Arrange the quits lengthwise on the rope. Secure with clothes pins. Do the same
 on the other side. Lay the third blanket on the ground and you tent is ready.
 Bring a sack lunch, a cold drink and have lunch at your camp site.

KidsSong Video

KidsSong Video has a great video on camping. Lots of great camping songs on it.
Here is the link to the KidsSongs site: http://www.kidsongs.com/

Listening Center

Provide a tape of camp songs for the children to listen to.

Field Trip to a Department Store

Visit a department store or sporting goods store
 where camping tents and other equipment are displayed.

Picnic at Campground

Pack a picnic lunch or snack and take it to an area campground.

Smokey the Bear

A great way to spice up your camping unit is to call the nearest office of the National Forest Service,
 and see what Smokey the Bear is up to in your neck of the woods.  You might be able to arrange
 for Smokey to visit your classroom, along with a Ranger friend from a state or national park
.  And you can probably get the ranger who answers the phone to send you some fun freebies for
your class:  Smokey the Bear posters, buttons, bumper stickers, or coloring books.  Be sure to ask.

Camping Sign

Show children the sign for camping.

Camper Salesperson

Visit a recreational vehicle dealer and tour a large mobile home.

Camping Concepts

A tent is a shelter used for camping.
We can camp in the woods or a campground.
We can also camp in a park. at a lake, or in our backyard.
Hotdogs, marshmallows, and beans are all camping foods.
A camper can be driven or attached to the back of a car or pickup truck.
Lanterns and flashlights are sources of light used for camping.
A sleeping bag is a blanket used for camping.
Some people camp by a lake to go waterskiing and go boating or fishing.

Sleeping Bags At Nap

Have everyone use sleeping bags for nap time or let
 the children take turns sleeping in a tent at naptime.
And play "nature" tapes during nap.
They come in all kinds of choices these days.