Once again, some of the children in the ARP took part in camping this year. It was very hot that day and into the evening, but the children were careful and made sure they drank plenty of water and juice, and took breaks in the shade when they felt they needed to.
On the day, the children brought their things for camping into school, and dropped them off in their classes or the ARP office. Once school was finished, they were brought over to the offsite ARP to wait for the rest of the school and staff to leave, as we were using the staffroom for our base and camping. Once we were able to move over to area, the children got changed and placed their things into their tents to be ready for the evening. Then, we sat down for some water and juice before going outside for some choosing time.
The children had a go at archery first, whilst also playing football, tag rugby and circus skills activities. Each child took a turn on the archery, which was very tricky. But they persevered well and waited patiently for others to have their turn. From this, the children moved to marshmallows on the fire. Of course, this was exciting for some as they sat by the fire. Others took part but did not want to eat their marshmallow, and offered it to their friends or staff, which was kind.
After this, the children moved back into the shade where they were given time to play with Lego, draw, colour pictures and sit in their tents with their friends. This was all before dinner, where they sat down in the hall together. They all ate very well and sat quietly eating their food. They were given nuggets and chips, with fruit as a dessert along with plenty of water and juice to stay hydrated.
After dinner, the children then completed their orienteering activity, where they had to run around and find the letters that corresponded with the letters to find the statement ‘Camping at School’. The children were put into groups or pairs to work out the statement. Amazingly enough, the children worked really well as team throughout this task, with some helping those who couldn’t find a letter or helping them understand the task.
Finally, the children were brought back to the staffroom, where they were given some time to calm down, watch some cartoons, draw and colour again, or play with a sensory activity. There was an activity put out on every table for them to choose from; magnetic shapes, books to read, wooden blocks to build and Lego were some of the options on offer.
Once the children were ready and changed for bed, they were given some time in their tents to chat to their friends, play with their torches and relax. It didn’t take long for all the children to get to sleep. In the morning, the children slowly began to wake around 6:30. They got changed and ready for the day, and had some breakfast, mainly cereals were on offer for them, to which some ate, and others preferred to wait until they got home.
It was a lovely event, with so many old and new faces of children attending which was great to see them join in. We can’t wait for camping next year!
