Week 5, July 5, Spirit Week

1A, 1B  Wishes on Paper
*8.5"x2.5" colored paper, colored pencils, hole punches, rubberbands, clothespins
Info: The Tanabata Festival takes place in Japan every July. People write wishes and poems on little pieces of paper. These wishes are hung on trees.
Activity: Kids brainstorm ways to make the world, their community, our camp/club, a better place. These "wishes" are written & illustrated on bright little strips of paper. Suggestions are "go green", "no bullying", "read!", "PLAY!", "Random Acts of Kindness", etc. A hole is punched and then a rubberband with a "loop knot" secures the wish onto a close pin. Wishes can be sprinkled throughout the club and bring smiles to people's faces.

2A Create Spirit Props
*templates to trace, 12x18 paper (for megaphone & banner), markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors
Kids will trace & decorate megaphones, tennis balls and banners. Decorate with campers' names, more "wishes" (see lesson 1), pictures of summer/camp/friends, etc. Display around the camp.

2B Yarn Pom-pon
*lots of yarn, scissors
Kids will wrap yarn many times around their hand. Then a friend will help tie the looped yarn, in the center. The ends are cut and kids have their own pom-pons. RA-RA-RA! Siskoomba!The pom-pon can be used as a shuttlecock (for badmitton) in Sports & Games, tied to kids' backpacks or used for many other creative activities.
2B After pom-poms, Create Spirit Props 2A~ older kids can make a spirit prop with extra time remaining.

2B After pom-poms alternative~ Yarn Doll
*lots of different colored yarns, small books or other small items to wrap yarn around, scissors
See handout for directions on how to make yarn doll.

3A/B Group Flag
*materials: flag/banner cut from large butcher paper, construction paper (possibly cut into different sized squares 3"x3", 5"x5" etc.), scissors, glue
Each group will make one flag/banner out of construction paper, scissors & glue (on large butcher paper). Include group name, images of camp/summer/wishes and other symbols & shapes (stars, stripes, circles). Encourage cutting but no drawing. Display flags Friday at the slide show.


**We have 24+ "foam fingers" for kids to decorate compliments of the Encinal School PTO. The youngest, oldest, or most difficult group to motivate might enjoy decorating them. Thank you Joni!