Camp Grace on the Prairie

Even though Camp Grace is held on the Nebraska Prairie,  this was a special prairie day.    We celebrated pioneer life on the prairie Camp Grace style.

 To begin with there were Pioneer Games to be played.  This game was the hat toss. Sebastian did a great job throwing his hat.

Abby and Thomas gave the Stick Tug Game a try.  Abby was strong enough to pull Thomas up, she was the winner.

Then the kids went into the barn for pioneer demonstrations.    There was wool to spin:

Emmett loved watching the spool spin on the spinning wheel

Rose and Carson get to find out were wool comes from.

There was quilting to do:

Abby and her mom helping with some stitching

Carson and mom are helping with the laundry

There was laundry to wash.  With only a washboard.  There were no washing machines on the prairie.

Time for homemade bread, jam and butter.   The Pioneer Women of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints  made homemade butter right there in front of all the children.  Once the butter was done the children enjoyed a tasty treat. 

Without the use of electricity the pioneers had to dip candles for light. Pioneer  Sebastian  is all smiles while Emily helps him make his own candle.

Each of the campers got to make their own Pioneer toy.  They made whimmydiddles and buzz saws to take home with them when the day was over.

After we were done with all the demonstrations in the barn we had our usual picnic on the farm house lawn.   Then it was time to play on the Camp Grace Playground.

Ransom is eager to climb up the climbing wall to get to Papa.  Good Job Ransom!

Carson loves the zip line

After playtime it was time to make music in the official Camp Tipi.  There were many musical instruments to play.
 

Carlee loves to play the big drum.

Keaton is rubbing sand block together to make music

Well, our Pioneer day was coming to an end and like all prairie schooners it was time to hit the trail.  Each of the campers got to take a turn on the Camp Grace covered wagon. 

Our covered wagon is tractor drawn

Juan, Thomas and Joe on the covered wagon.  As Ruben acts as side walker and Dave drives the Ford oxen

The End

Camp Grace RODEO!

Yee-haw,  Let the Rodeo begin!

Roping demonstration by Josh and John-Robert

Juan showing his artistic ability

Camp started with a quick coloring project done by each camper.  'They colored their own "Wanted Poster" that a  surprise photo would be put in.

Morris

When the campers were done with their wanted posters they got to go meet a very special bull named Morris. JD a bull fighter brought Morris to Camp Grace to meet the children.  Each and every child was given the opportunity to sit on  Morris or pet the him,  which ever they felt most comfortable with. Pictures were taken of every child as they spent time with Morris. The photos will be placed in their "Wanted Posters" as a reminder of their time with Morris.

Bash

Morris the Bull will never know what a great help he was in helping the children work on their therapy goals.   He allowed children to feel him, sit on him, smell him (not that he smelled bad)  and just be next to such a massive animal.    They got to feel how it felt to sit on such a big animal.  Morris helped the children over come fear and gave them the opportunity to gain trust in him, the volunteers and staff.

Joe, Morris and JD the Bull fighter

After all the excitement of spending time with Morris, the children were treated to a roping demonstration.  While the cowboys worked the cattle in the arena, the children and their parent/guardians got to enjoy sitting in the cool shade and watch the show.

Genessee

When the roping was done the children were treated to a barrel racing demonstration.  Genessee the professional barrel racer came out to Camp Grace to spend time with the kids.  Genessee ran the barrel pattern on her trusty stick horse Speedy.  When she was done all the campers were given the chance to give Speedy a run around the barrels.

Carlee is one fast barrel racer.

Abby running barrels

Ransom doing Barrels with Speedy

John-Robert and Jazmin all smiles

Once everyone ran the barrel pattern it was time for lunch on the farm lawn.  After,  lunch the children were ready for the next Rodeo activities.   Roping and then a  scavenger hunt was the next  on the rodeo schedule.   Each child got to sit in a saddle and try their hand at roping a roping dummy. 

Emmit Roping

Benny is in on the roping

Thomas got his steer.

 The scavenger hunt was a big hit with the children.  They were able to find the pieces they needed for their next craft project.  When they got done with the hunt the children got a surprise at the end.  Each child got an rodeo themed goodie box filled with neat rodeo surprises.

With all the pieces to found for their craft project the campers got to put together their own horse.

Keaton  really like the horse she just finished

Rose and Karen loading the ducks with water

The weather was a bit warm for the children and everyone was getting hot soooo...... it was time for some water play.   We put 150 rubber duckies in the pool that just happened to be squirting ducks.   And the water fight began.  

Everyone was in on the fun!

Watch out Juan is going to get you.

After a every one cooled down in the pool all the children were treated to Italian Ice and cowboy hat and boot shaped cookies.   What a good way to end the day. 

It is great to see an empty wheel chair at Camp Grace!  It means that child is out of their chair joining the fun, working hard.  That is what camp is all about!

There are many more photo's posted on Camp Grace's Facebook page if you would like to view them there.  You can click on any of the photo's in  this blog to enlarge the size. 

Pirates June 24th Camp Day

Who knew that a pirate ship would come ashore at Camp Grace, in Banner County Nebraska?  Well all the little pirates knew.

Pirates was the theme of the day at Camp Grace.   As soon as the children arrived to camp they were given a pirate bandana and got a removable tattoo.   The children were excited to take over the pirate ship found at Camp Grace.    Once the ship was taken over the children were able to dig for buried treasure that was hidden around the pirate ship.

Bash digging for his treasure with Vicki cheering him on.

Juan found his Treasure!

Once all the treasure was found it was time for some fishing.   Juan and Rose are working hard at reeling in their fish.

Dog over board!! Bash helps pull  Cooper, Camp Graces therapy dog to safety.  Thank you Bash for that amazing rescue!

Once the ship was taken over, all the treasure found, fish caught and dog rescued it was time for the children to try their hand at walking the plank.  But, first each child had to come through the  under water see tunnel. There were boards to step over, rubber sea urchins, and colorful water to navigate through.  

Abby coming through the end of the tunnel

Emmit walks the plank with his first mate Dawn.

With each pirate successfully  walking the plank it was time for a lunch break.   Little pirates get mighty hungry after working so hard. 

                                                                                                                                   

While the children and there parents got to enjoyed their picnic lunch, some special guests joined them.   Three baby goats needed their bottles so they came on the lawn for their lunch as well.

Juan, laughs at the baby goat.

 Carly says," hey, she is sucking my finger!"

After lunch the children had time to enjoy spending sometime on the camp playground.

Here Emmit, Bash and Jamie, Bash's dad, have become the official Camp Grace fire department while they play on the fire truck.   

Dylan loves going up and down the new  zip line, that is hung from of the trees near the playground.

 

After everyone was done playing on the playground it was time to help with the farm chores. This time the children helped feed the pigs.   They carried the feed in their personalized feed buckets, to the pig feeder and dumped it in. 

Kyla dumps the feed in the feeder and Carly waits her turn.

Next, it was off to the hen house to gather eggs and visit the baby chicks to see how big they have grown.  

Juan is seriously contemplating taking this young chicken home with him.  This gives a new meaning to a bucket of chicken.  

Kyla a Dylan very carefully petting the calf.

 Karen helps Juan plant his flower

Chelsea on of the camp staff helps decorate pots

With all the chores done and the and animals cared for it was time for the kids to work on the craft for the day.   Decorating flower pots and planting flowers in them to take home. 

At the end of the day with all the work done, it was time for a snack before the trip home.   

Kyla was relieved to sit down, rest and enjoy her Popsicle after her long day of being a pirate.



And all of us at Camp Grace are thankful for another wonderful day, with all the wonderful children who attended.   So long little pirates we will see you next month.