Do you know anything miniature and made of magic? This week we uncover the magic of the woods at Audubon’s most enchanting places. Fairy tales sent us on new adventures every day!
Monday’s theme was Welcome to the enchanted forest! We hiked to mossy rocks finding evidence of magic (i.e., pixie dust, magical critters, etc.). There we also did some fairy house building at mossy rocks. Campers wrote notes and drew pictures to any visiting fairies! After lunch and hibernation time we did a leaf litter searches at forest camp. We found lots of worms and even a salamander! To try and get some fairy's to our houses we then made toilet paper roll fairy house and got to decorate them however we wanted.
Tuesday’s Theme was Dragon day! We made a giant dragon, each camper decorated a segment of a dragon that we put together at the end of the day! We then hiked down to beaver pond for critter catching (searching for dragon “tadpoles”!!!). We caught so many frogs! After lunch and hibernations time we enjoyed some crafting time making dragon egg creation (rock painting). Then we built a giant dragon nest at forest camp (and put our eggs in) and did some potion brewing to bring it to life!
Wednesday’s Theme was Wizard Wednesday! In the morning we spent some time magic wand making (with sticks). Then hiked to the brook to search for wizard “familiars” (critter catching). We caught lots of water striders! In the afternoon we hiked to forest camp and saw that our dragon eggs hatched! While there we got a visit from “Audubon Albert” and wizard boot camp (spell casting and potion making).
Thursday’s Theme: Unicorns and Rainbows! In the morning we did a fairy cutout search in the backyard. The we hiked to peeper pond to collect ingredients for a “unicorn summoning potion” (goldenrod, sumac, cattails, rocks, hemlock, etc) and brewed our potion back at the barn! After lunch we went on a unicorn evidence hike in the arboretum trails. campers found feathers, pixie dust, glittery hoofprints, and even partially eaten potatoes (a favorite snack of unicorns) along the trails. Then to be silly and slimy we did a “unicorn snot” slime making craft.
Friday’s Theme: Flower Fairies. In the morning we all got to make flower crowns and during morning meeting we started to brew our sun tea. Today we went on the longest hike and hiked to the river! We ate a picnic snack there and did some watercolor painting while exploring the area. After lunch campers got to see some trail camera footage of the unicorns we summoned with our potion! Later we had some maypole decorating time with yarn and natural materials from the backyard. We enjoyed a freeze dance around the maypole to thank Audubon for sharing its magic with us. At the end of the day we had a closing circle tea party and magic tour (forest camp and mossy rocks) for grown-ups at pick up. Campers saw evidence (pixie dust and fairy notes!) that fairies visited their fairy houses during the week!
This week campers also received their own Audubon “magic maps”, receiving a stamp each time they discovered the magic of a new place at Audubon! What a magic filled week!
