Summer Camp: Mad Science

Next summer, we’re hosting Mad Science.  Yes, it’s time to plan now.  I’ve led many science camps, initially at private schools for wealthy children.  For years, I led science camp after VBS at our church.  Now is the time to plan.  Save bottles, caps from milk jugs, yogurt cups, CDs, rubber bands, straws, shoe boxes, and craft sticks.  Look for bargains: packs of t-shirts, pool noodles, scrap wood, pvc pipe, plastic spoons, jello, Elmer’s glue, etc.  Collect shoe boxes, plastic bags, Pringle cans, and  paper towel rolls.

We are making science kits for each child to keep: cassette cases, plastic test tubes (which fit into the cassette case), clothespins (which serve as test tube holders), pipettes, sample bottles, wooden stir sticks, and safety glasses.  During the course of the week, the kids will add left-over materials, such as baking soda or citric acid, to their kits.  We save plastic coffee containers for the kits.  Shoe boxes work well, too.

Now is the time to locate fun chants and songs.  My favorite source is Joe's got a head like a ping pong ball.  It has classics: Tom the Toad, Greasy Grimy Gopher Guts, and  On Top of Spaghetti.  Eddie Koochie Catchinary is my favorite.

We start camp with fun cheers and songs--G-O-O-D M-O-R-N-I-N-G.  The kids pick teams and create a team name.  The kids like to decorate their camp t-shirts; we'll use sharpies to decorate.  Why?  Tie-Dye is both expensive and messy.  The best tie dye kits require mordants and color-fast dyes.  Yes, I've done tie-dye; my husband helped with camp and was appalled.  He's helping next summer and vetoed tie-dye.  But, don't let me deter you.  Go for it!

See why it's not too early to plan?  Yard sales are excellent places to find old cassette cases and CDs or DVDs.  Look for t-shirts at Good Will.  Make a list and ask people to save caps, rubber bands, card stock, etc.  Get started!