Day Camp Blog 2013

Welcome friends!

We're so excited to see so many old friends return for camp this summer and we're looking forward meeting some new friends as well!

We hope you've noticed this year we have an entirely new registration system to work with!  We think (we hope) you'll agree it's a major improvement!  In programming the system, we had a great revelation in that we have over 130 GREAT camps to take advantage of here at the MJCC!  Over 130 ways to entertain your kids this summer that will make them happy, healthy, and filled with smiles and laughter.  After all, isn't that what summer is all about?  That and the occasional Otter pop. :-)

This summer we've got some really fun things planned for everyone.  A Summer Kick Off party on June 20 at 4:00 pm and an End-of-Summer Celebration on August 29 at 4:00 pm.  Two great events you won't want to miss.  So stay tuned here and on our Facebook page (have you "Liked" us yet?) for all the details and fun!

If you haven't already, get registered soon!  And let us know how you like the new system!  We'd love to hear from you.

See you on the green...

We have surpassed our goal of 150 “likes” on our MJCC Day Camp Facebook page, so we will be having an Olympic-sized celebration on Friday! We will have snow cones, Olympic games and a giant 40’ inflatable obstacle course thanks to our friends at Portland Party Works! Thank you for your support!

Hey everyone,

Hosting an awesome summer camp takes a lot of effort and oftentimes community support as well.  We wanted you to know that this week - July 23-27, Animal Adventures for Camp Simcha and Oceans to Astronauts for Camps Kehila and Ruach - are sponsored in part by Sterling Bank who has been a very supportive partner. 

We are proud to work with them and to have earned their support!  Thank you Sterling Bank!

Last week in Classic Camp, Ruach and Kehila did all things detective! They did some fingerprinting and got to see what their print type is. Ruach took a field to the police museum which, if you got to attend the Shabbat celebration last Friday, you got to see some pictures of their adventure there. Then the campers found some cases to solve. They found a note with no name on it and had to collect writing samples from various counselors and MJCC staff members to figure out who wrote it. They found a bite taken out of one of their cookies and collected bite imprints to try to find whodunit. They gained some critical thinking skills and solved a couple of case scenarios.

The Simcha Campers had fun learning basketball and soccer skills. The dance camp campers put on a ballet performance on Friday for some parents. The Outdoor Discovery campers made notebooks from objects they found on their nature walk. The Lights, Camera, Action campers learned about the different parts of a movie (plot, production, etc.). They then wrote and filmed their own short film.

On Friday, the Classic Camps participated in lots water games. There were water balloon tosses, a slip-and-slide, a huge game of red light green light, and other fun activities. This may not be an every Friday event, but we are going to do it again soon because the kids really enjoyed it!

Are you a fan of MJCC Day Camp on Facebook yet?  "Like" us today!

The campers here at MJCC Day Camp have had a busy week! Here’s a little rundown of things that happened:

Ruach went on a field trip to Washington park where they played on the playground and walked through the rose garden which is in full bloom. Kehila and Ruach both made Liberty hats, their own American Flag and firecracker crowns.

The Outdoor Discovery group went out into nature where they learned about plant and animal life. They also caught tadpoles and spotted a few (harmless) snakes! In Crafts and Creations camps, the campers learned about splatter paint. Things got a little messy, but the kids loved it!

In Books to Cooks, our junior chefs learned how to read and apply recipes. Our Archery Campers learned about safety (first and foremost), form, balance, breathing and hand eye coordination. Simcha made sponge paintings with red, white and blue paint, heard stories from Devorah. They also had lots of fun at gymnastics and dance and played lots of outdoor games!

Stay tuned to our blog for more updates!

To help increase the safety and security of the MJCC campers, we are adding a new dynamic to the sign-out process at the end of the camp day. Beginning this Friday after Shabbat, when you sign out your camper, your kids will get a sticker which will be put on the back of their hand. This will be shown to the counselor or manager standing at the door so we can be sure that your camper was signed out by the appropriate person.  Have a great week!

Greetings! Week 1 has been a great success! The kids are having a fabulous time, making friends, playing with their counselors and investigating new sports, cool treats, great art projects and awesome new moves!

Our Simcha campers have enjoyed a visit from a magical fairy this week. Who knows what great stories they’ll come home with? They also had great fun with parachute games and are making clown puppets and hats to thrill you! They’ll end the week by painting their favorite circus animals and will have much to share! Plus, Simcha and Kehila campers are putting together some great Dance and Gymnastics routines to show off on Friday. Kehila and Ruach campers are trying their hands at Archery this week which has been particularly exciting for the boys and the girls (as it should be). Our Ruach campers are cooking up some tasty treats with Counselor Chris and the wonderful smells waft down the halls here. Kehila and Ruach campers had a Hollywood theme this week! The kids made clapboards with which they can make their own movies, they made the Hollywood sign in a mural, and created the walk of fame with their handprints in paint. They also played a raucous game of movie charades and tomorrow will play Hollywood squares! Laughs and fun are definitely a focus!

Please save some time to join us on Friday afternoon for Shabbat, a dance and gymnastics performance, and a slide show recap of the weeks awesome events! We’ll also have some art to take home and some extra goodies for everyone as well.

Don’t forget to share the fun with your friends! There’s still time to register for additional weeks of camp this summer! We’re only just getting started!

See you on the green!

Next week is the official start of summer for us in the MJCC Day Camp Office, and we couldn’t be more thrilled! We have tons of excited activities planned for the campers next week. We’ll have outstanding sports and outdoor activities that your kids will love. Register now if you haven’t already because our camps are almost filled! We only have a few spots left and we would hate for anyone to be left out of the fun!

June is here and Day Camp will be starting really soon! Do you have a 6th-8th grader that doesn’t have any plans for the summer? Check out Camp Chai! Each week, campers will explore different facets of life in the Northwest. We will experience everything from Portland’s niche food carts, to kayaking and hiking in Forest Park. Sign up today before spaces fill up completely!