Summer Camp!

I can't believe summer is almost over already! July was a busy month with summer camp and my two little ones keeping me busy. 

I LOVE working summer camp at my preschool- mainly because my group are the kids I had during the school year, but also because I get to bring my two to work with me everyday! It's perfect!

Here are some of the fun things we made during camp! Enjoy! 

We painted ceramic plates that I purchased at a dollar store for $1.00 each! What a great buy, right?!? The children painted the plates using acrylic paints (shown below) that I purchased at the local arts & crafts store. Once the plates dried I personalized each one with their name and year on the bottom and our summer camp name around the top. I sent home the plates with directions on baking the plates to ensure they will last for years to come. 

Directions: Place painted (dried) plate into a cool oven 6-8 inches away from burner. Turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Once done remove plate from oven to cool (turn off oven) and it will become dishwasher safe.

 For the 4th of July the children made these adorable visors. They dipped a small star cookie cutter into glue pressed it onto visor then added glitter. Some little extra details completed their festive visors.  

This was the mason jar my son made last year!

One of my favorite crafts I did with my little campers is the canvas backpack. Prior to this project I write, "You are My sunshine" on each bag. I also purchased acrylic paint (purchased in local arts & crafts store) in three different colors (shown below) to give the sun some dimension.  You can use either the drawstring backpack or the canvas tote bag for this craft. I advise after each hand print to repaint their hand since the canvas absorbs most of the paint.

I did the drawstring backpack last summer. This year we picked the canvas tote bag to try something different. I like the way both turned out, but the tote was easier to write on. 

Here are some other crafts I did this summer with my little ones.

 

 

 Here are some things my own two brought home from summer camp this year! My son's camp counselor is my assistant during the school year so I have become close with her during my few years working at the preschool. I've come to admire her creativity and passion for working with children. She ALWAYS comes up with the most fabulous crafts and techniques on how to engage and teach the children.

 This is my favorite craft my son made with his group this year. She took a picture of him, laminated it then hot glued it to the bottom of the mason jar. My son then got to add sand to the bottom of the jar with a few sea shells to make it look like he was at the beach. On the top of the mason jar he pressed glass pieces into clay which was glued to the top. To me this is the perfect keepsake craft that I'll have for years to come.