Cultivating Creativity at Camp
At camp, we have dozens of activities where boys can run around, get dirty, work hard, and stay physically active. Sports like flag football, basketball, soccer, swimming, cross country, and the H.E.A.T. are always popular among the campers, because it’s no secret that boys love activities where they can be loud, energetic, and just “be boys.” However, you might be surprised how many campers enjoy the quieter activities just as much.
Arts and crafts is a classic camp activity that Sunny, our head of art, has been taking to the next level for campers. You won’t see running, jumping, or loud shouting at arts and crafts like you might see elsewhere in camp, but it is a place where boys can let their imaginations run wild. Recently they’ve been working on drawing and linocut art.
First, Sunny had the boys randomly choose an adjective and a noun out of a hat. They had to then draw that combination on a piece of paper. Some of the random combinations were pretty fun, and resulted in creative drawings. Examples included a magical pineapple, a furry slipper, an artistic fish, and a strong “beaver-shark.”
Richard was drawing a “powerful dog” after choosing his two words, and decided to make his dog part robot. “I have two dogs at home,” he told me. I asked if his dogs were “powerful” or if he based the drawing off of them, but it was purely from his imagination. “One of my dogs is pretty fat, so it’s not based on her,” he laughed. Richard wasn’t the only one drawing pets - Wills had picked the words “fuzzy cat”, and was drawing a cat with a huge, fluffy body. “I have a cat at home named Pepa. This cat is white though, like a giant snowball,” he explained.
Choosing the words at random was a great idea, since it encouraged boys to draw things they wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. Walt chose “feathered giraffe”, and was trying to decide where to put the feathers. “You should draw them like wings on the side,” his friend suggested. “Then he would be like Pegasus, but a giraffe version!” Tripp was drawing a strong beaver-shark, and I asked him if he had a favorite art project so far. “This one is probably my favorite actually,” he said, “but I like them all.”
Once the boys finished their initial pencil drawings, they would redraw the concept in a simpler version on the soft linoleum blocks. Sunny showed them how to safely carve the lines out of the block, and finally, how to ink and stamp their drawings as prints.
Sunny creates a new curriculum or art prompt each day, so there is never a shortage of creative ideas. It’s important to have daily creative moments, and our arts and crafts counselors make sure that the activity period is also educational. Encouraging creativity helps boys become more innovative, and can motivate them to learn new things. Expressing yourself through art can improve communication, as well as boost emotional and social skills.
Arts and crafts isn’t the only place in camp where boys can get their creative juices flowing, or let their imaginations run wild. In Outdoor Skills Certified, boys learned about making shelters, and crafted their own forts. They enjoyed imaginary play, creating their own worlds. In Woodworking and Blacksmithing, boys also have the opportunity to create their own art, all while building fine motor skills and reducing stress. Campers can volunteer to express themselves through skits or songs during Campfire, Morning Assembly, or Church. During two free choice periods each day, boys also have the opportunity to play musical instruments, read books, play “magic the gathering”, or play games like chess.
When boys participate in camp activities or go on trips, their curiosity is cultivated, and creativity is encouraged. Our hope is that their natural wonder for the world is fostered while they are here at Falling Creek. Over the remaining 9 days at camp, we know the boys will be exercising physically, but they’ll also be encouraged to exercise their creativity!