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Night
Owls
Ages 9-11
If you enjoy being up late, like the dark, want to learn about night
animals, stars, and other aspects of the environment, and enjoy being part
of a small group learning community all at the same
time then this program is for you! Check-in is Sunday
between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. The program ends with a family
program Friday from 2:00-2:30 PM.
The goal of Night Owls is to provide an introduction to
nightlife in the great outdoors! We will do this by staying up
late, but not too late. The week will also include enjoying the camp life at
Alton Jones.
Sunday is devoted to moving in and getting to know your fellow
campers and counselors. First
you will move into your cabin and meet your cabin mates.
You will have some time to unpack and get settled before
meeting your Night Owls counselors and the other members of your field group. Some
will look familiar because they are in your cabin too!
Get ready for dinner and the all-camp
campfire where you will get to see the entire Earth Camp, campers
and staff. You will eat your meals
in the dining hall. On Sunday night you will
go back to your cabin at 9:00 for regular bedtime at 10:00 along
with the rest of camp.
On Monday, group-building activities will help you to get to know the other
campers in your group as well as your Counselors. This is important since working together, good communication and
understanding each other’s needs will be critical when you are out in the dark. Swim tests, free-swim time and canoeing occur at Lake Eisenhower, so be
ready to get wet! You will also be involved in sensory awareness activities to heighten
your senses to the subtle sounds, movements, smells and feelings that you will encounter when you are out in nature at night.
Your group will take part in the all-camp evening program and after everyone else goes to bed, you will go on a night hike. You will go to bed by
11:00.
Each day you will be involved in ecology activities, many of which
you will be able to repeat during your night excursions. You
will also have time for swimming and canoeing. At night you can
compare your daytime ecology findings,
begin to learn about the stars and planets visible in the night sky
and learn about some of the animals that are out at night. One
night you will have a campfire on the beach with s’mores.
Other possible activities include a bat watch,
owl calling, or a quiet hike at dusk. And of course there is always time for some just-for-fun
night games.
Each morning you will get up at the regular wake-up time. If
your group needs it your counselors will plan some afternoon rest
time on Wednesday or Thursday. On nights that you stay
up late, you will need to enter the cabin quietly since other
campers will already be asleep. Tuesday night you will stay up until
11:00 or 12:00. If your
group is up to it, Wednesday's bedtime will be 12:00 midnight or
1:00 AM. By
Thursday your group will be pretty tired and lights out will be at
the regular camp bedtime.
Friday is spent putting the whole week together
with reviews and wrap-ups plus closing activities. After lunch, there is some time to spend with friends new and
old before the family program begins at 2:00. Sign out and goodbyes follow
at 2:30 PM as the week comes to an end.
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