The theme of this week’s Young Masters Art Camp was prehistoric week and our days have been full of in-depth and historically inspired crafts. My days at camp also provided opportunities to learn from my colleagues and my campers as I grow in my role through guiding and serving.

Much to the camper’s delight and obviously because of our theme, several of the projects were centered around dinosaurs which are a great source of inspiration for our campers. One project was a multiple day dinosaur endeavor, where the kids made dinosaur skeletons out of salt dough, then attached the bones to a wooden display base, making it look like a miniature preserved dinosaur. The kids loved being able to design their own unique creatures and assemble them in the same fashion as museum pieces! Another project that I enjoyed watching the kids complete was the creation of their own book. They made the paper look aged by brushing coffee across the pages and crumpling them as well. Campers then made their own paintbrushes out of sticks, yarn, and wool, and some campers even experimented with painting in their books with them.

Most often the projects that the campers complete are individual. They work on their own alongside their peers and are able to take that work home with them at the end of the week. In contrast, this week the campers also worked on a collaborative project heavily inspired by prehistoric cave art. The campers painted their own pictographs on giant sheets of butcher paper. They emulated ancient painting methods by laying their hands on the paper and spraying paint over their hand to create a negative space where they had placed their hand, which they very much enjoyed! 

This week brought some very fulfilling moments for me as I learned more about how to guide my campers. When one camper became overwhelmed by the steps of a project, they came to me very upset and unable to complete the project. I assured them that they were in a safe space and that it was absolutely ok to be overwhelmed and upset, but that does not mean that they are in any way incapable. After some guided breathing, the camper was able to express to me that they wanted help going through the steps of the project. I was happy to be able to support them and guide them step by step to complete it. My hope is that they felt supported and understood.

I have learned a lot this week about adapting to individual camper’s needs and feel that my ability to provide support to the campers has expanded greatly, especially in more challenging situations where the camper may be reactive and upset. I feel that I have been taught new tools that will aid me in responding helpfully and appropriately to each individual situation.  

And finally, there was a special surprise to close out the week. I was able to procure a couple of inflatable dinosaur costumes, which I and one of the teen volunteers wore during the morning and afternoon art shows! The campers were absolutely ecstatic at the sight of the dinosaurs, and the parents and visitors got a chuckle out of it as well. I had a lot of fun this week, and learned so much.