Best.Night.Ever!

Last weekend, the staff set up the big screen and projector and had an outdoor movie on the field. Several people said, "we should do this with the kids!" I am firmly against using movies in programming. Too often in kid's programs, a rainy afternoon or just a regular day, lazy, uncreative staff plop kids in front of a screen and waste the hours away. I could go on and on, citing sources and child development philosophy about the negative effects of that much time in front of media and why movie time will never be on my schedules. I don't care if it starts to rain at the last minute, or everything gets messed up and you are facing a group of kids with nothing up your sleeve. Play a game. Sing a song. Make something up. Okay, okay, I have to stop, that's not the subject of this post.

My goal this summer has been to plan creative, innovative and exceptional programming that fills kids with wonder and makes them feel as if they are in a magical place. I want them to leave saying, "I've never done that before!" or, "I could never do that at home!" So in addition to regularly scheduled programming, Program Director S and I have tried to come up with random surprises throughout the summer to keep both kids and staff on their toes.

With the wonderful memory of the outdoor movie fresh in our minds, we talked about it for the campers and decided that if it wasn't in place of regular programming and if we could make it special, it could be acceptable programming. We decided that after the talent show on Thursday, instead of showers, then bed, we would let them stay up late and we would turn on the popcorn maker and let them lay in the field under the stars and watch a movie. We decided on "Camp Rock" because of it's 'G' rating, it was about a camp and because neither of us had seen it but wanted to. We sent a staff into the nearest big town to buy it (2 hours round trip), and we decided to make it a surprise for not just kids, but staff too.

After the talent show last night, we stood up and had the following conversation in front of the group:

"Hey, S! You know how it's the last night?! Instead of taking showers and going to bed, we should do something fun" (that got their attention, you should have seen them hanging off our every word).

S said, "they could sweep" (groans from the crowd).

"Aren't you supposed to be the person in charge of all things fun?! Can you do better than sweep?!"

"What about a late night movie with all the popcorn you can eat" she said, as I pulled out the DVD from behind my back.

**DEAFENING screams**

The absolute best part of my job is when we can make an entire group of kids FREAK out and start screaming in excitement.

We sent the kids of to shower and change into PJs and get their sleeping bags and pillows. It had been raining for three days straight, so it was inside, rather than on the field. We popped popcorn and turned out the lights. The kids were so well behaved and totally focused on the movie.

The staff were not. After ten weeks of camp, the best term I can think of is "loopy". We danced in our chairs during the songs, we compared the movie camp to our camp, we joked around and laughed through the whole movie. It was one of the most fun experiences I have had at camp and during the next 8 months until I return to camp, I will think about it every time I am stuck in my office, doing some mundane task involving budgets or paperwork. It was the absolute best way to end the summer and one of the best nights of camp ever.