Session 2 Comes to a Close!

This session has been another amazing one here at Summer Spree! Kids and staff alike have had a blast digging in the dirt, molding clay, painting, and doing all sorts of other creative projects while making new friends and running around the grounds of the Arts Center. At the end of Magic Mornings today, we had a big End-of-Session Celebration in the side yard and children's garden. The kids got to show off what they've been doing with Bob and Drew all session, and the Turquoise Group even planned a coronation for the giant King Nelsor the worm. But before that, kids showed off their completed projects, put finishing touches on others, and posed for the camera.

The Green Group Girls in their mining gear! Can you dig it?

Seasoned Summer Spree Camper, Adam in the kid's ceramics studio.

Charlotte (of the Red Group) taking a giggle break from painting her ceramic creation.

Selwa (of the Yellow Group) painting sparkly purple while her group members take a little sensory break in the lego area.

Bram shows off his lego guy and awesome Summer Spree Tie Dye!

Melissa (of the Turquoise Group) mentally preparing for her role in the Coronation of King Nelsor.

The Turquoise Group performing their opening musical number.

Jen (Red Group teacher) observing the beautiful entrance to King Nelsor's Lair.

King Nelsor himself.

Drew assisting in the passing of the crown.

The triplets enjoying their freeze pops after Nelsor's Coronation.
[Please disregard the shameless blog advertising in the background.]

In the afternoon, the Red, Orange and Purple Groups all hosted their own art shows in their classrooms to commemorate the end of the session. Here are just some snippets of the awesome work these kids have made during Session 2:

The Purple Group squeezing in one more project before the end of the session.

The Orange Group's collaborative yoyo-painting project done with homemade yoyo's made from balloons filled with sand and rubber bands.

Ben's collection of work he made with the Orange Group. How cool!

Can you spot all the different materials Sophia used to make this work of art?

Jen beautifully displays her Red Group's ceramic creations on top of their awesome Tie Dye Shirts from this session.

More Morning Art Madness!

Back in their classrooms, our morning groups have been making some great work! Today, I saw the Red Group drawing with crayons and hanging out with their awesome aide, Steph. The Purple Group was giggling and performing with their pipe cleaner microphones, while next door the Turquoise Group experimented with watercoloring techniques, and downstairs the Blue Group made tree root designed out of yarn and glue on paper.

Steph drawing with Cameron and Adrianna, of the Red Group.

Adam, deep in concentration, working on his drawing. 

Future divas of the Purple Group with their pipe-cleaner microphones, just like the pop stars.

Violet (of the Turquoise Group) watercoloring within the dried black Elmers glue outlines of her work of art.

Melissa (also Turquoise Group) experiments with salt and watercolors.
Some other techniques she's been trying are in the foreground.

Another Turquoise Group experiment with watercolors and saran wrap.

Pearl and Gianna (of the Blue Group) working with glue and yarn to create designs meant to look like tangled tree roots.

Ben and Nathan getting their hands dirty with the same technique as above.

This afternoon, I caught up with the Red and Orange Groups. The Red Group was in the process of making rainsticks, while the Orange Group did some outdoor painting with giant fly swatters and splatter-paint!

Natalie (of the Red Group) displaying her freshly painted rainstick!

Sara & Sarah's Orange Group always has some out-of-the-box art project going on! Check out Ben as he first swats his paper with a black giant-fly-swatter pattern... 

...before splattering neon colored paint over top of the print. So fun!

Session 2, The "Dig It!" Special

Bob and Drew are back at Summer Spree for Session 2 with another awesome special in the Children's Garden! Every summer, their project is a favorite among the Summer Spree campers and staff alike! In previous years, they've enlisted the kids' help in creating a beautiful classroom in the garden with a table and stools decorated with mosaic tiles. All the while, the kids were digging, tiling, pouring concrete, and letting their imaginations run wild under Drew & Bob's guidance. This summer, they've come back to create a second classroom at the other end of the Garden, a bit farther away from the newly-built outdoor pizza oven. Right now, they are in the process of digging and laying the foundations for the new classroom with the kids' help. Caution: the following photos may involve some messy children having an outstanding time.

Lena and Falina mixing up a bucket of hay and mud to help with the foundations for the classroom table.

Grace getting a mud-soaked high-five from Drew.

A little rinse-off from the hose, and the Yellow Group is ready to take on the rest of their day.

For members of the group who are less interested in mud-stomping, a tile-making station is set up in the classroom they made in previous summers.

Can't wait to follow the progress back there! Keep up the good work!

Session 2, Morning 3!

Another successful morning at Summer Spree is complete! This morning, some young paleantologists removed sand from Tyrannosaurus Rex skulls before painting them as they imagined the dinosaurs to have looked, while a bunch of little sculptors made pinch pots with snakes coiled around the sides. Before the morning was over, the Yellow group painted big whimsical turtles.

Maddie and Sofia (of the Orange Group) recreating the dinosaurs of their imaginations.

The Red Group in the Childrens' Ceramics Studio learning to make pinch pots and snake coils.

The Yellow Group in their classroom, working on their turtle paintings.

I wonder what Grace's favorite color is...

In the afternoon, the Orange group consists of 7 boys, all of whom had a great time in Ceramics with Dave Wood today. I couldn't resist posting this great picture of Sam showing off his "scratch to attach" tool-knowledge.