Children’s Activities
Children’s Social Hour Movies
Activity: Movies for the kids from 5:30-6:30 in Parker every evening Saturday through Friday
Responsibilities: To provide snacks and show videos for kids during Social Hour
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Locate enough videos to cover all 7 evenings, a total of 7 hours; they should be appropriate for kids 5 and up. (Request videos from conferees via Email?)
2. Fast forward videos through all commercials and previews; figure out length of time for each.
3. Recruit volunteers to assist – easier if done ahead
On Island:
1. Check with Conference Services to be sure that the VCR is available in Parker and check it out to be sure that it works. (Arrange to have snacks delivered.)
2. Each evening at 5:30 start the new video and stay with the kids during the showing
3. Designate rotating volunteers to be in charge each night
4. Parents should check on their kids once in a while – this is not intended to be a baby-sitting session.
5. In 1996 rule that kids under 8 must have a parent come before they could leave during video. Over 8-year-olds encouraged to stay unless a parent came to retrieve them.
Follow up Responsibilities: None
People Needed: Two people should be on duty each night, one to run video and one to keep kids from sneaking out without a parent.
Materials: Seven hours of video tapes; arrange for juice and crackers.
Total Cost: None
Comments: Make it clear to parents that they are responsible for their kids during the video sessions and should check on them and come for their children by 6:30. It would be very good to have a bigger TV screen. 2003 – Did not need to recruit additional parents. 2006 – Hard to get parents to help.
Past participants: 1994 – Diane & Ron Bourque, Phil Cowan & Libby Sanderson. 1995 -
Anne Stewart, Laurie&Joe Lentz-Marino. 1996 – Rachel Legard and ? 1998 – Laurie&Joe Lentz-Marino. 1999 – Carol Belcastro, Lori&Ed Bossong. 2002 – Lauren Detoro & Betsy Fredericks. 2003 – Liz Erickson 2005-Linda Caldwell & Alison Fornes. 2006 – Susan O’Laughlin and Joy Close.
Updated – March 2007
Children’s Variety Show
traditionally includes Singin’ in the Rain (separate description follows)
Activity: Time for individual children and children’s classes to perform for conference in Elliot after afternoon classes Thursday at 3:30.
Responsibilities: Plan, organize, and carry out Children’s Stunt Show
Specific Activities:
On Island:
1. Check with Conference Services to be sure that microphones and other equipment will be available for the event Thursday afternoon. Practice with equipment to know how it works.
2. Ask for volunteers to perform individual acts and determine their requirements
3. Attend classes on Tuesday and coordinate class performances and practice sessions; determine if there are any special requirements for their acts.
4. Develop a schedule. Provide copies to organizers of acts. The schedule usually is hand written and includes: Title; Type of act; Performers’ names; Length; Need whole stage? In front of curtain?
5. Schedule practice sessions for Thursday morning and help out with these sessions.
6. Help manage stage props
7. Run stunt show; act as MC
Follow up Responsibilities: Clean up for adult stunt night
People Needed: Two to four [coordinator, mc, backstage coordinator (very important!) and curtain operator]
Materials: About 150 mimeographs for program
Total Cost: None to volunteers
Comments: 1997 – afternoon time works very well.
1998, 2004 – For smooth flow, organize the order of the acts to have some closed curtain performances (sing along, piano, jokes told) to be going on while stage is being set up for next act.
1999 – No practice (class leaders handled it in class). Keep individual performances fairly short.
Past participants: 1994 – Ginger & George Dixon. 1995 – Dave Tucker, Carl & Cheryl-
Anne Sturken, Mary & Roger Hill. 1996 – Ralph & Pat Colby. 1997 – Betsy & Joel Fredericks.
1998 – Lisa Gresser, Marc & Jane Soule. 1999 – Peggy Bram. 2002 – Shelly Powsner & John Robbins. 2003 – Karen & Jeff Mills 2004, 2005—Steve Skrovan and Shelly Powsner
Updated – April 2006
Singin’ in the Rain
Activity: Lead the song with the various concomitant antics
When: Children’s stunt night
Where: Elliot
Responsibilities: Lead
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
On Island:
1. Lead the song as the finale for the Children’s stunt night
Follow up Responsibilities: Laugh
People Needed: 1 or 2
Materials: None
Total Cost:
Comments: Everyone loves this activity. It is an All Star I tradition
Past participants: 1995 – Jules Martinez & David Osgood. 1996 – Jules Martinez.
1997 to present – David Osgood. Updated – April 2006
Fourth of July Ceremonies
Activity: Fourth of July Parade.
Responsibilities: See to it that the parade takes place and that all children (Gulls & below) receive a poker chip (or similar token).
Specific Activities:
Off Island
1. Purchase 100 tokens and bring them to Island – Note to Self from Ben Soule: Buy Doubloons!!
On Island
1. Arrange for music during ceremony. Normally someone plays the piccolo or flute during the parade and the band accompanies.
2. Be certain that the activity is on the green announcement board on July 3. Make an announcement during a meal on the 3rd if appropriate.
3. Be certain that the snack bar staff knows that the tokens are worth one small ice cream.
4. On the 3rd locate the small flags in the Brookfield storeroom. Repair those that may need refurbishing.
5. Ask Pelican who normally raises flag, or a conferee, to raise the flag during the ceremony. The flag is stored at the front desk.
6. After breakfast have someone pass out the flags at the fish end of the porch and have all participants form a line for the parade.
7. Start the parade by marching down the road toward the flag pole with the piccolo and band playing march music.
8. When the parade has circled the flag pole raise the flag and have someone play the appropriate music on the trumpet as it is raised.
9. After the flag has reached its apogee lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
10. Signal the band to play the National Anthem and lead the singing.
11. Lead parade back to porch and have someone collect the flags and pass out the tokens to the children who marched. Beware of double dippers.
Follow up Responsibilities: Return flags to store room. Pay bill at snack bar. Retrieve tokens from snack bar.
People Needed: 1 or 2 persons to organize; 1 or 2 to handout flags, 1 to play piccolo or flute, 1 to give out tokens.
Materials: Tokens and flags.
Total Cost: Cost for the tokens and cost of ice cream ($40-$80).
Comments: The flags come in all sizes and shapes; 20 new ones were added in 1999.
2002: Best to limit ice cream tokens to Gulls & below.
Past participants: 1994 – Jack Dunn. 1995 – Jack Dunn & Ben Soule. 1997 to 2002 – Johnny Abbadessa. 2003 – Jeff Hendrick 2005, 2006-Ben Soule Upd. 3/07
Great People Hunt
Activity: Senior Teens and their leaders are hunted down within the Children’s boundaries, held
in the jail (Well House or other), and marched into the sea
When: 7:30-8:30 pm, often on Tuesday
Responsibilities: Direct the hunt so that all participants have fun and are safe
Specific Activities:
On Island:
1. Arrange for lifeguard to be on duty from 8:00 till the trek into the water is complete
2. Discuss the entire scenario with the Senior Teens and encourage them to find innovative ways to tweak the hunters
3. Constantly hype the event with the kids especially the Junior Teens
4. Set the hunt in motion. Synopsis- An elaborate game of hide-and-seek. A Great Person hides within children’s boundaries…not on any roof tops, inside or under any building. A Great Person must be a senior teen or older. Anyone can be a hunter, but the majority of the hunters are the rest of the children, junior teen and down, plus occasional adult helpers. A one-handed touch tag completes the capture. Once caught, the Great Person is escorted to jail (Well House or other). No one attempts to escape; all await execution (plunge into the briny deep off of the plank).
Follow up Responsibilities: See to it that the showers are available for the Senior Teens after they get out of the sea.
People Needed: One leader and 15 to 30 great people
Materials: None
Total Cost: None
Comments: This is an important event in the children’s program. The game has become the rite of passage for kids to become the hunted not the hunter. This is a great empowerment tool for little kids who capture a Great Person.
In 1997 it was recommended that the senior teens be put in charge of this event. 2003 – Tom Walton suggested that maybe one or two sr. teens should be permitted to not be caught.
Past participants: 1978-79 (AS II) 1980 (begun at AS I) thru 2003 – Tom Walton and his children in the broad sense. 2005-Ellen Clegg & Angel Russek Upd. 7/03
Gull Evening Presence
Activity: Gull bed check.
Responsibilities: Check that the Gulls are present and accounted for.
Specific Activities:
Off Island
None.
On Island
Go to the Gull classroom on the first day and introduce yourself and let them know that you will be around nightly to check to be sure they are in their rooms safely at the appropriate time. Conduct nightly bed checks of Gulls in your sleeping area.
Follow up Responsibilities: Alert parents, staff if any Gulls are unaccounted for.
People Needed: One per sleeping area. These volunteers should be the parents of the Gulls.
Materials: None.
Total Cost: None.
Comments: It is only practical to check on the Gulls housed near the checker.
Past participants: Rachel Legard, Scott Stewart, Shelley Powsner. 2005-Jamie Brewer. 2006 – Josi Easter.
Updated July 2004 (new activity).
Junior Teen Evening Presence
Activity: Junior Teen bed check.
Responsibilities: Check that the Junior Teens are present and accounted for.
Specific Activities:
Off Island
None.
On Island
Conduct nightly bed checks of the Junior Teens in your sleeping area. Remind them to be quiet if they are not asleep, since others will be asleep.
Follow up Responsibilities: Alert parents, staff if anyone is unaccounted for.
People Needed: One per sleeping area. These volunteers should be the parents of the Junior Teens.
Materials: None.
Total Cost: None.
Comments: Do not assign a single parent with a young child in Oceanic to this job. This is an assignment for a parent(s) who can room in Gosport, or wherever the Junior Teens happen to be housed. They were great in 2004.
Past participants: 2004—Laurie and Joe Marino, Lorene Bossong, Mary Hill.
Updated July 2004 (new activity).
Kiddie Barn Helpers
Activity: In-class aid for Skimmers in the Kiddie Barn
When: Class times
Responsibilities: Provide much-needed additional supervision.
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Find out class schedule for week
2. Choose & call ahead 3-4 helpers per class session (morning and afternoon, Sun-Fri.)
3. Print out schedule to send to helpers and have one to hang in Skimmers classroom.
On Island:
4. Check with helpers & staff that things are going well.
Follow up Responsibilities: None
People Needed: One, and several recruited volunteers
Comments: 2002 – This activity best done by children’s program coordinators.
2009 – The chairs forward the names of people who have checked this off on their volunteer form and she arranges with them directly.
Past participants: 2002, 3 – Deb Walton
Monitors – Junior Teens
I think this was replaced with the description under Jr. Teen Presence… And, Deb picks those people and houses them nearby.
Activity: Monitor Junior Teens to help them avoid problems beginning first thing Saturday
Responsibilities: Help solve problems that might arise in Junior Teen group
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Obtain list of Junior Teens and their room assignments (identifying room assignments may be done on island)
On Island:
2. Identify Junior Teen room assignments. Also find out what room each Junior Teen parent is staying in. (If there is a problem, parents are ultimately responsible for their children.)
3. Soon after arriving on Island introduce yourselves to the Children’s Staff Coordinators and the Junior Teen Staff, and (if agreeable with the staff) go to first class meeting and meet Junior Teens. Tell them where your room is and encourage them to come to you with any problems that may arise. Try to learn all Junior Teens? names and their room assignments.
4. Adjust bed times as activities require (stunt night, Pel Show, Friday night).
5. Work with parents to ensure that kids are in their areas by the agreed times. In 1995 the bedtime was 11:00 pm and it worked out very well.
6. If problems are brought to your attention implement strategies to solve them.
7. Good to find a Junior Teen parent living near each group of kids that can monitor the kids after bed time. Your may wish to check to check Junior Teen living areas to be certain that noise level is reasonable.
Follow up Responsibilities: None
People Needed: Two or three
Materials: None
Total Cost: None
Comments: Important to have list of room assignments. Suggest (1997) assigning the parent of a Junior Teen girl to monitor the girls and the parent of a Junior Teen boy to monitor the boys.
Past participants: 1994 – Dick Case & Tom Coleman. 1995 – Cathy Case, Dale Stewart & Keith Knox. 1996 – Libby Sanderson. 1997 – Libby Sanderson, Diane Bourque.
1998 – Diane Borque, Libby Sanderson, Dick Case. 1999 – Val & Hal Basdekis. Upd.Oct.99
Social Hour Child-Care Coordinators
Activity: Organize care for young children during Social Hour
When: 5:30-6:30 Saturday to Thursday, 5-6:30 Friday
Where: Kiddie Barn/ Tire Dragon Playground
Responsibilities: Recruit and schedule volunteers to supervise children during Social Hour
Specific Activities:
On Island:
1. Arrange with Front Desk that juice and crackers be delivered each day
2. Post sign up sheet for volunteers to watch children. Bring the sign up sheet to baby sitting each evening and recruit those who have not signed up. There should be at least 3 to 4 volunteers for each session. Make sure there is ample coverage each session.
3. Ask Social Hour food people to provide some hors d’hoeuvres for the babysitters and other parents on the playground.
4. Watch kids play; stay on site most nights to help.
Follow up Responsibilities: Clean up area afterwards
Materials: Snacks and drinks (Island provides)
Total Cost: None
Comments: 1997 – Arranged with the Social Hour Movie committee to show a movie that would appeal to all and had no organized babysitting at playground on Fri pm. Most nights there are parents who bring their child(ren) to the playground and stay with them. 2003 – We did not serve any snacks or beverages to the children right before dinner. Parents relieved each other to get some happy hour goodies. For next year, we suggest sending out the coordinators’ description in advance of the conference. Also it is sometimes necessary to gently remind parents to assist with the kiddie barn day care area during social hour, though most already did this without needing reminding. Hard to be on late boat, get to orientation, check in and make it to the Kiddie Barn on time.
Past Participants: 1995 – Liza Spisto, Cathy & Ron Bertassi. 1996 – Mary Hill. 1997 – Laurie Powsner. 1998 – Dennis O’Keefe, Jeff & Karen Mills. 1999 – Rachel LeGarde & Larry Phillips. 2002 – Rocio Aliaga, Wendy Hallows. 2003 – Liz Hendrick and George Robbins 2004—George Robbins, Jane Trudeau 2005-Ali Walton & Phil Quatrochi . 2006 – George Robbins and Derrick Nelson.
Updated March 2007
Storytime – 3-5 year-olds
aka Pink Parlor Storytime
Activity: Read stories to 3-5 year olds
When: Evenings (when family activities not scheduled) at 7:15 or 7:30 for a half hour – Typically Saturday and Monday-Thursday.
Where: Pink Parlor
Responsibilities: Obtain reading materials and read stories
Specific Activities:
Off Island
1. Collect children’s story books; music is useful; or even finger plays. In the past a tape player has been brought. Big books and tapes can be used together for a sing along.
On Island
2. Make sure storytime is scheduled on the daily activity board.
3. Go to the Pink Parlor at times when a storytime session is scheduled. In 1994 three nights were scheduled for other activities so storytime wasn’t held each night.
Follow up Responsibilities: None
People Needed: 1 or 2
Materials: Books and music. 1994 – 5 big books and a collection of 10 little books. 1996 – tapes and books. 1997 – Many books; let each child pick a book to have read. 1998 – brought only ~20 books – more might be helpful. Shorter stories better for younger kids.
Total Cost: None
Comments: The age range might be too limiting since many older kids seemed to enjoy the activity. It is important to note that parents are welcome. It might be worthwhile to allow the kids to come in Pajamas so that they can go directly to bed. Keep it simple for best results.
1997 – Ask parents if they want it on banquet night – may be to much activity that night. Don’t schedule it for Great People Hunt or Marshmallow roast nights.
Past participants: 1994 – Colleen Ryder. 1995 – Jules Martinez & Donna Delaney. 1996 – Sandy Spisto. 1997 – Mary Hill & Susan Glick. 1998 – Rachel Legard, Ibby Lourie. 2003 – Elissa Best and David Epstein. 2004, 2005—Jenny Nelson and Josi Easter.
Updated – April 2006