Back to the Pack Campout - Part 2

After everyone finished their lunches and had a little time to rest and play, we got back to the business of the campout. The afternoon started with a visit from one of the park rangers, Miss Ginger. Miss Ginger was nice enough to set up a nature scavenger hunt for all of the kids to go on. While we were busy doing our morning activities, the park rangers were out putting up 20 bright orange signs. Each sign identified a different plant or tree that is common to Florida. The signs also gave useful information about each plant or tree. The kids were given a checklist to carry around the park with them while they looked for each sign. We broke the kids up into 4 groups to complete the activity. When each group had found all 20 of the plants on the list they reported to Miss Ginger at the park office. Miss Ginger asked the kids a few questions about what they had learned, and she gave each of them a prize for completing the scavenger hunt.

After all of the kids had completed the scavenger hunt we broke them back up into our two original groups from the morning session. The afternoon activities included a softball game and building and shooting marshmallow shooters.

While half of the kids were playing softball, the other half was working on their marshmallow shooters. Each kids was given a zip-loc baggy that contained all of the pieces that they needed to construct a marshmallow shooter. Once they got the shooter put together, I gave them stickers to decorate their shooters.

Finally, once everyone finished constructing and decorating their shooters, we gave them each a small cup of marshmallows to shoot. We set up a target range of pie tins. The kids were allowed to shoot only in the pie tin target range and only at the targets. They were given strict instructions that if they were caught breaking either of the rules, their shooters would be taken away until the end of the campout. Luckily for us, everyone followed the rules!

CJ takes aim at the targets.

The girls got in on the fun too. They waited until most of the boys were gone, and then took advantage of having the range all to themselves.