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Ministry Monday: How to host the best Grandparents Camp ever

July 1, 2013 By: demingglobal18 Comments

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Welcome to Ministry Monday at Hive Resources! This series is for everyday women serving in the everyday mission fields of life. Posts feature resources & ideas for discipleship, outreach events, women’s ministries, Bible study, hospitality, and more. Subscribe today! 

Ministry Monday Summer Edition! {Hive Resources}

Last week, we packed the kids up and drove 10 hours into the heart of the North Georgia Mountains for summer camp…well, actually Grandaddy Camp hosted by my parents.

1 week. 6 grandkids. About a hundred outdoor activities!

Grandaddy Camp {Hive Resources}

As a mom, I love the idea of Grandaddy or a Grandparents Camp and here’s why.

My kids can connect with their grandparents and cousins outside of the holiday fanfare that typically surrounds our visits. Grandaddy Camp promises a dedicated time each summer for the kids to do nothing but kid-related activities with their cousins and led by their grandparents.

My parents intentionally weave the Gospel into everything they do. So, ultimately, Grandaddy Camp is special opportunity for my kids to see and meet Christ.

Outdoor Fun

Field games {Hive Resources}

To make the week special, we spent as much time outdoors as we could! And indoor activities were game-related as much as possible. The kids watched very little TV and spent very little time on their game devices.

Field game fun

We played field games like tug of war, water guns, tag football, bubbles, and flew kites.

Dump truck kits {Hive Resources}

We assembled dump trucks from kits my Dad cut out before our arrival.

Special projects {Hive Resources}

Then, the kids got to sand their truck parts, help (a little) with assembly, & paint them.

Diggin for gold {Hive Resources}

We dug for “gold” (rocks spray-painted gold and hidden) in the yard. And we took a tour of a local gold mine and panned for gold and mined for gems (which was the biggest hit of the week).

Dinosaur Eggs {Hive Resources}

We searched for dinosaur eggs created by my Dad (shhhh!) hidden in my parent’s flower beds.

Creek adventures {Hive Resources}

We built a rock dam in a nearby creek, splashed in the water, and appreciated all the bugs and wildlife.

Creek fun {Hive Resources}

In future years, we’ll add fishing to the roster.

Camp fire {Hive Resources}

We had a camp fire, rode bikes, and more! We even had a tea party for the one girl cousin!

The Camp Experience

My parents did several things to make the week more “camp-like.” (If you live in the same city as your grandchildren, you might incorporate some of these ideas into your camp to make it different than your everyday interactions.)

Closing ceremony {Hive Resources}

  • Make it special!

An opening ceremony provides an opportunity for explaining rules and a closing ceremony allows the campers to give their Camp Directors (their grandparents) a thank you card.

  • Make it about unity!

Upon arrival, each camper received a Camp T-shirt. When we took an outing, we tried to wear our shirts! 

  • Make it spiritual!

The Camp Directors based the week around a particular fruit of the Spirit – Joy. Next year, we’re focusing on Peace. My Dad led a devotional most mornings. We found they worked best during meals so the kids had something to keep their mouths/hands busy.

  • Make it orderly!

For meal service, the kids formed a line in the kitchen, picked up a plastic tray and plate of food, and we all ate together outside on my parent’s porch. For group interaction, we instituted a Spirit Stick halfway through the week. Whoever held the stick had permission to talk!

And to encourage good behavior, each evening we gave out a Camper of the Day award to a camper who showed compassion to other campers or demonstrated a listening/helpful spirit.

Grandaddy Camp Camper of the Day {Hive Resources}

Thank you Mom and Dad for hosting us in your home, letting us take over your kitchen, leave indeterminate amount of holes in your yard, and loving us every step of the way!

Camp counselors {Hive Resources}

Love, the Camp Counselors!

Happy Camping!

Today, I’m linking up with:

Missional Women

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Comments

  1. nive says

    July 1, 2013 at 4:09 am

    Best..bestest..did i say BESTEST idea EVER..seriously,i can’t get over the ingenuity of it.Kudos to the planning and operations team.Those kids are blessed beyond measures.Grandparents camp will never be an option for us but i might just tone it down and adapt to what will work for us.

    Reply
    • demingglobal1 says

      July 1, 2013 at 12:09 pm

      Yes, Nive! The great thing about this idea is you can organize it as much or little as you like.

      Reply
  2. Kristen @ Celebrate Every Day With Me says

    July 1, 2013 at 12:52 pm

    This is just awesome!! What a blessing for all those kids and how fun! Hope you’ll be sharing more in detail. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Emily says

    July 1, 2013 at 7:04 pm

    What a wonderful idea!! You created memories that the kids will always remember!

    Reply
  4. Christina says

    July 2, 2013 at 11:44 am

    How fun! Your kids must have had a blast! And your parents too:)

    Reply
  5. Cheri-CreationScience4Kids says

    July 10, 2013 at 12:05 am

    That is so cool! I’m going to pass this idea on to my dad. The only thing is, I’m not an aunt yet, so it would just be my own kids. But, we might have to move farther away from Gpa and Gma soon, so something like this to look forward to would be awesome.

    Reply
    • demingglobal1 says

      July 10, 2013 at 12:10 am

      Cheri, thanks so much for stopping by! The first year my parents hosted their camp 1 kid! Each year it has grown, but it can be fun regardless of size!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. PWP camp | Playdate With Purpose says:
    July 15, 2013 at 6:19 am

    […] prayer to convince myself that this would be worth the time and effort. I loved the camp idea from Hive Resources. I went back and forth and tossed the idea around for some time. Then one day over chick Fila lunch […]

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