School Camps

School camping has a long tradition in Australia and it's alive and well in the 21st century.

Today schools use camp as an opportunity to take students (and teachers) outside their normal setting and comfort zone, as an orientation program for a new school or new year, to practise special skills such as music, experience activities that are unusual and challenging and take suburban children into the bush.

A school camp can be a unique mixture of fun, personal development and curriculum for students from early primary years up to Year 12 (and beyond). They are often located in exciting locations with activities for all ages and many provide activity equipment, skilled staff and program assistance.

Full Value Camping

The things that happen before and after camp can double the value of the experience. This is true for any group but particularly so for school groups. Here, one parent recalls some of the excellent camping experiences his two children had while the family was involved with Southvale Primary School. The staff at Southvale were thoughtful, creative and imaginative in all they did and never more so than in the outdoor education program. Here's some recollections of the highlights from various year levels.

A Vehicle for Learning

The camps provided the focus for many educational activities - not only direct outdoor education. The outdoor and camping activities created opportunities for planning, writing, drawing, painting, thinking, analysing, co-operating, measuring and so much more. Outdoor education was not only a subject but also a vehicle for learning.

Gradual Introduction

Importantly, there was a gradual introduction for those children who weren't accustomed to being away from home.
It commenced in Grade 2 with a one night sleepover. Children came back to school on Friday night after dinner at home. Games singing and then bedding down in the multi-purpose room (a familiar environment), BYO sleeping bag, air mattress, pillow and teddy bear. Teachers pampered with chocolates by parents! Arise, cereal and toast, clean up and parents collect campers at 9.00 a.m. Saturday.
Then
Grade 3 - one night, two day camp.
Grade 4 - two night, three day.
Grade 5 - three night, 4 day camp.
Grade 6 was a four day, 5 night camp including one night in a tent.

Pre-Camp

Students were actively involved in all phases of the camp, even weeks before for some items.
- They helped design the cover of the camp booklet.
- Groups devised the layout and much of the input of the booklet.
- They were involved in discussions about personal equipment lists and instructions that were part of the booklet.
- The booklet also contained activities to do en route including a car rally type "look out for this" quiz.
- Students were encouraged to build a boat (requirement: it must fit in a shoe box for transportation to camp) from secondhand materials. Eventually they took part in the regatta on the creek during the camp.
- Practise skills needed during the camp such as
- tent pitching (small lightweight 4 - person tents)
- basic orienteering
- talent quest items
- Safety aspects of gear selection, staying in groups, etc.

After Camp

During parents' night (a week or two after the camp) display the activities and talents, involve the parents.
- Show the camp video (edited or fast forwarded through the repetitive parts).
- Perform the best of the talent quest acts.
- Display the mural done in camp.
- Display 'restaurant reviews' Students had to write a review as if they were reviewing the camp dining room for the Epicure column in The Age. - Have orienteering compasses on display so students can show parents how to take a bearing.
- Display staff and student camp photographs.
- Display stories written about incidents at camp e.g. 'The invasion of moths'.
- Display the outcome of the camp awards. The camp award was based around dozens of short sharp activities that encouraged participation (not success or failure) in specific activities at the campsite (e.g. complete the orienteering course, complete the environment trail, etc) and many small challenges (e.g. communicate a message over a distance without talking, find leaves of a particular colour, catch a fish, etc.)

Southvale's philosophy for camps then stated for parents included:
- To promote an appreciation and enjoyment of outdoor adventure experience and an awareness of the environment.
- To promote social interaction, encourage interdependence, independence and self-sufficiency in a changing environment.
- To promote opportunities for practical integration with all aspects of the school curriculum.
- To foster an interest in camping and bushwalking and to develop an appreciation of the Australian outdoors.

They achieved it admirably.

How can you get Full Value for your Camping?

- Involve the participants as much as possible as early as possible in the process.
- Plan ahead and create opportunities for participation and involvement.
- In today's jargon, consider the time before, during and after the event as part of the 'window of opportunity'.
- Ensure the activities are appropriate for the age group and the duration of the camp.
- Be creative, brainstorm with other planners and leaders very early in the planning stage.
- Be clear about what you want to achieve for the campers.
- What we do before the event can shape, positively or negatively, the opportunities during and after the event.
- Think widely.
- Your wildest idea may be impractical and impossible but provide a springboard for more exciting ideas.