Katie's Pioneer Camp

This past week Katie went to a day camp at a neighboring city's nature center: "Re-Living Pioneer Life." Like I've written, she has been enamored with history lately (esp Little House books). She really wanted to do a day camp this summer, and as soon as she heard about this pioneer one, she was sold.

She had a BLAST at the camp! The teachers and helpers were very knowledgable and enthusiastic, and they didn't just show the kids about pioneer life, they made them DO everything themselves! Every afternoon when I picked Katie up, she talked a mile a minute about all the fun things she had done that day. She couldn't wait to go back the next morning. I was so excited, I wanted to go to pioneer camp, too!


On Friday, the kids could dress up in pioneer clothes if they wanted. I had already purchased this pioneer dress ($5 steal at the mom-to-mom sale at Katie's school), because I knew that she'd need it in 3rd grade. Part of the 3rd grade history curriculum includes spending a few days in a one room school house at the Rochester Hills museum, in costume. So here's little pioneer Katie!



On Friday, the parents came a little early to see the kids demonstrate their favorite pioneer activity. Katie chose fire-building! These kids built teepee, pyramid, and star fires, and the teachers lit the fires. The kids then showed how they scooped out the charcoal from the bottom of the fires to make a dutch oven on the side. They cooked peach cobbler for us today!



This girl is demonstrating writing with a turkey feather quill. The ink is made from boiling walnut shells in water.



This kid is making a lantern by nailing holes in a tin can.

This girl is weaving a placemat from cattail leaves.

This boy told us how they made strawberry jam. All week long they cooked/prepped food for a Thursday feast. They made strawberry jam, applesauce, biscuits, and beef stew, all prepped from scratch, and cooked on fires they started themselves. They made butter and ice cream, too.

This girl is showing how to make yarn from sheep's wool with a drop spindle. A woman came to demonstrate making yarn on a spinning wheel, but the kids just used the drop spindle.

Cute little pioneer Katie!

This boy is grinding corn into cornmeal.

This girl is showing us how to make a potpourri sachet with herbs and flowers.

Katie on the log cabin porch, showing us the corn separator machine.

Katie and the butter churn and butter press.

Katie on the bed, with trundle bed underneath. The mattresses were stuffed with straw. Did you know the meaning of the phrase "sleep tight?" It refers to hoping that the ropes holding your mattress up would hold tight all night long so you wouldn't sag down.

Katie loved the pioneer kids' toys and games.

These boys demonstrated lots of pioneer tools, including this saw. The kids got to cut logs with it earlier in the week!

At home, Katie showing off her pioneer creations: feather pen, soap carvings, tin can lantern with beeswax candle, marbles, marble bag, and potpourri sachet. She made all of these!

More creations: scroll with walnut ink, nametag, basket, and yarn. She made them all!

It was an amazing experience, as you can tell. We are going to do more day camps through this nature center in the coming years, for sure! I was so jealous of all that Katie got to do and learn!