Nowhere To Be
Outside of summer camp, everything is scheduled- school, football practice, clubs. One thing I have a new found appreciation for this summer is the time after supper ends and before the night activity begins. This hour or so, called After Supper Time, is carved out of the Huawni Schedule to give campers and counselors an opportunity to just hang out and spend time with one other. It’s unstructured play- kids playing and just being kids. Some After Supper favorites include playing at the new Tetherball Pole, joining in a pick up game at the Skillet, or sitting in a shady spot with some close friends, and enjoying that Shelby County Breeze.
This summer, my favorite thing to do has been to throw the football, baseball, or frisbee with campers. We laugh every time someone overthrows each other and we have to chase the ball, and cheer each other on when someone makes an impressive reach to grab the frisbee.
This is an hour where all of Camp comes together to play games of Gaga Ball or Hotshot, regardless what cabin they are in. This highlights what brings people back summer after summer, because they are getting to cultivate the Huawni relationships.
Having this time set aside for kids to pick what they want to do is important because it allows them to make their own choices and do what they enjoy doing. No one tells them they have to go from the Volleyball court, to the hammocks, and then to the Soccer Field but instead, they can decide if they want to bounce around or just sit on the Front Lawn with their cabin mates and talk. After Supper Time is fun getting to just be outside and run around with no agenda and no where to be!
What is your favorite way to spend this time?
