Jun 29, 2018
Ranch Camp-Opoly
Session 2, Day 5
It was another hot day here at Ranch Camp. Though the energy here is always high, the heat can be exhausting, so to give everyone a reprieve, this morning was a late wake-up. This was especially exciting for the Metapsim unit, who had camped out the night before. Instead of meeting for degel at 7:45, breakfast began at 8:30, giving everyone the extra hour of rest that they needed.
Instead of the cabin time that is usually had after breakfast, campers went from the Chad (or dining hall) directly to their tracks. The outdoor adventure track walked down to the ropes course while the sports track took the trek to the sports field, and the arts and culture track went to the Mo to work on the musical.
Like yesterday, the temperature was extreme, and by the afternoon everyone was worn out from all the fun had in the morning. After another extended Menucha, the camp dispersed to more water activities. The pool and slip n’ slide were still open, but some more beat-the-heat had been added as well. On the sports field, campers engaged in a friendly water balloon fight or tried out a water balloon catapult before a game of water kickball began. Instead of the regular bases, players had to jump into kiddie pools before being deemed safe from being tagged.
By the time dinner rolled around, everyone was rejuvenated, recovered from the heat, and ready for the evening program. The activity was Ranch Camp-Opoly, new to camp last year, and one that the kids instantly loved. Each cabin was given a map of Ranch Camp turned into a Monopoly board, and tasked with a scavenger hunt. They were looking not for objects but for people, staff members hidden in various locations around the campus, each with a different Monopoly piece. Cabins got points for each piece collected, and prizes for each group of three pieces that all belonged to the same category. Once they had earned three, they brought their pieces to exchange for the prizes: cookies, pretzels, M&Ms, and fruit roll-ups, depending on which pieces they had.
The day was long, and by the time the sun set, everyone was ready for bed. The entire camp slept soundly, tuckered out but satisfied, proud of everything they had done that day – the activities they tried for the first time, the friends they are making, and the knowledge that each new day at camp will bring opportunities for the same.