Overnight Camp for Class 5
Making Memories that Last a Lifetime
DAIS Primary School organized an action-packed overnight camp for Class 5 at school, to develop the students’ collaborative and interactive skills. The students spent the weekend on campus, interspersed with some challenging and fun activities.
The overnight stay kick-started with the children arriving on Saturday morning, looking enthusiastic and beaming with anticipation. The morning session began with the formation of groups and a brief introduction to the essential agreements to be followed. Just then all eyes were at the door when into the auditorium strolled Bollywood character actor Mr. Boman Irani. He engaged the students with an inspirational talk on his life’s journey, which was an interactive session. He spoke about some very relevant life skills and competencies that would help our young learners make informed choices, solve problems and communicate effectively.
The sumptuous lunch thereafter was followed by learning skills for outdoor living. Tent pitching and backpacking techniques were demonstrated and practiced by the students. All the activities were conducted in teams and points were awarded for time management and accuracy.
The next item on the day’s agenda was a surprise workshop by ace photographer Daboo Ratnani and Mrs. Ratnani. The workshop focused on the importance of light in photography and the connection between lighting and the mood of a photograph. Mr. Ratnani shared some valuable tips on how to take a good photograph and a selfie. Several group photographs were clicked, as children posed with their friends.
A quick snack break gave the students a breather before they geared up for a Treasure Hunt. The clues were placed around the campus and the children scrambled all over, attempting to track the treasure; a boxful of yummy treats. This challenging activity honed our learners’ exploration and problem-solving skills.
After the rigorous hunt, they watched the lowering of the national flag, a ceremonial routine practiced daily by the security of the school. Our Head of Security educated the learners about some Dos and Don’ts of this ritual. Popcorn and cookies rolled in as the sun set, readying the students for a fun session of Indian Games. To introduce our young learners to some local culture, we revived games like Kho-kho, Kabbadi and lagori. They soon mastered the technique and the campus reverberated with excited cries and squeals of laughter.
The students then freshened up and made their way to the cafeteria for a cake-cutting and dinner. At this point the children were making plans of staying awake through the night, little knowing that they would be asleep the moment their heads touched the pillow.
After dinner and a change into nightwear, we had a music session comprising of ‘antakshiri’ and an opportunity for the students to create music by reading notes. It was amazing to see how well the students could read the symbols of musical notation and create their own music using different instruments. It was soon time for a good night’s sleep and lights out!
Sunday began early with a Yoga session to improve mental focus and concentration. The whiff of a hot breakfast took all of us to the cafeteria to replenish our nutrient supply and boost energy levels and alertness.
Now that their tanks had been refueled, and after a speedy change into a fresh set of clothes, we had a session on collaboration and pen-mindedness by our SEN department. For this session, the students were required to cooperate with each other and accept varying points of view with respect.
Now, the children were ready for the highlight of the day- the Obstacle Course. Our P.E department designed a novel obstacle course for the children, to enhance and test their teamwork and physical fitness. These obstacles included tactical movements and skills involving climbing, crawling, swinging, and balancing. The time taken by each team to complete the course was recorded and points were awarded accordingly. It was a high-intensity workout for our youngsters who put in their best efforts, motivating their teammates to do the same.
As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end!”, so did our weekend stay. The children thanked all the departments of the school that contributed to the success of the event and finally bid farewell to their teachers and made their way home with their parents.
Camp Photo Album
