Conversation Starters: Best For You

Jeremiah 29:11 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Conversation Starters
How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together.

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Conversation Starters, Just for Parents, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Conversation Starter: Disobedience

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Conversation Starters
How can you keep this conversation going at home? Try bouncing some of these questions around at the dinner table, as you’re driving your kids to school or an activity, or even while you’re shopping together.

For Preschoolers:
Talk about how we all want things our way. Define disobedience. Explain that disobedience and wanting our way is not good. When we still try to get our own way, even when we’ve been told no, it makes God unhappy.

For Children:
Ask your child to remember a time when they disobeyed you. Explain that disobedience to God is called sin. We all sin, but forgiveness is available from God. Teach them to pray and confess their sins to God.

For Students:
Talk about times you rebelled against your parents or another authority. What were the consequences? Encourage your child to understand that sin is what separates man from God. Lead them to understand the necessity of confession and repentance.

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged 2 Chronicles 7:14, Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Conversation Starters, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Bird Feeder

Summertime is quickly approaching which can only mean one thing: campers will be here in just a few short weeks! The flowers are blooming, grass is green and the birds are chirping. We thought it would be a great idea to do a craft to get everyone in the summer spirit. This month’s craft is a homemade bird feeder.

Supplies:
– Tin can (soup can)
– Paint
– Paint brush(es)
– String, ribbon, twine
– Bird seed

Directions:
1. Grab an old soup can and wash it out really well. Make sure to peel off the label and try to get as much of the sticky residue off as you can.

2. Once the can is dry enough to paint, let your campers paint whatever they want! Parents, you can paint your own can and show off your creative side too! Enjoy this time with your kids. Make sure to let the first coat dry before you add decorations like stripes or polka dots.

3. You can either tie string, ribbon, or twine around the can to hang it or you can poke a hole in the bottom and tie string through it to make it more stable.

4. Scoop some bird seed into the can and make sure not to fill it too full.

5. Go outside and hang it from a tree branch. Enjoy watching the birds eat out of your new feeder!

We hope you enjoy this craft with your campers. Send us a picture of your new bird feeder on our Facebook page or to rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com. See you soon!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Summer | Leave a reply

Upcoming Summer

Well, it’s camp time once again!  We are so excited for the upcoming summer.  I’m sure that you, as parents, are excited as well for your child to be coming to camp.  For some of you, especially our first time families, you are probably feeling a little anxious, not knowing quite what to expect for your child, or how they will survive at camp without you.

Rest assured, they will make it through, and most of them will thrive in our camp community!  Camp is one of the few places where children can begin to learn a sense of independence, and learn that they can make it on their own for a brief time.  They also learn a sense of inter-dependence, building friendships with other campers from all over the country, all under the supervision of caring and loving young adults.  It will be difficult for some of you to leave your child with us, possibly being the first time you have ever separated for more than a night or two.   Realize that you are doing them a favor by providing them with the opportunity to rely on themselves, adults other than you, and God.

We are excited about what God has in store for each of our campers and staffers this summer.  Thank you for entrusting us with your children.  We look forward to their being with us soon!  God bless!

Ron Springs
Director, Ridgecrest Summer Camps

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Ron Springs, Summer | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Message Boards

It is finally starting to turn warmer here at camp! Flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are getting their leaves back. Spring only means one thing: it’s almost time for camp! We are excited that camp is right around the corner. Our first staffers will arrive in about two weeks.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself always looking for a place to write down a reminder to myself or a note to someone else. Sticky notes are great, but they are pretty small. I found these ideas on Pinterest the other day when I was researching message boards. They are both fairly easy and quick to make. There are tons of possibilities on how to decorate them. I’ll show you how I did it, but it would be fun to see how your campers decorate their own!

Supplies for Chalkboard Tray:
– Tray (Dollar Tree $1)
– Chalkboard paint (Joann $6.99)
– Any decorations you want to add (ribbon, bow, etc.)

The first step is to paint the tray, or you could use an old picture frame, with the chalkboard paint. You can tape off the area if you want or paint the whole thing. Let your campers be creative! I used black paint, but they sell all different colors or you could look up a recipe on how to make your own chalkboard paint!

You will want to make sure that the paint dries completely before adding decorations or trying to write on it. It took two coats for mine and I let it dry over night. I added a bow at the top but there are endless possibilities. You could also use stickers or paint your name on it.

Supplies for Magnet Board:
– Cookie sheet (old or new)
– Fabric
– Mod Podge

For this project you can use an old cookie sheet or you can buy a new one. You’ll want to make sure you don’t cut the fabric too small. You can either wrap the fabric around the whole cookie sheet or you can just put the fabric in the inside of it. I chose to glue it to the inside of it. If you want the cookie sheet edges to be a different color then go ahead and paint or spray paint the whole cookie sheet before you glue the fabric to it.

Once you have measured and know how you want it to look glue the fabric to the cookie sheet. I didn’t use adhesive spray because I had Mod Podge already. I used a foam brush and painted the Mod Podge on the inside of the cookie sheet. Again, there are tons of options for decorating this message board. You can add some cork board to the bottom of it so you can use push pins or you could use chalkboard paint to be able to write on it. Since cookie sheets are magnetic you can even use your camp bubble magnets!

Both of these are great options for a place to write notes to your family or reminders to yourself!  You can also add holes in the top and hang it on your camper’s bedroom door! Send us a picture of your camper’s message boards! We love to see your projects.

See you soon!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Easter Decorations

Can you believe it’s almost time for Easter? This winter has flown by here at camp. We’ve all been enjoying the warmer weather recently. The summer will be here before you know it! We hope you’re looking forward to it as much as we are!

When thinking about this month’s craft blog I knew I wanted to do something involving Easter since it’s only two weeks away. I have decided to do two different crafts to give you and your campers some ideas for Easter decorations. These crafts are both really fun and interactive. You might get a little messy, but that’s part of the fun! There is also a bonus at the end of the blog: a food idea!

Craft #1: Embroidery String Easter Egg

Supplies:
– Embroidery String
– Water or regular balloons
– Fabric Stiffener
– Plate or bowl
– Scissors

The first step is to blow up as many balloons as you want to use. The balloons need to be in the shape of an egg. You can make them as little or as big as you want. Little known fact about me: I cannot blow up balloons. So Matt blew up six balloons for me. You will want to cut the embroidery string into long pieces, around two or three feet in length. You can use different pieces on one balloon. You will want to pour the fabric stiffener onto a plate or bowl. I found it was easiest to use my fingers and put the fabric stiffener onto the string a few inches at a time and then wrap it around the balloon.

Wrap the string around the balloon in all different directions. Make sure the string around the balloon has plenty of fabric stiffener on it. Your hands will get really messy, but it comes off with water and soap or you can wait until it dries and peel it off. You can use one color or multiple colors. My first few I used different colored string, but I didn’t have enough fabric stiffener on it so it did not work well. Once you feel that the balloon is covered enough you can hang them up to dry. They take about an hour to dry completely.

Once the string is hard and the fabric stiffener has completely dried you can pop the balloon. You can pull the balloon pieces out through the wholes in the string. If the string collapses and does not hold the shape it means there is not enough fabric stiffener on it. My first two eggs collapsed and I had to start over. Once you’re all done and the balloons are popped they should look like colorful Easter eggs! You can put them in a basket or you could even hang them!

Craft #2: Easter Eggs Dyed with Kool-Aid

Supplies:
– Kool-Aid Packets (I used cherry, lemon-lime, orange, mixed berry, and a mixture of lemonade and peach mango)
– Hard Boiled Eggs
– Bowls with 2/3 cup of water

You will want to start with hard boiled eggs. I did some research and found that you can put eggs in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees and they will turn into hard boiled eggs! I put them in a muffin tin to keep them from rolling around. They will come out with little brown spots but after you soak them in water for 10 minutes they are back to white! Fill small cups or bowls with 2/3 cup of water and the complete packet of kool-aid. You can put the hard boiled egg in the dye for as long as you want. The longer it sits, the darker, more saturated they will be. My bowls weren’t deep enough so I spooned the kool-aid on top of the egg and turned it. It worked out well and completely covered the eggs.

The lemonade is not dark enough so I put half of the peach mango packet with it. The purple makes the egg a dark grayish color. You can experiment with the colors. I also decided to put a sticker on one egg and see if it would turn out well and it did! Be creative with this and let your kids get involved. Be careful because the kool-aid will stain your hands, especially the blue. You will not need any vinegar because the kool-aid is acidic so the color stays well on the eggs.

Bonus: Easter Cupcakes

Supplies:
– Cupcake mix
– Cupcake tins
– Cupcake liners
– Icing (or coconut – pictured below)
– M&M eggs

Make the cupcakes as directed on the back of the box. You can use any flavor you want. I went with the traditional yellow cake mix. When they are cooled you can either decorate the top with green icing or you can use colored green coconut with food coloring. I originally wanted to use coconut (in the picture), but changed my mind because I’m not a fan of the taste. I used regular green icing and tried to make it look like grass. The last step is to put the “eggs” on top to make it look like Easter eggs sitting in grass. You could also use Peeps or another candy as the eggs.

Let us know if you make the crafts or cupcakes! We would love to see pictures while your crafting or baking or pictures of the finished product! Send us other ways that you are decorating for Easter around your house or making Easter desserts. We hope you and your families have a great Easter!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts with Teeny: Chevron Frame

Happy day after Valentine’s day! So I have a confession: I am slightly obsessed with the chevron pattern. As I was trying to think about what craft I wanted to do next, I decided to combine my love for photos, camp and chevron and I came up with a chevron picture frame. Parents, it would be great for you to partner with your campers and do this craft with them! You can even use the time while you’re painting together to talk about camp and ask them what activities they’re excited about this coming summer. This craft is inexpensive, relatively clean, and full of possibilities!

Supplies:

• Wooden frame – $5
• Craft paint – $3.50
• Paint brush – $1
• Optional: ruler or card stock triangle – $1.50
• Optional: Krylon acrylic crystal clear spray – $3.99
• Picture of camp friends – priceless!

There aren’t rules to this project. I decided to go with the chevron pattern on mine, but you could do anything you want. Leave it up to your camper to decide what pattern they want to paint – or let them splatter paint it!

I cut out a triangle from card stock paper for the chevron pattern. I decided I did not want to use painters tape for the chevron pattern and have to deal with cutting each piece of tape. Instead, I traced the top of the triangle and moved it down the frame. I also used the ruler to make sure it was even in between each one. I know it won’t be perfect, but I want it to be fun and whimsical and besides, we’re not perfect around here!

Then I carefully started to paint in between the lines. The foam paint brushes make it easier since they have a straight edge. This is the tedious part but if you’re doing another pattern it might not take as long.

When you’re done painting, let it dry and then you can spray it with a clear finish to protect it and make it glossy. I decided that I like the rustic look since it’s a wooden frame and I opted out of spraying it with a clear finish. The last step is to put a picture of your camp friends in the frame!

For around $10 you can create a custom picture frame! I’d love to see what patterns you or your campers choose to paint. You can send pictures to rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com or you can post it to our Facebook pages!

Make sure to check out my next craft on March 15^th!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Crafts with Teeny, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

Crafts With Teeny: Bubble Magnets

Hello parents, campers, and friends! I was recently asked to start doing a monthly craft blog. Of course I was excited about this opportunity. I love crafting, being crafty and anything with the word craft in it! This is my first blog and I am excited to share it with you. I will be doing a new craft the third Friday of every month. This first one is called “Bubble Magnets” and I am using the camps’ logos in different colors to make them! I typically find all of my ideas on Pinterest. I have created a PDF with both the Crestridge and Ridgecrest logos, in seven different colors. You can find this PDF here. I have made the size according to the small, clear “gems” or glass rocks.

You will need:

–          Camp Logos – or you can use scrapbook paper, magazines, pictures, anything!
–          Glass rocks/gems
–          Mod Podge – or you can use a mixture of ½ glue ½ water
–          Magnets
–          Scissors
–          Paint brush

First you need to print out the PDF with the logos. Shown in the picture above.

Then you need to take a glass rock and place it on top of the color logo you want to use. Trace around the glass rock and cut the logo out. You will need to do this for each glass rock since they are not all alike.

Then paint some Mod Podge (or glue mixture) on the flat side of the rock. Place the cut out logo on top of the Mod Podge and press down carefully. If you press too hard, it might rip the paper. Set that aside and let it dry. It should only take a few minutes. In the meantime… trace, cut and Mod Podge more logos!

Once it is completely dry you can put the magnets on the back. I used magnetic strips so I had to cut it to the size of the rock and used the adhesive back.  You can also use the round magnets you find at any craft store and you can just glue them to the back. Once the magnet is on paint more Mod Podge around it (not over it) to seal the edges of the paper. Make sure the adhesive has enough time to stick before you try and put it on your fridge!

Once it’s dry and the magnet has adhered you can put it on your fridge! I have also tried this with scrapbook paper and they turn out really cute. Let me know if you make these and how they turned out! Don’t forget to check back next month for a new craft!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Pinterest, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Teeny Crafts | Leave a reply

Local News Correction: Not Camp Ridgecrest for Boys!

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge, Camp Ridgecrest, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, LifeWay Christian Resources, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply

10 Summer Camp Prep Tips!

Parents!

Summer is just around the corner! As you get ready to send your camper for the best few weeks of their year, we would like for you to keep a few things in mind. Below are 2 videos that provide you with 10 excellent tips that will help you and your camper prepare for their stay at Camp Ridgecrest for Boys or Camp Crestridge for Girls. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to call us or shoot us a quick email. Thanks again, and we look forward to seeing you soon!   800-968-1630 or rscamps@ridgecrestcamps.com

Ron, Phil and Sharon

Part 1:

Part 2:

We hope that this was helpful! We look forward to seeing you soon…

Posted in Just For Parents | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, parents, Preparing for Camp, Ridgecrest Summer Camps | Leave a reply