Schedule:
9 am - Wand Making
10 am - Wizard Hats
11 am - Children's Filk Concert
11:30 - Origami Owls
Noon - lunch/free play time
12:30 pm - Shrinky Dink Badges
2 pm - Making Capes
3 pm - "Wild about Harry" Book Discussion
4 pm - "Name the Flavor" contest
4:30 - Dementor Tag
5 pm - Animagus Paper Plate Masks
Supplementary Activities:
Potions
Transfiguration
Care of Magical Creatures
Study Hall
Children were able to pick paper House badges out of a hat when they came in, and these were pinned on with safety pins.
The craft activities took place at a long rectangular table.
Wand Making:
Inger was responsible for this activity. We expected to have ordinary eating-style chopsticks, but instead we found that the long serving chopsticks were cheaper (and more impressive-looking). The kids were able to use glue and fancy yarn to wrap the “handle” of the wand. Glitter glue and sequins were used as additional decoration, as well as faux jewels attached by hot glue gun by an adult. The kids (and adults) really enjoyed this.
Wizard Hats:
Cee was responsible for this activity. Unable to find plain birthday hats, we bought the cheapest possible birthday hats and spray-painted them black. These were decorated using some of the materials used for the wands, as well as office supply star stickers and dot stickers. The kids enjoyed this (especially the stickers).
Children’s Filk Concert:
This was performed by Per (the Wizard Wickersham). He only had one Harry Potter song, and only a few of the kids were interested in the concert at all. But those who watched (including the grown-ups) seemed to enjoy themselves.
Origami Owls:
Cee was responsible for this activity. We cut brown and black construction paper into exact squares using a paper cutter. The construction paper was a bit thick for the task, and some of the steps were a bit difficult to decipher from the instructions, but everyone wanted to make one.
Shrinky Dink Badges:
Steve was responsible for this activity. We used colored pencils to trace House badges and other designs onto Shrinky Dink plastic, which was shrunk in a toaster oven. Finished items were turned into badge pins or keychains using accessories for that purpose. The adults really seemed to enjoy this activity, even more so than the kids.
Making Capes:
Inger was responsible for this activity. We used various fabrics, in pieces about 1 yard square. One end was folded over, then slits cut in the folded section, and yarn threaded through the slits to gather the top of the cape. The kids really got into this activity.
“Wild About Harry” Book Discussion:
Tina was in charge of this activity. The activity was original scheduled because at the previous year’s Harry Potter panel, the adults wanted to discuss deeper subjects, while the children were more interested in lighter details. However, not many children were actually interested in this activity. In the end, Tina used a Harry Potter trivia book to engage the kids.
“Name the Flavor” Contest:
Tina was in charge of this activity. Kids were to guess the flavors of Bertie Botts beans. The ones who guessed the most flavors correctly received small prizes, and everyone got a medal for competing. The kids really liked this.
Dementor Tag:
Cee was in charge of this activity. We had to clear away the supplementary activity tables in order to have room for this, but it was near the end of the day, so that wasn’t a problem. This variety of tag has so many different names, I will just describe the rules. One (or two) players are the dementors, and they stand in the middle of the room. When the dementor yells “Go!” the rest of the players attempt to run from one side of the room to the other without being tagged. A player who is tagged by a dementor is “frozen” and must sit down in the spot they were tagged. Frozen players may be freed by other untagged players who tag them while yelling “Expecto Patronum.” When all the players are frozen, the last player frozen becomes the new dementor. The kids really got a kick out of this, especially at the end of the day and after the sugar high of the bean contest.
Animagus Paper Plate Masks:
Cee was in charge of this activity. Using plain paper plates, we cut the masks to an appropriate shape for the desired animal, including eyes. Then the kids used strong glue sticks to attach bits of leather, fake fur or feathers. A piece of elastic was fastened to the sides of the mask to make them possible to wear. Only a couple of kids were up to this activity by the time we did it. Probably more would have been interested earlier in the day.
Most supplementary activities were set up at round tables. These activities were available for the kids to do at any time, either after completing a craft project or instead of a craft project. Cee was responsible for all supplementary activities.
Potions:
This was the single most time-consuming area to prepare, but it was worth it. We used small jars and jugs purchased at a thrift store to hold the potion ingredients. (These were all washed and sterilized with bleach prior to the activity.) For potion ingredients we used soda pop, liquid candies and powdered candies. Some of these were put into the containers and labeled. Others were simply labeled in their original containers, as this was more feasible. We purchased molcajete-style salsa bowls—these make very good cauldrons. We also purchased the most interesting-looking spoons we could find at the thrift store to use as stirring spoons and measuring spoons. Small measuring cups (under ½ cup size) were used for measuring the soda pop. We made Potions booklets with recipes using the ingredients we had. We provided plastic straws for tasting/drinking the potions. On a regular basis, we washed the cauldrons and spoons in a nearby bathroom.
The ingredients:
erumpent fluid—lemon-lime soda
armadillo bile—cola
bubotuber pus—cherry gel candy
rat spleens—liquid-filled gummis
puffer-fish eyes—small candy pellets
powdered dragon claws—strawberry pop rocks
powdered dragon horn—cherry-flavored pixy-stix powder and fun dip powder
powdered unicorn horn—grape-flavored pixy-stix powder and fun dip powder
powdered moonstone—raspberry/apple-flavored pixy-stix and fun dip powder
powdered sneezwort—orange-flavored pixy-stix powder
acromantula venom—citrus-flavored liquid candy drops
dragon’s blood—cherry-flavored liquid candy drops
salamander blood—apple-flavored liquid candy drops
leech juice—sour candy spray
The recipes (these may be used with permission only: email verity at mindspring dot com):
Supergrowth Solution
1. In your cauldron place 1 small measure of erumpent fluid.
2. Add 1 small blob of bubotuber pus. Stir clockwise 20 times.
3. Cut open rat spleens and squeeze juice into potion. Stir counterclockwise 20 times.
4. Add dash of powdered dragon claws. Alternate stirring directions 10 times.
5. Add no more than 10 puffer-fish eyes. Stir until dissolved.
Strengthening Solution
1. In your cauldron place 1/2 measure of erumpent fluid.
2. Add spoonful of powdered dragon horn. Stir 5 times counterclockwise.
3. Add spoonful of powdered unicorn horn. Stir 5 times clockwise.
4. Add 2 drops acromantula venom. Let simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add a dash of leech juice. Stir 10 times clockwise.
Pepper-up Potion
1. Cut open 1 rat spleen. Squeeze juice into cauldron.
2. Add dash of powdered dragon horn. Stir 7 times clockwise.
3. Add dash of powdered sneezewort. Stir 7 times counterclockwise.
4. Add 1 measure erumpent fluid slowly. Stir 3 times clockwise, once counter-clockwise. Repeat 4 times.
Sleeping Solution
1. In your cauldron place 1 measure erumpent fluid. Stir 4 times.
2. Add dash of powdered moonstone. Stir 14 times clockwise.
3. Add 1 drop dragon's blood. Simmer 1 minute.
4. Add 1 drop acromantula venom. Simmer 1 minute. Stir 3 times counterclockwise.
Armoring Elixir
1. In your cauldron place 1 measure of armadillo bile.
2. Add two drops dragon's blood. Simmer 4 minutes.
3. Add two dashes powdered dragon horn. Stir counter-clockwise for 3 minutes.
4. Add dash of powdered dragon claws. Let simmer 2 minutes. Stir clockwise1 minute.
Joyful Juice
1. In your cauldron place 1/2 measure of erumpent fluid.
2. Add 1 spoonful powdered unicorn horn. Stir 5 times clockwise. Stir 4 times in a figure-eight. Stir 6 times counterclockwise.
3. Add about 20 puffer-fish eyes, one at a time. Stir once clockwise between each.
Popularity Potion
1. In your cauldron place 1/2 measure of armadillo bile.
2. Add dash of powdered moonstone. Stir 8 times in figure-eight pattern.
3. Add 2 drops salamander blood. Let simmer 2 minutes. Stir 4 times in figure-eight.
4. Add dash of powdered dragon claws. Let simmer 1 minute. Stir 2 times in figure-eight.
Invisibility Potion
1. In your cauldron place 1 measure armadillo bile.
2. Add 1 1/2 spoons of powdered unicorn horn. Stir 6 times clockwise. Stir once counterclockwise. Repeat 3 times.
3. Add 1 drop salamander blood. Simmer 2 minutes. Stir 3 times clockwise. Stir 3 times counterclockwise. Stir once clockwise.
Energizing Elixir
1. In your cauldron place 1/2 measure of armadillo bile.
2. Add 1 spoon of powdered dragon horn. Stir 4 times counterclockwise.
3. Add 2 small blobs of bubotuber pus. Stir 14 times clockwise. Simmer 2 minutes.
4. Add a dash of leech juice. Simmer 1 minute.
Swelling Solution
1. In your cauldron place 1/2 spoon of puffer-fish eyes. Crush eyes against side of cauldron.
2. Add 1/2 spoon powdered sneezewort. Blend together carefully.
3. Slowly add 1 measure of armadillo bile. Stir 10 times clockwise.
4. Add 1 drop acromantula venom. Stir 10 times counterclockwise.
Much to my surprise, the kids actually followed the recipes, and really seemed to get a kick out of doing so. Not everyone wanted to taste their potions, however. This was certainly the most popular activity of the Day Camp.
Transfiguration: In the interest of both saving money and causing less mess, we made salt dough for this activity. This was not a very popular activity. Maybe different colors of dough or molding tools would have made it more interesting.
Care of Magical Creatures: This was set up in a corner as a reading area. Various large pillows were placed around a low table with around ten books on magical and mythical creatures checked out from the library. This was not a very popular activity, although during the middle of the day some children looked at the books. I think the lack of interest was a result of more exciting activities going on with enough room at the tables to accommodate all the kids who wanted to do them. This would probably have been more popular if there had been more children who wanted some “down time.”
Study Hall: We printed out Harry Potter-oriented coloring pages and activity sheets and provided pencils and crayons. Some kids, especially those young enough not to be interested in the crafts, took part in this activity (usually assisted by parents). We still had many, many sheets left over.
Some overall comments: We expected between ten and twenty children, but most of the time there were between five and ten children in the room. I think that some of the less-used activities might have been more used if there had been more children present. Most of the children present were under the age of ten, and many of these had a parent present for much of the time. Several children on the older end of this range came and went as they pleased, based on what activities interested them. We had no discipline problems. All the children (and most of the grown-ups) seemed to have a really good time.
Our Rules:
- The day camp is geared mainly toward children ages 5 to 10. Children age 4 and under must have a parent present to supervise them at all times.
- Children between the ages of 5 and 8 *must* be checked in by a parent and will only be released to a person approved by the parent who checks the child in. If you have a cell phone, please leave us your number. (We used bright-colored plastic “event bands” to keep track of children who were checked in, however, very few children were, since most had parents present or were old enough to come and go freely.)
- However...WE ARE NOT A BABYSITTING SERVICE! We expect parents to check in regularly (each hour is desirable, especially for younger children) to make sure their child is doing ok, to make sure their child gets something good to eat during the day, and to pick up their child promptly at the end of the day camp (6 pm). All children remaining in the room at 6:20 will be turned over to Con security.
- Children between the ages of 8 and 12 *may* be checked in by their parent, in which case they will only be released to an approved person. The same caveat about babysitting applies. Children between the ages of 8 and 12 WHO ARE NOT CHECKED IN by a parent may come and go on their own recognizance. WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM IF THEY LEAVE THE ROOM!
- Children over the age of 12 are free to come and go on their own recognizance. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM WHEN THEY LEAVE THE ROOM! Children over the age of 12 MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE if their presence is disruptive to activities or other children.