The Webster County Cooperative Extension office collaborated with Providence school to provide a Holiday Themed Day Camp for 50 kindergarten students featuring a craft project, physical activity and cooking lesson.  The Day Camp encouraged children to use their imagination and creativity. Working with their hands and creating crafts helps them develop fine motor skills and allowed them to express themselves artistically. This also enhanced their confidence when they completed their craft project. Crafting is one way to help young children improve their focus and patience as they follow instructions, work through steps, and see a project come together. These skills can be translated into other areas of their learning and development. The Day Camp provided physical activity where students danced through the Candy Cane forest which promoted gross motor development, coordination, and physical fitness. Students were also taught kitchen safety, and the importance of nutrition. Special emphasis was placed on hand washing.  The Holiday-themed program allowed the students to experience joy, excitement, and connection to other caring adults in the community. For many of the students this was their first experience with an organized event outside of their school, offering them opportunities to learn new things, make friends, and engage in new types of play and learning that might not be available otherwise. The Holiday themed day camp provided participants with personal, social, emotional, and physical benefits, all of which contribute to their overall development.

At the conclusion of the program one student stated “This was the most fun of my entire life.”