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March 23rd, 2012 by: Pete-V
Hey all -
It’s (the other) Pete with a cool craft project that just about anyone can do. I wanted to write today about all of the cool stuff I do with my iPad, because I use it every single day. I realized, however, that sometimes I need a stylus to draw or write notes and a good stylus can be expensive. Sure, you *could* find a stylus for $5, but what happens when you lose it? I’ve lost several (unfortunately) which is why I create my own!
In the future, I’ll share with you all of the applications I use on my iPad, but for now, let’s create a stylus!
First, you need some materials…
I like to use a Sharpie marker, because it has a good weight and thickness. You can use basically any pen or marker – be creative!
A good pair of scissors will help make everything nice and tidy.
I have a lot of aluminum foil – you just need a little tiny rectangle (much less than shown here!)
Tape will hold everything together. I used two types of tape – first, the iD green wall tape because I like the way it looks. Unfortunately, that didn’t stick well enough for the tip, so I included some colored duct tape.
The most important ingredient is the 3M O-Cel-O sponge. These sponges are conductive, which means that they will will work with any capacitive screen (like an iPad, iPhone or almost all multi-touch devices) as long as they are in contact with your finger.
Step 1 - Wrap a small piece of foil around the marker. Leave room for the tape to have contact with the actual marker surface and leave a little additional foil hanging over the end.
Step 2 - Cut three piece of tape about the same length. They should each be long enough to circle the marker at least once.
Step 3 - Starting at the end of the marker and make a tight wrap using the tape.
Step 4 - Repeat with a second wrap slightly farther in. MAKE SURE that a little bit of the foil is exposed!
Step 5 - Complete the wrap toward the top of the marker. Again, a little piece of foil needs to be exposed!
Step 6 - Crunch the extra foil around the back of the marker.
Step 7 - Cut out the corner of one of the sponges. The longest side should be about 2 – 3 inches long.
Step 8 - If the sponge has a back, remove it!
Step 10 - Get some heavy duty tape (like duct tape) because this is the hardest step!!!
Step 11 - Cut a piece of tape so it will go around the marker at least twice. Rip the tape down the middle if it’s wide (like duct tape).
Step 12 - This is the hardest part – hold the sponge piece so the widest part of the triangle is sitting on the end of the marker. Squish the sponge down onto the marker (essentially covering two sides) and tightly wrap the duct tape around the sponge, working down the marker to the end of the first piece of tape – still not covering the foil!
Step 13 - Look at your beautiful new stylus! It needs a little help, though…
Step 14 - Give your stylus a little shape using the scissors – don’t cut too much off! Just try to have a pronounced tip.
Step 15 - Test it out!
Step 16 - Doodle something cool!
March 23rd, 2012 | Tags: android, apps for drawing, computer camps, computer camps for students, craft projects, flash animation camps, ipad, ipad app, iphone, notes, productivity, stylus, summer camp, video Game creation
Posted in: do something BIG, iD Tech Bloggers, Summer Camps
March 15th, 2012 by: Josh
Hello all, and greetings from iD Tech 365! Last month at iD Tech 365 we had a “Villain Symposium”! We asked ‘365 members to come up with ideas for video game villains and then share those ideas on our forums. Well, the ideas were so cool that we just couldn’t resist getting them all drawn up by an artist! You can see the result below – be sure to read the descriptions underneath the image; these guys are creative!
1: From member Sabretooth: A massive cyplops, buried completely underground except for his single massive eye. When left alone, he will camoflauge with his surroundings, leaving only a faint blur. As soon as an adventurer awakens him by hitting him, he will suddenly open his eye wide and become fully visible and opaque. He will then reach his hand out of the earth directly underneath you and constrict you, lift his head higher so his terrifying mouth is revealed and wide open, then slowly pull you in. You will have no hope… Or so it may seem.
2: From member techguy100: I think a lava shooting, evil, powerful machine gun with orange poisonous teeth, scary shooting-fire head, and a time warping body would make the BEST GAME VILLAIN EVER!!!!!!!!
3: From member DCZ802: But on a more realistic note probably a mysterious figure with a Black cloak that can levitate,use elemental magic (i.e Terrain Morphing), and can a change forms.
4: From member DCZ802: A giant Taco that shoots hot sauce
5: From member ArmedPenguin: I think a good boss would be a combination of all the internet meme/rage comic faces (Me Gusta, etc.) with a head that rotates to the different faces where each would have a different ability.
6: From member fall: I think a molten lava man whith blocks inside him that can form into a body, or any weapon of his choice. would make a good villain
7: From member Alfe.taco: How about a guy in a black cloak and a magical staff tied to his back along with white pants and shirt and mask and his name is Moon Light. When you first encounter him he comes behind you and knocks you to trhe ground but you can not see him. Whenever you take away 1/4 of his health half his shirt goes black and says, “Tonight the darkness grows stronger!” Whenever his health is half gone, 1/4 of his pants go black and says, “FOOL! You are only making the darkness even stronger!” When his health is 3/4ths of the way gone he goes completely black and the sky or room goes back and Yells, “YAEWAY, SAVE ME!!!!” Once you defeate him he becomes all white.
8: From member le_Derperson: He is a evil dolphin conman named Henrich Trumpelstiltskin the Eighth. He has a handlebar mustache and a pixie dust bedazzled tuxedo. His weapon is a gun that shoots chihuahua tears. Oh, and he’s pregnant.
9: From member lasagna99: I think a person with goggles and a machine gun as a arm would be a good villain.
This month, we are having a complimentary “Hero Symposium”! Who knows, maybe we’ll get those “iDeas” drawn up as well…
You should sign-up for iD Tech 365 today and join the fun!
March 15th, 2012
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers
March 15th, 2012 by: Donna
This Saturday, millions of people around the world will celebrate March 17 in a big way: It’s Saint Patrick’s Day! What comes to mind when you think of St. Patrick’s Day? Perhaps visions of leprechauns, four leaf clovers, lucky charms, rainbows, gold and candy swirl through your brain. Millions sport green outfits. Have you ever been curious as to where these traditions began? Well, you’re in luck! With all of the technology available today, the answers are just waiting to be found (no need to follow the rainbow); they’re right at your fingertips! Read on to learn more about this day and how – with the help of technology – it has evolved through the years.
Saint Patrick’s Day is a cultural and religious holiday that is recognized as a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador, and in Montserrat. Born in Britain (not Ireland) in the year 387, Patrick was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken to Ireland at the age of 16. He escaped a few years later, but soon returned to Ireland as a Bishop, introducing Christianity as an alternative to Ireland’s native polytheism.
Although Irish in origin, Saint Patrick’s Day is now celebrated worldwide. In the United States, it’s not a legal holiday but is celebrated nonetheless by wearing green, eating Irish food like corned beef, and even attending local events and parades. According to the U.S. Census, 34.7 million U.S. residents claim Irish ancestry, but nearly 122 million Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in some way! Given its popularity, it’s not hard to understand why this is the most widely celebrated saint’s day in the world (easily passing up Valentine’s Day).
We’ve come a long way from simple parades and feasts. Technology now allows us to do some pretty amazing things to celebrate the day in a BIG way. In previous years, landmarks like the Empire State Building, the Chicago River, and the White House Fountain, below, were all seeing green. If you live nearby, make sure to check them out this Saturday! We also have New York summer camps, Chicago camps and camps in DC – if you want to learn on a real university campus in one of these areas this summer!
Even if you aren’t going out to celebrate this holiday, technology has you covered. You can check out this St. Patrick’s Day Quiz app or this fun St. Patrick’s Day infographic from history.com – you’re sure to learn something new. Or, for a guaranteed laugh, you can add your face to this app and watch yourself (or your best friend, or even your pet!) dance around with music. Intrigued? We’ve got you covered! Be sure to check out our programming camps to learn how to develop your own apps.
Wishing you an iD Green St. Patrick’s Day!
Sources:
St. Patrick’s Day By the Numbers. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 2:59, March 13, 2012, from http://www.history.com/interactives/st-patricks-day-by-the-numbers.
St. Patrick’s Day. (2012). The History Channel website. Retrieved 2:48, March 13, 2012, from http://www.history.com/photos/st-patricks-day.
March 15th, 2012 | Tags: camps in DC, chicago camps, New York summer camps, st. patrick's day, St. Patrick's Day apps, st. patty's day
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers, iD Tech Camps
March 9th, 2012 by: Pete-V
My friend Gordon was obsessed with film when we were in high school. He even taught himself German so he could watch “the best cinema ever made” (no, I’m not kidding). Naturally, he went on to study film, as anyone that obsessed does, and is currently “working in the industry” (read: making money) as well as teaching. Good for him!
Anyway, a while back, when he was a passionate college student (as opposed to a passionate college graduate) he brought this interesting problem to my attention. There are hundreds of films that degrade into nothingness every year. The chemicals used to create the film, plus the actual material that the film is capture on, begin to decay, particularly when not kept in perfect conditions. Computer folks are totally aware of this problem – we know that anything magnetic, such as old floppy disks or even standard hard drives, have a definite shelf life. Even optical discs (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays) do not last forever. The safe way to backup data is combining redundancy with off-site backups (read: “the cloud”).
The film archival issue is something that Martin Scorsese (a possible mentor of Gordon, I never asked) has taken to heart. He’s been working for years to preserve these old films so they don’t disappear. Why is this important? Well, part of it is simply our cultural history – it’s what the entire film industry was built upon. But the films that are potentially lost are not just old unknowns – some of the pivotal works of the 20th century are at risk. One could argue that we have all of those captured on DVD, but that’s almost equivalent to saying that we took a picture of the Mona Lisa, so therefore the actual painting is unnecessary. Almost.
I didn’t log on this morning to rant about films, however. The folks that are obsessed with the preservation movement have decent momentum and funding at the moment. I am concerned about an entirely different problem: the disappearance of MMOs.
I’ve been thinking about this problem for years – actually, ever since the Imagination Network (INN / TSN) shut down. One of the first graphical MMOs was there – Yserbius. This basic dungeon crawler was captivating and a glimpse, if small and blocky, of what the future held. Then the system shut down: the Internet came along and crushed it. And Yserbius was gone. More recently, Lego Universe met a similar fate. The game was out for roughly a year and then disappeared, presumably forever.
There are a couple of major problems with the death of MMOs – one is the selfish idea that the game can never be truly experienced again without the mass of people. In the case of Yserbius, that’s totally fine – the game had gone on long enough. There were other games, like Everquest, that needed to be played. Lego Universe, however, was still a baby when the servers were shut down. There was story that there will never be told properly. But this is mainly a gamer’s complaint – the truth is that games fail all the time, as do consoles. No one really bemoans the death of the Virtual Boy anymore.
The second major problem with MMO closings is that as opposed to other games, MMOs generally cannot be played without an official server – meaning that once it’s dead, it’s dead (unless you hack, break laws, etc). The work that goes into creating an MMO is then lost to the public, and MMOs tend to be the largest scale and most detailed games that exist. Think about it – hundreds of artists have worked on World of Warcraft to make every detail perfect from every angle. They know that players will crawl over every inch, so every structure, every threat, every mountain needs to be perfect. If you play a modern MMO, you’ll notice that the buildings tend to have an unbelievable level of detail. All of that hard work is lost when an MMO is no longer playable. That represents hundreds of hours of labor from skilled 3D artists, designers, and coders. But that’s just a small group comparatively…
The real issue does not affect every MMO – only a handful of current ones and likely all of the future ones. Games of the future allow users to have a greater level of control, so much so that the users define the environment. In Lego Universe, this control was limited to a personal plot of land, but imagine when games like Minecraft merge with the most popular MMOs. Every piece of land will be alterable. Every castle, fortress, town, city, everything(!) will be made by the users. Sure, the game designs will curate an experience, but there will be enough openness to the system that everyone will have a hand in creating the world. And that is a beautiful concept.
I’m going to ignore all of the problems that occur as a result of a completely open architecture. I know that some of those problems have already been solved by pioneers in the space, like Second Life. Instead, I would like to focus on the creative force of thousands of people banding together with a single goal in mind – and being given the tools that allow them to shape their imagination. This MMO isn’t a fantasy, it’s an eventuality. Minecraft (obviously an obsession of mine) is a clear example of what “could” be, and in some ways of what “will” be.
I know I’ve ranted a bit in this post, it’s my natural tendency when I’m a little excited about an idea. So here’s the idea: Let’s create a single place for all of the abandoned MMOs. We need to start now, so we don’t lose the server codes or interest. Perhaps each of the “worlds” can exist in a single “galaxy” that the players can navigate through. Or perhaps they can stitch together, so one can travel from Ultima Online into Everquest into Everquest 2 and into Lego Universe. These worlds shouldn’t be lost in time! And if we join them all together, there will likely be enough players to keep the worlds feeling alive like they once were, or as they meant to be.
Let me leave you with a thought: I played World of Warcraft years and years ago. I even started up again after a long hiatus. I know that the game has changed significantly since I was there, so please correct me in the comments if I am wrong. What would happen if the world changed slightly for every user that visited? What if every user impacted the quests, or left a trail? What if you could see every step that had been made throughout the land and the mountains bore the wear of the mounts that conquered them? When I was young, I played Oregon Trail from a 5.25 floppy disk at school. Everyone that had died left a goofy saying on their gravestone and all of the gravestones stayed forever on that disk. The disk was a memorial of past experiences and a motivation for future ones. Preserved memories seem to do that and in the end can be absolutely worthwhile.
March 9th, 2012 | Tags: 3d game camps, 3D game design, digital video, game archival, game design, gaming camps, Lego Universe, Minecraft, MMO, MMO design, video archival, video archiving, World of Warcraft
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers, iD Tech Camps
March 1st, 2012 by: Donna
It takes great people to run great camps. Since we are constantly implementing new courses, programs and more in order to continue making our camps the best they can be, it seemed only right to do the same for our people. Enter: iD LIFE! This isn’t just your average corporate wellness program. To get more details about this exciting new endeavor, I picked the brains of our lovely ladies in Human Resources – Kate and Allison. Read on to see all of the cool things in store for our corporate team – and how that will translate positively to our campers, local communities, and beyond.
When was the program officially implemented?
iD LIFE officially started February 1, 2012.
What spurred on the implementation of the program?
We found that most of our employees were already doing things in an effort to be “well”. However, some were finding it difficult to stay motivated, or they were bored with their routine, or were facing some other challenge. As a family-oriented company, we believe it is important to support your employees in their goals both work-related and otherwise. This seemed like an area where we could both help our individual team members and help the iD family as a whole. The program will address and help people overcome challenges that are faced on the road to a healthy lifestyle by providing knowledge, opportunity and encouragement.
What are the goals of the program?
There are so many! In short, we want to build a workplace that encourages our team to practice a healthier lifestyle, both mentally and physically, while also supporting the environment and our community. It is our hope that in turn, it will make our team stronger and iD a more fulfilling place to work.
What, if anything, makes this corporate program unique from others?
Our development team put together a customized “ticket” tracking website for the program. It allows employees to track their “tickets” earned, as well as their progress on a road to a healthier life. We believe that by making it easy for employees to track their wellness activities, they will be more encouraged to participate. It even has fun facts and stats on the program for the members to check out.
We are also putting together a cookbook that will be a compilation of healthy recipes submitted by program participants. Each iD LIFE member will receive a copy of the cookbook at the end of our inaugural year!
What types of things are offered to participants through iD LIFE?
Besides general wellness tips, we will also be putting together events for our team to participate in, such as the Campbell Valentine’s Day Fun Run [which took place a few weeks ago – see photos, below].
Employees will also be eligible for great prizes, like gift cards and wellness-related gift baskets, should they choose to take part in the program. We feel employees should be rewarded for committing to a healthy lifestyle!
How has the employee response been to the program so far?
The team has been very receptive. Just the other day we had an instructor come in and lead an in-office yoga class tailored to people who work in offices and tend to sit all day. Everyone was excited for the chance to take a break and work out the kinks!
How do you think this program will benefit iD employees and in turn, our campers?
As a company, if we are practicing a lifestyle based on wellness – both personal and environmental – we are setting a good example for the kids at camp. Healthy and “green” behaviors should start at an early age and be maintained throughout life. Balance is important; it is fun to play outdoors or volunteer in your community.
We also feel that healthy employees are happy employees. It is our belief that happy employees are a critical component to creating a fun and rewarding environment for our campers.
March 1st, 2012 | Tags: campbell camp, computer camps, family camps, family-run camps, outdoor camps
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers, iD Tech Camps
February 23rd, 2012 by: Pete-V
I told a college class an awful truth today – there are no new ideas. It sounds awful, but it’s very likely to be true. Every idea that can be thought has probably been thought, maybe not in the context of the contemporary world or even in a meaningful or relevant way, but it has been thought.
Some of these ideas have been spoken. Perhaps many of them. I have several friends that speak ideas to me just about every time I see them. They know I like computers and games, so therefore I can solve all of the world’s problems for them.
In “Homer Bad Man,” one of my favorite Simpson’s episodes, he meets a graduate student and says, “How come you guys can go to the moon but you can’t make my shoes smell good?”
I always think about this when someone comes to me with an idea – it’s as if the idea was the hard part of the equation. They should make a game that does “X” (and “X” is normally some combination of existing games mixed with a bit of displeasure toward the current gaming market). Such as, “They should make a game that is just complete, you know, with no bugs like Skyrim. And no DLC. A great game would be Skyrim, mixed with SSX, but without any bugs.”
Yup. You’ve solved the world’s problems with that idea. The hard part is over, right?
Author Neil Gaiman has a great post about ideas. He says an idea is just part of the whole. The essay mainly speaks to writing stories, but the same can be said about any of the creative professions – in particular, the kind of work that is done at iD.
The reason I bring this up is because everyone who takes a class at iD will someday be put in the situation of an idea-pusher trying to faux collaborate. You see, idea-pushers are the ones that hear you know how to make “apps” and think that they know exactly what the market is missing. What they don’t realize is that most people who know how to program apps or games, take pictures, create films, make websites or even robots, are not in need of ideas. These creators have imaginations of their own. They play the same games, experience the same troubles with their iPhones or have a long list of movie ideas that they daydream about and refine with each passing day.
Idea-pushers don’t understand this. They start conversations with, “I have an app idea…” or “Wouldn’t it be great if an app could…” without any knowledge about how difficult it is to create such a product. Not only that, but the pusher will also make the horrible presumption that they somehow have ownership on the execution of an idea regardless of whether they touched it or not. “I thought of that!” they whine, in many cases about some silly Facebook functionality that’s horribly obvious.
There is a point – an important one. The most valid action that someone can take in support of an idea is not just to believe in it, but to execute it. You can roam around the world talking about your book for you entire life, but books don’t write themselves, and neither do great programs, websites, nor films. Great photographs don’t just come into existence because they have been thought about, but because someone took the initiative – and the same goes for everything in the creative world that we enjoy. The power is doing, not simply thinking.
In this sense, places like iD Tech Camp generate electricity – they supply power to ideas; they enable the creation of imagination; they allow action in a sea of inaction. So the next time an idea pusher accosts you, ask them what’s preventing their ability to do – because you have the power!
February 23rd, 2012 | Tags: app programming, apps, creation, digital film editing, digital photography, film, game design, good ideas, photography, programming, robotics, summer camp, Summer Camps, tech camps
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers, iD Tech Camps
February 21st, 2012 by: Ryan
Being around programming, development, and design on a daily basis makes it easy to believe that the demand for tech skills is on the rise. But, it’s always nice to see it validated in print as well.
According to WANTED Analytics, jobs requiring robotics skills greatly increased in January 2012, as corporate recruiters and staffing firms placed about 2,100 online job ads requesting such know-how. A premier source of up-to-date business intelligence for the talent marketplace, WANTED reports that these 2,100 jobs represent 44% growth when compared to January 2011.
We often hear the question – “how do you decide which tech courses to offer?” While feedback from past students and parents is one factor, stats like these can’t be ignored. Common job titles that advertise the requirement of robotics skills include Controls Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, and others.
When you wonder if game design, computer programming for kids, and robotics courses help prepare students for life ahead, these numbers and other reports don’t lie.
February 21st, 2012 | Tags: Computer Programming for Kids, Learn to Program, programming camps, robotics camps, Tech Courses
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers
February 14th, 2012 by: Donna
Happy Valentine’s Day! You may not immediately think of technology when it comes to a day like today, but there are many ways in which things like the internet, apps, and more have transformed this into one of the techiest holidays ever! So grab a handful of Hershey’s kisses and read on to learn some fun factoids about how this day has progressed over time.
We Found Love…
Valentine’s Day is a shortened version of “Saint Valentine’s Day.” No romantic elements are present in the early medieval biographies that would liken St. Valentine to the modern version of Valentine’s Day. The first recorded association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love is in Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer. He wrote this poem to honor the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia. On Valentine’s Day, King Richard II would have likely declared his love through a hand-written note or painted illustration.
Antique valentine card from 1909
Mass-produced greeting cards came into the picture in the 19th century. Fast-forward to today and the U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately 190 million valentines are sent each year in the U.S. And if you include the valentines made in school activities that kids exchange, the total number shoots up to 1 billion! It should come as no surprise, then, that teachers receive more valentines than any other profession.
Candy, diamonds, and roses – oh my!
143. 24/7.
With the rise of technology, you can now skip snail mail altogether and send digital valentines. There were an estimated 15 million e-valentines sent in 2010. Check out some adorable e-valentines here. Many new apps have been created just for this special day as well. Here’s one for your iPhone (other platforms also available) to play an old school game of MASH, Valentine’s Day style! Interested in creating your own app? Be sure to check out our app development camps.
Whether you’re enjoying a box of conversation hearts, sending an e-valentine, or downloading an app – have some fun with all the technology that’s available today; we’ve certainly come a long way!
February 14th, 2012 | Tags: app development, app development camps, create iphone apps, e-valentines, learn to make apps, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day apps
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers
February 13th, 2012 by: Ryan
I just read an interesting article about the need for girls to get more involved with technology; shifting their interests over to activities that may be more worthwhile down the road like computer science and more.
Dare 2B Digital, a conference organized to encourage girls to take part in science and tech careers, recently partnered with Sylvia of “Sylvia’s Super-Awesome Make Show!” at eBay’s San Jose, California campus with the goal of attracting female participants to workshops like “Sylvia’s hands-on Robotics – Kits and Demos.”
At the live show, Lukas Blakk of Mozilla Firefox was running a table of female tweens constructing fox faces with eyes that illuminated upon being connected to an electrical outlet. He had this to say about girls and technology: “Girls need an active invitation to participate…I think a lot of them have had little ‘aha’ moments.”
The article goes on to make key points that with females using social media tools more than their male counterparts, “young women are more likely to be “digital natives” than ever before.”
You can read the full article here.
February 13th, 2012 | Tags: 2012 Summer Camps, Girl Summer Camp, Girls and Technology, Summer Camps for Girls
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers
February 10th, 2012 by: Pete-V
Field games are my passion. I love teaching and running outdoor experience for large groups and finding new ways for people to participate in unique gatherings that encourage positive social interactions.I share this love with our staff at iD Tech Camps by maintaining the Activity Curriculum (the AC), an evolving collection of ideas for creating such aforementioned happenings. Sometimes props are not necessary – many of the games and events take a little bit of organization and preparation, but no items beyond understanding and communication. Many times, however, the right set of props can help create the perfect environment for fun, play and experimentation.
I believe that every serious facilitator needs a prop bag – and here are the top five essential props for running outdoor experiences.
There are hundreds of possibilities, so simply identifying five is quite the task. I had to make some concessions – such as cones or other forms of boundary markers. Backpacks, shoes, and other similar already available items are quite useful to the resourceful facilitator. Another major omission you will notice is a whistle. I do not believe in whistles – well, I mean, I know they exist. I just think that there are better ways to grab the attention of a group, much better ways that do not treat the group members like trained animals (just sayin’).
The final consideration is cost. You’ll notice that I include a bit about the relative cost of each prop below and some pointers on how to get the most bang for your prop budget. Ok. Enough preface… here’s the list:
1. Trashballs
Imagine a ball about the size of a softball. Now imagine that you can throw this at another player without hurting them at all. Now imagine that this ball is relatively free. Do I have your attention?
Trashballs are an amazing way to recycle all of the plastic bags you have accumulated from your local retail or food outlet over the years. If you don’t have any of these bags because you have moved onto reusables, have no fear – simply ask around! Someone always has a cache of plastic bags that they’re looking to get rid of in a safe and eco-conscious way.
These balls are light, cheap and relatively safe in the grand scheme of things. And the greatest part is that you can make dozens of them without breaking the bank. Dozens. Or *hundreds*! That means experiences that are very unique, as many of your campers (or students or whatever) are unlikely to have dozens of balls to play games with dozens of people.
How do I make these fantastic wonderful items? Just check out this video that Bryan and I made!
And here are some videos of games you can play with your new Trashball collection:
Trashball
Tank
Trash Dodgeball
Up Chuck
Asteroids
Guard That Treasure!
And here, as a bonus, is a PDF of a couple games that you can print out.
2. Noodles
Noodles are just fun. Whenever I pull noodles out of my prop bag, all of the eyes in the group get big and the excitement begins. They are generally safe (which is always an important consideration) but also add the element of danger as the first impulse most players have is to whack one another – which actually can be quite an entertaining activity! We like to organize that process a bit, by restricting the whacks to ankles, but that’s enough to keep everyone entertained and aggression-free for an afternoon.
A group favorite is Asteroids & Ankle Biters, but noodles are a prop with endless random uses. Try to incorporate them into relays, improvisation and, when in doubt, just see how far you can throw them – that’s always a hoot!
You should be able to get pool noodles at your 99¢ store for about $3 (no kidding!). Each noodle can be cut in half, which means you only need to spend $12 – $15 total for a full set.
3. Hula Hoops
Hula Hoops are a great old toy that can be used for relay races and one of my favorite games, the Hula Hoop Ring Race (as well as Star Wars). One of the popular games last summer was Human Ring Toss – which is played exactly as you imagine!
Hula Hoops can be found at the 99¢ store or online for a good price – DO NOT go to a major toy retailer looking for hoops, unless you want to spend over $10 a pop!
4. Rope
I mainly use rope for the Group Jump / Group Avoid Rope Challenge, but it’s totally worth it! Those intiatives, plus just having the ability to host a large-scale jump rope is a great time for all groups – especially those with over 50 participant.
I use a retired climbing rope, which is essentially free. If you know of any adventure facilities that have a climbing wall, it’s likely they have a couple of retired ropes every year or two that they need to trash. Ask around!
5. Rubber Chicken
There’s this old IT legend that a friend once told me. An IT guy was called to a Fortune 500 company to fix the CEO’s computer. Since the client was so high profile, the IT guy was accompanied by his boss, who assured the CEO that said IT guy was the best in the business. While the bosses were talking, the tech noticed that the computer was unplugged, and that was the cause of all this fuss. He calmly (and secretly) plugged the computer back in and then reached into his toolbox to produce a rubber chicken. His boss stared daggers as the IT guy took the chicken and danced around the computer, shaking it while singing. He then reached down and Viola!, the computer worked.
Everyone needs at least one Rubber Chicken, if not a Rubber Pig and a Rubber Cow as well! Give Me That Bird (and the group variation) are always a big hit – and you can’t really make a proper Minefield without a couple chickens.
February 10th, 2012 | Tags: camp, field games, Fun, games, indoor fun, outdoor fun, outdoors, play, props, summer camp, Summer Camps
Posted in: iD Tech Bloggers, Summer Camps
