Be My Neighbor Day Camp Starts July 27th
Do your kids love Daniel Tiger? If so, you won’t want them to miss this fun-filled experience! ThinkTV and the Dayton International Peace Museum are hosting a high-energy, activity-filled week for young learners from Monday, July 27, through Saturday, August 1, with friends from our community and Daniel Tiger’s neighborhood. Our Be My Neighbor Day virtual summer camp videos will premiere each day at 10am on ThinkTV’s Facebook page and the Dayton Peace Museum’s Facebook page and then be available shortly after at www.thinktv.org/camp.
Sally Dennis of Yellow Springs and teacher at the Antioch School will be the host of the Be My Neighbor Day camp. Each day, Ms. Sally will take children on virtual visits with friendly neighbors to explore various topics through yoga, story time, sing-a-long, crafts, activities and lots of other fun things.
“Working together with partners at The Peace Museum and ThinkTV ensures this is a quality online learning opportunity for young kids. The fact that Daniel Tiger and friends are a part of it makes it even better,” Sally said.
“Restrictions on in-person activities this summer required us to be creative with keeping kids engaged. ThinkTV is uniquely positioned to meet this challenge for families with initiatives like this virtual camp experience – and the great thing is that anyone can watch or rewatch, even after the event is over, because it will remain online,” added Greg Schell, Manager of Corporate Relations & Business Development and the producer of the Be My Neighbor Day camp.
This camp was made possible by a grant from the Fred Rogers Company and PNC Grow Up Great and produced in cooperation with the Dayton International Peace Museum and PBS Kids.
Learn more about each camp day below and visit www.thinktv.org/camp to find the camp activities.
Day One: Helpers Are Heroes
In the past year our region has had to deal with much breaking news – tornadoes, a KKK rally, a mass shooting, the COVID-19 outbreak and civil unrest with riots following the death of George Floyd. Scary times indeed. This is an appropriate time to talk to children about scary times, breaking news, and ways of to empower them by knowing there are people to help. They can learn to “Look for the Helpers” and to be a helper themselves.
Day Two: Trees
Trees and nature have been shown to enhance childhood development. Did you know that there are forest schools where preschoolers learn and play in forests and natural environments and which help kids to develop physical, social, emotional and personal skills? Climbing trees and exploring natural environments develops problem-solving and risk-management skills, boosts confidence and improves physical dexterity – and health – for older kids too. Trees create a comfortable, shaded area where kids can play, which encourages physically active play, and it’s been shown that kids who live near trees are more physically active and have lower rates of obesity. This day devotes an entire day to discovering more about trees and relating them to our lives.
Day Three: Stars
We often think of children as bright lights. They are full of energy, open and honest (sometimes embarrassingly so), eternally curious and can make anything fun and exciting. Are we taught to dim our light along the way? Can we teach both parents and children without the unintended side effect of dimming their lights? Can we grow up and shine even brighter? This camp uses stars to help kids find – and shine – their inner light. With a mindful approach to supporting children’s innate wonder, creativity, emotional life and self-identity, this day encourages children to recognize their inner spark and let it shine bright for all to see.
Day Four: Diversity
At a time when Americans seem more divided than ever, it is important to teach all kids empathy and to celebrate diversity, which can help our kids recognize that our differences don’t have to divide us, they can actually make us better together. During this day at camp day we will help kids learn acceptance, tolerance, and to celebrate diversity to add momentum to Peace in our neighborhoods.
Day Five: Peace Train
What can trains teach us about finding our voice, discovering new pathways and celebrating our unique gifts? In a world where acts of violence fill our newsfeeds and there is a prevalence of pain and hurt around us, peace takes root in the form of education. Peace education is important for people of all ages, but the most effective time to engage in peace education by learning about transformative conflict resolution is when they are young. As children grow, they form their own unique worldview and they learn how to interact with the people around them. Learning about peace is a wonderful opportunity for children to build peaceful perspectives.
Day Six: Healthy Me
Kids grow rapidly in their first years of life, which is why it’s important that they have good nutrition and get the right amount of exercise. A focus on healthy living can reduce or eliminate the chance of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and low self-esteem. During this day of camp, we will talk about the importance of taking care of your body with healthy choices focused on foods and exercise. When we take care of ourselves and are healthy, we can do great things in our community.
