What a fantastic week it has been with the Tigers! One of the moments that best captured the spirit of our unit happened during a game of Gaga Ball. After one camper was eliminated and understandably disappointed, another camper quietly walked over, sat beside them, and shared a time they had felt the exact same way. There was no prompting from staff, just genuine empathy and kindness between friends. Before long, the camper was smiling again and ready to jump back into the next game. Moments like these remind us that camp isn’t just about the activities we do, but about the friendships and life skills that grow through them. We also saw incredible resilience during a rainy afternoon when our plans changed multiple times within just 30 minutes, moving from outside to inside and back outside again. The Tigers embraced every change without complaint, making the most of an impromptu sing-along with Ariel, games, and boondoggle indoors. Their flexibility and positive attitudes made us so proud. To end each day, campers of all Tiger age groups came together for epic soccer games they organized themselves, complete with playoffs, where everyone was welcome to join.
One of the biggest highlights this week was the return of CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure)! Four times each week, campers have the opportunity to choose exactly how they want to spend their activity period. Whether they were playing Gaga Ball, testing their aim at archery, solving scavenger hunts with Fox, competing in Capture the Flag with Ghost, or exploring another favourite activity, every choice gave campers the opportunity to build independence and confidence. Some Tigers returned to activities they already loved, while others challenged themselves to try something completely new and discovered talents they didn’t know they had. Beyond all the fun, CYOA encourages campers to make decisions, take ownership of their day, and demonstrate leadership in meaningful ways. Our campers were full of creativity as they made colourful beaded star keychains with Mojo, experimented with slime alongside Fiji, and crafted woven turtle keychains in Arts & Crafts.
This week’s edition of Sizzle’s Shenanigans challenged each cabin to become expert toy detectives! Campers worked together to solve clues hidden around camp in search of Sizzle’s missing toys: Buzz, Woody, Bo Peep, and Rex. Along the way, each cabin collected 12 puzzle pieces which, once assembled back in the den, revealed which toy they were searching for. The final challenge was to unscramble a secret word that pointed them to the toy’s hiding place: the sandpit! It was wonderful to watch every cabin communicate so effectively, take turns reading clues, listen carefully to one another, and work together to solve each challenge. During our second Shenanigans period, campers switched from detective work to creativity as everyone designed and built their own adorable Tiger squishies using tape, paper, and stuffing. Each squishy was completely unique, and campers loved showing off their creations.
There was plenty to celebrate during Schmooze this week! We also celebrated Valentina’s birthday a little early on Friday with one of camp’s favourite traditions: cupping a counsellor in the face! Much to everyone’s amusement, she chose Lucky. Congratulations to Ben, who earned the Big Chair for consistently demonstrating kindness and responsibility throughout the week. Our Silly Banana awards went to Lachlan for his fantastic Creeper costume, Lauren for her creative “Lauren in the Box” Jack-in-the-Box costume, and Sofia for showing off a yo-yo that could actually spin! We also proudly celebrated our returning campers. Congratulations to our 5-Year Ragtag Charm recipients: Audrey, Aveline, Ben, Evelyn, Jin, Lauren, Sienna, and Zoe. Congratulations as well to our 3-Year Turtle Charm recipients: Ryan, Owen, Lukas, Alexis, Colin, Evelyn, Leah, Giana, Harper, Mohammed, Luna, Ambrose, and Zoya.
Staff Celebration Moment: Lucky!
This week’s staff spotlight shines on Lucky. As one of our one-on-one counsellors, Lucky brings kindness, adaptability, and endless enthusiasm to everything she does. She is always encouraging campers to try new activities, join in, and step outside their comfort zones. Whether she’s dancing alongside campers during Schmooze, cheering them on through challenges, or helping them feel confident trying something new, Lucky’s positive attitude has an impact far beyond the camper she directly supports. She helps create the welcoming, encouraging community that makes the Tigers such a special place to be, and we are incredibly grateful to have her on our team.
Caregiver Question of the Week
Q: I need to pickup my camper early, where do I go?
A: All late drop offs and early pick ups will take place in the MAIN parking lot. Please note that this is a different parking lot than where regular drop off and pick up takes place. Please call us at 905-901-4862, and we will come to you.
We’re proud of the way the Tigers showed up for each other this week, in the big moments, and all the small ones in between.
