Mandarin Camp Day 2

Our campfire last night was a big hit! We sang silly songs, played a few wild games, and the counselors performed a goofy skit that had everyone laughing. We ended the evening with a classic camp favorite—s’mores. I’ve added a few photos from the night’s fun to today’s Dropbox folder.

Some of the campers stayed up chatting in their tents a little later than usual, and a few of those same night owls were also early risers this morning. Despite that, they did a great job staying in their tents and keeping things relatively quiet. They're definitely a bit tired today, but still going strong. This is all part of the summer camp rhythm—by night two, they usually crash early. Problem solved!

After breakfast, we jumped back into our activity schedule. The Blue Team kicked off the morning with orienteering. Armed with a camp map, they searched for hidden clues and then used those clues to solve a final puzzle. Their next adventure was Frisbee Golf—just like it sounds! We set up targets around camp, and the goal is to hit each one with as few throws as possible.

The Purple Team started the day with river tracing. Wearing life jackets, helmets, and special river shoes, they followed the small stream that winds through camp. Along the way, they stopped in several pools to splash, play games, and learn a bit about the stream’s ecology. It’s a gentle stream, but the gear makes it feel like a real expedition and helps build safety awareness. Afterward, they headed out for orienteering. This is the same as I described above, but since the children are younger, they get an easier puzzle and the targets are easier to find.

In the first activity period after lunch, the Blue Team took their turn at river tracing, while the Purple Team played Frisbee Golf. Then came "Tent Time"—a special period where counselors work with their tents to plan a unique activity. Both girls’ tents chose different crafts, while the boys split into teams for soccer and badminton.

As I write this, the kids are wrapping up dinner. We had a special treat for them tonight, pizza. Like last night, they'll spend a bit of quiet time writing in their journals before we launch into tonight’s night game. This evening’s game is indoors. We’ll darken the room, and a blindfolded counselor with a flashlight will sit in the center. Around them are objects with bells attached. Campers take turns trying to sneak items away without getting “tagged” by the flashlight beam.

A quick word about the campers: they’ve naturally grouped into four clusters—the older boys, older girls, younger girls, and younger boys—which aligns well with their tent assignments. There’s been very little conflict within or between groups, which has made for a positive, cooperative atmosphere. Most of them understand when we speak Mandarin (some more fluently than others), and many are willing to make the effort to follow along rather than switching to English. Speaking up in Mandarin is a bit more intimidating, and while we encourage them to try, we never pressure anyone. Our philosophy is that language learning should be enjoyable—not stressful.

That is all for tonight. Below is the link to the day's photos.

Best regards,

Camp Taiwan

Dropbox link