The holidays before the holidays
Once again, this year, the summer camp of “Jardin des Particules”, the CERN Staff Association's Crèche and School, welcomed children aged 4 to 6 to its premises from 1 to 26 July 2019.
This year the theme chosen by the animation team was:
A discovery of the five senses
Each week, a program of activities was proposed to the children to explore the five senses (see, hear, touch, smell and taste), through workshops created and set up by the animation team, such as:
- Culture workshop (circus, music, sports)
- Graphic arts workshop (paintings, collages, small crafts)
- Science workshop (discoveries, manipulations)
- Culinary discovery workshop (cooking workshop)
Throughout the summer camp's weeks, several interventions and outside visits followed one another for the children's enjoyment, namely:
A visit to the Budé farm. This organic urban farm in the heart of Geneva is a unique place that serves as a link between the city and the countryside, a large urban garden that provides food for the population in the neighbourhood. The children were delighted to be able to approach the farm animals, a time of sharing and discovery for both young and old!
We also had the opportunity to meet a beekeeper, with honey tasting and the discovery of our friends the bees! A whole program which the children enjoyed discovering.
The children were also able to participate in a crafts and games workshop with the instructors and Anna Pery, always around the theme of the five senses.
Throughout this camp, an English-speaking counsellor was present each week to raise awareness of English through songs or beautiful stories.
As every year, the CERN fire station has opened its doors to our little adventurers. The children were able to handle the water hoses, put out a fire with a fire extinguisher, get into the LCH simulator and take an unforgettable ride in the beautiful screaming siren fire truck. Maybe future vocations?
A beautiful celebration concluded every week at the summer camp, allowing the children to share with their parents a cocktail that they prepared themselves, and tell them about all the wonderful experiences they have had.
The summer camp will close on July 26th, after a month full of activities and discoveries. It will have welcomed a total of 67 children, a large majority of them already enrolled in "Le Jardin des Particules", our crèche and school, but also other children from outside. Our ace team this year was composed of four instructors assisted by a professional facilitator, Lidwine Emiline Mokoto Kawimakama.
Thank you to the management team, the children and their parents, and have a great summer!
