Posts Categorised by 'Blue Group'
Tuesday 6th August 2019 – Rain, rain, go away!
6th August 2019
The Reds and Blues started their day with preparation for the upcoming talent show! After having lots of giggles during their rehearsals, the children got ready for their camping trip! Once full of energy after a tasty lunch, the Reds and Blues started the hike from the centre up to Torgon’s best camping spot.
The hike was challenging, but all the campers did very well. The campers proved their strength when they were caught in a rainstorm during the hike, and preserved to make it to the Ski Club. Luckily, the brave campers were able to change into nice warm clothes as soon as they arrived.
The campers enjoyed a classic camping dinner, before celebrating their successful day of hiking with an indoor campfire! The Reds and Blues loved telling stories and singing songs, and had one of the best days of camp yet.
The Greens and Yellows went on their own camping trip, this one to the beautiful Lac du Taney. The day began with a big breakfast and an extensive kit check to make sure all campers were prepared for the day and weather to come. They then set off on a scenic hike through the Alps stopping for a picnic lunch at the foot of the last big incline.
Upon arriving at Lac de Taney, the weather took a turn and the Greens and Yellows were caught in the same rainstorm as the Reds and Blues! They also conquered the weather, and after a mad dash up the final stretch, they were dry in the Hostel where they would overnight.
The weather cleared enough for the campers to enjoy a swim in Lac de Taney, and then joined together for a delicious pasta dinner. Before bed, the Greens and Yellows played indoor games like Werewolf and Tellestrations. After a long, tiring day the Greens and Yellows were happy to go to bed and rest up for another, shorter hike the next day!
Monday 5th August 2019 – Fondue and Fun
5th August 2019
Today was an exciting day at camp, as all the campers got ready to go on a whole-camp excursion together! And not just any excursion either, but a trip to Cailler Chocolate Factory and Gruyère Old Town! The home of Swiss Chocolate and Fondue Cheese.
The magical Cailler trip started with a visit to the Chocolate Factory’s cinema, which made all the campers hungry before they were even near the chocolate! The children were then taken on a tour through the ages, learning about the origins of chocolate as it made its way from the Aztec Empire to Europe. The highlight of the trip came at the end, where the campers learned to be expert chocolate tasters at a special tasting session. Everybody got involved in this, and tried all sorts Cailler chocolates. During the afternoon, and after the ‘absolute-must’ trip to the chocolate shop, the group made their way to Gruyere Old town.
A lovely lunch in the park gave the campers some down-time, before splitting up to see all that Gruyere had to offer. They made their way around the shops and cafes, buying postcards and souvenirs for their families. There was even more to do for those who didn’t feel like shopping, as they took in the history of the old walled town and the views in the heart of the Swiss alps.
Sunday 4th August 2019 – Languages and lakes
4th August 2019
The Reds and Blues showed off their dare-devil side today, and were braver than most in scaling the climbing wall over and over! Once they showed themselves to be absolute naturals on the wall, the instructors were able to introduce fun challenges and games to keep things interesting. The campers’ favourite was definitely the obstacle course that saw two teams compete to score points on the wall.
A tasty lunch set the children up nicely for their language lessons in the afternoon. Every class works on different subjects that are tailored to the children’s needs and abilities. This means the children are engaged and the learning is really effective.
The older campers, meanwhile, did their language lessons early in the day so that they could fully devote themselves to relaxing at the beach! The Greens and Yellows took a trip to the beautiful Bouveret Beach, where they swam in the lake, in the pool, and took a leap of faith down the massive slides. There was also plenty of time to chill out, and the campers could also be seen haunting the café and the ping pong area. The beach was exactly what was needed after such a busy week of adventuring at camp.
Saturday 3rd August 2019 – Magical Montreux
3rd August 2019
This morning, the mighty Reds and Blues spent a wonderful but chilly morning facing their greatest challenge yet- ghyll scrambling! The children were very committed, and went as far as getting fully submerged in the river’s cold water. The campers were glad to come back to camp and be greeted by lunch ready on the table. They then spent an adventurous afternoon mountain biking, and everyone showed their nerves of steel, trying every trail the instructors had to offer!
Meanwhile, the Greens and Yellows spent the day developing their cultural awareness and practise their hiking skills in preparation for their hike later in the week. The Greens and Yellows went on a special excursion to the Château de Chillon, a magnificent castle situated between Villeneuve and Montreux on Lake Geneva. A guided tour saw the campers learn a lot about Swiss culture and heritage, medieval customs, and the logistics of castle toilets! They enjoyed lunch by the lake, before a lovely leisurely walk to Montreux. Here, they were able to shop, eat ice-cream, and gaze at all the stalls had to offer. In the evening, the campers developed their detective skills in an intense game of Murder Mystery!
Friday 2nd August 2019 – Who’s got the Golden Ticket?
2nd August 2019
The Reds and Blues went back to nature today, and walked into the woods to learn to be true survivalists. The small but mighty campers showed how adaptable they are, and were quick to react when it began to rain on their mini-camp! They came back to the centre, and instead of building fires and shelters in the woods, made caramel popcorn on Trangia cookers, and put hammocks up around camp.
In the afternoon, the campers went to their language classes, which they spent in part brainstorming ideas for their talent show next week. After languages, the Reds and Blues got their creative side out, creating pieces of art around the theme of ‘space’, which will take pride of place as decorations during Prom! This evening, a really special treat was in store for the campers, who headed up to the pizzeria for dinner. Afterwards, they were able to play in the playground before heading back to camp for a good night of sleep.
The Greens and Yellows started their day with a delicious breakfast, and their languages classes. In Margaux’s class, the campers prepared for their trip to the Cailler Chocolate Factory by watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in French (whilst eating delicious chocolate!). This helped to really engage the children in their language learning, while also giving them key vocabulary for the trip on Monday.
The campers then headed to the beautiful Villeneueve, for one of the favourite activities- banana boating! Luckily, the weather had cleared up since the rainy morning, and the campers were able to relax in the sun for the afternoon. Everyone had a ‘splashing’ time there, enjoying not just the banana boating, but also swimming in the lake, diving off the board, and playing ping-pong on shore.
Thursday 1st August 2019 – Happy Swiss Day!
1st August 2019
Today Blues and Reds woke up at 6:00 AM, excited to be going to Glacier 3000! This very special place is in Les Diablerets mountains, and an astounding 3000m. After a sleepy bus journey and a short gondola, the campers had a busy morning sledding, on toboggans and even on husky dog sleds! The campers had a great time taking turns on the Alpine roller-coaster, which is on the peak and has breath-taking views of the Glacier. Finally, the Reds and Blues walked up to the lookout point, where they gazed over astonishing views, as far as Mont Blanc!
All campers and staff came back to Camp Suisse quite tired but certainly very happy, having had one of the best days here at camp yet! After dinner, the campers were treated to hot chocolate and a movie night to recover energy and relax.
Meanwhile, the Yellows and Greens had a great day in-camp. After breakfast, the campers enjoyed getting creative while taking their group photos. This was followed by their language lesson, which many of the language teachers chose to hold in the warm morning sun. This relaxed setting makes the children’s learning both enjoyable and meaningful.
Hot lunch and a quick ping-pong break later, the Greens and Yellows walked into the woods with their counsellors to learn about building fires and constructing basic shelters. The Greens and Yellows finished the day with dinner and a competitive uni-hoc tournament.
All the campers were happy to be in Switzerland for the 1st August, the Swiss Fete National. The children were able to enjoy the many fireworks displays in the valley from Camp Suisse’s excellent location in the mountains.
Wednesday 31st July 2019 – Bikes and boats
31st July 2019
Today was a great day for the Reds and Blues, starting the day with a classic Swiss yodel to wake everybody up at the morning meeting. After their language lessons, the group took the bus down to Villeneuve beach for banana boating!
After a cloudy start to the day, the campers were delighted to see the sun come out for a beautiful summer afternoon. Everybody had their turn on the banana boat, but the highlight of the day came when little Isabelle managed to hold onto the banana after everybody else had fallen off! Her cheering a victory lap past all the campers who had fallen in had everybody laughing. Back at camp, the campers were treated to fajitas and apple crumble for dinner. The children finished the evening with a dance session before an early night for the glacier.
An exciting day of Alpine adventure was in store for the Greens and Yellows, meanwhile, who split into their colour groups to take part in different outdoor activities. The Greens spent the morning on the mountain bike trails around Torgon, while the Yellows reached to new heights on Camp Suisse’s indoor climbing wall. The campers were really enthusiastic to try these activities, and some of the Greens were able to show off their skills cycling across the bridge near camp!
During language lessons, Manuel’s class learned to introduce themselves in Spanish through a session of speed dating! The campers were over the moon when dinner came round, and it was their turn to go on the special pizzeria night. Everyone had their own pizza and played in the park before returning back to camp, tired but satisfied.
Yodel the day away
30th July 2019
Today, the Reds and Blues spent the first half of their morning in their language lessons, learning about different topics such as food, colours, and adjectives. Then, they set off to the forest for Brunch with Bear. This super fun activity involved the children learning to identify and forage for edible plants they could eat or stew. Back at camp, the children cooked up a delicious lunch of wood sorrel salad, with added protein of crickets and mealworms, washed down with a cup of spruce-cone tea.
Time for a proper hot lunch, and onto archery! The campers spent some time learning the correct technique and perfecting their aim, before they were able to hit the targets dead on! Maisy even got a bull’s eye! The campers then went into the woods for a game of Eagle Eye, which Larry fought off all the competition and won. The young campers loved joining the older groups for their BBQ dinner in the evening, and sang louder than anyone during the Camp Suisse yodelling session!
The Greens and Yellows woke up bright and early to get to Glacier 3000. After breakfast the yellows and Greens got on the bus and drove to the foot of Glacier 3000. They took two gondola rides to the top of the Glacier, where snow and cold temperatures met the campers. Luckily, it was a beautiful day and with the sun the temperature gradually warmed throughout the day. The campers enjoyed sledding, husky dog sledding, an exhilarating alpine roller coaster, and a walk between two peaks. It was a wonderful day, capped off with a cookout with the whole of camp at the near-by picnic area. The Yellows are excited for a day of rock-climbing and languages tomorrow!
Mountain bikes and merry-go-rounds
29th July 2019
Today, the Reds and Blues spent the morning in their first language lessons. They met their classmates and started learning their chosen language, mainly educational games that helped engage the children and make them excited for the weeks ahead. In the afternoon, they went to the wonderful Labyrinth Adventure Park, which has a variety of different activities, such as a maze, giant slides, and massive swings. The campers’ overall favourites were the 30ft tall slides, and the many merry-go-rounds. The Reds and Blues played the day away, but were still full of excitement for the casino night this evening!
The Greens made good use of Camp Suisse’s indoor climbing wall today! They spent the morning discovering the different uses of climbing equipment, learning some technique from the experts, and playing games like drawing a tryptic masterpiece, and blindfolded climbing. Their favourite challenge, the Vertical Obstacle Course, was won by Team Luke, with an impressive 14 points, while Sinéad’s Team came close with 11.
The Yellows’ day began with a mountain biking session on the hills above Torgon. The campers got the chance to bike down several mountain bike tracks of varying difficulty, and even show off their skills on the rollers near camp.
After lunch, the Yellows and Greens met their language teachers and had their first classes. The Yellows then got ready to ghyll scramble – an activity involving walking through a crystal-clear stream near camp. Although the water was chilly, the yellows really enjoyed adventuring through the ghyll. The Greens, meanwhile, had a contest to design and construct their own bottle rockets! All the teams worked well together, and every bottle was able to fly. The Yellows and Greens finished the day with dinner and sports, ready for an early day tomorrow at the glacier!
First Day of Session Three!
28th July 2019
This morning, the campers woke up bright and early to prepare for their language quiz! This assessment will help the Camp Suisse language team to assign them to the most appropriate classes for their level of ability. This session, our campers are learning French, English, Spanish and German.
The Reds and Blues enjoyed the rest of their morning by playing games in the Patinoire, while the Greens and Yellows went on their first excursion, to the Aqua Parc! The slides and rides there gave hours of entertainment, and it was a lovely chance for the new campers to make new friends in a more informal setting. The Lazy River was a favourite for the campers, and everyone came home satisfied and happy.
After that they tucked into a hot lunch served in camp. After a hot lunch in camp, the Reds and Blues were full of energy and ready to attack the climbing wall. They spent the whole afternoon there, trying as many routes as they could and taking on different challenges. All the groups were glad of the chance to tuck into dinner at camp, before a relaxed evening of quizzes and sports.
