Counselor Ben tells everyone at Camp Adventure a story about finding and making a peaceful place. Plus a sing-along, some poetry, bird calls, and treehouse drawing!
Counselor Ben tells everyone at Camp Adventure a story about finding and making a peaceful place. Plus a sing-along, some poetry, bird calls, and treehouse drawing!
We’d love to feature you and your fellow campers on our next episode. Share your camp space and your new camp flag for Camp Adventure on social media using #AKBAsummer or write to us at listen@akidspodcastabout.com.
Poem credit: https://poets.org/poem/dont-go-library
Sound of the bird song call: - northern-cardinal.wav by may23rd2007 (*used with permission)
Camp Adventure: A Kids Summer Camp Podcast
S1 E8 “The Peaceful Treehouse”
[INTRODUCTION]
Ari: Welcome to Camp Adventure! Camp is in your living room. Camp is in your car on the way to the store. Camp is under your blanket fort. Camp is everywhere. And Camp Adventure is for everyone, no matter where in the world you are. And camp counselors Ben and Hannah are ready to welcome you.
It’s week number 8 at camp, and this week we’re going to hear a story about climbing trees, danger and adventure, and also about finding someplace special.
I’m camp counselor Ari, and I’m so glad to be here at camp with you every week. It’s a beautiful day at Camp Adventure. So, let’s say hello to the very courageous Counselor Ben to kick things off.
Ben: All right campers—we have arrived at Camp Week Eight! Thank you, Ari, for all of your help. And thank YOU, campers, for continuing this great adventure with all of us here at Camp Adventure.
I have to say—the topic of conversation today, including today’s story—I could NOT have told this story on Week One. Not Week Two or Three, either. Today’s story is for Adventure campers who have already been camping with us on this summer camp. And if you are just now joining Camp Adventure for the first time, that is OK—feel welcome to keep listening—but be warned: You might want to go back and hear the other stories about making nature journals, that was week five, or about taking a fish for a walk, that was week six. I do recommend listening to a few of the earlier ones before THIS ONE, because THIS ONE is going to get dangerous.
It’s going to take courage. It’s going to be an adventure story about going up, Up, UP >> leaving the ground, and getting high into the skies. And our weekly challenge is going to take you to a whole NEW LEVEL. WOW. I can’t wait!
But first we have to get grounded in goodness—we have to welcome our friend, Hannah, who comes every week with the musicianship that makes camps like this wonderful. I know she’s got me singing every week. And I know that our Camp Adventure campers are singing along.
So, please welcome with me a girl who NEVER mixes peanuts with gum—the very first woman on PLANET EARTH to EVER lead Camp Adventure songs—the great and knowledgeable, the one, the only—HANNAH GLAVOR!!
[CAMP SONG]
Hannah: Thanks Counselor Ben! I just love this time with you all. Chewing gum and eating peanuts, and sharing adventure songs. It's just beautiful.
Well alright, let's get to it. Every week we sing the same song together and it is like a team cheer. So if you know it, sing it nice and loud.
You know, I like to think of all the ways you campers adventure. Maybe you like to hike, or ride a scooter, or make paper airplanes. It's all about trying something new and just adventuring a little farther than we have before.
[Sings]
Week 8 Camp Song Files
Lyrics:
Have youuuuu ever climbed a treetop
Or explored in a canoe
Or asked what if I climbed up higher or I paddled to peruuuu
So much wonder all around us so much life to be explored
When you fight to find the good you will discover hope restored
Adventure (adventure)
We venture (we venture)
Together with courage
We learn and grow STRONG
We learn from (we learn from)
Each other (each other)
So let's discover and uncover
Great adventures bright and new
Hannah: Excellent job everyone! Maybe if you sing it loud enough, I can hear you all the way in Portland, Oregon.
I love knowing that you campers are singing along with campers all over the place.
You get to hear me singing each week, and I can’t wait to hear you, too!! I love the pictures and videos everyone has already sent in… Don’t forget to send in YOUR videos or sound recordings so we can all share in each other's adventures!
Speaking of sending in adventures, it is finally that time! The time where we get to hear from YOU the campers! Are you ready? Drumroll please—it is time foooor MAIL BAG!
[MAIL BAG]
AKBA Counselor Jen: Hi everyone! I’m Camp Counselor Jen and I’m here with the Mail Bag. It’s where I keep all the mail we receive for our campers.
We’ve been in camp since summer began and if you’ve been with us each week, that’s a full 2 months! At this point at camp some of us are feeling a bit homesick. That’s when you have the overwhelming feeling of missing home, missing your family, your bed, your things. It’s usually when we kick up the excitement and teamwork at camp to remind our campers of the great company we share together each and every day.
Of course, you’re listening to Camp Adventure in your own space! That means you’re probably already around your family and your room and your things. But what about the folks you’re not near? Extended family? Classmates? Friends that maybe moved to a new place over the summer?
We love getting your mail here at Camp Adventure, but it’s also nice to send messages to others to let them know you’re thinking about them. So today our Mail Bag is a little different. Today I’d love to encourage each of you to send a message to someone else. Let them know how your summer is going. Let them know some of your favorite things that have happened so far. Tell them about Camp Adventure if you’d like! And Camp Counselor Ben’s flaming marshmallows!
Of course, you’re always welcome to write to us and share at listen@akidspodcastabout.com or on social media using #AKBAsummer.
Thanks for being with us, campers! I love and look forward to our time together each week. Enjoy the rest of your day!
[ACTIVITIES]
AKBA Counselor Emma: Hi, campers! It’s Camp Counselor Emma again. I hope you all have been enjoying your time at Camp Adventure this summer! I can’t believe how many things we’ve done already, and I’m so excited for every other adventure that’s still headed our way.
Thanks for joining me for today’s poetry segment! Last time I was here, I shared a beautiful poem called “Firefly,” by the very talented writer, Jacqueline Woodsen. What did you all think of it? We also talked about how listening to words can make us feel certain things, as well as create amazing pictures in our minds. When I read Jacqueline Woodsen’s words, I feel calm. How about you? How did the words of “Firefly” make you feel?
I’m so excited to share a new poem with you today! This poem is very fun and it’s all about the magic power of books. One of my favorite things about books is how they take my mind to a totally different place, all from the comfort of my own home. Exploring a magical forest, meeting new people and interesting creatures, being able to fly, run super fast, or exert extreme, super-strength; reading can take you anywhere, and you can become anything. Have you ever read a great book, comic, magazine, or anything else that made you feel like that? I always love getting new book recommendations, so please share those with me!
OK, I can’t wait to dive into today’s poem, “Don’t Go Into the Library,” by Alberto Rios. After everything I just said about reading, you’re probably thinking, “WHAT!? DON’T go into the library?! That doesn’t make sense!” But just you wait.
Like with the last poem, I want everyone to get comfortable and ready to listen.
Deep breath in… and deep breath out.
Here we go!
“Don’t Go Into the Library,” by Alberto Rios
The library is dangerous--
Don’t go in. If you do
You know what will happen.
It’s like a pet store or a bakery--
Every single time you’ll come out of there
Holding something in your arms.
Those novels with their big eyes.
And those no-nonsense, all muscle
Greyhounds and Dobermans
All non-fiction and business,
Cuddly when they’re young,
But then the first page is turned.
The doughnut scent of it all,
Knowledge,
The aroma of coffee being made
In all those books, something for everyone,
The deli offerings of civilization itself.
The library is the book of books,
Its concrete and wood and glass covers
Keeping within them the very big,
Very long story of everything.
The library is dangerous, full
Of answers. If you go inside,
You may not come out
The same person who went in.
Sneaky poem, huh? I hope you read something wonderful this summer that takes your brain to a new and different place. And if you do, I’d love to hear about it!
Enjoy the rest of your day at Camp, and I’ll see you next time!
Poem credit: https://poets.org/poem/dont-go-library
AKBA Counselor Aimee: Hi Campers! I’m Camp Counselor Aimee, and I’m back once more with a bird song call for you to learn, practice, and try to spot in the wild.
I’ve shared bird song calls for the American Gold Finch (Po-ta-to chip. Po-ta-to chip!) and for the Black-Capped Chickadee (Chick-a-dee-dee-dee. Chick-a-dee-dee-dee.) I teach general music at an elementary school and will be back with students before we know it.
Actually, when I teach our bird song unit with students, I sing the song calls to students (and they sing them back), but we also learn to play them on the recorder! If you have a recorder at home, you can see if you can figure out these bird calls yourself! There are so many bird song calls to learn. And just maybe if you play them outside you might hear your local birds calling back!
Today I want to share a bird song call my students LOVE to play on the recorder: The Northern Cardinal. We see Northern Cardinals a lot where I live in Maryland. Cardinals can be found in all of the eastern United States and the Northern Cardinal holds the special place of being the State Bird in the most states. More than any other bird!
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia each recognize the Northern Cardinal as their official State Bird.
Now THAT is something to cheer about!
In fact, when you see this bright red bird, you can give it a cheer, and it might just cheer back!
Their song call sounds like chee-eer. Chee-eer.
Here. Let’s listen together.
Let’s cheer together! Chee-eer. Chee-eer.
Yes! And campers, I am cheering for you! Thank you for exploring nature with me! I hope you’ll take a moment to notice if any birds are singing next time you go outside.
And I wonder what you’ll hear them say!
Goodbye, campers!
Ari: All right campers, after this break we’re going to hear a story from Camp Counselor Ben, and I promise, you won’t wanna miss it!
[BREAK]
Ari: Okay, we’re back, and it’s storytime! Are you excited? Me too!
So, let’s get ready for this week’s story! Before we get cozy, let’s do a DANCE BREAK together! Move your body around in whatever way feels right to you. Oooh, all right! Now, in just a sec let’s hit pause to get in this week’s perfect listening spot. 3, 2, 1 GO! Where’d you pick? This week I’m a little toasty so I’m listening on my porch with a nice popsicle—wherever you go, get comfy!
Are you ready, Counselor Ben?
[STORYTIME]
Ben: Thank you, Ari! Ready as I’ll ever be… Ready as I usually am… ALWAYS am, really—ready for STORYTIME. And this week’s story is next-level. A story that takes us off the dirt, up from the ground, into the sky—a story called “The Peaceful Treehouse.”
This story starts in the living room of our little gray house, the one on W. Chestnut St. across from the Fox River. I was a tiny baby boy, not even two years old, still wearing my diapers!! And my mom came into the living room and screamed: “BEN!!! How did you get up there?!”
I could not even walk, yet. But somehow I learned how to climb… all the way up, off of the ground, to the top of a recliner chair. Just a little climbing baby.
Then I grew up, and that was good, because the taller you are, the more stuff you can climb. You climbin’ campers know what I mean.
In Kindergarten and first grade, I practiced climbing EVERY recess on the monkey bars on the playground. By the time I was in fifth and sixth grade, I could climb the big Chestnut tree down the street. And I could climb all kinds of trees in the park. Everywhere I went, I was looking for a good climbing tree.
Then we moved to Tennessee, remember that story I told from Week One of camp? When I moved to Tennessee? Well, down there I climbed peach trees and HUGE pecan trees. I was getting even taller.
And then, when I was 14 years old, I started one of the greatest building adventures of my life. Not kidding.
I’m not sure what it is like in your house. I know that all of our houses are very different, and some of us live in more than one house. We live in apartments, and condos, some in houses and trailers and even campers—here in Portland, some of our neighbors live on the Columbia River and Willamette River in floating houseBOATS. I think I might like living on a boat one day….
So we all live in different kinds of houses. But we also have different kinds of HOMES. And some of our homes are gentle and kind, and some of our homes are loud and scary, and some are a mix of both. My home was almost always the loud and scary kind, and I think that’s why I liked building forts so much—they helped me feel safe.
And I think that’s why I liked playing outside so much. It was quieter and more gentle outside.
And when I grew tall enough to climb up into trees, I discovered a new and peaceful world. Up, Up, UP off the ground, in a tree—this is a wonderful place.
The first tree I remember climbing was a cedar tree—I was only about five years old—and it was like a ladder, the branches were close together—SO EASY to climb, and I went up, Up, UP off of the ground. I watched the earth disappear beneath me, and I wanted to go higher and higher….
I climbed higher than the roof on our house. Our neighbors, the Applebees: I was higher than THEIR roof! My heart felt FREE and HAPPY… but on the way down, I was NOT being careful, and I grabbed a dead branch. If you’re ever climbing a tree—DO NOT trust a dead branch—they almost ALWAYS break on you, and that’s what happened.
SNAP!!! Pow, crash, crunch, snap again… I bounced from one branch to the other, tumbling back to the ground, and CRACK—I broke my arm. It hurt like CRAZY. But I got a cast, and it healed up, and I returned to tree climbing in no time.
I got a lot smarter about it, though.
When I was 14, my buddy Adam said one day, “Let’s go check out my gramma’s woods. She’s got some killer trees over there.” So we rode our bikes to the other side of town, and BEHOLD!
The greatest, most majestic black walnut tree any kid has ever seen.
“Wanna build a treehouse up there?” he asked. All I could do was nod slowly up and down. It was like we had found a pirate’s chest full of golden treasure!!! This tree was GLORIOUS.
The trunk shot up from the ground, perfectly straight. The branches would be PERFECT for building. So we got our ropes and climbed as high as we could go—leaves hung all around us, and a squirrel ran right past us, squawking at us, like he was saying: “You’re in my yard! You don’t belong here!” He was mad!
But we were happy—this was going to be the perfect treehouse.
We gathered our tools—saws, hammers, nails—and we grabbed a ladder, and we went to work. When you’re building a treehouse, the hardest part is the first deck. Once you’ve got that done, then you have something solid to stand on.
Our first deck was complete. Adam was terrified of heights, so he was always hanging onto the trunk of the tree pretty tight. And I was a little careless, which is how I broke my arm, so I was standing there with my arms in the air!!! Yes!! First level, complete!
We gathered more wood from scrap piles. We built another level, and then another. Campers, we worked on this treehouse every time we could all YEAR long. And then another year. By the time we were 16, this treehouse had six floors to it.
And the roof over it was triangular—shaped like a pyramid. We made pulley system to lift heavy things up into the treehouse, things like a COUCH!! It’s true. In fact, we lifted three couches up into our tree house, and a big recliner chair. We made a full living room, with a coffee table and everything.
We created a small home up in the top of that black walnut tree. And guess what—it was maybe the most peaceful place I had ever been. Nothing loud or scary. We were safe up there in the top of that tree. When the wind was blowing, the whole house would sway gently back and forth… Sometimes birds would land right in front of you, wondering what kind of bird you were :)
I kept a little box up there filled with adventure snacks. Every time I went up there was like an adventure, and you can’t have good adventures without adventure snacks.
Some days, I would sway in the breeze and read books. Other days, my friend Adam would hang out and we would talk all afternoon about all kinds of things.
The treehouse was my safe place. My happy place. And for me, it was really just about getting up off of the ground for a while and seeing the world from a different angle.
Sounds a little silly, doesn’t it? It wasn’t silly to me… and if you have ever climbed a tree, you probably know what I mean. Something about being up next to the birds, up where the breeze feels different on your skin.
A moment to go up, off of the ground and breathe for a moment of peace.
Moments of peace are good, aren’t they campers? I know that your grownups are having to go through some hard stuff while you are growing up—they are people, just like me. And you are having to go through some hard stuff, too; it’s how life works sometimes.
And life can be loud and scary, even while it can be gentle and kind sometimes. But I’ve learned that the loud and scary times will not last forever, and the gentle and kind times do come. Sometimes in big ways, and sometimes you have to climb up, Up, UP off the ground for a minute or two, and take a deep peaceful breath.
Do you know what happened to my treehouse? Adam and I continued adding new levels, and new furniture, until one day a huge storm came and blew the whole tree down. I went to it, and I sat on the trunk, and I cried. That was the best fort I ever built.
Even today, I miss that old tree house. But you don’t need a treehouse to climb trees.
Even today, you might not believe this, but it’s true—I still climb trees! And I’ll tell you more when I explain our Weekly Challenge. Any guesses? Know what it is? Hang on, … I’ll be right back … with our Weekly Challenge….
[WEEKLY CAMP CHALLENGE]
Ben: All right, campers. This week’s challenge is going to one of the most challenging challenges as far as challenging weekly challenges go—know what I mean?—but it’s going to be one of the funnest, too.
You’re going to have to go outside for this one. So, I want to remind you—get your grownups, and ask them to be with you for this whole challenge—it’s THAT kind of challenge.
You’re going to have to find something to climb…. And I’m going to recommend that you climb a tree. Now, I know that if you live in the desert, or in North Dakota out on the wide-open plains, you might not have any good climbing trees around.
If you live somewhere without good climbing trees, no worries—there’s got to be a good playground nearby, or maybe the biggest set of stairs you can find. The goal is to get up, Up, UP off of the ground, somehow.
But many of you will be able to find a good tree. Look for trees with branches that are close together, and not too huge. I found it difficult to hold onto the HUGE branches when I was a kid.
I do not recommend using a ladder to get into the tree. My dad always told me to only climb trees when I could reach the branches on my own. That’s been a good rule for me.
But somewhere… in your yard, at the playground, out in the woods or anywhere you can find a tree—this week’s challenge is to climb it! Get outside and climb a tree!
Now, I know that some campers cannot climb trees, and some just don’t want to—and that is OK. Instead, get out your crayons or colored pencils, and draw a picture of a treehouse—it can be the treehouse I describe in our storytime, here, and you can draw it the way you imagine it. Or even better—you can imagine your own treehouse—and draw it just like you would want it to be… I’d actually be very interested in your treehouse drawings…
Maybe we should add THAT to the challenge—draw a cool treehouse, AND, if you can get outside with your grownups and climb a real tree. YES!!
AND REMEMBER, DO NOT do this on your own. DO NOT trust a dead branch—they almost alway break on you. And DO NOT climb trees that you’re not supposed to—some places like schools and around buildings have rules about no tree climbing, so make sure it’s cool.
And then just get up, Up, UP off of the ground, up to where you can see down to the ground in a different way, and take a deep breath, and enjoy a moment of peace.
Oh, and because your grownup will be there with you, have them snap a picture of you up there in your tree. I’d love to see the different kinds of trees you find, AND I can’t wait to see you in them. And if you draw a picture of a sweet treehouse—send THAT IN TOO! Treehouse designs are one of the best thing any kid can draw! Sound good to you? It sounds fantastic to me…
I’m going to give it back to Counselor Ari, who will remind you about how to share your pictures with the Camp Adventure Mail Bag.
OK, campers: Can’t wait to see you next week :)
[CLOSING]
Ari: Thanks, Ben! And thank you, campers for joining us at Camp Adventure this week. We’d love to feature you and your fellow campers on our next episode. Share your camp space and all your weekly camp challenge creations on social media using #AKBAsummer or write to us at listen@akidspodcastabout.com.
Camp Adventure is written by Ben Tertin with help from the A Kids Podcast About team. Original music is by Hannah Glavor. Check out Hannah’s albums at https://hannahglavor.bandcamp.com.
The show is edited and produced by Matthew Winner with help from me, Ari Mathae.
Audio production is by Chad Michael Snavely and the team at Sound On Studios. Our executive producer is Jelani Memory. And this show was brought to you by A Kids Podcast About.
Listen to other podcasts made for kids just like you by visiting akidsbookabout.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out Ben’s book, A Kids Book About Adventure.
See you back at Camp Adventure next week.