July 25 – 26, 2020 | All Ages
Register | Photo Contest | Schedule | Activity Packet | Supplies Needed | Lead-In Videos | Camp Swag
It’s time for the Summer Great Family Camp-In! Join girls and families across Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (and the nation!) for another awesome at-home camp in, free to everyone and open to all!
Through a series of virtual experiences, we’ll walk you through everything—from setting up your campsite at home (indoors or out) to outdoor skills, art projects, and even a virtual campfire sing-along!
Register if you want to attend one activity or activities all day long! On Friday, July 24, you will receive a link to the Summer Great Family Camp-In Activity Packet and information on how to join in on the interactive Zoom webinars.
What to Expect
This weekend-long event is a combination of live programs, pre-recorded videos, interactive webinars, and breaks between scheduled activities so that you can participate with us and have time to get outside and enjoy the fresh air!
We encourage you to participate in any number of activities throughout the day or even join us for the full camp day! Choose the activities you want to participate in, including art projects, outdoor skills, games, camp cooking, and more!
Don’t forget to set up your campsite outside with a tent or inside with a fort and get ready for some camp magic.
Enter our Photo Contest!
We are hosting a second Camp-In Photo Contest! Submit a photo of your at-home campsite and you may win a Great Family Camp-in patch for everyone in the photo AND be featured on the Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GCNWI) Facebook page and blog!
Contest Rules
- After you set up your awesome campsite, whether it’s indoors, outdoors, or a combination of both, take a picture of it!
- Submit your photo through this form OR send them to our Outdoor Program Staff between Friday (7/24) at 6 p.m. and Saturday (7/25) at 6 p.m.
- Here’s the cool part: YOU get to choose our winners! After you submit your photo, the Outdoor Program team will select the top 14 indoor finalists and 14 outdoor finalists. The photo contest finalist voted on starting Saturday evening (7/25) through Sunday (7/26) morning at 10:00 a.m.
Photo contest winners will be announced during the Great Family Camp-In: Show and Share on Sunday (7/26) at 11 a.m!
We can’t wait to see pictures of you cooking, doing art projects, learning outdoor skills, and getting outside. Share them and tag us on social media using #GCNWICAMPIN or post them right to our GSGCNWI Great Family Camp-In Facebook event page and Instagram!
Camp-In Schedule
| Time | Activity | Virtual Location |
| Friday, July 24 | ||
| 6 p.m. | Campsite Photo Contest Submissions Open! Set-up your campsite, whether it’s outdoors with a tent, or indoors with a fort! You could be choose to receive camp-in fun patches for the whole family! Plus, be featured on our blog and social media! | Submit your photo through this form OR send them to our Outdoor Program Staff! The chosen photo will be announced during Sunday’s Show and Share webinar. |
| Saturday, July 25 | ||
| 10-10:20 a.m. | Kick-off & Opening Ceremony | YouTube Live Premiere |
| 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Art Projects Choose between “Nature Origami: and “Recycled Crafts” | Webinars |
| 12-1:30 p.m. | Lunch & Suggested Camp Activities Check out the activity packet for camp recipes and suggested activities. | On Your Own |
| 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Outdoor Skills Choose between “Animal Tracks” or “Map Reading” | Webinars |
| 3-4 p.m. | Camp Fun Choose between “Camp Games” or “Camp Rhythms” | Webinars |
| 4-4:20 p.m. | Wrap Up & Closing Ceremony | YouTube Live Premiere |
| 4:30-7 p.m. | Dinner and Suggested Camp Activities | On Your Own |
| 6 p.m. | Campsite Photo Contest Submissions Closed | Submit your photo through this form OR send them to our Outdoor Program Staff! The chosen photo will be announced during Sunday’s Show and Share webinar. |
| 7-8:15 p.m. | Campfire Sing-along Our camp-in would not be complete without a campfire and songs! The first forty minutes will be full of high energy songs before slowing down the pace to sing some favorites. Comfy clothes and s’mores are encouraged! | YouTube Live Premiere |
| Sunday, July 26 | ||
| 11-11:45 a.m. | Show and Share Share about your night of camping by reflecting with other participants to wrap-up the camp fun and reveal the photo contest winners! | Webinar |
Please note: to receive access to webinar links you will need to first register. Webinar links will be emailed to those who register the morning of July 24. Soon the YouTube Premiere links will be available for all to watch along.
Summer Great Family Camp-In Activity Packet
Now you can download the Summer Great Family Camp-In Activity Packet, with camp recipes, game ideas, song lyrics, and more camp fun that you can do on your own or coordinate to do with your family, friends, or troop from afar.
Download a PDF of the Summer Great Family Camp-In Activity Packet!
Gather Your Materials!
Below are lists of the supplies you’ll need for each activity you’ll learn in the virtual experiences.
Art Project Option 1: Nature Origami
Let’s get crafty! Join Outdoor Program Team members, Caribou and Sprout, to create some nature themed origami. Use a variety of folds to transform your paper into plants and animals. Bring your imagination to watch your paper come to life in a fun way!
- 6-8 sheets of computer paper
- scissors
- ruler
- pencil
- coloring utensils
Art Project Option 2: Recycled Crafts
Time to get crafty and reuse recyclables to help save the planet! We will be making animals out of the recyclables you find at home. After this session you will have a completed art project and ideas for many more! Join Outdoor Program Team members, Nacho and Strike, to make one that works for you!
- empty egg carton or empty toilet paper/paper towel rolls
- scissors
- markers
- permanent marker
- construction paper
- newspaper or tablecloth
- googly eyes, pipe cleaners, sequins or other decoration items (optional)
Outdoor Skills Option 1: Animal Tracks
Step into the world of backyard animal tracks! You will learn about where to look for animal tracks in your neighborhood and how to identify common tracks that you might find. Join Outdoor Program Team members, Nacho and Freddie for this packed session. We will make a field guide to animal tracks, play a matching game and even make our own animal tracks!
- 3 pieces of plain paper
- coloring utensils (markers, crayons, or colored pencil)
- black or dark brown marker
- scissors
- ruler
- 2 new sponges (thin with no scrubber side preferred)
- 1-2 colors of washable paint
- paper plate or paint tray
- newspaper or tablecloth
Outdoor Skills Option 2: Map Reading
Ready to go out on a new adventure? Map reading is a core camping skill to help you navigate a new place, trail, or city. Learn all about how to read and use a map with Outdoor Program Team members, Strike and Kat. You will learn about reading a map key, explore the basics of topography, and make a map of your own!
- paper
- pencil
- coloring utensils
- molding clay
- example map (any map you have access to: a state atlas, neighborhood map, theme park map, or printed google map)
Camp Fun Option 1: Camp Games
Ready, Set, Go! Camp games from home! In this interactive session, we will participate in some fun and silly camp game favorites led by Outdoor Program Team members, Sprout and Caribou. We’ll cover some go to games like “freeze dance”, bring back favorites like “ship to shore”, and even try some new games like “farm master.” If you know you love these games or want to learn, this is your chance to give it a try!
- water bottle
- pencil
- paper
Camp Fun Option 2: Camp Rhythms
Let’s make some noise, camp style! Play some favorite camp games, like pattern changer and 7’s, focused on making fun sounds. Then join in for a Girl Scout tradition as we work together to create a Lemmi stick routine. Outdoor Program Team members, Kat and Freddie, will help you have a resounding time!
- 2 Lemmi/Lummi sticks (or 2 sticks or dowel rods each about 7″ long)
- water bottle
Show & Share
How did your night of camping in go? Let us know! Join in with other participants of the Girl Scouts GCNWI Great Family Camp-In as we reflect on Saturday’s activities, wrap up the camp fun, and reveal the photo contest winners! Listen to others share fun and a-ha moments about their night and even share yourself!
- 3 pieces of paper
- writing utensil (dark marker preferred)
- completed camp-in projects
- props needed to show off your new skills
Check Out These Lead-In Videos
Get Your Camp Swag!
Can’t wait to see you there!
We can’t wait to see you all there, whether you plan on attending just one part, or the entire day of events! If you have any questions, contact us at customercare@girlscoutsgcnwi.org.
Don’t forget to register and follow our event page on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on how to participate.