Year 5 ~ Overview in pictures!
Highlights of what we’ve been up to!
Getting to Know Each Other
(September 18, 2023)
Activity Sheet – Two Stars and a Wish (fill in things/activities/ideas they’d like to do.)
Games:
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- Get to Know You Gummy Game: “My Name is, I Like…, I Don’t Like…., Something new I’d like to learn?…
- Crazy Chairs Game: if you have red on move two chairs to the left (and sit on whoever is already there), if you have blue eyes move five chairs to the right, hilarious pile-ups!
Hat Craft – Felt Explorers Emblem and meaning.
Food Bank Collection
(October 2, 2023)
It was a beautiful evening for our food collection walk around Hampton. Chris Lopak kindly drove back and forth between the three walking groups, so we could load what we had gathered into his truck as we went, which was really helpful as it didn’t take long to fill up our wagon or arms! We had collected a full truck load by the time we were all finished!
Our work was not done though, once back at the church, stations were set-up and the girls helped sort all the donations into different categories (example: soup/hygiene/pasta/sauce/snacks/meat/condiments/etc.) once sorted they then helped box up each category.
Thanks to the Chris and all the Explorers parents who pitched in to carry those now filled boxes and loaded them into the back of Chris’ truck.
This project gave the girls an experience of what is involved in the behind scenes of running a food bank and how it feels to be of service to your community.
Thank you to everyone for your generous donations to the Explorers Food Collection Drive which was delivered to the Salvation Army in Bowmanville.
We received the following thank you from the Salvation Army:
From: Salvation Army Bowmanville
Sent: Thursday, October 5, 2023 3:39 PM
To: Kimberly Hughes
Subject: Re: Food Drop Off
Hi Kimberley,
We just want to say thanks again for the food donation. We were not expecting so much food and we were thrilled with the donation! Please let the girls know how much we appreciated their effort. Not only are we grateful for the food but the timing was excellent since our stock is low at the moment and we wanted to give our guests as much as we could for Thanksgiving. This truly blessed us and our community guests. We wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
Kindest Regards,
Sarah Ali
Salvation Army Food Bank
Fall Camp
(October 13th-14, 2023)
Theme: “Just like Baby Moses, God has a plan for you!”
Friday Evening
- Set-up beds in tent upon arrival.
- Campfire – Story time with Verse Cards (Story of Moses) S’mores and Camp Fire Sing-Along.
- Ready for Bed (PJ’s, Washroom, Brush Teeth).
- Tent ACTIVITY:
40 Years Wandering Complaints – Responses Activity (Peeper Puppets)
- Quiet Time – Read
- Light’s Out
Saturday
Up and dressed.
Breakfast: Yogurt, Fruit, French Toast and home-made Maple Syrup, Hot Chocolate (ate inside). Wash and dry their dishes.
Inside ACTIVITIES:
Craft #1: Make an Omar Bowel: Mod Podge squares of coloured tissue paper to a balloon (1st coat).
Baking: Make Manna in the Kitchen.
Activity Sheet: “Moses Secret Code.”
Outside ACTIVITIES:
HIKE: down and through Enniskillen Conservation Area (1 hr. 45 mins.) while making Armpit Fudge, with a snack rest to enjoy same.
Back at house for Free Play while lunch is set-out.
Lunch: Make your own Sub, vegetables, juice box, and an apple. We ate in outside tent.
Outside GAMES
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- Catch the Flying Quail Game (Slingshot Chicken caught in Parachute).
- Collect the Fallen Manna Game
- Catch the Fallen Manna (Animal Crackers) Toss Game
- Drink the Bitter Waters
- Water from a Rock (Super-Soakers)
- Catch the Flying Quail Game (Slingshot Chicken caught in Parachute).
Inside CRAFTS:
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- Second coat on their Omar Decoupage Bowl.
Here is a picture of a finished bowl, given to the girls at a later meeting (after they had dry fully).
- Baby Moses in a Basket Sponge Craft.
- Making bookmarks using Fall Leaves collected on our morning hike.
- Baby Moses Hat Decoration (Just like Baby Moses, God has a plan for you!)
- Second coat on their Omar Decoupage Bowl.
Outside GAMES
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- Parachute: Float Baby (Sponge) Moses down the Nile River Game.
- Parachute: Crossing the Red Sea Game.
- Water from a Rock (Nylon on head with Tennis Ball) Game.
Pack-up beds and backpacks and empty sleeping tent.
Free Play Time
Camp Fire Supper: Hot dogs cooked over the campfire with a side of “Corn on the Cob”, dessert Mini-Brownies and Manna and/or apple. Free Play in Field with soccer ball, while awaiting Parents arrivals.
Knox Pumpkin Farm
(October 16, 2023)
Lovely evening for a visit to Knox’s Pumpkin Farm. We had a tour of the barn and met many animals. Then a quick pass through the haunted barn room and an amazing view of a barn full of pumpkins.
We then headed back outside to the Straw Jump, Toss the Ball Through the Pumpkin Game, and pet a puppy. Oh were they cute puppies!!
Then we walked to the Pumpkin Patch where everyone picked a pumpkin.
We went through the Corn Maze and then off to their cool playground for some free play until it was time to head back to the car park to wait for parents.
Pumpkin Object Lesson & Ornament Making (October 23, 2023)
Tonight we started off the evening with a Christian Pumpkin Object Lesson.
Afterwards the girls broke into groups travelling to different stations to make Christmas Ornaments: Stain Glass Nativity, Paper Angels, and Plastic Coated Nativity Cut-Outs.
We finished off the evening by Decorating Pumpkin Cookies. We then gathered back in our circle to enjoy our cookies along with a drink of Apple Juice.
Fundraiser – Hampton United Church Christmas Craft & Bake Sale (Nov. 4, 2023)
During the “Hampton United Church Christmas Craft & Bake Sale” we had a table, along with all the other great participating vendors. The only difference was at our table we shared details of the church’s Explorers program with anyone who dropped by, as well as hearing many ladies great stories of themselves once belonging to Explorers or CGIT when they were young.
Anyone who donated to the Explorers program got to choose a handmade ornament, as our gift to them, all made by the girls. Over the years we have made a variety of ornaments, here are some examples:
All money raised goes directly to fund our Explorers program.
Thank you to all who donated!! We raised $335.45 for the Explorers program!
Hampton Village Historical Hike
(Nov. 6, 2023)
We took the girls on a tour around Hampton pointing out all the Historic sites. A light sprinkling of rain, but nothing to dampen our spirits or enjoyment about learning about history of Hampton and the people and places who helped create it.
To learn more about Hampton’s history check out the Village of Hampton History Page here https://villageofhampton.ca/history/.
Photo below from https://www.facebook.com/groups/627842404454150 Hampton Ontario Vintage & History Facebook.
Glow Painting Aprons & Hampton Village History Map Lesson
(Nov. 13, 2023)
Tonight we started off the evening decorating Aprons with Glow Paint and Markers. These will be left to dry flat and then handed out to the girls at our Black Light Night on Friday, Nov. 24th, 2023.
We then had a Hampton Village History Map Lesson. Going over the places we had visited or talked about, last week on our night hike around the village. Girls took turns finding the picture we provided, that went with each location. We then discussed that location’s details, and finally the girls added that location’s name to their maps. These they could then take home and share Hampton’s history with their families.
Fiery Furnace Shadow Drama & Sharing Time
November 20th, 2023
We started the evening off with a sharing time. Girls brought in something (stuffed toy, photo, etc.) and shared about the item and why it was important to them.
Next the girls had great fun learning some of the intricacies of what is involved in doing a shadow drama with live actors. Such as, where to stand for best shadow making, keeping your profile in view, how to hold and use props, keeping distance between actors so you don’t block the other person out, and special lighting effects.
Luanne was part of the Rotation.org Writing Team on the Daniel and Fiery Furnace lesson set and helped write this lesson and the girls took on the roll of being our test team. They put their hearts into it and did a wonderful job and thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
Scene 1: How We Got There
Scene 2: The Image of Gold
Scene 3: Three Who Will Only Worship One True God
Official forgot to not wear baseball cap until later in scene, when she changed characters. LOL
Scene 4: Into the Fiery Furnace
Scene 5: Rescued From The Fire
Woops, forgot to get the girls to turn off fire light, when the three men came out and who in the world was the narrator (me) who said “the end”, rather than “end of scene”! and also found her tongue botching names throughout skit!! LOL
The King, then the official, shakes the three men’s hands in congratulations on their promotion.
Scene 6: So . . .
Girls came up with the heart idea, and during filming added the soldier salute and reaching hands out to others for sharing.
Black Light Night ~ Nicodemus and Jesus
November 24th, 2023
Girls received a glow in the dark necklace and the 
apron they had painted at a previous meeting. Everyone had their nails painted in neon nail polish. Anyone who had missed our last meeting were instructed to find an apron located on the front of the stage which they could paint during art time.
For our scripture for the evening: “Nicodemus Meets Jesus at Night” girls had to proceed through 3 activities, at each they had to read the provided scripture then play a game: Obstacle Course String Laser Maze, then play through two mini-putt holes. I forgot to take photos, but below is a picture of a maze my friend did where the idea came from, our maze was located in the ramp area to the Sunday School Hallway. The mini-putt were similar to the ones pictured below, but without the fish (from the year before):
Then they separated and went to one of three different stations, then switched when completed:
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- Music: create their own short dance to the song chorus “I Am The Light of the World” (see some performance photos below).
- Art: String Art Cross.
- Apron: Paint an Apron (if they missed our last meeting).
Then they went through the additional black light games: Hole-in-one Golf, Bowling, Plinko, and Ring Toss.
At the end of the evening any groups who wanted to could perform the dance they created for the rest of the girls.
Angels in the Christmas Story
December 4th, 2023
Girls read through 3 different bible verses on Angels that appeared in the Christmas story.
Played “Angels Unaware Game.”
Craft: made rope Angels.
T.H.E.E. Farmers Tractor Parade
December 6th, 2023
A few of us were able to ride on the “Eldad United Church’s Christmas Float” in the annual T.H.E.E. Farmers Parade of Lights.
What God Wants for Christmas
Dec. 11th, 2023
Girls picked one of the provided Nativity Stained Glass Colouring Sheets to colour.
Followed by “What God Wants for Christmas” interactive nativity set that tells the story of Christ’s birth narrated by the angel Gabriel. 
Comes with seven gift boxes, 6 have a nativity hand-painted figure, with a surprise ending in box #7. One of the girls read the story, while the other girls took turns opening the matching numbered box for each page, to reveal a character figure which they then added to our nativity scene. Each page ended with “What God wants for Christmas? It’s–to you–a surprise. In box number seven it is disguised. But – no peeking! Be patient! For this you must wait. It’s what you offer Him, and it’s really great.” The final box had a mirror in it. (What God wants for Christmas is YOU!)
We finished by reviewing the story as girls added nativity stickers to a page reflecting the main message of “What God Wants for Christmas?”.
Christmas Party – Discover the Joy of Giving
Dec. 18th, 2023
Watched the DVD Saint Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving (VeggieTales). 
Summary: Laura Carrot’s Christmas stocking might be empty this year because her Dad is in danger of losing his job. Bob knows what will really help… and tells the story of a little boy named Nicholas who made a discovery in Bethlehem that changed Christmas forever. But what did Nick learn and how can it possibly help Laura and her family? The Veggies discover the true joy of giving to others – at Christmas time and throughout the year.
Then we played the “12 Gifts of Christmas” Game, wherein each girl was given a boxed gift and were then asked if they had the gift of _________ (example “a house to live in that was warm”), if there answer was yes, they then traded their wrapped gift with another person. With each of the 12 Christmas Gifts we talked about those who don’t have the luxury of having that gift, which we take for granted. Once we had gone through all of the 12 Christmas Gifts the girls opened the box they had now in their hands. Inside each box was a small gift they could keep.
Lastly had girls packed “Blessing Bags” for the homeless, from assorted items supplied by their parents from a list we had sent home previously of items we required, such as: warm stocks, deodorant, wet wipes, tissues, hand/toe warmers, Tim Horton Gift Cards, dried fruit/granola bars, gloves, toothbrushes, hand sanitizer.
The Wise Men Bring Gifts
Jan. 8th, 2024
On arrival the girls chose either a Wise Men Word Search or Maze activity sheet to work on.
Then the girls took turns reading out loud pages from the book “The Visit of the Wise Men” written by Martha Jander.
We then headed to the computer lab to play “The Wise Men Gave Gifts” (game found in the Bible Champions II software).
We passed around gifts of the Magi for the girls to touch and smell: Frankincense and Myrrh, in their different forms, from tree gum resin to anointing oils. For gold we had a tiny sealed bottle of gold shavings in water.
Adam & Eve – Lies Girls Believe & the Truth that Sets them Free
Jan. 15th, 2024
We handed out a sheet of ten things that girls sometimes believed about themselves, they considered if they felt a positive or negative belief for each statement. Everyday things that can happen in their lives, what is good, what is not so good and can use improvement.
Game: while sitting or laying on a scooter, teams took turns scooting across floor to collect a paper with a temptation on it, carrying it back to their teammates, reading it and deciding if it was a good temptation or a bad temptation. Once all temptations had been gathered and placed in bowls, the leaders reviewed there choices to see how well they did on sorting them. They did a great job, only missing a couple out of the bunch.
Hat Craft.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matthew 6:13.
Lies Girls Believe Con’t
Jan. 22, 2024
Continued our talk on “The Lies Girls Believe”. Girls looked up various bible verses in the bible, read them out loud, and a discussion took place for each one.
Craft: Then the girls took a piece of coloured paper and wrote on it as many lies (some girls believe about themselves) as they could remember, then took this piece of paper and cut up these lies, the paper lie pieces were then placed in a pile in the center of our circle and mixed up. They then cut out a paper cross and glued the assorted lie pieces onto their cross, giving them over to Jesus.
Your Special Just the Way You Are!
Feb. 5, 2024
Popcorn time!
We watched VeggieTales “Sweetpea Beauty – A Girl after God’s own Heart.
Sweetpea Beauty knows that what’s on the inside is what matters most, but insecure Queen Blueberry can’t see past her own reflection! Will Sweetpea save the Queen from the lies of the tricky mirror and help her understand she’s special just the way God made her? Find out in this fairy “Veggie” tale about the real meaning of true beauty.
Also includes the new Silly Song “Pants.” Plus, the almost-classic tale of Snoodlerella — A self-conscious Snoodlerella is the star of the ball after getting an extreme makeover. Her life of glamor is short-lived as the clock strikes midnight and her glasses, braces and insecurities return. Will she be able to see herself as the good King sees her — unique, beautiful and perfect just the way she is?
Crafts:
Hat: God Made Me Unique.
Snowflake Shrinky Dinks – here the girls traced different snowflake patterns onto a piece of Shrinky Dink paper, then started to colour them in, they will finish colouring them in next week.
Frenemies vs True Friendship
Feb. 12, 2024
Tonight we looked up several scripture verses that contained qualities we want to look for in friends and in ourselves: loyalty (Proverbs 17:17), reliably, wise, serve others, focus on others, honesty.
Crafts: finished colouring in our Snowflake Shrinky Dinks and made a Valentine Card to give to someone they considered a “true friend”. Also is a photo of a finished one handed out at a later meeting to the girls.
Snack: Finished with the girls adding sprinkles to an ice cream sundae for a snack.
Easter Game Night
March 18, 2024
Tonight we heard the story of Easter (Holy Week and surrounding events) as we played through a series of 10 Easter Game Stations.
(Games came from the book “Easter-Rific” by Tina Houser):
#1 We clip-clopped like a donkey (walking on wooden blocks) took a question hanging from the donkey’ ear back to our team to answer.
#2 Cloak Path Game.
#3 Were tricked by the sneaky temple merchants (Cups Game).
#4 Removed the rotten Eggs from the Temple.
#5 Set the table for the Last Supper.
#6 Joined the disciples in the upper room; Jesus washed the disciples feet; Jesus is the Bread of Life; the disciples ate with Jesus; Drink this in Remembrance of Me; Judas Left.
#7 Searched for the one who betrayed Jesus.
#8 Peter’s denial when the rooster crowed three times.
#9 Resurrection Match Game.
#10 Spreading the gospel message around the world (toss the globe ball into a bucket).
Psalm Sunday
April 8, 2024
As out meeting on 25th was cancelled, due to Luanne being ill, we moved those plans to tonight. We did the “Rotation.org Writing Team’s Palm Sunday Storytelling and Stone Art Workshop“.
In the Story Table Room we gathered around the Story Table and found today’s scripture in our NLT bibles, then the girls took turns reading the Psalm Sunday account from Luke 19: 28-40.
We then headed over to the Art Room to create our “stone” characters and “signs”. We talked about what people may have been thinking or saying when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Luanne gave examples of what the critics (like the Pharisees) were saying and then had the girls came up with what Jesus’ followers were saying and writing it on signs for their rocks to carry in the Psalm Parade.
Creating our rock people and signs.
One of the girls created a stone donkey and Jesus.
Back in the Story Table Room as we reread Luke’s account we added our “stones” and accessories (fabric clocks and palm branches) along the road to Jerusalem on the Story Table.
We ended with a fun demonstration using “Buzz Magnets” (aka “rattlesnake egg magnets”) or what I like to call “Talking Stones” relating to Luke verses 39-40:
39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” 40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
When you toss two of these magnets, gently into the air, they will connect and make a buzzing noise or as we liked to believe, they were cheering for Jesus.
Be Prepared! Emergency Preparedness
April 15, 2024
We started off the evening working on a word search in the Canadian Safety booklet: Be Prepared! Emergency Preparedness. We will continue to work through the booklet at later meetings.
Everyone then searched the room to find five cards each, then we sat back in our circle and shared what the cards said, first about what the bible says about being prepared for the return of Jesus, and secondly things they themselves could be doing.
Tonight’s craft was to make a “mini lantern” and then back in our circle we sang the song “This Little Light of Mine”.
Lastly we played a yearly favourite – “Emergency Memory Action Game” – girl’s learned the different positions they were to take in different situations, alone or with a partner(s) for such thing as: Lightening, Tornado, Blizzard, Shelter, Exit, etc. Then a leader would call out an event and the girls had to quickly get in that position. Once everyone understood how to play we did it again, but this time the last one in position was out of play until only one person was left. Every year we do this they want to play it over and over again!
Be Prepared Cont’d
April 22, 2024
As girls arrived they gathered in our circle can continued doing activities sheets in the Canadian Safety booklet: Be Prepared! Emergency Preparedness.
Next we moved on to how to build a camp fire, after Kim talked about different kindling they could use, she showed them how to stack the wood and place the kindling for the best fire. They then each took a turn demonstrating how to properly lay out a camp fire.
While at camp the girls will be given an emergency pack to keep in their backpacks, which they are to carry with them anytime we leave the campsite for hikes or other activities off the campsite. We gathered in the circle and reviewed all the items in the emergency pack, each girl picked out one of the items and told us what they thought it was useful for, until we had covered all the items. Band-aids, septic wipes, poncho, string, safety pins, whistle, compass, lanyards with campsite info and a contact number (there the girls wear), etc.
We then checked out Kim’s emergency pack items to see what additional items she packed for camping, like her cool hand crank radio/flashlight, among other things.
Next the girls, working together, put up a tent. Once up they then had to take it down and pack it away properly back into the tent bag.
Lastly we had a quick game of “Emergency Memory Action Game” as played the Monday before.
April 29, 2024 – No Meeting
Baking
May 6, 2024
Girls created Bake Sale Signs and made Pumpkin Muffins and two other desserts for the upcoming Bake Sale: Confetti Bars and No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars. Yum Yum!!
Bake Sale
May 11, 2024
Thanks to everyone who stopped by to purchase items at our bake sale! We raised $1,550.00!!!
This was a service project the girls undertook to raise funds to send a child to “Camp Grace Canada” for a week. Our hope was to raise $650.00 to cover the cost for one child and we surpassed that to cover the costs to send two children and help cover the cost of a third.
Thanks everyone!!
Update to the Bake Sale
- Camp Grace Canada 2024
The money we raised at our bake sale helped cover the cost for 2+ kids to attend Grace Camp. Explorer’s leader Luanne had a great week volunteering at Camp Grace Canada 2024 (Aug. 26th-30th) for underprivileged kids (free to them). Richard Joiner (who organized the event) provided me with the link to a short video/picture montage of the event, which is viewable below https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM5o9j9YIeU&t=2s. It was held in Prince Edward County on the lovely property of Hucyk’s Bay Conference Center.
Ice Cream and Playground
May 13, 2024
Off to the Elliott Memorial Park Playground, across the road, for some free play and then off for ice cream at the corner store.
Spring Camp – Darlington Provincial Park
June 7-8, 2024
Theme: Days of Creation
Friday evening
Arrival set-up sleeping areas.
Camp Fire: Marshmallow Roast.
Bed: Washroom/Brush Teeth/etc., then settle in tents with their books.
Saturday
7:00 am UP: Washroom/Brush Teeth/Hair/etc.
Craft #1: Braiding (while waiting for others coming at 8 am)
Breakfast: French Toast & Fruit (Strawberries, Blueberries, Watermelon, Pineapple, Melon and Cantaloupe, Milk or Apple Juice.
Clean-up: Everyone washed and dry their dishes.
Craft # 2: Hat Craft and Story: Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3)
Craft # 3: Wooden Plaque, they added screw hooks and decorated with sea shells.
Hike (Scavenger Hunt)
A List of Things they had to look out for: Cloud, Something Light, Something Dark, Flower, Leaf, Pine-cone, Seed, Piece of Wood, Bird Feather, Moss, Birch Bark, Spider’s Web, Bug, Pine Needles, Poison Ivy, Birth Nest, Bird, Treasure (whatever thing inspires them), Clover, Fern, Mushroom, Animal Tracks, Trail Sign, and a Bridge.
Snack: Bear Paws
Craft # 4: Painting wooden Birdhouses and Butterflies
Kim packed up second campsite and those girls moved their gear over to main campsite.
Lunch: Doritos Taco Salad & a Pudding Cup, Milk or Apple Juice.
Clean-up: Everyone washed their dishes.
Ice Cream, Playground & Beach
Walk to main store for ice cream and then continued on to playground for some free play time.
Then continued down to the beach for the following activities:
#1 Fossils: Kim showed them the kind of black coloured rocks to look for and then how to break them apart to look inside for fossils. Here they are searching for rocks and one rock they broke open and did find a fossil.
#2 Sea Glass: Off came the shoes and the girls looked for sea glass (green or white) and also any interesting rocks, like one shaped like a heart, along with fun getting their feet.
#2 Rock Art: Luanne showed the girls, who were interested, a picture book series “Rocks Tell Stories” by author Patti Rokus and then were challenged to pick one of the stories and create that Rock Art picture. Check out one girl’s Angel announcing to the Shepherds with their sheep, great job!!
Back at campsite: Snack: Krispies Squares and then everyone helped take down our eat-in tent.
Dinner:
Girls cooked their own hotdog wiener over camp fire, along with their hotdogs there were carrots, cucumbers and assorted fruit. 
Desert was Campfire S’mores Waffle Cones (a waffle cone stuffed with mini marshmallows & chocolate chips, wrapped in tin foil, placed on campfire grill).
Help pack and sort everyone’s stuff in main tent ready for parent pick-up.
Treat: Licorice
Free play until parent’s arrival, done mostly in tent which meant everyone neatly sorted items became a mess! LOL
Previous Years
Year 4 (2022-2023) ~ Overview in pictures!
To view – click here
Year 3 (2019-2020) ~ Overview in pictures!
To view – click here
Year 2 (2018-2019) ~ Overview in pictures!
To view – click here
Year 1 (2017-2018) ~ Overview in pictures!
To view – click here
Hampton United Church 