Mix It Up Mondays #2
Have you maxed out your screen time? Binged all the bingable Netflix shows and finished every puzzle in your house? Well have no fear- Camp Chi is here! Each Monday we will provide some great fun ideas to get those creative juices flowing and bodies moving in our Mix It Up Monday post! Be sure to check out Mix It Up Monday #1 from last week in addition to our activities for this week.
Something Active: DIY Obstacle Course
Want to get moving but not sure what to do. We’ve got you covered. Create your own in home or backyard obstacle course. Use things you have in your house like tape, jump ropes, streamers, balls, and more to make windy paths, crawling areas, and things to jump over and run around. You can use pillows, couch cushions, chairs, anything you can think of. We would love to see what you come up with with your creativity! Tag us on social media or email videos to jcccampchi@gmail.com.
Something Yummy: Stuffed Cinnamon Apples
For This week’s tasty DIY treat, we’re bringing back one of our favorite Outdoor Cooking treats that you can make from the comfort of your own kitchen- stuffed cinnamon apples! Just the name alone gets our mouths watering. Make a few, share some, and definitely enjoy at least one!
Ingredients
4 apples of your choosing
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 Tablespoons of room temperature butter
1/4 cup of water
Optional ingredients: Chopped nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, or ice cream and sprinkles to top apples after they bake.
Directions
1. Preheat Oven to 350 F degrees.
2. Using a knife or apple corer (with parental supervision), remove the seed and stem from the apples, making deep crevices for the filling.
3. Combine the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Add any optional toppings into the mix
4. Spoon the brown sugar, cinnamon, butter mix into each apple.
5. Add the ¼ cup of water to a baking dish and place apples on top.
6. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. They will be HOT and smell yummy.
8. Spoon the sauce drippings from the pan over the apples. Enjoy! Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Something Messy: Make Your Own Stress Ball
Is being cooped up stressing you out? Need an outlet? Make your own squishy stress ball! Here is an easy way to make some great stress relievers with supplies you probably have in your home.
Supplies
Balloons
½ cup Flour (per balloon, approx.)
Empty Water Bottle, dry
Funnel
Directions
1. Put funnel into the water bottle, and pour flour through it.
2. Stretch the balloon around the opening of the water bottle.
3. Turn water bottle upside down and gently squeeze the flour into the balloon, while holding tightly onto the balloon. Make sure to use some pressure because the air helps the balloon open up so the flour can all go in.
4. After the flour is all in, pinch the balloon and release it from the bottle.
5. The balloon should have a snug fit to the flour inside it. Just make sure there isn’t any extra air the balloon.
6. Tie the balloon and wipe away any excess flour from the outside.
7. You’re ready to squeeze away stress and have fun!
Pro Tip: If you poke a hole in your stress ball, just add a second balloon around the outside.
Something Artsy: Tie Dye Time!
What is the clothing staple of every Camp Chi camper ever? You guessed it, Tie Dye! Give all those old white tees a campy upgrade! If you don’t have Tie Dye supplies at home, you can order some basic kits from Amazon or Target. There is no right way to tie dye, but are some basic things you will need if you don’t have a kit. But be warned, this artsy thing is also a bit messy, so plan accordingly.
Supplies
White, 100% cotton T-shirt (or other cotton item)
A tie-dye ink kit (above) or several colors of dye
Gallon-sized zip plastic bags
Water (to add to the ink bottles)
A spray bottle of water (helpful to dampen shirts before applying ink)
Paper towels or rags for spills
And if you don’t have a kit, you will also need:
Squirt bottles
Rubber bands
Rubber gloves
Directions
1.If it is a new shirt, wash and dry it first (with no fabric softener or dryer sheet) have purchased a new T-shirt, machine wash and dry it first, but don’t use fabric softener or a dryer sheet, to avoid leaving any kind of residue on the fabric that might repel the ink
2. Be sure to protect your surface, so either do this outside or cover the space with a plastic tablecloth.
3. Get your dye ready. If you bought a kit, set up the inks in the bottles according to the tie-dye instructions. If you bought powered or liquid dye, prepare it according to package instructions and put the ink into the squirt bottles
4. Get the shirt damp. You can spray with water. Then choose your tie dye patter. Twist the shirt and wrap with rubber bands to secure it in your desired pattern. Here’s a video to 4 easy and fun designs:
5. Now is when things get messy. And fun! You may want to put on some gloves or your hands will be colorful. Squeeze ink onto the sections per kit instructions or per the pattern you’ve decided to follow, or just do your own thing and freestyle it- you’re the artists after all.
6. Once you’ve finished dying, place each shirt in a sealed plastic bag for 24 hours to allow the ink to set and the colors to become vibrant.
7. After 24 hours, put on a pair of rubber gloves, remove the shirt from the bag and rinse it in cold water (without removing the rubber bands) until the water runs clear of the dye. Then remove the rubber bands, rinse again, then machine wash and dry the shirts on the hottest setting allowed on the shirt tag. Do not combine the shirts with any other clothing for that initial wash and dry in case any extra dye bleeds.
8. Wear that tie dye and be proud you made it!