ADVENTURE CAMP - MORE THAN JUST AN ADVENTURE

The word adventure can be defined in many ways; something unusual, something which moves beyond the boundaries of everyday life. Moreover, adventure is unrecognised beauty, an unsurvivable experience or unexpected encounter, superior performance, emotional strain. For a better understanding, we can divide the word into several groups depending on what area of children's skills are being developed – adrenalin, aesthetics, adaptability, performance and intellect, through the camp theme or sightseeing trips. Some adventures are reserved for a whole day, others alternate throughout the day and many are often appropriately combine to complement each other.

ADRENALINE

We can sum it up as a stressful situation in which children learn to concentrate as well as how to act quickly taking decisive decisions. A typical example known from traditional camps is the night game, in which children start tense with the uncertainty of mystery, the unknown, with the need to simultaneously cope with the darkness, with surprise and with the specified task all while dealing with fear. Sometimes it's just known as the ‘walk of courage’, sometimes children have a mission that must be met in the middle of the dark night’s forest. Adrenaline levels rise, especially if it will shower from the skies on a hot summer day during a proper water fight, during which filled balloons fly everywhere and precisely directed jets from water pistols criss-cross the open space. What is this compared to the wild ride on rafts from the ruins of Dobronice all the way underneath the bridge at Bechyně! An element of danger and fear is contained in the rope climb over obstacles hung high up trees, and when flying through the air on a chair pulley, which everyone will want to try again. Among the most popular fighting games is ‘Highland War’, where, until the last moment, you have no idea what rank your opponent has while trying to fight your way to the enemy king, or face the inevitable fate of the loser. And what about The Hunger Games, a spectacular battle of all against all, in which all sorts of techniques are used to hit the enemy from a distance, only one can win!

AESTHETICS

Just as a stressful situation produces adrenaline, so participation in creative and artistic activities deepens the aesthetic senses and induces the production of endorphins, evoking a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. Therefore, this category includes artistic achievements, which are expected in fort building in the forest, singing karaoke or the ever-popular talent show, where everyone can show what they can do with often very imaginative visual effects. Among these activities also lies the crazy disguises on the glow stick Night Walk, an evening procession with glow sticks, from which children can make lanterns or other objects of various shapes. Another night light adventure is the traditional firework display and especially the Fire Show, which sees juggling flaming balls and fantastic glowing shapes. Using the light against the wall the shadows will show us how many animals can be made from only two hands. Romance is experienced during stargazing. The favourite Photo Story sees children assemble stories on a given topic creating compositions in which they themselves appear. Probably the most time-consuming adventure in the field of aesthetics is the colour day, when everything in the camp must be tuned orange – clothing, grass, walls, flags, hair, toilet paper, leaders’ smiles, the mood in the disco, and perhaps even the food on the plate.

ADAPTABILITY

In unusual situations, for which it is not possible to prepare children, they learn a lot about themselves, learning to understand their shortcomings while finding a way to overcome them. To some it is sufficient to kindle a fire and roast sausages or maybe trdelník (special new Czech sweet cake made on fire), for others perhaps while sleeping under the stars. We will gain extraordinary abilities during Superhero Day, where everyone must behave exactly according to the character of their hero. Let's not forget the perfect 007, from whom we borrow some of the amazing technological inventions, swift action and, of course, elegance and humour! We will investigate their ability to change while telling adventure stories in the local surroundings. As well as all of the above, we will throw in good games such as Capture the Flag and Capture the Leader, where two teams fight for their flag or try to capture the opponent’s leader. Or Treasure Hunt, in which a small team, in a limited period of time, performs a variety of tasks even with no English when not permitted. A similarly interesting game is ‘Letters to Pedro’, where there is a fight between thieves and postmen, who desperately seek the right recipients. The special charm of this game lies in assembling teams of varying ages, forcing them to work together and overcome shyness. And do not forget Casino Night! This adventure sits us face to face with gambling passion, and the entire camp can try the treacherous dangers of gambling.

PERFORMANCE

As already mentioned, recreational sport is not a real adventure yet, but quite different emotions arise from sports tournaments; thrilling and varied examples of agility and training. This is best shown through the camp Olympics involving a large number of disciplines. In the same spirit, we see exciting races on the boats or orienteering in the vicinity of the camp, which was created for this purpose. It will also be necessary to practice archery and darts. You can easily lose balance during water games, but even more successful in this respect is the so-called Dry Pub – an exercise in which you are so dizzy that you stagger like a drunk just leaving the pub. We can’t forget the show of strength in various sports such as volleyball, soccer, swap, ping-pong, softball, cricket, frisbee and petanque.

INTELLECT

Not everyone is aware of the role intellectual emotion plays in our lives. It is even common in the lives of children who daily go through successes and failures at school experiencing joy and disappointment. At the camp, we certainly do not ask how to calculate maths problems, we don’t even expect specific grammatical examples. Our assignments are based on a creative approach that uses a combination of their memory as well as imagination and swift action. This is why we will not miss puzzles and codes both visual and verbal. A language camp naturally lends itself to competitions in English. We want even the weaker ones to experience the joy of success, so we include even less demanding disciplines. Among the most popular for many years has been "Unlock the Code".

ADVENTURE THEME 2024

Both leaders of each group, the native English speaker and Czech leader, organize the program which should entertain and educate, it is carried out primarily in English. Each year SUMMER TIME has a unique theme, which by its nature evokes many adventures. This year there are not only many great adventures awaiting us, but also plenty of interesting things to discover in THE WORLD OF LEONARDO DA VINCI, a whole camp game where we will travel to the very heart of Renaissance art and science on THE WINGS OF THE GENIUS. We find ourselves in Italy, in the golden age of human knowledge, in the year 1483. This was the moment when art and science came together in an inseparable symbiosis. We will enter the world of the greatest genius of all time, THE WORLD OF LEONARDO DA VINCI. We will become his temporary chosen disciples and thus, for a moment at least, part of his unsurpassed legacy.

Leonardo da Vinci became the symbol of the Renaissance spirit and presumably one of the most important figures in human history. He was not just the painter of the famous Mona Lisa, but a versatile artist whose ideas permeated many fields of human knowledge. His brilliant mind and extraordinary contribution to science and art have left an unmistakable mark on the character of our civilisation.

Our mission will be to navigate through all the challenges and adventures of this year's SUMMER TIME camp, deciphering Leonardo's writings and discovering the mysterious works of art that reference the infinite possibilities of human creation. His cryptic notes and sketches still hold secrets that can transport us beyond the boundaries of time and space.

So, let's take a look at his life, scientific discoveries and interesting facts that make him unique and unforgettable until today: Leonardo was a master of art as well as technique – from his youth he showed an extraordinary talent for painting and had the ability to capture the human figure with incredible realism. But his interest was not only limited to painting. Leonardo was also a unique engineer, architect and inventor. His designs for bridges, water wheels and flying machines show his visionary approach to technology. Leonardo and science – he was not only an artist and technician, but also an important scientist. His observations of nature and studies of geology were revolutionary in his time. He accurately described processes such as erosion and sedimentation that were little known at that time. Studies on water flow, streamflow and optics show his very progressive approach.

Anatomical research and experiments – he was fascinated by the human body and its anatomical structures. The precise studies he made of muscles, bones and organs are still considered to be the pinnacle of the anatomical art. His bold dissections and observations led to discoveries that were ahead of their time. Leonardo and aviation – his admiration for flying led him to design flying machines. His studies of birds and their wings led him to believe that human flight is not impossible. He designed wing structures and aerial propellers to allow humans to fly up in the air. Although his designs were not implemented at the time, they formed the basis for later research in aviation. Leonardo's mysterious coded notebook – he was also an avid recorder of his thoughts and ideas, where his notes were often written in a mirrored, cryptic manner that often requires deciphering. These notes contain a wide range of ideas, from anatomy and physics to notes on his own life and reflections on human nature. Until today, some are still waiting to be decrypted! Leonardo as an innovator – he was the inventor of many machines and other devices. These include his designs for the parachute, the parachute glider, the lifeboat, the drawbridge, the cable car, water pumps, gears, and the airplane propeller. His ideas anticipated technological developments by several centuries. Leonardo's legacy – although Leonardo da Vinci died 505 years ago, his work and ideas continue to influence generations of artists, scientists and innovators till today. His universal worldview and endless curiosity remind us that the limits of human knowledge are only an illusion and that each of us can achieve extraordinary things if we are not afraid to dream and create.

Leonardo da Vinci was and remains an icon of the human spirit, reminding us that the greatest achievements in life come from a combination of artistic vision and scientific thinking. His legacy inspires us to continually seek knowledge and beauty in the world around us. By becoming part of Leonardo's workshop, we will show that you can also be creators, inventors and discoverers. Your abilities are limitless, and your possibilities are endless! Finally, with new enthusiasm and knowledge, you will be ready to take on the world and create your own art and science. Who knows, maybe you'll be known as the one who changed the world... Well, let's set off together for the next adventures of the SUMMER TIME language camp.

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

One afternoon is devoted to a trip to the beauties of South Bohemia. English remains at the centre of our interest throughout the journey. Through games and activities the children are engaged through hearing the English interpretation of familiar local landmarks and other places of interest. As part of the trip, children can look forward to, for example, visits to the historical cellar of the town of Tábor, a cruise along the Vltava River from the castle Zvíkov to the castle Orlík – zamekorlik.cz or from Týn nad Vltavou to Podolsko, where our Stádlecký Chain Bridge originally stood. With thrilling anticipation, we may head to the hydroelectric power plant at Orlík, where we can inspect the technology directly whilst in operation, and then sail the wide river by the dam. We have also visited the spa town Bechyně and saild on rafts to the romantic ruins of the Gothic castle in Dobronice. Successful trips also saw us visit the wonderful view of the towers of the castle Hluboká nad Vltavou – zamek-hluboka.cz with a trip to the zoo, where we were amused by the antics of meerkats; or the royal town of Písek, where we heard the sounds of a Kaplan turbine and admired the oldest public hydro power plant in Bohemia, where on the adjacent island we ate a rich picnic. We have also taken many a romantic selfie beside the water castle Červená Lhota – zamek-cervenalhota.cz and learnt why its original white colour changed to red.

Later, when our adventures took us with explorers to treasures hidden deep within the Earth, the nearby Chýnov Cave – caves.cz beneath Pacova mountain provided us with a real-life experience.

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