Cheeseland Day Camp – Parents Day

July 11, 2026 | cat9984

The campers at Camp Muckamac had been working hard all week getting their skits ready for their parents The plan was for the parents to arrive after lunch on Friday and take the young animals home after the program.

It’s finally Friday, and everyone is very excited. There was a hike in the morning followed by cleaning. Finally, it was time for the skits. They always held the end-of-camp gathering in the Chow Hall in case of bad weather.

Ms Kimmy: Hello, everyone! In case I haven’t met anyone, I’m Ms Kimmy, director of Camp Muckamac. I’ve had the pleasure of being with your children for the past two weeks, and I’ve really had a good time. We didn’t have to send anyone home for not following the rules, and there were no major medical emergencies.

The parents applauded. The campers, who were sorted into their skit groups, looked at Ms Cate. They were waiting for the signal that it was time to start.

Ms Cate (whispering): Not yet. She needs to introduce the counselors first.

All of the counselors, except Ms Cate, lined up behind Ms Kimmy. Ms Kimmy introduced them one-by-one to continued applause. After they were introduced, they went back to the campers.

Ms Kimmy: Now it’s time for our program. Let’s give a big welcome to the first group: Mr Arthur and Forest Safety.

Two young raccoons run in with a banner saying, “Forest Safety.” They stand at the back of the stage. A kitten and a guinea pic walk onto the stage. They take turns reading from a paper.

Kitten: The forest is a wonderful, magical place, but you need to respect it.

Guinea Pig: Yes, you should always pay attention to where you are.

A group of young animals run onto the stage and stop. They start looking around.

Puppy: Do you guys know where we are?

Goat: Not really. We made a lot of turns.

Lamb: It’s kind of dark in here. I don’t like it. I want to go home.

Groundhog: Me too. I’m getting hungry.

Puppy: Should we blow the whistle?

Bear Cub: Don’t be a loser. We’re not lost. I live around here.

Hedgehog: So, which way do we go?

Bear Cub (pointing): That way.

A couple of minutes later.

Bear Cub: I don’t think this is right.

Kitten: I’m hungry.

Bear Cub: Just eat some berries.

Puppy: Wait a minute. Are those safe to eat?

Kitten: I don’t think so. Besides, cats don’t eat berries.

Puppy: That’s it. I’m blowing the whistle.

Two rabbits come out with an easel saying to always know where you are, don’t eat anything you don’t know, and bring something to help others find you if you get lost.

The audience applauded. The young animals bow, collect a few flowers that were thrown, and run off the stage.

Two young wolves run in with a banner saying, “Forest Foods and Medicine.” They stand at the back of the stage. Two meerkats walk on stage with a piece of paper. Mr Joseph stands at the side of the stage.

Meerkat 1: The last group talked about being safe in the forest. We agree you shouldn’t be careless.

Meerkat 2: But if you study the forest, it’s full of tasty things and things that can make you feel better.

A group of young animals come out dressed to forage.

Young Goat: First, you need to know what is dangerous to your species.

Puppy: We can’t eat onions or garlic.

Kitten: Us either.

Bear Cub: But for me wild leeks are delicious.

Young Goat: Pretty much anyone can eat dandelions.

Groundhog: And you can eat almost all of it. Starting with the leaves. They make a delicious salad.

Hedgehog: Did you know you can make wine from the flowers and a hot drink from the roots?

Capybara: You can add broadleaf plantain to your salad or cook them for a side dish.

Lamb: Ostrich Fern can be added to the salad or cooked too. I wonder if anyone cooks them with Broadleaf Plantain.

Bear Cub: Don’t forget wild berries. They are delicious!

Alpaca: Broadleaf Plantain can be used as a poultice for wounds and insect bites.

Kitten: Yarrow can be used for wounds and fevers. It’s not poisonous, but don’t eat too much.

Gopher: We can’t forget all the mushrooms that are safe to eat: morels, chanterelle, hen-of-the-woods, oyster, golden oyster, chicken-of-the-woods, and giant puffball.

A puppy walks in with a sign, “Know what you are eating.”

Kitten: That’s all for us. But we want to invite Mr Joseph out here for a surprise.

Mr Joseph had been whispering with Ms Cate at the side of the stage. Her group was going to do a skit about the Teddy Bears’ Picnic as soon as the current skit was over. Mr Joseph walked out onto the stage.

Kitten: We didn’t know how much Mr Joseph knew about native plants. We had a really good idea, and he helped us do it.

Everyone clapped although no one understood what was going on. The group left the stage. Two young foxes walked out with a banner the said, “Teddy Bears Picnic.” The stood at the back of the stage. A badger walked out and read from a piece of paper.

Badger: There is a song called “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.” We thought it would be fund to do a skit about a picnic.

A group of small animals came onto the stage carrying picnic baskets and blankets. They spread the blankets on the ground and started to open the picnic baskets.

Lamb: What food did we bring on our picnic, Mama?

Sheep: I’m not sure. I didn’t pack it.

The audience laughed.

Squirrel: That’s weird. My basket is empty.

Ms Cate was not amused. They had rehearsed an entire skit that was not centered on food.

Voice from Offstage: Hello? Hello? Did someone order picnic food? I have an order for a party of teddy bears.

Bear Cub: I didn’t order any food, but I’m a bear.

Voice: That’s good enough for me.

Suddenly, the stage was full of small animals carrying salads, bowls of berries, pots of honey, and other foods. Ms Cate was very confused. Mr. Joseph explained what was happening.

Mr Joseph: The kitten in my group is friends with the kitten in your group. Some of the older campers thought it would be funny to see what happened if they switched up the skit. Sort of a senior prank. The others didn’t agree. My group wanted to help, so they asked if we could actually gather what we were talking about.

Ms Cate: They did an amazing job.

Kitten: Ms Cate, would you please come out.

Ms Cate walked out, trying to avoid the munching animals. There was a group of animals holding bouquets of catnip.

Kitten: We all wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for our program.

They handed her the bouquets, and Ms Cate walked offstaghe.

Ms Kimmy: I’m not happy that a few campers decided to change things around without telling anyone, but all’s well that ends well. It looks like there is still a lot of food if anyone wants some.

Ed Note: The plants referenced are native to Michigan forests.

Cheeseland Day Camp – Week 2

July 4, 2026 | cat9984

Everyone made it through the first week of day camp. The campers made sand castles and sand candles. They had learned camp songs and how to tie knots. They had been on hikes in the woods and learned how to make simple shelters.

The session on forest plants had been a little rough. No matter how many times the leaders said, “Look but don’t touch.” someone always tried to touch. It wasn’t too bad, except when Felice (a Golden Retriever) got a poison ivy rash on her muzzle. Her brother said she had too much fur to worry about that. He was wrong.

There was also Julius (a bear cub) who ate some nightshade berries because he thought they were a different kind of blueberry. Luckily someone saw him do it and stopped him before he ate them all. He had a very uncomfortable afternoon but was fine by the time his mother picked him up.

On the second Monday of camp, everyone was gathered in the Chow Hall.

Ms Kimmy: Welcome back to Camp Muckamac. I’m glad to see you all again. I think we had a very good first week. Did your parents like the crafts we sent home?

Joachim: My mom says we need to use better glue. My macaroni heart fell apart as soon as we got home and some birds ate it.

Ms Kimmy: That is unfortunate.

Kenzie: My sister really liked the friendship bracelet I made for her. Unfortunately, the dumb dog that lives next door got it and ate it. Then he got sick and threw it up.

Benny: Maybe dogs aren’t dumb. Maybe cats are dumb for leaving their stuff laying around.

Kenzie: I didn’t say dogs are dumb. I said that dog is dumb. But I do think dogs are dumber than cats.

Benny: They are not. Dogs are smarter than everyone.

Petunia: That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Pigs are smarter than both of you.

Ms Kimmy: Okay. That’s enough. Let’s keep things moving. I want to talk about Parents Day at the end of the week. We have something special planned that we are going to work on every afternoon. Ms. Cate has some very special talents that she is going to share with you. She has experience in the theater.

Ms Cate: Hello everyone. We thought it would be fun to put on a couple of skits for your parents.

Ms Kimmy: Doesn’t that sounds like fun?

The young animals look at each other. Finally, a small voice speaks up.

Nikki: Ms Kimmy, what’s a skit?

Ms Cate: Skits are like short plays, and they are usually not too serious. I was thinking about dividing you up into three groups. The first group will be led by Mr Arthur, and it would be about forest safety. The second group will be led by Mr Joseph and would be about what kinds of foods and medicines are in the forest. I will lead the third group. I have two ideas: either what happens when you don’t communicate on a walk through the forest or something to do with The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

Campers (very loudly): The Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

Kimmy (whispering to Mr Joseph): Did she really think they wouldn’t take teddy bears?

Ms Cate: Okay! We have our skits. Let’s divide you up into groups.

Ms Cate stayed at the front of the room. Mr Arthur and Mr Joseph each took one of the back corners. The other camp counselors were split between the groups The campers were split into three groups.

Ms Kimmy: Okay, everyone. Take a few minutes to discuss your skit before we get started on today’s activity. We’re going to learn how to not get lost in the woods.

An Adult Voice: We probably should have done that last Monday. It would have saved campers getting lost on the way to the latrine.

In one corner:

Mr Arthur: Hello, campers. We are going to act out what happens when someone breaks a safety rule. Any ideas?

Charmaine: I know! Don’t touch anything you can’t identify.

Jillian: Don’t eat anything you can’t identify.

Max: If you’re in a strange place, don’t wander off alone.

Steve: Don’t go in the water by yourself.

Mr Arthur: Those are all excellent points. We can start working on them right after lunch.

In another corner.

Mr Joseph: What are some of the things in the forest that are good to eat?

Helene: Berries!

Jackson: Mushrooms!

Clive: Insects!

Mr Joseph: That’s very good. And there are also many kinds of plants that you can use for a stomachache, a headache or other problems. We can talk about it more this afternoon.

At the front of the room.

Ms Cate: I was thinking that we could put on a little play about the teddy bears getting ready to go on their picnic.

Hazel: What kind of food will we have?

Ms Cate: This is make-believe. There won’t be any real food.

Maria: It won’t be a picnic if there isn’t real food.

Ms Cate: It isn’t really about food. It’s about the teddy bears going out and having fun while the humans are busy.

Maria: How can they have fun if there isn’t any food?

Jesse: We definitely need food. What kinds of games are we going to play?

Ms Cate: We’re not going to play real games. It’s not a real picnic. We’re just pretending so your parents can see how much fun you’re having at Camp Muckamac.

Maria: It won’t be any fun if there are any food or games.

All pictures generated by Gemini AI.

Cheeseland Day Camp

June 27, 2026 | cat9984

Cheeseland Day Camp was a summer tradition that parents looked forward to every summer. For two weeks, they could look forward to having the days to themselves. Every morning, buses picked up the campers from several drop-off locations and took them to Camp Muckamac for a variety of activities.

The campers were divided by age, and each age group had a leader and a co-leader with several volunteer assistants for each activity. Today is Paint Day. Ms Cate is the leader for the youngest group with Mr Arthur as the co-leader. Three young otters are volunteering: Heather, Suzy, and Emma.The otters meet the bus when it arrives at camp.

Emma: Good morning! Over here, Team Green campers.

A few of the campers go to their assigned color, but most of the small animals continue chatting with their friends. Finally, Ms Kimmy, the Director of the camp, blows a whistle.

Ms Kimmy: Listen up campers! We have a big day ahead of us. e, not all going to be painting today. Please go to your assigned color pole

There are four color poles segregated by age: green, blue, yellow, and red.The assigned color was on each camper’s name tag. It was an unfortunate choice for identification. Some of the animals had trouble distinguishing colors. Someone had chosen the tags online, not realizing it was a human site..

Jasper: Ms Kimmy, my mother said that I couldn’t make a mess. She said I couldn’t do the painting. What else can I do?

Ms Kimmy: Every camper had to have their parent sign the same form. If a camper is not allowed to participate in an activity, it is their responsibility to bring something to do. Or the camper can miss that day.

Mimi (Jasper’s twin): My mom says that’s your responsibility. She’s paying good money to have us here, and you have to find something for us to do.

Ms Kimmy: How many other campers won’t be able to paint today?

She looked around. No one else raised their hand.

Ms. Kimmy: Okay, Jasper and Mimi. You can stay in the meal hall and color. We don’t have the money for two sets of activities.

Jasper: All day? That sounds really boring.

Mimi: Yeah. Can’t we watch TV?

Ms Kimmy: I’m afraid not. I’m not sure why that’s here. There is no signal at Camp Muckamac. Maybe the cook can find something you can help with.

The cook and her assistant glare at Ms Kimmy

Ms Kimmy: Or maybe not.

Jasper: We don’t want to be free help anyway.

Ms Kimmy, Jasper, and Mimi head for the meal hall. Everyone else goes to their place at camp.

Ms Cate: Okay, campers. Find a seat at the table. We’ve placed brushes and paper at each seat. Put on the smock on the seat

Antwan: What’s a smock?

Mr Arthur: It’s like a shirt.

Heather: It keeps the paint off your fur,

Celia: What if I want to paint my fur?

Mr Arthur: Unless you have a signed letter from a parent saying you can paint your fur, you’re not allowed to do it.

Zak: That’s not fair. They didn’t say I couldn’t do it.

Mr Arthur: Sorry, buddy. Rules are rules.

Delilah: I can’t put this on.

Suzy: It’s pretty easy. Just put the loop at the top over your head.

Delilah: I want help. It’s all twisted.

The leaders looked at their campers. A couple had figured it out and even snapped it closed, but several were struggling.

Ms Cate: Let’s get you all situated here so we can get started.

Soon everyone was sitting at the table, ready to go and chattering.

Ms Cate: Okay, everybody. Have you all thought of something to paint?

The small animals nodded.

Ms Cate: That’s great! We have three pots of each color, so we’ll need to share. Everyone will pick one color to start with. When you are done with that color, you can take your next color. Mr Arthur, Heather, Suzy, and I will be walking around if you need help.

After some minor disagreements, everyone has their first color.

Vince: Ms Cate, I want to paint my house, so I need the blue to start. I got stuck with brown.

Ms Cate: There must be something in your picture that is brown. What do you mean stuck? There are plenty of other colors available.

Vince: But I want blue.

Mr Arthur: Then you’ll need to wait until someone is done with it.

Mr Arthur turned around to say something to Ms Cate, when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Emma was leaning across the table for a pot of paint.

Emma: No! Don’t do that!

Josh was tipping a pot of red paint onto the table.

Emma: Why are you doing that?

Josh: I want to paw-paint. It will be amazing!

Emma: We’re not paw-painting today. We’re brush painting.

Josh: That’s no fun.

Emma: We don’t want to send you home with red fur.

The painting progressed well until Mr Arthur saw a small lamb crying.

Bethany: I couldn’t find the green paint, so I painted the leaves on my bushes yellow. Now everyone’s laughing at me.

Mr Arthur: They’re wrong, Bethany. You can paint the leaves whatever color you want. (Louder) Campers, quiet down. I want to show everyone Bethany’s beautiful picture. It’s a house with yellow bushes in front of it.

Clara: Leaves are green, not yellow.

Ms Cate: Actually some bushes do have yellow leaves. And some green leaves turn yellow in the fall here in Michigan. That doesn’t really matter, anyway. Bethany can paint things whatever color she chooses. It’s a lovely picture, Bethany.

Bethany: Thank you Ms Cate.