HAPPY CHILDREN

Stratford Evening Post, Volume IV, Issue 22, 4 January 1936, Page 7

HAPPY CHILDREN

HOW HEALTH CAMPS ARE I FEATURES OF THE DAILY PROGRAMME. The camp programme of the Sunlight Health League of New Zealand, which conducts four camps for children in Canterbury, shows that there is a skilful blending of fun, recreation and health-education. For instance, the children hear talks given by local resi-. dents about .the old days, land this summer wllli hear short lectures on the stars and about the wild! flowers and grasses of the neighbourhood in which they aro camped. At one of the camps for country girls there will be demonstrations on the making of cream cheeses and how to run poultry farms. Sometimes ponies are lent to the camp and riding lessons given. To teach good citizenship there is an election at each camp of ‘‘the best citizen,” both the children and the staff voting. The child elected as best citizen receives a medal and is invited to camp the following year. Team.work and ideals of service and helpfulness are encouraged by developing the competitive spirit, the children being divided into groups of eight under the charge of a secondary school pi’efect. At the end of the camp, the name of the winning group is placed on a roll of honour.

Whenever the weather permit* meals are taken in the open air, and that delight of children, the camp fire, is provided every Saturday evening, when there are sing-songs, short health lec. tures and health plays, which enable the children to almost unconsciously absorb useful knowledge. Sun-bathing is very carefully graduated and seabathing Is also closely supervised. Among the girds the importance of posture is strongly emphasised, a special badge being given to the girl who holds herself best according to the verdict of the children themselves. In the following week the badge is passed on to the girl whose posture the children think, has Improved most sihice they all came into camp. Pest for an hour on ground-sheets after the midday meal is part of the routine. Most children go to sleep, because strict silence is kept. The diet, plain and well.cooked, includes two pints of milk per child daily, and only whole-meal bread is used, , r \