Joan Janzen
of The Clarion
Kids have been heading to iKids Camp every week day in July in the Kindersley Christian Fellowship building on Highway 7 East. The non-profit organization called iKids is directed by Chantal McDougall, who says her greatest challenge is keeping the kids from being bored, but that same challenge is what keeps her motivated.
Chantal McDougall with kids at iKids Camp.
“Challenge brings me back every day,” she says. “A lot of kids are discovering what they like, and don’t like. They are learning about themselves.”
Thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers, this year’s camp offers numerous activities – everything from art, sports, crafts, a wet and wild day, and a talent show – captured on video for the parents. During science week, the kids made play doh, exploding bags filled with chemical reactions, and stretchy slime.
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“Sometimes things (science experiments/slime) didn’t work out like we planned,” Chantal said, “but that just keeps kids wanting to learn more.”
Not only do the children learn about science, but they learn how to get along with one another. The children range in age from four to ten years.
“Older kids usually try to help the younger ones,” says Chantal. “They learn how to be responsible and interact with different age groups, and the younger ones learn how to
socialize.”
As one child observed, “It’s kind of like school without home work.”
Another child said, “I can be goofy and silly and the other kids don’t mind. I can be myself.”
And that’s what iKids is all about – providing recreational space for children to realize their value and potential and let their creative energy flow. A place where kids can be kids.
It’s a busy place, with an average of thirty children from the surrounding communities, coming out every day. Chantal noted the parents of those children are often pleasantly surprised to see their extremely active child bring home a craft, or a child happily participating in sports for the first time.
“I love working with kids and helping them see their potential,” Chantal says, and sums it up quite well by saying, “Seeing them enjoy the program makes me want to create more exciting programs in the future.”
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