Playing Through the Cold at Lake Padden

Carrying momentum from a highly productive outing of shelter building the weekend prior, the Townsend’s Chipmunks met up at Lake Padden for a well-deserved games day. Despite chilly temperatures and a dampening drizzle, the Explorers brought just as much enthusiasm and energy as ever. Chatting about our day the mentors made sure everyone knew this day would not only focus on playing games, but more importantly providing the Townsend’s Chipmunks with the opportunity to prove their growth in group decision making. Coming to a consensus as a group of unique individuals is a difficult proposition on a sunny summer day, let alone a hand-numbing, nose-dripping, Pacific Northwest day of cold and wet.

Planning where to go for our outing

Our first task of the day was to figure out where to go, but before we did that the mentors had the group make an agreement that would help them work together in circle. The Explorers came up with three ways they agreed to help; listen closely to the Tribal Elder, be cooperative and not counter-productive, and focus on one variable at a time. With that taken care of we picked to hike to the Big Fallen Tree on the dog off leash trail. Not only is this a fun hike, but everyone had a great time meeting a number of playful pups that couldn’t pass up a posy of Explorers eager to pet them. Along the way we stopped to explore a pond of standing water that upon further investigation was frozen just below the water’s surface! Next we ate some food, drank our hot beverages, and headed off to find a place to play games.

Exploring the pond

Collecting sheets of ice

We even made an ice ornament with the help of  a cedar root

Arriving at the Big Fallen Tree, we circled up again to decide where to play our games. Sticking to our agreement we made sure to pick on variable, make a decision, then move on to the next variable. Additionally, despite a few reminders from mentors, everyone did a great job being extra cooperative and listening keenly to the Tribal Elder. Finally we came to a consensus on where to play our game, and that our game would be Spiders Web! This is a classic Explorers Club game and we even had the joy of introducing this game to two of our groupmates. Navigating off trail we set up the playing field, tuning into the terrain and hazards amongst the landscape. Hazards were a big theme of our day; from the cold and wet, to widow makers, to what to do when you get lost. We sometimes say that the natural world is the best teacher, and today the subject matter was quite pertinent. 

Holding focus in circle to come to a group consensus

Peaking around a tree in the midst of a game of Spider's Web

After a lengthy game of Spider’s Web, sneaking through sword ferns, traversing the terrain, but ultimately arriving at a stalemate, we all had a blast and took a moment to reflect on our game through a debrief of what went well and what we would have done differently if we were to play again. With just enough time for a quick hike out and closing circle, we set off to be reunited with parents. In our closing circle everyone shared something they were thankful for, a highlight of the season, and something they are looking forward to next season. Everyone had a great time thinking back to our shelter building outings at North Galbraith and Lookout Mountain and our service outing helping put of fencing and plant trees at Connelly Creek. A games day at Lake Padden was the perfect finish to our fall season. Looking ahead to the winter and spring, almost every Townsend’s Chipmunk said they wanted to learn how to carve. This was not the original plan for the spring, as the mentors wanted to really solidify our shelter building skills, but it is tough to fight a groups inspirations and we may just have to reconsider whether or not this group is ready to carve. The mentors told the Explorers that if they brought their A-Game to their winter outing; demonstrating safe tool use, strong focus, and treating one another with the utmost respect, then perhaps the skill focus for spring time could be shifted to The Art of Carving. The Townsend’s Chipmunks made a big step as a group this season demonstrating their shelter building abilities and developing group comradery. They answered the call this time, but will they prove ready to kick it up a notch and begin carving? I guess we will just have to wait and find out.

Check out the rest of the photos from our outing here!