Fort Discovery camp offers creative activities

With string, a brightly colored plastic cup and toothpicks, campers at the National Science Center's Fort Discovery made fowl percussion instruments.

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"It's a chicken cup," said instructor Pamela Smith as she plucked one of the instruments, producing a noise that resembled the cackling of a chicken.

Campers on the first day of holiday camp made the cups during a study about the science of sound.

"What is sound?" Smith asked her group of campers.

"Vibrations," came the reply.

The first day of camp had a theme of Do You Hear What I Hear?

"Each day has a different theme," said Lisa Golden, the camp coordinator.

During the summer, each week has one theme, with individual days and activities building upon each other.

"If a child can only attend one day (of holiday camp), they won't be missing out on anything," she said.

Other themes included the mystery of Who Stole the Angel From the Christmas Tree?; The Eyes Have It, about optical illusions; and Science Potpourri.

Devin Gulledge, an Evans Elementary School first-grader, was attending his first Fort Discovery camp.

"It's my favorite place," Devin said. ''I like to play all the games."