A world language experience at summer camp should be out of the ordinary and loaded with fun! I would take my group of children to Africa --- to Equatorial Guinea (Guinea Ecuatorial ) since most are unaware that Spanish is the official language there. (French teachers can choose a country from Francophone Africa -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, or Senegal. Portuguese learners can explore Angola and Mozambique.)
First find a folktale and music from there from the school or public library. This research will take some time but is well worth the effort! (See "African Playground" children's music selection below.)
Make/Adapt it into a SIMPLE short play (or puppet show) with you narrating in the target language with lots of repetitions. The students will pantomime the actions. First make a story board so the children can understand the actions and the plot. (I purchase two copies of the book if available and use the pages to make my storyboard.) Make sure you have as chorus/crowd of animals (or people) in the play so the children can learn simple, short chants and/or a simple song (with lots of rhyming words) to supplement the narration periodically throughout the play.
The children can make simple costumes (masks and distinctive headbands!) and scenery (I love using crepe paper for everything.) Don't be shy about asking for parent, grandparent, or teen volunteers to help you. Between times for variety, teach the children about its flag, the map of Africa and the location of the country, the geography of the area, and other interesting facts. Play a game from that country and make a handicraft or toy from there, too. Find an authentic dish and beverage to make and share together after the final performance. Be sure to invite other campers and parents as well!
The enrichment teacher at Goodwin and I do a variation of this activity every year. Each year has been a rousing success. We involve the whole school, including those PK, K, and grade one students who have not had a second language learning experience as yet. It's best to elaborate on one country for any short time period so that the children get a deeper understanding of one country and its culture.
Helpful links for research and planning:
