**Update: A new camp idea Shine in the world can be found here!**
I am LDS {or a Mormon}. If you want to know a few details about my faith, I wrote a post explaining some of the general ideas here. If you have questions about Girls’ Camp in general, scroll to the bottom of this post. 🙂
Planning camp was an overwhelming task at first, I admit. We have 250 girls in our Stake.
The Stake Committee Director Ally chose the theme: “The Wizard of Oz.” Specifically, we based our entire camp on four main messages: Seek Knowledge {the Scarecrow}, Be Bold {the Cowardly Lion}, Have Heart {the Tin Man}, and Come Home {Dorothy}.
As you know, the four main characters set off on the yellow brick road and try to make it back to the Emerald City. Along the way, they make decisions that impact their journey. To emphasize this point, we used arrows to decorate the camp to signify that the decisions we make impact our journey along the road of life. 
The four theme posters represented the activities at camp.
For example, the first day the girls were given the opportunity to be bold by rappelling before they even got to the main campsite. They also got to ride on a zip line!
I used my trusty Silhouette to make these cute signs to welcome the wards when they got to camp. The YCLs {Youth Camp Leaders} welcomed each ward and gave out sweatshirts.
It was very cold in the mountains in our area, so we decided that it was worth the money to buy a sweatshirt for each girl. Plus, it would serve as a reminder of their experience after camp. It makes me happy when I see girls wearing their shirts around town.
The YCLs wore maroon sweatshirts, and the rest of the girls wore blue. We did this to help the YCLs stick out if someone was lost or had questions.
**UPDATE: The original shop that we purchased this design from is no longer open. I did find a similar one here though —–> OnewordDesigns . I hope this helps!**
We borrowed this gigantic hot air balloon from a local school who had done the Wizard of Oz play the year before. {Lucky, huh?} We used it as a photo opp and it added to the ambiance of the theme. 🙂
Each ward was assigned a character for skits and camp yells. It was amazing how creative each ward was. The wards assignments directly correlated with the YW values. They were: Dorothy {Faith}, Lion {Integrity}, Tin Man {Individual Worth}, Scarecrow {Knowledge}, The Lollipop Guild {Choice and Accountability}, Glenda {Good Works}, Munchkins {Divine Nature} and the leaders were The Emerald City {Virtue}.
Look at a few examples of their camp sites:
One of our wards made this tin man who hung in their campsite. He was so stinkin’ cute!
The Witch feet were darling.
And look at this cute and easy rainbow made from plastic table cloths. Our ward leaders were so creative!
We marked each camp site with these fun signs the YCLs made a few weeks before camp. We nailed them to wooden stakes and hammered them into the ground.
The Stake Camp was “The Emerald City” and we decorated it with green, arrows, and a large picture of the St. George Temple.
I blew up a picture of the temple with a projector, traced it onto a canvas drop cloth for easy transportation, and then colored it with sharpie markers. I figured the temple could be used in future girls’ camps too.
The girls went on a hike during camp. Look at that beautiful view! We hope they enjoyed nature for a few hours as a ward and bonded with each other during that time.
We hosted a “primp and ponder” event at the stake campsite. We invited the girls to the Emerald City to relax, wash their feet, do their hair, paint their nails…etc. We had calm music playing too. After a few days of roughing it, we figured they needed a little pampering.
We had an absolute blast, and although camp is always a lot of work, it pays off in spiritual rewards. I felt the spirit stronger at camp than I had in a very long time.
The looks on these girls faces speak louder than words. This is by far my favorite picture of camp.
On the last day, we had a spiritual program where girls sang, danced, and listened to the guidance of our leaders. {We had a voice recording of President Uchdorf}. If you would like a copy of our program, feel free to contact me, and I will send it to you.
On the last night, we made a yellow brick road by placing candles in yellow paper sacks. The girls walked through the yellow brick road from the program to their wards to hold special testimony meetings that night.
I hope you can see how much we love our youth and that we want them to gain their own personal testimonies of the love of the Savior Jesus Christ.
xoxo,
Brooke
For details about Girls camp in general, keep reading:
As a member of the LDS faith, we volunteer our time to serve each other. I was asked to help with our LDS Stake Girls’ Camp. An LDS Stake is a geographical area that emcompases smaller “wards” or congregations. In Utah, a ward is usually a neighborhood. It’s basically just a way to organize who goes to church and at what building and at what time. Our Stake has eight wards.
Girls’ Camp happens every summer and is usually 3-4 days long and no boys are allowed. {Well, a few dads and Bishops (leaders of each congregation) come to help set up camp…etc, but no others are allowed}. Throughout camp, we organize workshops, integrity-building activities, and faith-strengthening exercises for the girls. During this time, they are encouraged to build unity with others and more importantly build a stronger bond with Father in Heaven.
We believe that we are guided in planning our activites. Before we started our first committee meeting, we said a prayer. We asked Heavenly Father to help guide us in our planning so that we could know that we were teaching what the girls needed. I felt His hand in planning the camp from day 1.
So fun! I got baptize after high school so I never got to go to girls camp, but I’m totally hoping that I get to go as a leader one day! This looks so fun!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Such a cute idea. I am pinning it in case I get called back to camp someday. Thanks for the post!!! Love it.
Love this. One of my all time fav movies and you guys did an awesome job bringing it to life for the girls. Great JOB!
Is this by chance at Evelyn Webster’s girls camp?? It all looks so familiar. Thanks for sharing! I’m getting some wonderful ideas for our girls!
I don’t know Evelyn Webster, but our stake director could have been inspired from something she found elsewhere. 🙂
Hi! This is great! Can you please send me a copy of your program? I am 4 weeks out from camp and I am stressing! Any help would be amazing! Thanks
Shoot me an email at allthingsthriftyassistant@gmail.com and I’d be more than happy to send you a copy!!
If you still have a copy of your program I would love a copy as well! This is a fabulous idea – you did an amazing job!
If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
i would love to have a copy of the program as well! For camp we are also using the wizard of oz to focus on the “heart, might, mind & strength” part of the mutual theme this year. We have some stuff planned already but these ideas are great! I would also love to use the posters you did but change it from “bold” to “might” and so forth…any way I could get those in an editable format? Thank you!!! cassiesoren@gmail.com
I would love a copy of your program as we are starting to plan for our YW Stake Camp.
Love all you ideas. For your large sign where did you find your lion, tin man, scarecrow and Dorothy sillouette? I have been looking around and can’t find ones as cute as yours. Thx!
Email me at allthingsthrifty at gmail dot com and we will try and email them to you! 🙂
Great ideas. It looks like such a fun camp. Would you mind telling me where you got the arrow graphic at the top with the values and colors? It’s so darling!
I made it. Check your email. 🙂
I love the arrow poster you made for camp! I would love to make an actual sign with those same type of arrows that you used on your poster. Do you happen to have an image of the arrows that you’d be willing to share? Thanks so much for the creativity and ideas!
I love the arrow poster you made for camp! I would love to make an actual sign with those same type of arrows that you used on your poster. Do you happen to have an image of the arrows that you’d be willing to share? Thanks so much for the creativity and ideas!
Heidi, did you email us? Feel free to do so and we will send it over quickly. 🙂
hi Brook this is Laurie Griffiths I am in charge of stake girls camp this year I love your ideas Could you please send me a copy of your program and schedule I would sooo appreciate it. I live in Delta and know your cute sister Natalie thanks soo much
I’d love a copy of your program! Thanks!
Brooke,
I came across your blog while on pinterest looking for some further inspiration for this years Ward Girls Camp. We had picked the “Wizard of Oz” before our Girls winter camp- That was fun and something new we did this year.
We started them on a journey down the yellow brick road prepping them for summer camp.
I love the Temple on the sheet (doing that).
I was hoping you would share a copy of your program with me, and maybe the name or place I could go to get copies of your signs and banner- (on a side note I have been using arrows for many months reminding the girls that for an arrow to make it’s mark it must be pulled back and pressed against the string of the bow- just as the Lord pulls on us to help us make the mark He knows we can)
Thank you for Sharing your talents with all.
Racheal Silva
rachealsilva@msn.com
We are soul sisters! I’ll send you some stuff! xoxo
I was just thrown into this calling and they needed a theme right away. I found your blog post and fell in love! Is there still a way I could get your program from last year? Thank you!!
You bet Dawn! xoxo
Hi! I would love to see your night program if you don’t mind sharing? Thanks so much!
Dear Brooke,
We love everything you have posted! Thank you so much for your fabulous inspiration and ideas. Will you please email me a copy of your program. We are doing something really similiar.
Thanks so much
Kori Esplin
You bet Kori! Check your inbox. xoxo
Obviously we love the same temple! I wonder if we can borrow your Temple for our Stake camp this summer? Please contact me at smile-adventures@msn.com. 🙂 What a fun camp!
SURE!! I’ll email you!
Hi Brooke-
Tried emailing you last night at allthingsthrifty@gmail.com requesting a copy of your program, but ithe wouldn’t go thru. Can I get a copy please? mamaoftheos@gmail.com is my email. Thank you !
If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Please please please can I get a copy?
If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Hey could you please send me your stuff… Thank you so much iversonmackeel@yahoo.com
If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Brooke,
You are so creative and talented. I love all your ideas! We have been preparing for girls camp with the same theme. Could I please have a copy of your program? Also, your arrow sign is awesome as well as is the banner you made to welcome the girls. I love your scarecrow! I think I saw in the comments that you created the arrow sign and the banner. Could I get your graphics for those also?
Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent 🙂
Eileen
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Brooke,
We are making final preparations for our Wizard of Oz Camp.
I would love to look at your program for further ideas. Could
you email me a copy? Thanks so much for sharing.
Sharalyne Nicholls
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Can I get a copy of your program??? We are totally going with this theme for ward camp this year!!! MY email is smithsix.6@gmail.com
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Hi Brooke,
Just called last week to YW and camp is in two weeks. Would you please be willing to email me your sign file and arrows and your Wizard of Oz silhouette in as large as file size as you have. You would be saving my sanity.
Thanks for sharing your creativity and ideas.
Lisa
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
I would love your idea for your Special camp program please.
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Would there be a chance I could get your program? We are doing this same theme at our camp this year. Thank you!
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Hi I was wondering if i could use some of your darling printables for our girls camp. Our theme is also Wizard of Oz. Please email me if it’s okay?
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
Brooke – I love your ideas – are you willing to share your night program and your lion, tin man, scarecrow and Dorothy sillouette? I would be so grateful! Thank you so much!
I think I bought them on Esty! If you want to send an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com, we will send you our resources!
How big did you do your banner. I am trying to get an estimate of how big my banner should be.
I think it was about 25 feet long I think.
I would so love to have a copy of this. I am in the Stake this year, we go to camp in July. I am sure I will still be in for a few more years. This would be so fun to do and we could start planning it as soon as camp is over….because thats how it works right?
Thank you so much,
Karen Stowell
Rigby Stake, Rigby, Idaho
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
What a great idea!! We are using the Wizard of Oz theme for our Ward Girl’s Camp this year. Is there any way I can get a copy of the program and the posters?
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
Hi, I was just assigned to girls camp and it’s 3 weeks away. AHH! Is it possible to get a copy of your program and the posters and even the tshirt design? camillesandberg@comcast.net
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
This all looks AMAZING! We are holding a Wizard of Oz Theme Stake Young Women’s camp next month in the north of England – I love the value signposts, the theme posters and pegged up signs to go with them. If you could send me any of these along with a copy of your program I would be forever grateful Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Lucy
I’d love to send you everything I have! Shoot me an email allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com.
I am helping my daughter with her girls camp this year and they are doing the wizard of oz theme. would you be willing to share your theme posters with me? We are making things that will go with them and I love the messages. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas.
Yes! Shoot us an email: allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com xo
THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB. THIS IS OUR THEME NEXT YEAR AND I AM IN CHARGE OF THE THURSDAY NIGHT PROGRAM. I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF YOU COULD SEND ME A COPY OF THE ONE YOU DID.
THANKS IN ADVANCE.
TARA
I was wondering where you got your silhouettes from? I love them!
I think I bought them on etsy!
We leave tomorrow morning! Yikes! Is there any way you could send me a copy of what you did for your spiritual program? If not, no problem! Thank you for the awesome ideas!!!!
If you could send me any of these along with a copy of your program I would be awesome!
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
Wow! I’m so completely impressed with how organized and fun camp looked! I’ve just been called to be our stakes camp director all the way on the other side of the world in New Zealand. I love your ideas! 🙂 You mentioned that if we wanted a copy of your program to contact you. I would love any information on the camp you planned, please. Thanks for sharing!
I’d love to send you everything I have! Shoot me an email at allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and I’ll get it right over to you! xo
I just sent you an email too for the info you have. Thanks so much
Beautiful camp-way to go!
I would LOVE a copy of your program, if you would kindly share that with me. I just got called to be our stakes camp director and would love to glean our theme off of this amazing camp you put on.
Thanks in advance!
If you will send us an email over to allthingsthriftyassistant@gmail.com we will send that right over! Hope this helps! xo
So many cute ideas! I was wondering what size you printed the Seek Knowledge, Have Heart, Be Bold, and Come Home posters (the colorful ones with the quotes on them)? You mentioned that those four theme posters represented activities at camp. And was the resolution good enough for the size they were printed? Any tips along these lines would be appreciated. Thank you! hollyericmeadows at gmail dot com
We printed ours 20×30 I believe. Yes the resolution was great! Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
Could I please get a copy of your program, and any banners, posters, or printables you are willing to share? LOVE this theme and idea. Than you so much!
Please send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com
xo
Brook,
I am our stake camp director here in Madison Wisconsin and I am planning on doing the Wizard of Oz this year. I would love to see your program. I am doing many of the things that you talked about also. I would appreciate anything that you could send me.
Thanks so much.
Hi there! Send us an email over to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we’ll be happy to send you everything we have!
Would you be willing to share your posters? Your Be Bold, Take Heart, Seek Knowledge and Come Home posters.
Thank you for sharing your ideas!! We are doing this theme for our girl’s camp and I would love any of the banners, posters and program you are able to send. I especially love the posters! So creative!
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
Hi!! I just got called as camp director and we’re also going to do this theme! I would so appreciate if you could send me your program!! It all looks amazing! I love camp and your post has got me so excited.
Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources! 🙂
I would love a copy of your program you used for your Wizard of Oz girls Camp. I just got put in as the Stake camp director and I’ve not been in YW since I was 17!
Hi, I have been reading all that you did for a Wizard of Oz themed girls camp. The posters you created are incredible! It seems many have asked you for a program…if you are willing to share this I would appreciate it. Would that include a way to print off the posters somehow? Thank you for all the work you did and for posting it to help the rest of us!
Yes! Send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will send you our resources.
I love the logo on the T-Shirts shown where the path leads to the temple and says “There’s No place Like home”. Is there a way you could send a digital File of that logo that we could use to make our own shirts?
We purchased the logo from an Etsy shop!
I would love the resources for this girls camp, it looks AMAZING! I would
I’ve to be able to use the posters as well. Would you be able to email?
Thank you so much!
Our stake is doing the Wizard of Oz for camp this year. I would love a copy of your program! Also, do you have downloads or printables of the 4 posters?
This is our theme for camp this year I would love your program
Hi would you mind sending me a copy of your program? This is such a great idea for camp!
Hi Heidi! Shoot us an email over to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we will get that to you!
I would love a copy of your program if I could please:)
I would love an resources you can send me. Those themed posters are perfect!!!
Hi! Shoot as an email at allthingsthriftyassistant@gmail.com and we can send you all the info!