what jonah does at summer camp (chicka-boom)

You never know when Jonah might actually reveal something about what happens during the day at summer camp.

He certainly doesn’t reveal much when asked.

Sometimes I can trick him into giving me a detail. I’ve wormed out of him that he has a new friend, or at least knows the name of a kid, named Owen.

So, I said today, after camp, as we were sitting at a picnic table outside of the Merry Go-Round, and as he was eating his chocolate and vanilla ice cream…

(I should pause here to mention: His camp is in Tilden Park, which has many attractions in it amongst the campgrounds, including the 100-year-old Merry Go Round. Since he’s at camp this week without his best friend from school, he’s been a little complain-y. So I’ve been bribing him to go the distance via post-camp sweet treats and go-round rides.)

So, I said. Does Owen like sharks? Or dinosaurs?

Jonah considers this.

No, he answers.

(Yeah, I got nothing today.)

This evening, he volunteered that he’d played a game called Evolution. He told Scott about it first, and then amazingly was willing to explain it to me again.

It’s a kind of tag.

People are eggs and they run around like this (he demonstrates, hunched in a ball and scuttling). When two beings encounter each other (I’m pretty sure that’s the word he used), they RO SHAM BO. And the winner turns into a Dinosaur! (Demonstrates snapping jaws.) The other person has to become what the first person used to be. Then the next time, after ROSHAMBO, the winner turns into a Human Being. And then the next time they turn into a Supreme Being.

A Supreme Being?

Jonah says, Yes, and they go like this! (He jumps and does a pose that looks vaguely like a surfing superhero.)

So, the supreme being is a superhero?

No.

They go like this! (He does a spin jump and ends up on the floor.)

I’m still not getting it. Scott seems concerned.

What are they teaching our kid at camp?

Jonah demonstrates again, jumping around, surfing position, waving hand gestures, and he starts singing:

STOP! In the wayyy of LOVE. Before You BRAAYAAKE aye Heart. Thinkut Ohoh ber.

Ah! SUPREME Being!

I love it.

+ + +

Shortly thereafter, he starts singing to himself, still during dinner. (Dinner with a four-year-old can be a long process, full of self-generated fascinating distractions.)

… a Boom CHICKA BOOM…

Wait! I know this one. So I sing it to him (and he corrects me in places):

I said A Boom Chicka Boom (x 2)

I said A Boom Chicka Rocka (Wocka? – my version) Chicka Rocka Chicka Boom

Uh huh

Oh yeah

One More Time

____ Style.

I suggest “cowboy” style. He humors me by trying it that way, with a western twang.

But then he lays the real knowledge down.

Monster Truck Style: I said a VROOM chicka VROOM

Now THAT’s what he’s talkin’ about.

Oh, and Shark Style: I said a Boom Chompa Rocka Chompa Rocka Chompa Boom.

I’m sure there was a Pirate style, because it is Pirate Week, after all, but he couldn’t remember that one.

However, he did sing semi made-up sea shanties in the bath tonight so that part of his education is clearly not being neglected.

Today’s costume for “Wacky Wednesday” (he’d worn the hammerhead shark pirate headpiece yesterday just for fun, and was quite the hit with it, but wanted to try the non-shark variation today, partly because the former is simply too heavy for running around under; note improvised hoop earring made of organic broccoli rubber band):

+ + +

Update:

This morning, I spoke with his counselor Laura (who was dressed as a merperson yesterday, see below).

I was telling her about our initial confusion regarding Supreme Beings and how funny it was when we got to the reveal.

As a college student majoring in Molecular Biology, she felt compelled to help fill in the blanks regarding the Evolutionary path, with apologies for the obvious scientific inaccuracies.

The order goes:

Egg

CHICKEN

Dinosaur

MONKEY

Human Being (but yesterday it was PIRATE, per the theme)

and THEN Supreme Being

… Yeah, it’s still awesome.

+++

One more (final?) addendum:

It turns out I got the name wrong.

It’s Supreme BEAN! Jonah told me, quite emphatically, as we were re-discussing the game today in the car on the way home from camp.

No, Jonah. It’s Supreme BEING.

No, Mama. Supreme BEAN. Like Human BEAN.

Of course. I can’t argue with that.