Improv games from Camp Contemporary instructor Erica Tschida

Twelve children and one adult make funny faces in a group photo

From the archive: Campers strike a pose during a Camp Contemporary Kabuki theater exercise at our fairgrounds location.

Camp-in-Place #AtHomeArt projects from Camp Contemporary instructors and Youth and Family staff. Sponsored by SONIC Drive-In.

Like many of you, we couldn't wait for this year's Camp Contemporary. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reconfigure plans for our weeklong, school-break art camps for 4- to 12-year-olds. Oklahoma Contemporary leadership recently announced its phased re-opening plan — based on consultation with medical professionals, civic officials and peer organizations — which includes cancelling the summer session of Studio School and the majority of Camp Contemporary's summer offerings.

We've been giving you a taste of the Studio School experience with live artist Studio Visits on our Instagram feed — and last week on the blog, you got a sneak preview of the kinds of at-home, camp-inspired projects we'll be bringing you all summer long with a character-drawing tutorial from instructor Danny Gordon.

Today we're excited to debut the first installment of our new Camp-in-Place initiative, part of our #AtHomeArt series designed to connect people with unforgettable arts experiences during this time of social distancing. Since we can't yet safely welcome your family through our doors, we're sending the Camp Contemporary experience home with projects by camp instructors to help keep your kids creative, inspired and occupied. A big bonus: Camp-in-Place (along with other programs we'll debut soon) gives Oklahoma Contemporary a way to continue employing our teaching artists, even while camps aren't in session.

Our inaugural Camp-in-Place project comes from Camp Contemporary theater instructor Erica Tschida. Alongside her improv partner and fiancé Dylan, she'll walk young viewers through the ins-and-outs of basic improvisation with a few endlessly entertaining games you can play at home. "You don't have to be an actor at all to play these games," Tschida said. "They just come from your imagination, and they're really fun."

Let's get started!