Guiders Staff Room Part 2

Checking in because I've been on the Brownie Mum Very Rude To Unit Helper thread and thought I should come over here more often, like, ever.

I'm now a Guide leader having rotated through Brownies and Rainbows, not aiming to collect the full set though, I'm scared enough of my two twelve year olds in Guides turning into teenagers (we do actually have one 13 year old but she has learning disabilities so presents as alternately 3, 7, or a very sensible 42 who told us not to leave our irons on, at the fire station on our visit).

Today I've been trying to track down a stationery order that went missing, and putting off replying to a stroppy email from someone in District that doesn't seem to have been keeping their unit leadership team up to date meaning that as District volunteer coordinator funnily enough I have no idea who's on their leadership team (other leaders, who'd have them? oh yeah, me).

Also if anyone is interested in the direct debit system Gocardless for collecting payments from parents, it is normally a 1% fee but do message me for a referral code which should get you loads of credit.

Sounds fun Mad!

"Because I said so" works well on my own two - maybe I ought to try it with the Rainbows too.

Albus, I've challenged them all to bring a box or bag of body parts...

Thanks Groovee.

We had a few stroppy Rainbows at our pirate party before the Summer hols when we played traditional games.

I might ask Brown Owl to 'take charge' of some of it, they all listen to her!

Eek, I think I've just volunteered myself to run a joint Christmas party for my Rainbows and the Brownies!

I've been loosely planning next half term & emailed Brown Owl to ask about the possibility.

Best get my thinking cap on for some games to play with them all!

Oh I wonder if she was at the same training as me Groovee, I just did mine as well.

That's awesome Groovee. We've been waiting for a peer educator session for ever!

Do covered boxes and they have to guess what is in them, cooked spaghetti for witches hair etc

Any ideas for Halloween games and activities for older girls? 12+? We are doing apple bobbing and doughnut on string... I seem to have run the same hallowe'en party for about six years though...

I really dislike paint! Really really really dislike it!

But there is paint and there are straws and tabards and black card and a shit tonne of glitter in the cupboard.

You may be onto a winner Rue

We did painting for fireworks last year - take a straw, cut up it part way, splay out the ends and use it as a stamp to create the fireworks, add glitter glue and black paper or card and you're away

Hmmm, my bonfire night craft ideas are not going well in the hands of my two girls. May have to have a re-think & do something different.

I'd do biscuit decorating or edible sparklers but several parents haven't filled in the contact info sheets so I don't know if their girls have allergies & don't want to risk it. Suppose I could email over the week off & take it from there

Sorry! Been delivering DD to Brownie Holiday this evening :o first time I've not run my own Rainbows since I had my youngest DS, it felt very strange!

A squistle is a squeezy whistle like this one - they work really well and are just as loud as normal whistles, but I can use them even when I'm coughing my guts up (distressingly frequently atm!). And hide it in my pocket to spring a surprise fire drill on everyone. And stuff...

I think I'll have a look online and see what teamwork crests I can find, and I will email the parents today. I am still absolutely boggled. There were over 40 teams setting out over a four hour period, and they stepped off first as we knew it would take them longer. At one point I genuinely thought they might be the last team in. The other adult trail walkers were great too - as they finished and saw me hovering, they would all ask if I was waiting for team one, and let me know where they had got to, and let me know they were in good spirits. Guiding can just be so blooming fantastic sometimes. When they finished, the organizers radioed all eleven stations to let them know that team one was in

And I too need to know what a squistle is...

madwoman - could you give that team a badge to mark their exceptional teamwork or something like that? I'm sure trading had some a while ago.

That's made me a bit teary just reading it, I can only imagine how you feel.

What's a squistle?

Sounds like everyone's having fun!

I'm busily Pinteresting ideas for after half term since I've run out of things to do today. Kitchen roll camp fires for a camp themed night since we don't have a going away qualification or enough leaders at the mo, lolly stick catherine wheels, lots of Christmassy ideas.

mad, your girls sound fantastic. I'd like to hear about it somehow if it was mine

My Active Kids order arrived! :o

Pompoms, mixing bowls, blindfolds, magnifiers, a squistle, parachute game cards...happy days!

We had our overnight challenge at the weekend. I am beyond proud of one of my teams, who managed to get a team mate with cp around the whole course. It took them over seven hours (over double the time it took the rest of the teams) but they bloody well did it. And they came in smiling. I could have cried. I still might! Most of the work was done by one of the older gals, who pretty much physically supported her the whole time. (It was a wooded course with lots of problematic undergrowth, and some steep hill sections). I thought I might email the parents of the team and let them know how proud I am of their girls, any other ideas? I am honestly blown away by their understanding, their team work, and their sheer good naturedness in getting the whole team round....

Took the girls to do their Rider badge at a local stable at the weekend. It was so much fun, the girls absolutely loved it, and the stable were brilliant at catering to the spectrum of ability from one who had never even sat on a donkey to another who owns a pony!