To suspect that Enid Blyton is not really dead but is alive and well and organising DD's Brownie Camp?

[GingGangGoolie]

I have namechanged in case La Blyton has got the internet and takes umbrage.

DD is away at Brownie Camp for two nights. DS1's list for a two night Cub camp was in large type on an A5 sheet. DD's is in microscopic type on a sheet of A4.

There are 58 items on the list. 58!

They include:

Sturdy walking shoes
potato peeler
tea towel
woolly hat (in July?)
Dessert spoon and tea spoon
Apron

Apron? I don't own an apron. My 77 year old Mum probably doesn't own an apron. What sort of eight year old has her own apron?

I think people have climbed Everest with less equipment.

And it says that "Homemade cakes are welcome"

AIBU to send shop bought cakes? Will DD be an outcast, seen as lower class and be forced to address the other girls as Miss Georgina and Miss Anne?

Thanks MumNWLondon

I like the hot strong coffee as an ingredient. That could be my revenge couldn't it - a troop of Brownies all wired on caffeine bouncing round the capsite till 3am.

I may not make that today (CBA) but will keep it for future reference as it sounds yummy.

Our cub camp kit list is pretty comprehensive. Parents question the requirement for different footwear but water-based activities like rafting and canoeing tend to put at least one pair of trainers out of action for a couple of days. We don't ask for an apron or potato peeler but they have to bring a tea-towel so they can all wash the pots after meals. (Judging by the way some of the kids wield their tea-towel, it's not something they've ever been asked to do before) BTW the dessert spoon will be for puddings/cereals and the teaspoon for yoghurts (into which dessert spoons don't fit).

BTW... we also ask for everyone to bring some cakes. Can be home-made or Mr Kipling... nobody really cares. The children hand them all in on arrival and they are shared out with a drink to have as post-activity snacks.

sounds ace to me

g'wan get her an apron - it will y'know, keep her clothes clean when she's doing brownie stuff/stop her being the only girl without one (which she may hold against you for many years)

maybe the brown owl knows from many years experience that it is better for each person to have their own potato peeler rather than all be fighting over them. but i'd probably query the need for an individual one. everything else - fair enough!

This camp sounds great! I bet your DD will love finding all the things on the list from around the house - you could ask her to help you and come up with alternatives if you don't have something. I hope they have a great time on the trip and eat lots of cake - home-made or otherwise.

AT guide camp we sat around in a circle peeling potatoes - only we hadn't been told to bring sharp knives, let alone potato peelers (campsite had huts and things - I assume there was proper catering equipment inside). Ever tried peeling a potato with a knife froma plasticy 'camping cutlery' set? Not much potato left!

When I was a brownie (not recently!) we had to put our aprons on to eat so we didn't get our clothes dirty. They also be helping cook so presumably that is why they need one.
I also seem to remember we all peeled a potato after elevenses, kind of all at the same time so would each need a potato peeler. Easier than someone trying to do enough for everyone which would take ages!
Teaspoon to eat yogurt and desert spoon to eat breakfast.
We had cake at elevenses. Again, if every girl brings one cake it will last all week. Saves cost of buying them.
It brings back happy memories of sleeping on a garden lounger that didn't go completely flat!

I remember having to do some sort of bedding origami with a sleeping bag, blankets and giant safety pins on brownie camp as apparently sleeping bags aren't warm enough for brownies. I then roasted all night.

YABU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes get her an apron - we once went to a fish farm on camp and needed our aprons for all the lovely fish we gutted for tea!
potato peeling is a HUGE daily task on Brownie camp. So many girls, so many potatoes. It's a life skill. When I was, ahem Brown Owling, it never ceased to amaze me how many kids could not use a knife and fork let alone a potato peeler.
you can dye some t-shirts yellow.
It might all seem a big faff to you but don't forget these ladies give up a whole week of their annual leave to take your daughter away and they will have spent many many hours planning it since last year's camp - including visiting the site, risk assessments organising insurance, menus and trips.
The leaders don't get paid and a lot of parents just don't realise how much they do.
She will have the best time, a few thing son a kit list to make Blyton's life easier is not a lot to ask?

ps it gets really cold at night - especially if they sleep under the stars without a tent hence woolly hat!

OMG breathe I had forgotten the bedding roll and safety pins! I now remember not only did we havwe to sleep in a V due to sun lounger issues but had to have our blankets attached to sleeping bag like a baby!
There were great times though!

PMSL at the thought of DD gutting fish.

It's a weekend, not a week. Two nights. That was the exact point of my OP - I would not be complaining about the amount of kit if it was a week.

I'm with you Woops - we only take our Brownies for two nights and that takes enough planning - a week ... wheew...

DD goes on week camp with guides however and I'm amazed at what they manage to achieve with very little...

Apron definately very important - we get Brownies to wash up, help cook etc etc and aprons help keep clothes dry/clean...

Hope she enjoys it - sounds like a blast!

It IS two nights.

And the cub camp - with a third of the equipment list - was actually three nights, not two as I said in my OP.

Just to recap:

3 night cub camp - 31 items on list

2 night Brownie camp - 58 items on list

Current and youngish-not-remotely-Enid-Blyton-ish Brown Owl here ([ducks].

We also have all the Brownies peeling their own spud at the same time, hence one peeler each. Otherwise spud peeling takes all day. Plus if they do their own it's one thing ticked off on their Cook's badge.

Aprons are cos Brownies are incapable of making even a sandwich without getting covered in food and washing and drying up usually leaves them semi-drenched so the apron helps keep them cleanish and dry.

Woolly hat I would think only necessary if they're camping, but is v essential then. I was camping with some Brownies in June and though it was nice and sunny in the day, it was 5 degrees overnight and hats are good to keep body heat in.

I think they say homemade cakes are welcome as some (ridiculous) schools say shop bought only as homemade have not been made by qualified certified caterer with hygiene cert etc. Brownies is not at all like school in this and many other respsects! Either will be welcome though anyway.

I am off to Harewood House on BIIIIGGGGG Centenary camp next week so am just perusing my own kit list as I type!

D

My 8yr old has an apron, and so do I.

She's not a Brownie though, she's a Cub, way cooler.

Oh I remember having to gut fish on a survival day we did [bleurgh]. When I got home my whole kit stank of fish!

Boil white t shirt in onion skins - it will give you the 'Brownie' yellow.

Sew tapes or ribbon to a large tea towel to make an apron.

Millets give 10% off to anyone going on Guide/Brownie/Cub camp.

Please don't tackle the 'list' at 1 am on the morning of camp like I did. Swears were uttered and there were Tears and Snot.

It is the 100th anniversary of the Guiding movement and the badge is coveted. Your dd will have a great time.

Mind you, she's also in a youth club and they have an overnight trip next month.
12 items on the list.

Clearly they're going to be very unprepared!

Have come out in a cold sweat at the phrase "Brownie Camp." I was horribly bullied when I was a Brownie and was too worried about upsetting my mum to tell her about it. Brownie Camp was the worst.
Anyway, that first list sounds exactly like the one we were given 30 years ago!

yellow polo shirts
Would those do?

I just checked to see if I had any spare from DD last year that you could have had, she wears that colour for school but I don't.

Aw bless you for looking mugglewump. We will be OK for clothes I think.

I was just stunned at being told a colour code. Like some ghastly bridezillary wedding.

pmsl @ bigfishlittlefishcardboardbox's description, which is exactly how I remember Brownies!!

I think you can safely assume your DD is going to be exclusively eating potatoes and cake for the next two days.

Hope she's packed some stout brogues.

Just to cheer you up, my DS went to scout camp for a week, when he came home we had to practically cut him out of his clothes - none of the kids had changed all week. He also had a large burn hole in his jacket and an upset tummy from cooking and eating lumps of flour and water dough on the end of sticks in the camp fire. This was in the old days of course before health and safety went mad