What is the difference between 'Rainbows' and 'Brownies'?

[notnowbernard]

All I know is that Rainbows is for 5-7yr old girls and Brownies 7-11

What sort of stuff goes on at Rainbows?

TIA

Games, craft, songs, drink and a biscuit.

usually some form of badge work (ie hostess, sewing, looking after animals, road safety etc)

Thanks!

Do you have a dd that goes?

I nanny for a child that wants to go. She is currently quite far down a waiting list. I help run a girls brigade company, which is similar.

Thanks for that

I can imagine there being a huge list for both Rainbows and Brownies in my area

Rainbows was shorter in length of time as I recall and I don't think they do 'badges'.

They do singing and usually something to make and bring home. All quite sweet and gentle Brownies is along the same lines but geared for older agegroup.

The badge work listed by Jeffa applies to Brownies, not Rainbows. The respective programmes are designed for the respective age groups. The Rainbow programme is based around themed activities called Roundabouts. I haven't been trained in it. They choose what they want to do out of a few choices and then do activities based around that. The Brownie programme is based around two key areas called Adventures, which get more in depth as they get older. They can also earn interest badges. Their promise is more detailed as the understanding has increased.
Rainbow adult:child ratios are higher than for Brownies and Rainbows do not march in parade (they can go for a walk), carry a flag. I think Rainbows don't sleep overnight but I may be wrong. Brownies can go on pack holiday or camp (with lots of help whereas Guides aged 10-16 do a lot more for themselves at camp.)

Rainbow and Brownie units often have waiting lists, so if you are interested you need to get your little girl's name down sooner rather than later, and make sure that if she's on the Rainbow list or at Rainbows that she's on the Brownie list. In some areas, there just aren't enough adult volunteers to open enough units to cater for everyone who wants to be a Rainbow/Brownie (in other areas there are plenty).

Thankyou for informative posts!

Rainbows don't tend to do individual badges, but they will do them as a whole unit - maybe one or two a year.

They follow a programme called Rainbow Jigsaw, and they 'laugh, learn, look and love' around a specific theme each year.

Rainbows can do overnights but they can't do camp proper. Each girl has to have an individual bed (no sleeping bags on the floor) and you can't be more than about 30 mins from home. For this reason many units don't do it!

Dd has just given up rainbows. In the year she was there they have done:

all sorts of crafts
cookie and cake decorating
sponsored walk for the woodland trust
sponsored event for guide dogs
visit from guide dog puppy and trainer
pancake tossing obstacle race
singing songs
listening to stories
playing games
two church parades (founders day and rememberance day)
a one night sleep over at a girl-guide owned dormatory / farm place

I was a rainbow leader in my late teens/early 20's. About ten years ago so recollection is a bit sketchy but we did lots of arts/crafts/cookery and attending the church once or twice for guide parades. It was a lot of fun - playing games and singing songs. Iirc it was live, laugh, learn, love. Isn't religious as the rainbow moto (promise) is to stay true to 'your' god. 'Your' god can translate as yourself (staying true to yourself) - not like the GB classes I went to as a child.

All guide leaders have to attend training weekends away on a regular basis and I wouldn't hesitate on sending my kids to it.

So excited just had a call to say my DD can start Rainbows on Weds - had her name down for about 14mths. I'm hoping she'll enjoy it as much as I did as a kid :)

Now where to find the uniform hmmm

So what's the difference between Rainbows and Beavers-girls seem to go to both round here?

beavers is just the scouts version, so more boys. girls can go to scouts, but boys can not go to guides.

so, in theory, the activities will be slightly more 'boy' oriented (whatever that means) - a bit more active, a bit more outdoorsy, and there is badgework in beavers - lots of it.

in actuality, they are pretty much the same, just gendered. beavers still do crafts/ make sandwiches/ decorate cakes/ biscuits/ play games etc.

a lot depends on the leaders as to whether the rainbows get to do more active stuff or whether they keep it pink.

lots of parents send girly girls to rainbows, and tomboys to beavers, but who knows whether the princess might actually enjoy running around a muddy field with the boys?

i'm actually a big fan of both . i'm a cub leader and a pathfinders leader, and used to be a brownie leader. i like to change it up a bit and let everyone have a go at most things though - broadening horizons is what it's all about.

Do Rainbows get any badges of any sort?

??

Yes Rainbows earn badges :) I'm a Mum to both a Rainbow and a Brownie and I'm completing my leadership qualification to be the leader, I love both Rainbows and Brownies :)

www.girlguiding.org.uk/home.aspx

Find out everything you need to know on the excellent Girguiding website

I'm a Rainbow leader and used to be a Brownie Leader - the ratios that someone mentioned are:
Rainbows - 1 :5 in usual meeting place but if on an outing 1 :4
Brownies - 1:8 in usual meeting place but 1 :6 for an outing.

I have 3 adults (all qualified) at my Rainbow Group and have 15 girls, maximum I can have, I have a waiting list of over 10 girls :(
The only way these girls will join us quicker is if parents volunteer to help. You don't need to be qualified - an extra pair of hands are also welcome.

Rainbows start at the age of 5 and Beavers start at the age of 6.

In our town, we have 70 adults helping and over 500 girls - alot of adults are leaders in both than one unit!

Darciesmum - wait until your daughter starts before sorting out the uniform. I just sent DD in red leggings and white t-shirt at first so she had some of the colours. And it worked out fine because DD's troop recycle the tops so you don't actually have to buy one (unless you particularly want to). DD went for about 4/5 weeks before she "made her promise" and got her top; I suppose they do this to make sure that they are happy going.

Am going to nip to tesco tomorrow and get some red leggings and she already has a White top and trainers.

She's really looking forward to it, how long is it generally until they make their promise (if they like it)?