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Extra-curricular activities

Find advice on the best extra curricular activities in secondary schools and primary schools here.

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Original poster

Brownies funtastic trip to butlins

16 replies

mycatoscar · 18/01/2013 18:24

My dd is 7 and brought home a letter from brownies last night about a camp at butlins next January for the big brownie birthday. Has anyone's dd been to anything like this before? Any guiders about who have been? The letter says they've held similar events in other years. I'd really like her to go but am feeling a tiny bit wobbly about it! She'll be over 8 by the time it comes round and is desperate to go, her brown owl and leaders seem very organised and are very experienced. Can anyone tell me what it was like on other years? Organisation? Safety? Security?

OP posts:

zumo · 18/01/2013 19:40

Why not offer to go as a helper?
I was the same when our son went camping but the leaders did a fantastic job, he even tried new food!
If you are really concerned tell the leaders you are and see what they say.

Original poster

mycatoscar · 18/01/2013 19:57

I think it will be fantastic for her zumo and would have loved to go along as a helper but they aren't taking parents along. I think it's just the scale of it that worries me as she's done rainbow sleepovers successfully before.

I will talk to brown owl but to be honest I don't really know what exactly it is that's worrying me , just my precious little girl growing up too quickly maybe?

OP posts:

Theas18 · 19/01/2013 11:23

Aww how fab!talk to brown owl. I'm sure they are very organised and safety/ security are at the top if the list. For me, the scale is reassuring as I expect they have taken over the whole butlins resort, so no odd people about and all adults on board and aware of lost kids etc. guiding ( and scouting) has lays held big jamboree gatherings so lots if experience under their belt

Ragwort · 19/01/2013 11:28

You should see the mountains of training/paperwork/risk assessments etc etc etc that Leaders have to do for this sort of thing, (I know, am a Leader ) - its far, far more than any parent would do before taking their own kids out on a trip. You DD will have a great time .

dietstartsmonday · 19/01/2013 11:33

I am a cub leader and agree safety is very important. Having been on loads of camps i say let her go. They are the most organised trips i have ever bern involved with, even over the school residential i helped on. The kids have the time of their lives. My oldest is now 14 and a scout and last year went to holland. He said it was the best thing he has ever done

Original poster

mycatoscar · 19/01/2013 11:36

Aww Ragwort I'm sure! I've been a teacher 10 years and the paperwork is astounding for trips and residentials, thank you to wonderful people like you who take on the job in their spare time I say I think I will just have a little chat to Brown Owl and she'll reassure the precious control freak in me LOL. DD is sooo excited about it, theres no way I could say no without a very good reason. She just seems so grown up very suddenly!

OP posts:

Ragwort · 19/01/2013 11:37

diet makes a good point, in my (over 30 ) years as a leader in Scouting the trips & camps are far, far more organised and risk aware than the school trips and outings my DS goes on.

Original poster

mycatoscar · 19/01/2013 11:38

And yes, they are taking over the entire camp - I wish I was a Brownie to be honest.

Wow, Holland! That's an amazing thing to be able to do, I do hope dd stays interested and goes to guides too, I gave up after brownies and reckon I missed out on lots of fun.

OP posts:

Ragwort · 19/01/2013 11:39

mycat - thanks for the compliment, hope my second comment doesn't sound rude about teachers .

dietstartsmonday · 19/01/2013 11:49

The fact they are taking butlins over it great no one on site they don't know about!

Even though he was 13 i worried about holland but it was all fine

Original poster

mycatoscar · 19/01/2013 11:54

LOL Ragwort - not at all it actually reassured me! If your planning/organisation is better than what I have to do at school then that can only be a good thing!

OP posts:

ComeIntoTheGardenMaud · 19/01/2013 21:53

I took my Brownies to a previous event at Butlins and will be taking them to Funtastic.

momb · 19/01/2013 22:01

They will be supervised at a ratio of 1:6 at least. The whole place will be teaming with Brownies so almost every adult your daughter encounters will either be a Butlins employee or a GGUK leader. Everything will have been planned and risk assessed to the nth degree. She will have a great time, and come home a little more independent.

PhyllisDoris · 01/02/2013 00:27

I'm a Snowy Owl. Never been to Butlins, but have done PGL with our girls, and expect its much the same. DD will have a fantastic time. She won't wash for the entire time, and will wear the same clothes every day, no matter how many you pack. She will come home filthy and knackered, but begging to go again next time!

Guiders and girls have a fantastic time on sleepovers and mini holidays, and its a great experience for the girls.

I say let her go.

Startail · 01/02/2013 01:08

DD did a big sleep over at the science museum loved it.

Years ago I did the pack holiday training weekend and there's way more regulations now, believe me she'll be very well looked after.

PhyllisDoris · 03/02/2013 15:52

There's a fantastic sleepover at the Nat History Museum too. Called Dinosnores. We've done it twice and would do it again.

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