Guiders' staff room - tea, wine, chat and optional dancing around the toadstool

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Thought it might be nice to have a place to swap ideas and experiences. Shall we do introductions first?

My name's MadBad and I've been a Brownie guider for about 5 years.

[SlightlyMadScotland]

MadBad

I have just kitted DTDs out from ebay (or am in teh process of) and so far I have paid £23 + about £6-7 P&P for the following (from various sellers) - all described as very good condition apart from some bobbling on tops hoodies

2 T shirts
2 trousers
1 skort
1 hoodie

So I think that seller is overpriced TBH. And mine seem to be in teh most populat sizes (24" trousers 30" tops) so they seemed to be more expensive that teh smaller/bigger sizes.
I think I just need to get another hoodie and I am sorted.

[MaureenMLove]

We charge £20 per school term. So, 3 times a year. This easily covers hall charges and census. Rainbows don't have a lot of other outlays tbh. At least, mine don't! I beg, borrow and steal most craft stuff. School is very good at giving me paper and the childminder in me, still can't help saving yogurt pots etc!

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Ah. We have an occasional splurge on Baker Ross! And we spend a fair bit over the course of the year on drinks and healthy snacks.

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Ah. We have an occasional splurge on Baker Ross! And we spend a fair bit over the course of the year on drinks and healthy snacks.

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

[MaureenMLove]

I am a mean Guider! I don't let them have a drink! The little darlings all have to go to the toilet once whilst we're there as is it and we've only got an hour!

[skramble]

Thought I would say hello, I am a parent helper with special crafting duties .

Oh any ideas for easter activities. I have lots of colouring, and cut out and glue together ideas, but I need something a bit more substantial to make at camp (souviner), and any other non paper/gluing activities and games on the easter theme. TIA

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

We have an hour and a half. We were finding that - particularly after an active game - so many were asking for drinks that it was simpler to build a quick drink and snack break into the programme. And it sometimes doubles as a pow-wow. We vote on what game to play next, etc.

[skramble]

Oops sorry I should say with Brownies

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Hi skramble.

At camp we always do a treasure hunt where the list spells out the camp theme. So how about something like

Egg
Something awful [could be a smelly sock!]
String etc etc

They don't need to find the actual object but can improvise - blade of grass for string etc.

Have you ever done potato hedgehogs/owls? For Easter you could adapt it to chicks.

We often do a decorated shoe box treasure chest to take home all the other crafts, but that's very much paper/sticking/painting.

[skramble]

Treasure hunt is a good idea as I am trying to get more outdoor ideas, you never know it might be dry.

Potato Hedgehogs???

Like the idea of treasure boxes, but would need to put out an APB on shoe boxes, might not have enough before we go.

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Ok. Was going to go to bed but very quickly

Potato hedgehogs

1. Take a large (raw) potato
2. Make holes over the top half of the potato with a skewer [job for adult helper]
3. Into the holes insert twigs or any other natural material scavenged from outdoors. These are the prickles (or feathers for owls or chicks)
4. Make two further holes at the front of the potato for eyes [adult helper again]
5. Insert acorns, small pebbles etc for eyes
6. Voila! A hedgehog.

The scavenging for materials is at least half the activity. If you can keep the potatoes upright, and adjust accordingly, you can make owls or chicks.

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

Forgot to say, do you know Kick The Can? Very popular with our Brownies. I'm hazy about the rules but I'm sure they're online somewhere.

And yes, the shoebox thing is tricky. We always put out an APB, but there's always one parent who doesn't 'get' it (they get it but they don't 'get' it, IYSWIM) and sends their Brownie without one, saying something like ' but I always put ours in the recycling'. To which my bite-my-lip response - as I empty the cereal out of its packet to provide their Brownie with a box - is 'couldn't you have scrounged something from a neighbour/shoe shop then?'

Oh dear. I do sound grumpy. Must go to bed.

[frasersmummy]

skramble what about maiking great big easter eggs from balloons, paper mache and paint

I know its messy and takes time but thats what camp is all about

you could also just scatter loads of easter eggs made out of card around your campsite and send them to collect them

Of course some really wicked guiders lock one in the inside of their car and then disappear with the key!!!!!!

You can make spring lambs.. get a sheep template (size dependant how busy you want to keep them .. loads of white wool and just wrap the wool around and around till card is covered .. one of our young leaders then colourered hers black and declared she was black sheep!!

[frasersmummy]

snack time in our pack is diluting juice and biscuits

well its after tea dinner time and its only once a week

[pickledHAN]

OOh centenary - now theres a topic!

Have already admitted I have too many Guiding hats (and hats in life in general!) and 2010 is no exception!

Within our county we are having a Guide event somewhere archiological, a Senior Section shopping challenge, and a finale at a local county house.

I am also involved in centenary camp, and am leading a pre centenary international thi ssummer.

Hmm - lookign forward to 2011 for a rest!

[skramble]

Ooh thanks for the extra ideas, I have developed some of the activities into a bit of a easter egg epic challenge.

I think the egg hunt will fit in well with that, we were doing a hunt with chocolate eggs but this could be good too, to expand it a bit more.

Paper mache might take too long to dry, maybe one for normal pack night then they can dry for next week.

It is so true about asking parents to provide things, never get a good response.

Like the idea of potato hedgehogs, if I can get a supply of feathers we might do chicks, but I might store that idea for future and do it as hedgehogs.

I have started activity cards to note down ideas and what is required for them to file for reference.

[pookamoo]

Hello, I'm Pookamoo and I am a Guide Guider, SS Guider and helper-outer at Brownies
Well... I am on "maternity leave" at the moment but still...

[frasersmummy]

so you are just a little busy pookamoo???

our county are looking for centenary ideas from guiders.. looks like we are as on the ball as ever!!!!!!!

shopping challenge sounds interesting.. what does that entail

[pickledHAN]

Not sure what a shoping challenge will cover yet! Havent written it with mt team - am a bit hand to mouth with guiding at the moment! I'm thinking buying set items a la Apprentice may form part of it, some free time to shop as SS members know may have to feature, also may have to buy items with a set amount to complete a challenge at the Youth hostel. Any other thougths welcome! we have between now and mid 2010!

[Kbear]

Can I come in? I'm not officially a Guider but I suppose I'm a unit helper and I'm taking some Brownies to Butlins in January with another pack! I'm too scared to be a real live Guider LOL

[frasersmummy]

Hi kbear you are very welcome

I bet you do just as much as a unit helper as you would as a fully fledged guider.

In my experience the unit helpers who say ooh I couldnt do what you do are usually a brilliant right hand woman

The shopping challenge sounds fab..

I will be doing p/hol training for our county tomorrow... trying to persuade everyone that its great fun to have a licence!!

[MaureenMLove]

Quick, grab Kbear and drag her in! Get her into a uniform! (btw, she's my rl bessie mate, so she won't mind!) She is doing all the work for her Brownie unit to Butlins.

[Kbear]

stop it

[pickledHAN]

hmm - something rings a bell - thats what they aid to me when I was doing a hoiday/ camp and an international trip - youre doign all the hard work anyway -may as well fill in the book and get the qual!! (And I saill cant say no - thats how I am ending up doing my large scale lic this summer - arrg!)