How do Brownies and Cubs compare, and what goes on at Brownies?

[PrettyCandles]

I know what goes on at Cubs because dh is a Leader, but dd started Brownies this term and I really haven't a clue what goes on. She just says she has fun and does girly things.

What bugs me slightly is that the cubs have had two 'field trips' and two external speakers so far this term, and have been doing out-of-doors activities every 2-3 weeks. The Brownies have never left their hall, the girls don't even bother to bring coats (so they clearly know they won't go outside), and there have been no 'visitors'.

Cubs have had a two-night camp, Brownies planned a sleep-over with pizza delivery and a film.

Ds was invested about a month after joining, and had already earned a badge by that time. Dd has been going for 2.5m and has not yet been invested. She has been given a lollipop. That's another concern: she says they had a competition to design a badge for the group, which she appears to have won. In which case, surely seeing your badge being worn by everyone is the prize? You don't need to be given a lollipop 3" wide by 1/2" thick!

Iknow dd is enjoying herself, but I feel as if she is missing out on adventurous, horizon-widening opportunities.

I wish they'd have let girls into cubs when I was 7, it sounds much more fun!!

It's a while since I've been involved with the organisation, so things may have changed, and I'm sure each group does things a bit differently, but on the whole I found that the scouts did much more exciting, adventurous stuff - trekking, wide games, treasure hunts, camping, climbing etc. Although we went camping in the guides, a lot of time seemed to be spent on chores, cooking, washing up etc., and craft activities. We did go canoeing and abseiling but that was just one day. On scout camps we did much more active stuff on most days. Also, my penknife was confiscated on a guide camp (dangerous ), whereas all my scout friends were allowed to keep theirs!

There's no reason why your dd can't do both, though, so she gets to do the girly stuff and the fun stuff too! I would suggest you pick a cub pack that has a few girls in it already though - she won't thank you for leaving her on her own with a load of boys and it might put her off the whole thing!

Our local brownie group was very girly and did not appeal to dd and friends. Ds does cubs and I wish I'd thought of it for dd as this would have been right up her street. As you said, lots of outdoor activities, speakers, games etc.

Would not want to be only girl in a cub pack though - ideally if she could get a friend ot two on board that would be great.

Packs vary a lot according 2 who runs them.
DD joined Brownies 6 months ago & so far has done (*that I recall):

Saturday Daytrip 2 nature reserve
Walk around town 2 c where she could shelter if homeless
Promise ceremony
Decorated a potato
Evening of canoing at local guides centre
5+ days at camp (lots of activities, including swimming bags of crafts & cooking)
100 yr celebration overnight at local school
Hostess evening for parents
Remembrance day parade & church service
Planting bulbs 4 next spring

She could have but did not because I needed a break go to Wildlife Badge day in October or Knockout competition all afternoon last July.

DD goes to both

IME, Cubs is more physical and exciting - they do proper camping and loads of extra activities, often on a Saturday. They do organised badges, and get a certificate with the badge, not a sweet. But they do have parties, etc where they eat loads of sweets!

Brownies is more sedate, they go to a special hut for weekend "camps", they play nice organised games where everyone follows the rules and noone gets over excited. They do organised badges and under their own steam, and just get the badge, but they do have parties, etc where they eat loads of sweets!

DD loves both - her BF's go to Brownies and she has made totally new friends at Cubs.

PS I do think it's nice for girls to get time just to be girls, with no boys around.

snap TillyMint. DD has 3 brothers 2 b laddish with away from Brownies.

Dd would hate going to the same cub pack as ds1, it would be far too boistrous for her. (I wouldn't want her to go to the same activity anyway, she needs something where she isn't overshadowed by her big brother.)

Because there are about 4 Brownie groups in our town, and a massive waiting list for Cubs, there are no mixed cub packs AFAIK.

What BrokenArm described is along the lines of what I expected dd to be doing.

I wish I could do something about it. I firmly believe that you shouldn't complain about what a volunteer does unless you're willing to participate in it yourself, which I can't do right now. Besides, the Brown Owl has been in and out of hospital for the last month or more (hence having to cancel the Centenial sleepover), so it's amazing that they've managed to keep things going.

Frustrating.

I am a Brown Owl and at our unit I normally ensure new entrants have their Promise ceremony at the end of the half-term in which they joined - assuming they have learnt their promise and law by then, which they always have. We make quite a big deal of our promise ceremony and normally combine it with badge awards for all the Brownies in the unit who have earned badges that half-term.
I try to plan a varied programme of activities, and Brownies have a lot of input into what they would like to do, so to some extent the programme depends on their interests.
This term for example we have been working on activities connected to Guiding's centenary year.
We do quite a few outdoor activities. In the summer term for instance we had:
A town trail and quiz
Rounders in the park
A demonstration from a police doghandling team - that was ace!
Outdoor activities are trickier this term as it is almost dark by the time our meeting starts, but we kicked off this term with an outdoor campfire event at the local scout campground. Next week we are going out stargazing and after Christmas we are taking them to a local climbing centre to have a go on the climbing wall.
Other than that this term we have done a science night to get their Science Investigator badge, a Friend to Animals night when they learnt about pet care, a recycled crafts evening and a talent show.
And they normally have the opportunity to go on a three-night pack holiday every year which provides plenty of outdoor activities.
Obviously Brownie packs vary a lot in their programme, but I would say ours is fairly typical.

Dh wondered whether the difference was partly to do with the fact that Brownies tend to be slightly younger than Cubs - but clearly that's not the case.

I think it's because boys are generally more boisterous (and perhaps the leaders?) are more into robust physical activities?