Outdoor Explorers

Our second meeting of September was spent largely outside to take advantage of the light evenings. We had two additional girls join us, one advancing Brownie and one who was a Spark and Brownie in the past.

As the girls arrived, they were asked to add their ideas to sheets of paper placed around the room. They were asked for ideas for games, activities, badges and outings for the year. The girls also made Warm Fuzzy Envelopes out of cookie envelopes. The idea of Warm Fuzzy envelopes is something I brought back from Camp Woolsey. The envelopes will be put out each week along with a pad of paper and the girls are encouraged to leave positive, friendly notes for each other.

After our opening we went outside. Our first game was Blob Tag (which seems to be a favourite of the girls).

We then taught the girls how to hold a compass, find north, and set and follow a bearing. Each patrol practiced by making shapes using compass directions.

Next we played Shipwreck, which is great for demonstrating the importance of listening to instructions. All of the girls start in the middle of the playing area with one player as the 'Captain'. The Captain calls out different instructions and the last player to follow the command is out. The different instructions are:

• Port - everyone runs to the port, or left, side of the playing area
• Starboard - everyone runs to the starboard, or right, side of the playing area
• Bow - everyone runs to the front of the playing area
• Stern - everyone runs to the back of the playing area
• Galley - everyone runs to the middle of the playing area
• Hit the Deck - everyone lies down on the floor
• Dead Cockroach - everyone lies down on their back withe their hands and feet in the air
• Salute the Captain - everyone salutes the Captain
• Lifeboat - two players join hands with a third player in the middle
• Man Overboard - one player kneels on the ground and a second player stands behind with one hand on their shoulder and looks for the person who has fallen overboard

We ended our time outside with Freeze Tag, as requested by the Guides.

Inside, we made Armpit Fudge and talked about what you should do if you get lost while on a hike and reviewed what they need to bring for our hike next week. The girls also shared stories of different hikes they have been on.

Recipe for Armpit Fudge
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Butter
2 tsp Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Cocoa Powder
Put all of the ingredients into a Ziplock Bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal. Smoosh all of the ingredients together until they are blended and the mixture is coming away from the bag (it will be more like thick frosting than fudge). Use the heat from your hands, or armpit, to help mix the ingredients.