From our planning session, we discovered that the group had lots of ideas for painting activities, so we devoted this week's meeting to painting!
We started with set up and our usual opening ceremony. Once all the tables were set up and covered, we introduced the five activities for the evening:
- Painting on Canvas - We provided stretched 5" x 7" canvases, acrylic paints and brushes or all different shapes and sizes. Canvases were 2 for $1 at the dollar store and paints and brushes were from our Unit supply.
- Watercolours - We used the 3 watercolour paint sets in our paint box and provided blank card stock as a base. This is better able to handle the water than regular paper.
- Splat Painting - Girls were provided with cardstock, cotton balls and small amounts of washable paints in small tart pans. Although the suggestion had been splat painting, most of the girls used the cotton balls to dab and smear paint when creating their designs.
- Finger Painting - This was a request we hadn't expected, but were able to provide washable paints and glossy paper for this activity.
- Tile Painting - We did this activity earlier in the year and it was popular. Tiles were from the Habitat Reuse Store and we used the same acrylic paints and brushes provided for painting on canvas.
Girls were able to choose what they wanted to work on and spend as much or as little time on each piece of art as they wished. Some did only one or two activities, while others tried out everything.
There was lots of clean-up from this meeting, but we had allowed 30 minutes for clean-up and closing - and it was needed! We ended with reminders for next week and closed with Taps.
For our second meeting in January we didn't have access to our usual meeting space, so we held a board game night across two smaller rooms. The first and second year Guides stayed in one room and played King of Tokyo, Labrinth, and Clue. The third year Guides went with the Pathfinders and Rangers and played Settlers of Catan and Mexican Train Dominoes. Everyone had a good time. We ended the evening with reminders for next week and closed with Taps.
Our first meeting of 2019 was spent brainstorming and making plans for our meetings until March Break - and also playing some active games!
As the girls arrived, they were asked to fill out a slip of paper with four questions for ideas for Guide activities:
- Something I would like to do ...
- Somewhere I would like to go ...
- A topic I would like to learn more about ...
- A theme I would like to explore ...
This generated some really good ideas, and encouraged the Guides to come up with their own ideas rather than copying or agreeing with other people's.
We had our usual opening ceremony, followed by an active game led by one of our Patrols.
Each Patrol was then given two sheets of paper with four broad themes, based on their earlier suggestions:
- Girl Guides Go Tropical
- Girl Guides in Space
- Art-tastic
- Build. Create. Invent.
Patrols then brainstormed ideas for activities related to those themes.
We then had a break for an active game, then sent the Patrols off to separate parts of the room to come up with a theme for a partial meeting to be run by the Patrol. Once their theme was checked out by the Guiders, the girls came up with activity ideas to fill 45 minutes of meeting time. Working back and forth, with Guider input as needed, each Patrol came up with a unique plan for their program time, including activity instructions and supply lists. In February, we will be exploring memes with the Forget-Me-Nots, pets and animals with the Thistles, and global cultures with the Daisies.
We finished with a final active game, reminders for next week, and closed with Taps.
We started 2019 off with a weekend of winter camp at Camp Teka in Paris, Ontario. This year, we were joined by the 1st Tillsonburg Pathfinders which meant we had almost equal numbers of Guides and Pathfinders! Our theme was Survival Skills and Winter Outdoors, with the majority of our program based on two activities from the Girls First Platform - "Emergency Strikes-Trapped Indoors" and "Emergency Strikes-Lost Outdoors".
On Friday, we started out by dividing everyone up into mixed-age Patrols and did some getting-to-know you activities to get everyone talking. Our first program activity was making personal first aid kits. We used small square containers and filled them with gauze pads, bandages, tape and gloves.
We then began "Emergency Strikes - Trapped Indoors" using the scripts and instructions on the platform. To start out, each Patrol had a list of supplies to divide up into those that should definitely be in an emergency preparedness kit and those that might be in one. They then had to choose 5 items from the maybe list to leave out of their kit. Each Patrol was then provided with an emergency kit, less any of the items they had decided to leave out. We did not provide every item on the list, just those that would be used during the scenarios. (Bottle of water, can opener, first aid kit, tea lights in cans, matches, toilet paper, knife, garbage bags, food for snack). Interestingly, 3 out of 4 Patrols decided that they didn't need a can opener in their kit...
The scenario uses an extreme weather emergency and all activities were done by flashlight (simulated power outage) as we worked through the following activities:
- Preparing the Shelter - Learn how to set up a safe space to weather the storm.
- Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
- Food Preparation - Girls had to prepare and eat a snack of cheese, crackers and canned fruit salad using only the supplies they had in their kit. (Those Patrols without can openers were allowed to sing a song as a group to receive this important item!)
- First Aid Skills - Find out how to bandage a cut and how to put on an arm sling and then practice on each other.
- Contacting EMS - Find out ways to alert EMS that you need help when phone lines and cell reception is not available.
- Relieving Boredom - Come up with, and practice, activities you can do in a small space with no equipment to keep your group positive and entertained.
After finishing the scenario, we cleaned up and then set up the mattresses for bed. Some time for quiet activities was planned, followed by lights out and sleep - for most of us!
Saturday morning started a bit later than expected, but we still enjoyed a breakfast of waffles, fruit, bacon and tater tots. After cleaning up and putting the mattresses and sleeping gear away, we headed outside for our second scenario - "Emergency Strikes - Lost Outdoors". Each Patrol was provided with a survival kit and a set of activity cards to work through. Their survival kits contained a bottle of water, duct tape, matches, fire starters, garbage bags, toilet paper, whistle, twine, tarp, rope, newspaper, compass, snack (granola bars), first aid kit, tin can and a magnifying glass.
- Survival Kit List - Rank a list of items in order of importance in a first aid kit - Patrol members needed to agree on rankings.
- Shelter Building - Build a shelter using tarp, rope and natural materials that your entire Patrol can fit inside.
- Preparing for a Storm - Review survival priorities and what you can do to prepare.
- Fire Building - Light a fire and boil water in a can.
- Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
- First Aid Skills - Find out how to treat a burn and how to bandage and splint a wrist and then practice on each other.
- Breaking Camp - Pack up all of your supplies and return natural items to the bush.
After finishing these activities, we used some outdoor cooking skills to make lunch - grilled cheese on buddy burners, soup in large can on the fire, and box oven cupcakes. We ran into some challenges getting the burners lit, but everyone eventually was fed. After cleaning up, we went inside for some free time. Later, the Pathfinders set up tents and did a first aid scavenger hunt.
For dinner we had taco salad made with doritoes, along with veggies and dip. Desert was the cupcakes from lunch, with frosting and sprinkles.
Our evening program included make a hat craft - a girl in a sleeping bag, followed by a campfire. We then made and sampled the contents of an MRE - Cheese Tortellini in Marinara Sauce, with lemonade, oatmeal cookies, crackers, trail mix and candy. After cleaning up, we set up the mattresses for bed and the girls sleeping out in tents got ready to head outside.
Sunday morning breakfast was left overs and toast, and nearly everything was eaten! After packing, cleaning up and doing a short camp evaluation, it was time to go home.
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From our planning session, we discovered that the group had lots of ideas for painting activities, so we devoted this week's meeting to painting! 
