Outdoor Games Night

This week we didn't have access to our regular meeting space, so we headed out to a local park for some outdoor fun!

The Pathfinders and Rangers had planned the evening and led us in a Glowstick Scavenger Hunt, Glowstick Tag, Sardines, and Flashlight Tag. Before heading back to the church for pick-up, we had some time to play on the swings, teeter-totters, slide and play structure. Everyone had a great time - and running around helped us all stay warm! 

 

Girl Guides in the Great Outdoors

This weekend 10 Guides and 1 Guider took part in the Girl Guides in the Great Outdoors Event held at McMaster University in Hamilton, where our instructors for the day were the team from Altitude.

We started the day off with a whole group activity where everyone stands in a big circle and when something is called out, i.e. "I like Girl Guides', anyone who can also make that statement runs into the centre and cheers. All of the Units were then divided up between 6 groups, so girls weren't necessarily with any of their own Guiders. I was with Group #5, who chose the name "Mighty Blue Dragons". The first thing the girls did was to create a group cheer:

Here we come, see us soar,

Mighty Blue Dragons, hear us roar!

Our first station of the day was Navigation. Here we learned how to use a compass and followed an orienteering course.  First we learned the parts of a compass, how to read one and then we practiced using the compass to find directions. The remainder of the session was spent using our new skills to navigate an orienteering course to find hidden letters. 

Next up was Teambuilding and Initiative Tasks. The girls worked in pairs to complete a trust walk along a series of logs. One partner was blindfolded and the other person had to stay in contact with them and verbally guide them along the course, including balancing, climbing over logs, and stepping on and off platforms. We finished up this station with a communication activity where the girls had to stand on a log and place themselves into birthdate order without talking - or stepping off the log!
After our snack break, we headed for Fires. We discussed fire safety, clearing a space for your fire, choosing tinder, kindling and wood, and how to put out a fire before breaking up into teams to building our own group fires. Each group was challenged to lay and light a fire that would burn through a piece of twine strung about 2 feet above the fire. The girls gathered their own supplies, chose either a teepee or log cabin style fire, and built and lit their fires.
After lunch it was time for a hike to learn about Edible Wild Plants - and also some poisonous ones! Our guide, Tag, took us along a short part of the Ravine Road Trail towards Cootes Paradise and showed us a variety of different plants and trees, including Garlic Mustard, Dandelions, Stinging Nettles, Burdock, Plantain, Mayapple, White Oak, Birch, Poison Ivy, Shagbark Hickory and Wild Roses. 

	Garlic Mustard   An invasive species found throughout Southern Ontario Has a garlic-y flavour  Whole plant is edible Can be used to make a good pesto in place of basil Flowers and seed pods give the best flavour
Dandelions Whole plant is edible Those growing in the shade have a better flavour than those in full sun, which are more bitter Leaves may be rounded or lobed, hollow stem contains a milky sap Good source of Vitamins K and B, and Iron Plant picks up toxins from surrounding air, so do not eat those found on roadsides or lawns	Stinging Nettles Leaves have needles that inject histamine into the skin causing irritation and inflammation (a defense against animals) Pick with gloves and put in warm water to wilt needles, making the leaves safe to eat Can be brewed to make tea, or leaves can be cooked similar to spinach Source of Vitamins K and B, and Iron
Burdock   Looks like rhubarb Sap found in the stems can be used as an astringent to treat bug bites, stings and irritations First year plant has wide leaves, second year plant grows burrs Roots of the first year plant can be cooked as a potato substitute	Plantain   Looks like spinach Whole plant is edible Juices from leaves and stems can be used to treat bug bites and irritations if crushed or chewed
Mayapple (American Mandrake) VERY POISONOUS The only part that can be eaten is the fruit when it turns yellow at the end of the summer, but the seeds are still poisonous Rare annual, reseeds each year Roots look like arms and legs.	White Oak Tree White Oak leaves have rounded lobes, Red Oak leaves are pointed Acorns can be eaten, but need a lot of preparation: put any water and throw out any that float (they are rotten), remove the outer shell and boil the insides until the water is black, change the water and reboil, repeat until the water is clean. The results can be eaten or ground into flour. Good source of protein and fats Tea can be made from the leaves and bark to treat toothaches and sore throats White mold from a dead tree can be used on cuts to prevent infection The black water from the acorns contains tannin and in the past would have been used to soak skins and hides for tanning.
Birch Trees   Sap can be made into syrup, but it takes 80 L of sap to make 1 L of birch syrup! Bark is full of oil and good for starting fires even when wet  Polyps (fungi) were used as fire extenders - can be used to carry a live ember for a long time.	Poison Ivy Can grow up trees as a vine or a ground cover, leaves are found at the end of the stem Vines look furry When oil gets onto the skin it causes an allergic reaction - if you come in contact with the plant, wash the area with soap and water before symptoms appear! Contact causes a sensitivity - future reactions will be worse DO NOT BURN - smoke still contains the oils and gets into the lungs causing serious damage
Shagbark Hickory Tree   Identifiable by its 'shaggy' bark Nuts are edible - similar to walnuts and very good tasting! Wood is durable and resistant to rot Good fire wood and for smoking meats	Wild Rose Bush  Rosehips (flowers) are high in Vitamin C and can be used to make a tea, but it should be taken in small doses as it is hard on the liver

We then moved on to Knife and Axe Safety where we learned about the parts of a knife, how to use one safely, how to open and close a folding knife or multi-tool and how to pass knives from one person to another. For axes, we found out how dull blades are more dangerous than sharp blades and about the different types of axes - seeing a splitting maul (for splitting large logs), a regular axe (for chopping wood), and a hatchet (for making kindling, cutting small logs/branches). Our instructors demonstrated how to cut with the grain of the wood, how to safely use a hatchet by getting down on ones knees and placing a piece of wood in front of your knees so if the hatchet slips it will hit the ground of the wood and not your legs. Then it was the girls turn, they used plastic knives to try their hands at Soap Carving!
Following a snack it was time for our final session of the day - Shelter Building. Here we learned about the importance of shelter to protect you from the elements and keep you warm and dry. We found out that using a coniferous tree rather than a deciduous tree to build a shelter is better because the needles become part of your cover. When building a shelter, it should be just big enough and not lots of open space at the top in order to preserve heat. The girls worked together to make a teepee and then split up into groups to build A-Frame or Lean-To Shelters using tarps and rope. The groups were very creative and all managed to build a shelter in a short period of time.
We ended the day with a final group activity in the field before heading home. It was a very hot day and some of the activities were in the full sun, but everyone wore their hats and kept drinking water. It was a great day and we loved it!

Climb or Shoot at Camp Orenda 2018

This weekend, 2 Pathfinders and 1 Guider joined up with the 5th St Thomas Pathfinders and Rangers at Climb or Shoot Camp, held at Camp Orenda near London. There were about 80 girls and a total of 105 participants for the weekend. The forecast: Rain.

The girls hit it off and all went to do crafts in Chapandale before joining the Guiders in Toadstool (where we were supposedly singing, but rather just enjoying being warm and dry!). The girls did sing a couple of songs and played quiet games before going to find an evening snack. Due to the rain, everyone drifted off to their tents early - although not necessarily to sleep. The rain continued throughout the night - letting up at times, but always returning. 

We woke up to more rain on Saturday morning, but we were hopeful as the forecast was for it to end mid-way through the morning and for sunshine in the afternoon. The picnic shelter was a great, dry space for breakfast and we stayed mostly dry through camp duties (we were on garbage patrol) and opening. At 9.30am the rock climbers boarded the bus for East Park (archery participants would leave at 10am for the Archery Hood). By the time we reached East Park it seemed like the rain had finally let up. The areas of the park we were using didn't open to the public until 11am which was nice as the girls were able to access all of the activities without long waits. We headed inside before splitting up into two groups. We were doing rock climbing first and learned all about the proper knots, ropes, safety rules, climbing techniques and belaying before actually going up the ropes. The girls each had 2-3 goes at climbing different sections of the wall before their session ended. 

The groups switched, and we moved on to the other activities until lunch time. Their first choice of activities was the Jungle Gym - a large indoor structure with tunnels, slides, bridges and a ball pit - and they said that it brought back some fond "childhood memories". Each girl was also given tokens for the arcade games and tickets for a round of mini golf, 3 rounds of bumper cards, and a go-kart session. The go-karts were originally closed due to the weather, but we were lucky to be able to get in just before lunch. 

Lunch was an outdoor barbeque, followed by drop-in activities including finishing up activities from the morning, crafts and games. Crafts were a choice of fabric string bags, bandanas, small tote bags or pencil cases to colour with fabric markers. Games were human bridge (girls hold thick dowels while one person crosses the bridge) and the game where people try to move an object using rope only. But the best part - THE SUN CAME OUT!! We left East Park about 4pm and had free time back at camp. The girls dried up any remaining puddles or wet spots in the tents and then sat in the sun until supper. 

Supper was roast pork with apple sauce, mashed potatoes, corn and salad with brownies and ice cream for dessert - very tasty! Afterwards the girls all went to the lower camp to play a whole-camp game of Capture the Flag. We ended the day with a campfire led by Kris McGee. Songs included Tall Trees, Land of the Silver Birch/My Paddle, Listen to the Earth, Here the Lively Song, Whooping Cough, Flee Fly Flo, Ach Ven de Musica (in German) and Hey Hey Superman (in Spanish). We closed with Say Why and Taps. 

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, but with some threatening clouds - though thankfully theses cleared quickly. We had everyone dressed, breakfasted, packed and the tents put away by 9.30am when the St. Thomas girls were being picked up. One of our girls left a short while later, while the two of us remaining settled in to wait for our pick-up at 11am. I think everyone enjoyed camp - we certainly made some new friends, survived the rain, and enjoyed some very tasty food. 

Bridging: Outdoor Games and Activities

Tonight we turned the meeting over to the Pathfinders to complete the Outdoor Activities Bridging section of their program. We started with out usual opening, then the Pathfinders took charge!

We headed outside for a bit, although it was raining lightly. Everyone started off with a Scavenger Hunt, designed by our Ranger, around the property in partners, followed by a round of the ever-popular, Everybody's It Tag - when one girl tags another, they play 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' and the loser sits down until she is tapped by another player to rejoin the game. 

Two of the Pathfinders then explained Fox and Rabbit - essentially link tag, where the person who is It is the fox and the runner(s) is the rabbit. The rabbit can link onto a pair at anytime, causing the person on the free end to become the new rabbit. This was followed by a round of Four Corners - where girls choose a corner to run to and the person in the center closes her eyes, spins around and points at a corner. Anyone in the corner that is pointed to is out.

As the rain was getting heavier, and not everyone had proper rain coats, we relocated back into the hall. After removing wet shoes and socks, two Pathfinders explained and led a game of Ladders - girls sit in pairs with their legs outstretched to form the rungs of a ladder. Each pair is numbered, when their number is called their race along, jumping over each pair of legs, along the outside and then over the remaining 'rungs' until they get back to their spot. (**Safety Note: This game has a high risk of slipping, tripping, and being stepped on. Girls must listen to instructions, follow the rules and play properly; wear non-slip shoes or bare feet; and keep their legs flat and hands tucked in while they are sitting down.)

Our final game of the evening was Streets and Alleys (which apparently was a new one to many of the Guides!) - Girls stand in a grid formation (i.e. 4 parallel rows of 4 girls) with their arms outstretched to the sides. Everyone faces the same direction - in our case Streets was facing the windows, and Alleys was a 90 degree turn to face the stairs. The caller calls 'Streets' or 'Alleys' frequently changing the space the cat (chaser) and mouse (runner) have to run. The cat and mouse cannot go through walls (arms) and can only run along the open rows and around the outside.

The evening finished up with a long sing-song with lots of action songs! We enjoyed My Paddle, My Aunt Hoover, Fried Ham, I'm Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor, My Name is Joe, Pizza, Pizza Hut, Zulu Warrior, Swimming Pool, Bananas in the Sky, Baby Bumble Bee, Herman the Worm, and Purple Light. We closed with reminders for next week and Taps.

Outdoors Night (in 30+ degree weather...)

Each year we try to spend at least one meeting outside in September while it is still light out during out meetings. This
year, we ran into extremely hot weather and had to improvise a bit!

Once everyone had arrived, we headed out for a leisurely walk to a local park close to our meeting place. The Guides made a beeline for the play structure and spent some time playing Grounders - although they did pause long enough for me to get our first group photo of the year!

We strolled over to the creek that borders the park and took a short walk across the bridge and along a trail through some wild raspberry bushes. Coming back, we had another game of Grounders before starting our walk back to our meeting place.

In total, we spent about an hour outside and everyone was happy to head inside where it was cooler and have a drink of water.

We had everyone sit down and had each 2nd/3rd Year Guide who was interested in being a Patrol Leader introduce themselves and tell the others why they wanted to be a Patrol Leader and why they would be good at the job. We then handed out ballots and each girl was able to vote for the 3 Guides they thought would be the best Patrol Leaders. Our Guides also have an opportunity at this point to let us know who they would like to be in a Patrol with, and also if there is anyone they would rather not be with. We tell them at the beginning that while we will take their preferences into consideration, there are no promises.

While the votes were counted and Patrols formed, the Guides were challenged to build a boat using only straws, plastic wrap and duct tape that would float and support as many pennies as possible. There were some great designs and our record was 41 pennies!

Once the Patrols were announced, we had each one try to pass a ball around without using their hands, followed by games with a beach ball. We ended with reminders for next week and closed with Taps.

Resources

• PBS Design Squad - Build A Watercraft

Fall Frolic 2016: Healthy Harvest

On Saturday, October 1st, 3 Guides and 2 Guiders joined 250 other Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Guiders at Camp Teka in Paris, Ontario for the annual Fall Frolic Event. This year's theme was Healthy Harvest, and the Guides completed the requirements for the Farming Badge.

Although we had heavy rain early in the morning, and it was overcast, there was only a bit of light rain during the day - something we were very happy about! We met at the High School and walked into camp. The participants were divided up into branch groups and then into smaller groups - we were with 2 other Guide Units and had a group of 28 girls. The day was arranged as a rotation of 6 different activity stations.

Everyone also received a bag full of 'freebies', including a pen, key chain, sling bag, activity sheets, information sheets, wipe-off menu planners, and recipes. These items were provided courtesy of Zehrs' Markets, Egg Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Berry Growers Association, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Ontario Pork, Beef Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Cattlemen's Association, and Farm & Food Care Ontario.



Zehrs' 3 Stars
At our first station, Elyse, a Dietician from Zehrs', talked to the girls about healthy foods, eating the rainbow, and played a game. In the game, the girls were divided up into smaller groups, and a large coloured die was rolled. The groups then had to come up with as many fruits and vegetables as they could that matched the colour (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple).

Agri-Fun
Next up, we learned all about farming and cattle from Sandy, who raises beef cows. The girls learned about the differences between different cattle breeds and the care of cattle, worked on a giant puzzle about local crops, explored different products that are made from different parts of a cow, and tried different puzzles.

Crafts
We were able to warm up a bit while we did crafts inside the Longhouse. We made shrink art tags and beaded corn. After this session, we had a break for lunch.

Games
After lunch, it was of to Games (my favourite session!). Our group was divided into three smaller groups to tackle the different games:

• Hoops - Each girl had a small hoola hoop. They had to roll the hoop using only one hand from the starting point, around a pylon, and back to the start. They had to let go of the hoop (not hold onto it the whole time) and get it to roll along. If the hoop fell over, they had to start again.
• Sack Race - A traditional sack race using soya bean sacks!
• Rubber Chicken Games - One game was like Over-Under, where the girls had to squeeze the chicken twice before passing it to the next player; another was a relay where the chicken started at the back of the line, each person had to squeeze it twice before passing it forward, and then the person at the front had to run to the end of the playing area and back - squeezing the chicken the whole time!
• Ball Passing - This was my favourite game - it was also the most challenging - and it would be a great teambuilding activity. Each girl had a foot-long piece of PVC pipe (the pipe had been cut in half length-wise, so each piece was a trough). They stood in a line, with their pieces of pipe touching. A small ball was placed in the first girl's pipe, and it rolled along - once the ball left the first girl's pipe, she had to run to the end of the line and place her pipe beside the last person's (the idea was to create a continuous trough for the ball to roll along). Ideally, the group would make their way to a metal pail, and the ball would drop into the pail. Both groups made it to the pail, but didn't quite get the ball into it.

Drama
For our Drama session, the Guiders had to get involved as living scarecrows. Yes, the girls were split into teams and had to dress a Guider (there are no photos of this...). They also did other activities, including acting out a day on a farm.

Music
Our final session of the day was Music. Here, we sang some old favourites and learned some new songs - all with the common theme of food!

• Pizza Hut Song
• Knife, Fork, Spoon, Spatula
• Lu La
• All I Want for Breakfast
• One Bottle of Pop/Fish and Chips and Vinegar/Don't Throw Your Trash in My Backyard
• International Grace

The day ended with everyone singing Lu La and Daylight Taps. We then walked out of camp and back to the High School to meet parents.

Heritage Hike & Scavenger Hunt

Tonight was our annual Urban Hike and this year's theme was "Caledonia's Past" (aka "The Heritage Hike"). We met at the church as usual and as the girls arrived they were asked to share their ideas for working on different badges - Science, Outdoor Cooking, Heritage, Plants & Animals, Performing Arts, and Career Awareness.

The Guides split themselves up into groups and each group was given a clipboard, a pen and a scavenger hunt sheet. Before heading outside, each group had to create a Be Prepared Plan explaining what they should take with them on a hike, how they make sure no one got lost, what to do if someone did get lost and what to do if someone needed first aid.

Before leaving, we quickly reviewed appropriate behavior on public and private property and explained how the scavenger hunt would work. As we walked, we would be stopping at different places in town to learn something about their history. In some places there would be a question for the girls to answer based on what they could see. Midway through our outing, we planned to stop in the park where the girls could answer some nature questions and find traditional scavenger hunt items - as well as play on the play structures, before heading back to the Church.

Time was against us and we had to cut out certain parts of the walk, and only had about 15 minutes in the park instead of the planned half-hour.

So, where did we go?



The girls had to find answers specific to different locations (such as the original address of Jones Baker (26 Old Plank Road), the year the Toll House was built (1875), the temperature on the sign outside the Credit Union). A number of the questions in the scavenger hunt could be used anywhere:

• Where is the nearest mailbox to the Church?
• What do you see that is made of wood? List as many items as you can.
• Do you see any living creatures? Note any birds, insects, reptiles or mammals that you see.
• What are people doing? How many different things do you see people doing outdoors? Are these jobs or fun activities?
• Where would be a good place to sell cookies? Find 3 places that would be good cookie selling locations and explain why you chose them.
• Explore the Park and find out what lives here (remember: living things include plants, animals, birds, insects, etc.)
• As a group, choose 5 things in nature that you find interesting and explain why you chose each thing.
• Find 3 different flowers. What do they look like? Where are they found?
• Find each of the following in nature:
• Something soft
• Something smooth
• Something rough
• Something circular
• Something square
• Something triangular
• Something red
• Something brown
• Something yellow

We arrived back at the church just after 8.30 and everyone headed home after turning in their scavenger hunt sheets.