World Thinking Day 2019

This week the Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers in Caledonia got together for our annual World Thinking Day Event. The program was planned and run by the Pathfinders and Rangers, assisted by the 3rd Year Guides. 

As everyone arrived, they were directed to the appropriate part of the room for their Unit. We provided colouring sheets and wordsearches, as well as supplies for Guiders to make name tags dividing their Unit into three groups. Each Unit performed their usual opening ceremony, followed by a brief introduction to the theme of Leadership. We had four activities and each group worked through them with a Pathfinder/Ranger and 3rd Year Guide leading. 

Dance With Your Past
In this activity, each person is asked to think of their favourite song and dance while singing in their head. They are then asked to talk about how easy or hard they found the experience and if they would have done the same thing two years ago.
 
Hey, That's Not Right!
It's 1908 and your brother just got a new book for his birthday called Scouting for Boys. It's about learning life skills, camping and making new friends. It sounds really fun and you want to take part, but people say that camping and adventure are only for boys. You don't agree and get together with some of your friends to let people know that girls can do anything!"

Each group split up into smaller groups of mixed Sparks, Brownies and Guides to create posters about all the amazing things girls can do!
 
Spot the Leader at Kusafiri
"Kusafiri World Centre held an event in 2017 called Arts4Change in Madagascar. Participants explored ways to use creativity to build leadership skills. Leadership doesn't always have to be seen or heard, sometimes it can just be felt!"

Players stand in a circle. One person leaves the room and another is secretly chosen to be the leader. The leader makes an action, sound or movement and everyone else in the circle has to copy them. The leader can change their actions at any time. The person outside comes back into the room and stands in the centre of the circle. As the rest of the group continues following the leader, the person in the centre has three chances to guess who is the leader. 
 
In 2119, Can You Imagine?
For our fourth activity, we asked everyone to think about what it might be like to be a Girl Guide in 2119, 100 years from now by drawing a 22nd Century Guide. The twist to this activity was that each drawing would be completed by three people. The first person drew the head and neck, then folded their part over and let the next person draw the torso and arms, this part is also folded over so only the bottom third of the page is showing and the third person draws the legs and feet.

Lost in Time Activities
As each group completed the activities on their own within the time frame of the meeting, we also planned some no-equipment activities from the Lost in Time section of the Activity Pack. 

• You've encountered some Scouts from the past on their way to Brownsea Island, teach them a song for their campfire.
• Can you name the 5 World Centres? (Pax Lodge, Sangam, Our Chalet, Our Cabana, Kusafiri)
• You meet a group of Girl Guides from the future who speak a language you don't recognize. Find a way to say "Happy World Thinking Day" without using words.
• Try to say the Spark Promise backwards. (Friend A Be and Share to Promise I)
• You meet some Girl Guides from the future. What is one thing you want to know about Guiding in the future?
• Name one country you'd like to learn more about and why.
• Say a tongue twister.
• When you do something which inspires other people you're practicing leadership. Ask if anyone can share something they did in the last week which inspired someone.
• Who can come up with the most inventive upgrade for their time machine?
• If you were given one wish to change your community for the better, what would it be?

We ended with Spark Closing, Brownie Closing, and Taps, before saying goodnight to everyone.

Links:

• WAGGGS World Thinking Day 2019 Activity Pack
• Invitation and Time Machine Instructions
• Colouring Sheet/Wordsearch 

Happy World Thinking Day!

On Tuesday evening, the Caledonia Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers got together to celebrate World Thinking Day 2017! We took part in the Youth Uplift Challenge, the National Service Project: Action on Poverty, and earned the WAGGGS World Thinking Day 2017 Crest.

As part of the National Service Project: Action on Poverty, everyone had been asked to bring donations for our local food bank. As a group, we collected and donated over 100lbs of food and supplies!

While the girls were arriving, each Unit was provided with handprints for each girl to colour and decorate with positive messages and images. The Youth Uplift Challenge asks groups to make and decorate paper hands to raise funds for Save the Children's Youth Education and Training Programs in Nicaragua and Indonesia. For every hand we make, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $1.90 to Save the Children. The goal is to raise $500,000 through this challenge, and young people around the world are taking part! More information can be found on the Student's Rebuild Website. We made 70 hands, which raises $133.00!


After a short opening to introduce the "Grow" theme, and to explain about the Youth Uplift Challenge, we divided up into three mixed age groups for a round robin of activities. One station was run by one of the Guide Guiders, while the other two were run by 3 of our 3rd Year Guides and our Pathfinder.

Roots - Grow Our Cabana
At this station, we played the game outlined in the World Thinking Day Activity Pack. The players are divided into groups of three, with one person left on their own in the middle of the circle. In each group of three, two players stand facing each other, holding hands to form a roof - they are the Cabin. The third player stands between these two players, under the 'roof' - she is the Guest. The player in the middle is the Leader. The game starts with the Leader calling out 'Cabin', 'Guest', or 'Volcano'.

• If she calls Cabin, all the cabins, without breaking apart, must go and find another guest. Guests remain where they are.
• If she calls Guest, the guests have to leave their cabins and find another cabin. Cabins remain where they are.
• If she calls Volcano, the cabins will crumble and the guests have to escape. Everyone moves and forms new groups.

The goal of the Leader is to get a place as part of a cabin or as a guest. After calling out one of the three actions, she moves to find a new space as well. The player left without a spot becomes the new Leader. 


Trunk - Grow Your Commitment
We adapted this activity from the one in the World Thinking Day Activity Pack.The girls were divided into smaller groups, with a mix of Sparks, Brownies and Guides in each group. All of the girls were then asked to imagine that they were a team of Arctic Explorers trekking across the frozen tundra. A sudden blizzard hits and they must build an emergency shelter to protect their team from the storm!

Each group was then given a sponge character for each girl in the group and a supply of toothpicks, index cards, masking tape and modelling clay. They had to build a miniature shelter that would protect all of their sponges from the storm!


Branches - Grow Your Dance Moves
This activity also came from the World Thinking Day Activity Pack. The girls watched the YouTube video from the Arts4Change Session held at Sangam in 2016 and listened to "When We Shine". They were then challenged to create their own dance routines to part of the song (there wasn't time to do the whole song!). The dances were then performed at campfire.

• Watch the Arts4Change Video on YouTube
• Download "When We Shine" and read the lyrics at When We Shine (scroll to the bottom of the page)

Once the stations were completed, we all gathered back in the main room for our final activity - planting sunflower seeds! Each girl decorated a cup using Sharpies and we then added colourful aquarium gravel for drainage, soil, and seeds. Everyone was reminded to give their seeds a drink of water when they got home.

We then sang Tall Trees, and watched the dance performances from the "Grow Your Dance Moves" station. We ended with Spark Closing, Brownie Bells, and Taps.

Guiding Information Night - September 13/16

GUIDING INFORMATION NIGHT

Girl Guides is a safe, all-girl environment that invites girls to challenge
themselves, find their voice, meet new friends and make a difference in the world. Today’s Girl Guide program helps girls learn about global and cultural awareness, career exploration, science and technology and the arts.

Tuesday, September 13, 2016
6.30pm to 7.30pm
Grace United Church (Grand Room)
174 Caithness St E, Caledonia

Come and explore the fun, friendship and adventure that Guiding offers!
Girls and parents can try out activities, learn more about the different branches, and find out how to register.

LEADERS NEEDED!
Are you looking for a challenging and rewarding volunteer opportunity? Do you enjoy trying new things, being silly and having fun? Do you want to make a difference in your community? Then being a Guider could be the role for you! Volunteers do not need to have a daughter or past involvement in Guiding!

Girl Guides of Canada - Try Now, Join Later!

If your daughter (or you!) has wanted to try out Guiding (in Ontario) but you were afraid to make a commitment without knowing how you and your daughter would like it, here’s your chance.

Try Now Join Later

Try Now, Join Later for Ontario residents is back for the 6th year! 

For the months of April, May and June, girls can try Girl Guides of Canada, the original activity-based organization for girls in Canada and receive their Membership for FREE*! *Weekly activity dues and special event fees may apply.
Your daughter is invited to take part in the remaining unit meetings this Spring. As an added bonus, she will be included in our Spring Renewal process for the upcoming Guiding year that starts in the fall, giving her priority renewal before open registration begins in June.

ABOUT GIRL GUIDES OF CANADA-GUIDES DU CANADA: As the largest organization in the world for girls and women, Girl Guides is committed to providing girls with opportunities to build self-esteem, learn new things, have fun and make new friends. Our programs help girls to develop a sense of responsibility and independence, develop team skills and respect for each other, offer service to their communities and most importantly, discover the best in themselves. As part of a world-wide organization in 146 countries with 10 million members, the opportunities are endless!

You’ll Be Saving $160+

While you will still have to pay dues (usually around $1 a week) and any fees for extra activities you choose to send your daughter to, the membership fee will be waived. Your daughter will get a chance to check out the branch of Guiding that she would fit under and see what it’s all about.

There are units all over Canada but only Ontario is participating in Try Now Join Later. Call the 1-800-565-8111 number to find your local unit and find out more.

From Caledonia? Use the comments section to connect with me and find out more about our local units!  (Girls born in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 are encouraged to come and visit the 2nd Caledonia Guides!)

What Branch Is My Daughter In?

*Girls who are born in a 'bridging' year may try to branch they would join in September or the branch other girls their age are in now:
Girls born in 2009, 2010 and 2011 can try Sparks
Girls born in 2007, 2008 and 2009 can try Brownies
Girls born in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 can try Guides
Girls born in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 can try Pathfinders
girls born in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 can try Rangers
Born before 1998? New adult members are always welcome!

Connect with Guiding

You can find out more about Girl Guides of Canada-Guides du Canada on the official website.
You might also want to check out the Girl Guides CAN Blog, GGC on Facebook, and Twitter.

If It Isn’t Fun.. It Isn’t Guiding!

Happy World Thinking Day 2016!

The Caledonia Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers got together at the end of February to celebrate World Thinking Day! This year's theme was "Connect", so the Pathfinders and Rangers led a variety of activities to help everyone connect with Myself, Friends, WAGGGS, and the World.

As the girls arrived, each Unit gathered in their assigned corner of the room and handed out name tags, which were colour co-ordinated to form 3 mixed-age groups later in the evening. Each Unit added their pinwheels to our wall as part of our service project, the Healing Classrooms Challenge from Student's Rebuild. By making and submitting photos of our pinwheels, $215 will be donated to the International Rescue Committee's Healing Classrooms Program, working with Syrian refugees in Iraq and Lebanon.

Our program began with a welcome to all Units and a brief overview of the World Thinking Day "Connect" theme. We then had the Spark opening, Brownie opening, and Guide opening, before forming one large circle. The first activity, Connect With Friends - Bingo, was explained and the girls sent back to their leaders to get bingo cards and pencils. The girl had to mingle and find other girls to initial their cards based on the statements (i.e. likes chocolate, has a brother). The Guides were not allowed to get initials from other Guides, and it was pointed out that one of the Pathfinders likes unicorns, which helped to break the ice and get everyone started!

The next part of the meeting was spent in mixed-age groups, rotating through 3 stations.

Connect With Myself - Beaded Bookmarks
At this station the girls used twine and beads to make a beaded bookmark. They were given green beads for Connect With Friends, Pink beads for Connect With Myself, Blue beads for Connect With WAGGGS, Yellow beads for Connect With the World, Silver beads for New Friends, and Gold beads for Old Friends. This station also became our 'photo station' and individuals/pairs/trios of girls had their pictures taken with the #connect10million frame!

Connect With WAGGGS - World Centres Games
Here the girls learned facts about the 5 World Centres by playing two games. The first game was a variation on the compass points game. Each corner of the playing area and the centre were named as the World Centres. A picture card was held up and described (i.e. picture of the Alps, Our Chalet Pin) and the girls had to go to the corner for the World Centre they thought the picture represented. The second game was a matching game where the girls had to work in teams to sort a set of cards by World Centre. For each World Centre, the cards were: Name, Year Opened, Country Map, Logo that appears on the Participant Pin, Photograph, and a Cultural/Geographical Photograph.

Connect With the World - Chilean Games
For this station, we celebrated our Twinning partnership with Chile by playing two Chilean children's games. The first game was "Atrapar la Cola" (Catch the Tail). In this game, players form two teams. Each team then makes a chain, linked by each player holding the hips or shoulders of the player in front. The goal is to keep your chain from falling apart while trying to link up with the opposing chain before they link you with you! The second game was "Help!". In this game, one player is the chaser who tries to tag the other players. If a player is in danger of being caught, they can should 'Help!'. If someone else comes and holds their hand before the chaser tags them, they are safe and the chaser goes on to another player. Players may only hold hands for 3 seconds - BUT the chaser cannot stand and wait for them to let go. When a player is caught, they become the new chaser.

After finishing the stations, we gathered to take a group photo using our #connect10million frame, and then made a big circle in the centre of the room, and the Pathfinders led a campfire. Songs included: Fire's Burning, Kookaburra, and the Penguin Song. We then closed with Spark Closing, Brownie, Closing, and Taps. 

Introduction to Guiding

The month of May started off with an Introduction to Guiding Event. We had two adults and 1 girl pre-register for the event, unfortunately none attended. We did end up recruiting two potential Guiders and hopefully they will complete the paperwork soon and we will be able to start planning for the new year!

Despite not having any visiting girls, the Sparks and the Guides still had a fun evening. As the girls arrived, they worked on bookmarks for the Students Rebuild Literacy Campaign. We then had the Sparks opening, followed by the Guides opening. One Patrol led an active game - Romeo and Juliet - and then the Sparks were divided amongst the Guide Patrols for the evening.

Our first activity had 3 parts. 3 Patrols started working on a collage, drawing pictures or using words to describe things they like about Guiding or they would like to do in Guiding. The fourth Patrol set out to follow a trail around the inside of the church (trail signs were drawn on cards and placed on the floor). While on the trail, they had to collect 3 pieces for a craft - a felt flower, felt center, and felt bracelet band. When the first Patrol arrived back in the main room, they started gluing their bracelets together and a second Patrol was sent out to follow the trail. As Patrols returned, they would make their bracelets and then return to working on the collage.

Next, we moved into the kitchen for a quick science experiment. We decided to do Magic Milk as it is fun, colourful and can have lots of girls do pieces. Basically, a thin layer of milk is poured onto a plate, then drops of food colouring are added. Drops of dish detergent are added, causing the colours to flow and swirl (the detergent reacts with the milk proteins and lowers the surface tension of the milk, so the food colouring can move freely.)

After cleaning up, we moved on to the international portion of our evening. As it was May 5th, we learned a little bit about Cinco de Mayo and Guiding in Mexico. We played :a Gallinita Ciega (The Blind Hen). In this game, one player is chosen to the the blind hen. She is blindfolded and all the other players scatter around the playing area. The hen has to try to tag the other players, who make noises and call out things like 'Here I am', while trying to eade the hen. When the hen tags another player, she gives them the blindfold and they become the blind hen.

We then had a piñata (made from a gift bag and strung onto a broomstick. Inside, were baggies with PR materials (bookmark, tattoo, postcard) and a mini-sticky notepad with 'Guiding is FUN-tastic! written on it and a roll of rocket candies (each girl received 1 baggie).

We ended the meeting with a participation - Mosquito Hunt (in Campfire Activities, page 86) and a short campfire, followed by Spark Closing and Taps.