We started off the 2018-2019 Guiding Year by launching the new Girls First Program! Girls of all ages were invited to join us to try out activities, explore the different Program Areas and Themes, and learn more about Guiding. We ended up with 1 Spark, 12 Guides, 2 Pathfinders, 2 Rangers and a Brownie Guider in attendance.
Activities were set up as free-flowing stations, where girls could choose which activities they wanted to try, and stay for a short or long a period of time as they wished.
Guide Together
Here we had two activities to choose from: Girls could choose to practice setting up and taking down a tent and/or make one of the GGC Crunchers.
Explore Identities
Here we spread out a large sheet of paper and girls used sidewalk chalk to create positive self-esteem messages and images.
Build Skills
We provided Tangram puzzles and challenged girls to make different shapes and images.
Be Well
A space was set aside for girls to play active games, and suggestions of some of the favourites from last year were provided.
Experiment & Create
Patterns were provided and girls coloured and then made their own flextangles. The template can be downloaded from Babble Dabble Do.
Connect & Question
At this station girls mined for chocolate chips in their cookies, while learning about the impact of mining on the environment.
Take Action
Large sheets of bristol board and markers were provided for girls to share their ideas about issues important to them and actions we could take to make a difference.
The second half of the meeting was just for Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers. We split up in to the two Units (Guides and Pathfinders/Rangers) and did some brainstorming about possible activities, asked the girls to individually come up with three things they want to do this year, and had small groups explore different Program Areas and suggest activities for the different Themes.
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Welcome to another great Guiding year!
The Caledonia Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers had their first official meeting on Tuesday, September 12th with 12 Guides, 4 Pathfinders and 1 Ranger. Since then, we have gained 2 more Pathfinders and still have lots of room for new Guides!
As everyone was arriving, they were given a scavenger hunt card and challenged to get the initials/signature of everyone else on their card. This gave the Guiders time to check off/add girls to our list and talk to parents.
The Pathfinders led an active game - Everybody's It Tag - which is a favourite. Afterwards, the Pathfinders and Rangers headed off to do some of their own planning for the year and the Guides had a brief welcome discussion and shared some important things about Guides with our new members.
We then played a getting-to-know-you game with toilet paper. Each girl took 3-8 squares of paper and for each square shared something about herself. We limited the squares to 8 as some girls would have take many more! Moving on, we split the girls up into small groups and gave each group a sheet of paper with a heading - Outdoors/Camping, Arts/Crafts/Drama/Music, International/World Guiding/Cultural, Anything Goes. Each group had 2-3 minutes to write down their ideas and then we switched the papers, so each group had a chance to add ideas to each page. We now have lots of great ideas to work with!
The Guides then played Everybody's It Tag again, followed by a teamwork activity, Pass the Can. For this activity, the girls take off their shoes and sit in a circle. A large empty coffee can is placed on the right foot of one girl. Using only her feet, she has to move the can to her left foot and then pass it to the right foot of the girl beside her. The goal is to pass the can all the way around the circle without letting it fall or touch the floor or hands.
Our final activity of the evening was Guide Law Skits. The girls had to find a partner and each pair was given a Guide Law to act out. As we had 6 pairs, we omitted 'Share in the Sisterhood of Guiding'. The evening ended with a campfire led by the Pathfinders, handing out newsletters and Goodnight.
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