Camp Skills at your Meeting
Tiger
Guide Guider Provincial Training Team
Quebec City, Quebec
Canada
I believe in going to camp prepared, and I include the girls in as much advance planning as I can. That way, when they arrive at camp they can test out their new skills, instead of just learning them. During the year I try to have at least one meeting a month (more if I can) that contains some activity teaching outdoor skills. I encourage everyone to plan now, and have fun later. Here are some activities I use during the year:
Round Robin
Set up 3 or 4 stations. Each station is monitored by a parent or Guider
and limited to one patrol at each station. Stickers, stamped "passports",
laminated cardboard depicting the stations can be earned and worn on the
camp hat. Stations could include challenges in: knots, compass, gadgets,
tracks, trails, environment, tents, etc.
Build a Model Campsite
Brainstorm with the girls for a list of everything they might find at camp. Write the list on a large sheet of paper. Include everything: tents, camp building, flag pole, waterfront, boats, campfire, trees, rocks, grass, raccoons, campers, etc. Next have the girls, either individually or by patrols, volunteer to make specific items on the list. Have available scraps of construction paper, fabric, popsicle sticks, cardboard, twigs, glue, play dough or plasticene, paint, yarn, scissors, and so on. The girls create the objects, then glue them on a piece of plywood (18x24 inches or 45x60 cm. is a good size). This makes a great display for an end of the year banquet. This activity could be done over two weeks....brainstorm one week, build the next.Camp Terminology
On strips of paper print words such as: pitch, strike, guy ropes, runners,
grommet, upright, ridge pole, tent pegs, lats, tinder, kindling, Liquid
Disposal Unit (LDU), gadget, inspection, etc. Stick the papers around the
room. Girls go in small groups to define the words. Call everyone
together and have a quick group discussion to clear up any misinterpretations. (Also a good gathering activitiy)
Duties
Gather a number of articles, such as a can-opener, tin of soup, dishcloth,
flag, songbook, box of matches, stick of wood, scrub brush, ladle, scouring
pad, pail, etc. Place all items in a pillow case. Write the names of camp
duties (Cook, Clean-up, Colours, and Campfire, Wood and Water, Sanitation,
or whatever is appropriate for your camp) on pieces of paper. Before
starting the activity discuss the different duties that have to be done at
camp. Girls then take turns reaching into the pillow case, pulling out one
item, and telling which duty it goes with. Some items may be used by more
than one duty patrol or six.
Mystery Bags
Seal nature items in cloth bags. Pass them around the group. After
everyone has had a chance to feel the objects, have the girls take turns
telling what they think they felt. Let everyone have a look at what was in
the bags and then search for similar items around your campsite or meeting
place.
Camp Gadget
Build a plate rack, mug tree, boot scraper, clothes hanger, sun dial,
chopsticks, firewood rack, pot hook, fire tongs, or an above-ground wet
pit. Use souvlaki sticks, pencils, twigs, thin dowels etc. You'll need
some twine or wire twist ties for these projects.
Cooking Competition
Give each patrol a package of food, a stove, pots and fuel to cook a small
meal. Make sure each patrol includes both young and older Guides. Let
them go and see what culinary treats they create. This can be accomplished
(with permission) in the parking lot of a school or church.
Budget Wise
Give each patrol a set amount of money to buy food for a single meal. They
must plan, purchase and prepare a nutritious feast for all members.
Candle Cooking
Give each patrol some oil, a candle, a coat hangar, some tin foil, an egg
and two slices of bread. Challenge them to cook a fried egg sandwich.
Board Game
On a piece of cardboard, draw a track divided into sections, each one about
the size of a quarter. On each section draw a symbol which is used in
legends on a map. Use dice and markers. Guides move along the track. If
the player can tell the meaning of the symbol on which she lands, she may
stay there. If not, she goes back three spaces. First player to reach the
end, wins the game.
Story
Each patrol is given a set of cards. On each card a symbol used in legends
is drawn. The patrol is in its corner with the cards spread out in front,
face up. The Guider tells a story (eg. The Robin Patrol is going on a hike.
They first cross a bridge ......" Guider pauses). The first patrol to
send up a Guide with the card showing the correct symbol for bridge gets a
point and the story continues.
Make a Map
Give the Guides a picture that includes trees, a lake, etc. and a beautiful
sunset behind a hill far away. Ask them to reproduce the picture using
mapping signs with the correct directions marked. Will they see the clue
that the sun sets in the West?
Map Treasure Hunt
Each patrol draws a sketch map to show where they have hidden a treasure.
Exchange maps with another patrol and look for their treasure.
Cut-up Compass
A cardboard circle cut into 16 "pie" pieces, each labeled with one of the
compass points, can have many uses (eg. individual competition between two
Guides to see who can put it together first, relay games in patrols, etc.)
Compass Kim's Game
Draw a large compass on a sheet of paper. Label the points. At each point
place an object. Then play Kim's Game, asking such questions as, "Where
was the flower?"
Gone Fishin'
The basic equipment consists of a magnet with a hole in the middle, a length
of string, and pieces of cardboard with a paperclip attached to each. Cut
the cardboard pieces into squares and write on a knot name or compass
direction. In the knot game, players run up, fish for a marker, tie the
knot named, and race back to give the fishing line to the next player. Add
a paper plate to the equipment for the compass game. Players race up to
fish for a marker naming a compass point, place the marker in correct
position at the edge of the plate, and race back to pass the fish line to
the next player.
Cat's tails
Cut 30 pieces of string of the same length. Hide all but three or four
pieces. Divide the girls into three or four teams of equal size. Each
team chooses a "cat" who is given one of the extra pieces of string. At a
given signal, all players except the"cats" scatter to hunt for the hidden
strings. As a girl finds one, she takes it back to her "cat", and uses a
reef knot (or a knot of your choice) to tie it to the string tail the "cat"
is holding. The team with the longest cat's tail wins.
Enjoy the activities! Many can be adapted from Brownies to Senior Branches or used at trainings for adults. Even Sparks can recognized camp items that they "fish" for and then match up the item in a type of concentration game.
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