Knot Teaching and Drilling Games
Sandy Keeney, Cadette Troop 497, Mid-Continent
Council, Kansas City, Missouri
I've
used two games for knots that work well. The first one is for
learning the knots: instead of using rope, use Twizzlers or
licorice whips or other "whip" candy. When the girl
gets the knot right, she can eat it. Now, you have to be careful
with this one - - don't use a "whip" that's really soft
or sticky, especially in hot weather. The Twizzlers are just
right, they don't stick to themselves and they don't melt readily
- - and more girls like the flavor than do licorice.
The other game is for drill, after you've
learned the knot - - a relay race. You have two
"judges" with short lengths of rope. The girl runs up
to the judge, ties the knot, and if it's right she runs back to
the back of the line and the next girl runs up. If it's not
right, she tries again. If it's not right in three tries, she can
run back to her team and get help, and then she can come try
again.
Beth Katcher
Patriots Trail Girl Scout Council
Boston, Massachusetts
It's helpful
to have a knot board or 2 around. A lot of the girls keep asking
"is this right?" when they haven't got anything close
to right! With the knot board you can simply ask them if they
think it looks like what's on the knot board.
Also it is helpful to line the girls up and
have them tie their knots to the same 2x4 or platform tent rail
or whatever. If they are just sitting around a table you have to
keep walking around rather than being able to see everything at
one glance.
One of my favorite relay races is having each team string up a clothesline, then have each girl put up a dunkbag and take down someone else's dunkbag. The problem I have with the games is that you need to know the knots before you can play the games!
Barbara Harrison
Guide Guider White Oaks Area,LDP & Commissioner/Admin Trainer Highland Glen Area
Ontario, Canada
Just a couple of
tips I have learned over the years:
1. Have the girls
stand behind you and demonstrate the knot on the floor. That way
they can see the shape developing and their left and right is the
same as yours.
2. The 'working
end' of the knot does all the work. This eliminates getting
confused about what to do with the other end.
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