Guide History
Game - played match the Sparks Around the World paper
dolls. (From Canadian Guider) Told the participation Guide
History story. We use pictures to help the girls remember there
part.
Ladybirds
Opening - Ladybird opening song. Craft - paper folding
ladybug. Game - match the ladybirds. I made up some pictures of
ladybugs on the computer and made a set of cards with two
matching pictures of each ladybug. The girls had to find the
matching card that was hidden around the meeting place. Closing -
said our promise and the Ladybird promise.
Guide/Scout event
Scavenger Hunt at local Mall. This is the first time we've
participated in this activity. This was a great event. We
received a booklet with riddle like clues, the answers to which
were names of stores. We answered the clues then went to each
store and received a sticker if our answer was correct. The girls
took turns going into the store for a sticker. They couldn't wait
to find the next store and see what sticker they would get. The
event was a joint activity between the Girl Guides and the Boy
Scouts. It was also great PR.
Teddies
The Teddies have a ten part program based on paws. We
are going to do a quick activity from each paw and give the girls
a certificate with paws on it. They will color in each paw as
they complete it. Some of the activities planed are - plant grass
seed in a basket ( to use at our Easter meeting), active game,
action song, tie shoes, safety and craft (paper teddy bear).
Taking
care of our bodies
We had a couple of dental hygienist students and health unit
nurse do a presentation. It was great. Take advantage of resource
people. The students from St. Clair College needed a group to
teach and they did a great job. The health unit has a program for
community groups and they can do about any health related topic.
She brought a suitcase full of thing you would need if you were
sleeping over at a friends house. She discussed items you would
need and why. She talked about washing your hands, using tissues,
not sharing brushes and sun sense among other things. The girls
went home with lots of goodies (pamphlets, stickers, buttons). We
now have plenty of resource material if we decide to do these
subjects ourselves some other time.
We worked on our projects for our Arts and Craft fun
fair. Webster and Kanata divisions put on a guiding
hobby show each year. All age levels can participate. There is a
wide variety of categories for every imaginable craft. There are
first, second and third place awards for each age group in each
category. Also best of each group and best of show. We have
entered a unit project the last couple of years. My favorite was
our life size Spark. We put together a frame with a grocery bag
body, balloon head and gift wrap tube arms and legs. Then we
paper mached and painted it. We added yarn pig tail and a pair of
shoes to complete our Spark. She won first place. We now use her
as our mascot. This year we're letting the girls work on
individual entries.
Most of our girls had an entry. We won a couple of ribbons, a
second and a third place. Next time I think we'll stick to a unit
entry. The girls made only paper crafts and used up all our
glitter.
Visit the Brownies
We planned on sending the 6 year old to Brownies and since they
meet on the same night as we do we were going to run a Skills
night for the first year Sparks. We were to work on skills such
as cutting, coloring, tying shoes, skipping rope and catching a
ball. We have only 3 five year olds this year. One showed up for
our meeting. So we did not have our skill night. The girls who
went to Brownies had a great time. The first year Brownies did
playing ball and games for their program that night and the
Sparks loved it.
Camp
Preparation night
Girls will learn what to pack with a game. We cut out pictures of
objects that should be packed and included some that should not.
The girls will put the objects in the appropriate pile in a relay
game. We made up cards with pictures of Camp Terms to teach
things like lats, dish pan, rain gear, etc. We are also going to
demonstrate how to do a bed roll. This will be more for the
benefit of the parents who are coming a half hour early to be a
part of the meeting. We will go over menus and proper behavior
while parents are there. We'll make situpons with the girls too.
Games night
A night filled with games. A drink break and a game
craft. Make a maze game on a shoe box lid. Use those Styrofoam
packing pieces that are in a "S" shape. Stick the
"S" on the lid and roll a marble around the lid and
navigate marble from one end to the other.
Family Daughter Dinner
This meeting will fall right after our weekend camp.
Parents will bring in dishes and we'll all eat together. We have
the girls make placemats (paper) for each family member. We also
have been practicing a ribbon dance to perform for the parents.
Ribbons are pink streamers stapled to straws. The girls move the
ribbons around rhythmically to music.
Dinosaurs
We didn't do anything fancy. Unfortunately with it being close to
the end of the Guiding year and due to few Sparks showing up we
didn't follow our plan. Things we'd like to do for a dinosaurs
theme is make a paper mache dino. We did have a coloring page for
the girls to create their own dinosaurs. We played a great game
called Extinction. We made up food and water cards, pieces of
green (food) and blue (water) paper. The girls had to collect a
certain number of each in order to not become extinct. The girls
just collected what ever, so we had a discussion about only
taking what you need. It was a great game, made up by my Junior
Leader.
Farm
animals
Again we did not go according to the plan. We will visit
a farm this weekend and this a preparation for the trip. We
usually talk about the farm and what might be on it. Craft could
include any farm animals. We sang "Old Mac donald had a
Farm" but changed to words to the name of the farm owner. He
got a kick out of hearing about it. Barnyard is a game you can
play. Be careful though, I find it a little dangerous for Sparks.
Everyone is given the name of an animal, whisper in their ear.
There are a number of the same animals. The girls close their
eyes and walk around making their animal sound and team up with
like animals. You may want to try this with eyes open.
Farm Trip
On Saturday we visited a friends farm. We had a hot dog lunch,
petted and held animals like bunnies, chickens, a goat, horses
and puppies. We went on a hay ride around the farm and
surrounding area. We saw Trilliums growing in the brush. The
girls didn't want to go home.
Advancement Ceremony
Our Sparks cross a bridge into Brownie land for advancement. I
made a bridge from a piece of wood on two milk crates with two
lattice sides. The advancing Sparks cross the bridge while we
sing a song that I made up.
"Over the bridge and through the woods to Brownie land we
go
To see the Fairies, Sprites and Imps
Over the bridge we go."
This is sung to the tune of "Over the bridge and through the
woods to Grandma's house we go".
Sparks choice
The girls this year picked a picnic in the park. Which went very
well. It gave me a chance to play with the kids. The girls pushed
me on the swing and then I pushed them. It was a great way to end
the year. Every year I ask the girls what they want to do for our
last meeting. So far we've done something different each year.
We've gone on outings and had parties at our meeting place.