How's Your Neighbour?

When I was in Guides we often played a game called, How's Your Neighbour? I haven't been able to find the rules online, so here's the basic rundown.

Game: How's Your Neighbour?
Everybody sits in chairs in a circle. One Guide is in and stands in the middle of the circle. That Guide walks up to somebody and asks, "How's your neighbour?". There are three ways to answer the question: sick, well or in hospital. If the girl replies "sick", everybody stands up and moves to sit in the seat on their left. If the reply is "well", everybody moves to the right. And "in hospital" has all the girls stand up and find a new seat, which cannot be the seat on either side of them. While all this is happening the Guide that is in is trying to obtain a seat in the circle. This is very difficult to do, unless "in hospital" is called. Whoever is left standing is then in and the game continues.

Credit: http://www.clipartlord.com/category/structures-clip-art/buildings-clip-art/hospital-clip-art/

The Brownies love to learn new words in Auslan (Australian Sign Language), so this seemed like the perfect game to adapt! My knowledge of Auslan comes solely from the internet, so I hope that I am not leading the girls astray with what I teach them!


Game: How are you in Auslan

I had to alter the phrases slightly with what I was able to locate online. The game is played exactly the same as How's Your Neighbour?, but without speaking and all phrases must be signed. The girls have learnt that they have to be paying attention all the time and to sign very clearly so that everybody can see or they won't know how to react! They really enjoy this one.

How are you?

Credit: http://www.signplanet.net/SubTools/SubSignSingle.asp?SignID=477

Sick

Credit: http://www.signplanet.net/SubTools/SubSignSingle.asp?SignID=628

                                                   Well

Credit: http://www.signplanet.net/SubTools/SubSignSingle.asp?SignID=1905

                                               Hospital

Credit: http://www.signplanet.net/SubTools/SubSignSingle.asp?SignID=129

All these images were obtained from www.signplanet.net. To see them in action go to www.auslan.org.au

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Have your Guides learnt to finger spell in Auslan?

Giving girls a chance to step up

Each week at Brownies the Patrol Leader's take turns running an organised game while I am talking to their parents. They do a great job but I was beginning to notice the same game (Ice cream) being played week after week after week.

So this term we implemented a new plan. Each Patrol would be in charge of organising a game for the beginning of the night on a rotational basis. The girls were to listen to each others suggestions and then 1 or 2 members of the Patrol would run the game. The hope was that we would have a variety of games being played as well as being a good chance for younger girls to lead while having the support of their Patrol Leader.

Well the first meeting of the term began and the chosen Patrol had only one member in attendance! I asked Miss 8 years if she had a game in mind and she did. "How do you feel about leading the game for everybody?" I asked her. "Sure" she replied and then walked into the storage cupboard. Seconds later she walked into the middle of the hall holding a pen and paper and raised her hand in the air.

"I need everybody to find a partner." she said "We're playing fruit salad."

I watched in amazement as she organised the group of girls some younger, some older than her into the ladder formation and dutifully recorded their team names. She did an amazing job, even more so that most of the girls weren't familiar with the game as I haven't played it with them in about 2 years!

Miss 8 years reminded me just how much teach girl has something to offer, no matter what her age. She just needs to be given the opportunity to shine! I can't wait to see the other girls take their turn as leader. And best of all, no more screams of "ICE CREAM!" each meeting.

ANZAC Day handmade wreath

We march in our local Dawn Service every year and I decided this year it was about time the Brownies lay down their own wreath. I spent ages searching the internet and not finding anything that drew me in.

In past years we have made poppies using the template from the Australian War Memorial. So I used those for inspiration.

Credit: Australian War Memorial

I didn't take any progress photos, but trust me when I say the wreath design was very basic!

Step one: Trace the shape of a dinner plate onto thick cardboard and then cut out. Do this three times.

Step two: Cut a smaller circle (trace a dessert bowl) from the insides of each large circle creating cardboard rings. 

Step three: Hot glue the three rings on top of each other. After this, my rings were about 1cm in depth.

Step four: Wrap green crepe-paper around the entire thing until no cardboard is visible.

After this it was up to the girls. They designed poppies and leaves using red, black and green paper. I didn't provide a template so every flower and leaf was unique. Look how talented these girls are!

Thanks to the work of some talented mother's the whole thing was beautifully arranged and a lovely ribbon with our name added.

Isn't it gorgeous?! I'm so impressed with their hard work. And the Brownies were so proud to lay down a wreath at our local memorial along with all the others.

Melting Crayons

Last year we spent months collecting broken crayons from family and friends so that we could recycle them into new crayons.

Making the crayons took much longer than I had planned and we only made it through 1/3 of the crayons collected, but the girls had so much fun!

Equipment:
Crayons (beware that different brands of crayons melt at different rates)
Silicone mould (once you melt the crayons in them you can't use them for baking anymore!)

Instructions:

1. Collect many, many crayons.
2. Peel the labels off all the crayons and break into small pieces
3. Group the crayons by colour
4. Preheat oven to approx 250 degrees
5. Put the crayons into baking moulds filling them right to the top
Remember that simple colour arrangements work best - only use 2-3 colours
6. Put the crayons into the oven for a few minutes. Make sure that you do a test batch that you watch carefully.
7. Remove the crayons after they have cooled.
8. Draw!

Things we learned:

• Bigger moulds work best for coloring in later
• My favourite colour combination is blue, green and white which when melted looks like the earth. So pretty!