Discovering Our Promise

From the Arts Team, Girlguiding Birmingham

I promise that I will do my best:

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs,

To serve the Queen and my community,

To help other people

and

To keep the (Brownie) Guide Law

I promise that I will do my best

To think about my beliefs and to be kind and helpful

Welcome to Discovering our Promise Pack

The Promise is one of the central factors in Girlguiding. It is one of the things that makes us special. It can be one of the hardest things to work into the programme and this pack is designed to help.

You can use it to work towards the badge that can be ordered using the sheet at the back, or you can use it as just a resource, or you can just buy the badge. We have tried to put together ideas to help you weave the Promise into your programme. The ideas start with the more complicated and work through to simpler ones. We didn’t want to divide into sections as you know your unit, what will suit you and how you can adapt ideas to make it work for you. You decide how much your unit needs to do to earn the badge.

If the pack is successful and we are able to issue more editions then we will create a new badge design so if your unit has ideas for please send them to us.

We are very grateful to the Guiders who have helped us with this – particularly those who have been generous in sharing their ideas on places such as Pinterest and Guiding forums. We do not claim all these ideas as our own but have collated, what we think are, brilliant ideas. We have given credit where we can and if we have used your idea we hope that you are flattered we included it. If we haven’t credited the idea it is because we didn’t know it was yours so if you let us know we will add on your name/website and we are so sorry we couldn’t ask your permission first. We have done our very, very best to ask permission where we could. We have had many of these ideas, amongst us, for ages, so we have no idea where we got them from and are aware of copyright issues but have done all we can not to infringe it. If we have missed your idea it may be because we didn’t see it so please feel free to send it to us for possible inclusion in later editions of the pack. We would like this to be a growing and changing set of ideas so we would welcome feedback and more ideas. Please send them to us at birminghamartsteam@outlook.com.

This is us, keeping our Promise, in trying to serve the Guiding community and help other people. We would love it if you bought the badge to help us raise money for our County but it is fine if you don’t.

Thank you

Clair Ellinor, Alison Adkins, Emma James, Lin Jenks, Janet Jones, Lizzi Payne

It is always important to remember that the Promise only ever asks us to do our best. It is not a competition with others and there will be times

when we may not do as well as we would like. We can only try.

Being True to Myself

This is often the hardest part of the Promise as it is asking us to choose to do the right action in a situation. It means following what we believe over what people pressure us to do. This is not always the easy way or the way that our friend is choosing. We need to be comfortable with who we are and not be influenced by others around us. Peer pressure is sometimes hard to overcome but over time we learn the skills and develop confidence.

You need to be able to stand up for yourself and others, to make up your own mind, to recognise and develop your talents, respect yourself and be happy with who you are.

We never know how high we areWe never know how high we areWe never know how high we areWe never know how high we are

Till we are called to rise;Till we are called to rise;Till we are called to rise;Till we are called to rise;

And then, if we are true to plan.And then, if we are true to plan.And then, if we are true to plan.And then, if we are true to plan.

Our statures touch the skies. Our statures touch the skies. Our statures touch the skies. Our statures touch the skies.

(Emily Dickenson, American po(Emily Dickenson, American po(Emily Dickenson, American po(Emily Dickenson, American poet.)et.)et.)et.)

What to do:

Give out the quotations and situations (see next 2 pages) to groups of girls.

Look at the quotations then see which one fits in best with each situation.

Get the groups to feed back some of their ideas.

Which is their favourite quotation and why?

Which is the quotation that they think means the least and why?

Quotations

“When one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”

Rosa Parks, African-American civil rights activist

“Life is not easy for any of us. So what? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves.”

Marie Curie, chemist and physicist

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

Alice Walker, author

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it and make it the life you want to live.”

Mae C Jemison, first African-American woman astronaut

“To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world – that I am able to change it in positive ways.”

Maxine Hong Kingston, author

“I’m fulfilled in what I do. I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes ... would make me happy. My concept of happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense.”

Coretta Scott King, wife of Martin Luther King Jr

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t, you will never, ever have enough.”

Oprah Winfrey, television and media personality

“People want what they want. Sometimes you just have to walk in defiance of it and just be yourself.”

Meryl Streep, actor

“Those that mind don’t matter, those that matter don’t mind.”

Bernard Baruch, US Presidential advisor

Situations

Someone has failed in something eg an exam, audition, getting a job, being picked for something.

Someone being bullied.

Someone thinking about what being true to themselves means.

Someone nervous about something eg new job, school, college

Someone who has been dumped by their boyfriend.

Someone who thinks that something is unfair/wrong at school.

Someone who has done something embarrassing eg forgotten their lines in a class assembly.

Guide Foldy Thingy

This fun little game will help girls learn their laws. Print off and give to girls to complete and keep.

For the full sized version and to see the other brilliant things created by Vicky Smith go to www.2ndkingsbridgeguides.org.uk.

Friendship Bracelet/Necklace

There are many variations of this craft. You will need appropriate lengths of coloured wool, loom bands, ribbon or thread, depending on what you are making.

Brownies need 3 beads or a pattern of 3 recurring colours to remind them of the 3 parts of their Promise. Older girls can use 3 colours for the Promise and/or 6 colours for the Laws.

Thread the beads and either plait or knot to keep them in place.

You could add a bell which represents the sound of friendship ringing throughout the world.

A friendship bracelet or necklace only becomes one when it is given to a friend.

www.lulabellehandicrafts.wordpress.com has more ideas and this picture came from there.

Extra Resources

Go to www.2ndkingsbridgeguides.org.uk – Guide Law resources

This gives an excellent game of Twister to download and more is added frequently.

Pinterest has some great ideas. Troop 1094 Girl Scout Troop has some good ideas but there are lots of others there too.

Girlguiding.co.uk – obviously. If you put Promise Activities into the search it works – no, really, it is top of the second page!

You are Unique and Not Alone

What you need

A copy of the Trefoil on card or stiff paper. You can make the badge bigger on a photocopier or by clicking on it and expanding it. We have only made it this size to fit into the pack.

Magazines

Thanks again to Vicky Smith (2nd Kingsbridge Guides) for her help

What to do

Everyone holds their Promise Badge in the palm of their hand and say (or something like),

“Your badge is a symbol of the Promise and of your promise – the promise of how much more brilliant you will be when you build on how wonderful you

are now by keeping your Promise. Your badge is also the symbol of how you are an important part of the worldwide family of Guiding and our family is

only great because of girls like you.

If you ever think, “I’m not sure I can do this” or “I’m not good at stuff like this” your badge should remind you of how you have strength in being

unique but also being part a group of brilliant girls here and all over the world. Remember something you didn’t know how to do but now find easy,

riding a bike, tying a knot, skipping, pitching a tent, tying your shoes.

Find pictures or words to stick on your Trefoil to be a reminder of how talented and special you are. You could include things you would like to

learn too.

There is an alternative way of doing this on the Girl Guides Australia site www.girlguides.org.au under The Promise and Law – Discussion and starters as well as Promise and Law resources.

Walk the Talk

We all have different beliefs about things big (eg to do with religion) and little (favourite TV show or sweets). We all have a right to have our own beliefs and we are lucky to live somewhere that values tolerance. Learning tolerance is about accepting others differences but also understanding that many things we believe in are the same. Also, sometimes we need reminders about our beliefs and to think about how we will put them into practice and ‘walk the talk’ – horrid phrase we know but it fits with the imagery! This activity aims to do both!

What you need

Sheets of different coloured paper and a larger piece for display, depending on how you carry out the activity.

Scissors, felt tips and glue/sticky tape/stapler.

What to do

Talk about your beliefs – God(s), behaviour – eg manners, age you are allowed to do things – eg staying at home on your own. You can keep things serious or maybe add in things like what they believe to be their favourite pop group etc. What about beliefs to do with Community and World? Do they believe they should pick up litter, donate to charities working abroad?

You could give them categories such as beliefs linked to religion, rights for eg privacy, best way to spend free time etc.

Give each girl a small sheet of coloured paper, ask her to draw around her foot and then write one of their beliefs on it. They can repeat as much as time and paper allow. Ask them to cut out their feet and glue them all together in a circular shape. It will depend on your age group and how many ideas you have had if you stick them together toe to heel or like flower petals. If you want a trefoil in the middle there is a shape above.

Finish with a discussion about the similarities and differences to show how they are linked through beliefs based on what they have done.

Variations:

If you’ve done categories make rings with the same topics or you could work in sixes or patrols.

Rainbows may need help with cutting out the feet and with ideas. This does link to the programme in Laugh as the tickling pencil will cause giggles!

Handy Beliefs

What you need

Sheets of different coloured paper.

Scissors and felt tips.

String or curling ribbon.

Hole punch

What to do

Girls draw round their hands onto the coloured paper as many times as you think your age group, time and resources allow.

Ask the girls to write or draw some of their beliefs on the hands. The beliefs may or may not link to religion. You can tailor this to your girls and what will work for them/the message you want to get across.

Cut out the hands, punch a hole in the hand and tie on the string/ribbon.

Discuss the girls’ ideas with them with the hands hanging from their fingers. Their neighbour should read the beliefs for them, to the group, and this shows that while our beliefs are personal to us we may need the support of others to keep those beliefs. For example, believing in eating well can be tricky if everyone else brings crisps and chocolate to school.

Variation

If you have more time or for older girls you could then turn the hands into a mobile for them to display at home using crossed sticks or a coat hanger. You could simply hang the ribbons from a single coat hanger or make a more complex mobile depending on time and skill level of your girls. There are some different ideas about how to make a mobile on www.artistshelpingchildren.org.

Promise Postcards

What you need

Postcards

Pencils

Stamps – if you choose to do it that way

What you do

Give each girl a post card and ask them to address it to themselves.

On the other side they should write one thing that they resolve to do connected to their promise.

3 weeks later post the cards to the girls. When they receive them they can talk about how their resolutions are going.

As the cost of postage is quite high you could instead keep them and give them out at a future meeting.

We believe

The Promise asks girls to think about or develop their beliefs and this could be a starting point. You can do it as a unit – possibly best for Rainbows - sixes or patrols.

What you need

Large sheet(s) of paper to record discussion

Individual copies of the sheets and pens/pencils

What you do

Ask the girls to think about their beliefs. For younger girls you might want to give them areas to focus on like ideas about behaviour, the planet, things they believe in. This is only to start them thinking about their beliefs and it might be the first time they have been asked to talk about things like this. You might need to be prepared for it to not work very well but they may go home and keep thinking.

They need to decide what they are going to record on their sheets. Doing it as a group and having to decide what they put down will mean they have to really think about their beliefs and why it should be one of the things written on the group sheet. The group reports back so that the unit can discuss the ideas. You can then choose whether or not to ask the girls to write down the unit’s beliefs or their own on their sheets for their individual beliefs rather than deciding on a set of beliefs for all of them. For Rainbows, however, it might work to decide as a unit so that you can use this to help them think about their beliefs throughout the year and do it regularly to reflect the girls’ beliefs.

What Do We Believe In?

For the Promise to make sense the girls have to start thinking about what they do actually believe in. The new promise allows us to widen the scope of what this means. For instance Rainbows might want to reconfirm their belief in Father Christmas (they are little children so why shouldn’t they?) but it might also give older girls the opportunity to think about more spiritual things and the things that are important to them.

This idea works around creating a set of beliefs that the unit agrees on – probably more appropriate for Rainbows and Brownies – or that the individual believes in – probably more appropriate for older girls.

As we grow our beliefs may change as we experience new things and over time the things which are important to us personally become our values and affect our futures.

Our beliefs Our beliefs Our beliefs Our beliefs become our thoughts.become our thoughts.become our thoughts.become our thoughts.

Our thoughts become our words.Our thoughts become our words.Our thoughts become our words.Our thoughts become our words.

Our words become our habits.Our words become our habits.Our words become our habits.Our words become our habits.

Our habits become our values. Our habits become our values. Our habits become our values. Our habits become our values.

Our values become our destiny. Our values become our destiny. Our values become our destiny. Our values become our destiny. ---- GhandiGhandiGhandiGhandi

What to do:

Talk about beliefs – God(s), behaviour eg manners, age you can do certain things like stay at home on your own – whatever is suitable for the age group.

Give categories – beliefs linked to religion, rights eg right to privacy, best way to spend free time etc. The Promise lends itself to the 3 areas – self, others (community, Queen, being helpful), and the law. For Rainbows you could think about categories linked to a spiritual nature, behaviour and an area of their choice eg the Easter Bunny.

The 3 following sheets have the relevant Promises on.

On the sheets either write in own ideas/unit agreed ideas, or with Rainbows take the discussion notes away and type them up for them to colour in later, maybe adding some clipart linked to their ideas.

I promise that I will do my best

to think about my beliefs

and to be kind and helpful

We believe in

I promise that I will do my best:

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs

To serve the Queen and my community

To help other people

And to keep the Brownie Guide Law

We believe in

I promise that I will do my best:

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs

To serve the Queen and my community

To help other people

And to keep the Guide Law

We believe in

Brownies are True to Themselves

What you need

The below copied and cut up for each 6

What you do

1 Give out the scenarios and ask the Brownies to pick the option and act it out for the Brownies.

2 After each six has acted out their decision ask them why they chose that option – why not the others? Do the other Brownies agree?

On your way home from school you notice a purse on the pavement. Do you…

1. Take it home and ask your mum to hand it over to the police?

2. Take it home and keep it without telling anyone?

3. Look all around and ask people if they know who it belongs to?

You’ve accepted an invitation to a friend’s birthday party, but the day before the party you get free tickets to your favourite band’s concert. Do you...

1. Tell your friend you’ve been given tickets and won’t be able to go to her

party?

2. Tell your friend you’re poorly and can’t go to the party, but go to the

concert anyway?

3. Give the tickets to your sister and go to the party?

Your aunty asks you to feed her hamster. You forget and when she asks, you say..

1. “Of course I fed the hamster. Would I forget?”

2. “I’m really sorry, I forgot to give him fresh food yesterday, but I made sure

he had new food and clean water as soon as I remembered.”

3. “Um, I think I fed him, why? Does he look hungry?”

Your sister has a favourite game and, without asking her, you borrow it when you have some friends round. You break a piece from the game. What do you do?

1. Tell your sister straightaway apologising for borrowing it without asking it.

2. Tell your sister after your friends have gone home blaming them for taking

the game and breaking it.

3. Tell your sister you borrowed it but say you know nothing about it being

broken. You think it was broken before you took it.

Being True to Myself

What you need

A sheet for each girl and pencils.

What you do

Ask the girls to fill in what they think goes in each box eg Is-tidy, Does-what she is asked, Says-nice things, Is not-unkind etc. Her name goes in the middle. You could write in “A great Brownie/Guide” before copying.

IS NOT

IS DOES

SAYS

Bookmarks

What you need

Bookmark blanks – see template or create your own.

Copies of the words.

What to do

Ask the girls to write their name down the left hand side of the bookmark.

From the lists choose one word for each letter of their name to remind them how unique and amazing they are, or they could choose their own words.

Decorate the bookmark and if they use it they will remember what sort of person they are.

Amazing

Athletic

Awesome

Adventurous

Ace

Adorable

Authoritative

Accomplished

Admired

Assertive

Astonishing

Attractive

Beautiful

Best

Brave

Brilliant

Bubbly

Blessed

Bright

Creative

Cool

Courageous

Confident

Considerate

Compassionate

Cheerful

Comical

Capable

Comforting

Content

Clever

Dainty

Dreamy

Delightful

Determined

Dazzling

Energetic

Enthusiastic

Efficient

Excellent

Effective

Eager

Effervescent

Encouraging

Energetic

Fun

Friendly

Focused

Forgiving

Fearless

Great

Good

Gentle

Graceful

Generous

Glorious

Humorous

Happy

Honest

Helpful

Handsome

Inventive

Imaginative

Interesting

Impressive

Inspirational

Invincible

Intelligent

Independent

Joyful

Jolly

Jovial

Joker

Kind

Knowledgeable

Loving

Loyal

Likeable

Lovely

Loved

Marvellous

Magnificent

Miraculous

Motivated

Nice

Normal

Natural

No nonsense

Open

Outstanding

Optimistic

Obedient

Perfect

Peaceful

Positive

Polite

Pretty

Quiet

Quick

Relaxing

Remarkable

Respectful

Stunning

Strong

Special

Splendid

Successful

Smart

Sensitive

Serene

Sincere

Spirited

Sensible

Tremendous

True

Tidy

Thankful

Tranquil

Truthful

Talented

Thoughtful

Trusting

Trustworthy

Triumphant

Unbelievable

Undefeatable

Unforgettable

Unusual

Useful

Virtuous

Valued

Vibrant

Wonderful

Witty

Worthy

Wise

Young

Youthful

Zealous

Zesty

Zingy

Promise Trefoils

What you need Coloured or black paper. Using A4 paper will make it easier to match up. A template of a trefoil – you can enlarge the above to the size you want. Plain paper – it can be used paper so this is a good way to use up spoilt sheets. Sheets of words – in a variety of fonts and sizes for the best effect - and/or newspaper and magazines. Scissors and pencils/pens

What to do Cut out the shape of a trefoil so you have a plain piece of coloured paper with a trefoil in the middle. For Rainbows you may need to do this yourself and for Brownies you may need to start them off. Either cut words from newspapers/magazines relating to the Promise or use the sheets of words. Arrange and glue the words onto the plain paper being careful not to overlap the edges. Glue the cut out outline of the Trefoil onto the words. Examples for sheets of words – copy and paste then enlarge: Beliefs kind helpful community queen true best promise people law

beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself

beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise

people Law myself

beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise

people Law myself beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself

Beliefs kind helpful community queen true best promise people law

beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself

beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself beliefs kind helpful community Queen true best Promise people Law myself

it Li

Challenge envelopes

What you need

A set of envelopes that each contain a question relating to the Promise and Law for the girls to discuss.

Topics could include:

Which part of the Guide Law is hardest to keep at school, at camp, in the family etc?

Which part is easiest to keep?

Which part is the most important?

What are some of the ways in which you try to live with courage or fairness or honesty etc?

Is it easier to respect people of your own age or adults and why?

Name some ways that you use resources wisely.

How are you true to yourself?

List the talents that your patrol/six/group has.

What you do

Give each group an envelope and ask them to discuss. They could all have the same topic or each group could have a different one.

Bring all the groups back together after a while and compare thoughts and ideas.

This exercise brings out leadership abilities and gives the girls the opportunities to be listen, to be heard and to express their opinions.

Do Your Best and Think of Others Game

What you need:

Cards with the following suggestions.

On the bus In the street At the table

When using library books At the swimming pool On a unit trip/holiday

At Brownies In the classroom Out playing

On your bike At home In the garden

At church/temple/mosque In the kitchen Playing with friends

On holiday On the beach At the cinema

Walking to school At the bus stop At the supermarket

What you do

Cards are distributed in the way you think most suitable. The girls take it in turns to think of a way of doing their best and/or thinking of others in that situation. Older girls could make up their own scenarios.

Role Play Skit

What you need

A small bag containing three unrelated objects eg coin, piece of string, safety pin, match, lipstick, chewing gum etc.

What you do

Give each group a small bag

Ask them to use at least one item to make up a short skit about part of the Promise or Law. The others have to guess which part.

An alternative could be to make up a short play to illustrate how the Promise and Law can be applied in scenarios such as:

Be honest and trustworthy when peers are pressurising them to misbehave

How to share in the sisterhood of Guiding on Mars

Using talents and abilities wisely in a crisis

The Promise Boomerang

Copy the boomerang onto white card and cut it out. Write on the Promise as shown.

Each arm of the boomerang has a different meaning:

1. “What you are goes out”

2. “And touches others”

3. “And comes back”

Now practice throwing – gently and slightly upwards. It should come

back to you – just as your Promise will.

Correction to above that should read Adapted from Girl Guides Australia

Promise Flowers

What you need

The flower or star printed onto thin paper. For Brownies they could have a template and make the shape and put the Promise in themselves.

What you do

Ask the girls to colour in the shape and fold the petals/edges of the flower/star into the centre.

Put the flower/star into a tray of water and watch the shape unfold. You could use the imagery of how they will grow if they keep their Promises.

This idea is from Tigi Higgins of Blagdon Rainbows of Wrington Vale.

Promise Basket – Brownies & Rainbows

What you need

1 Photocopied sheets onto very stiff paper or card 2 Glue

What you do

Glue white flaps to the unprinted side of the basket. Make a handle using the width of the page and cutting about 2 cm along the top. The girls could decorate it. Attach a handle by gluing 1cm of each end inside the top edge.

The basket could be used to put Good Turns to be done or done inside, Promise cards, or maybe a small gift for someone.

This idea is also from Tigi Higgins of Blagdon Rainbows of Wrington Vale. Many thanks for her help & support with her fabulous ideas. We have more ideas from her to include as we shuffle things around! You can get other lovely things from www.blagdonrainbows.co.uk/printables.htm.

Rainbow Promise Activity

You will need 3 or 4 tables with a leader assigned to each table. You could combine 3 and 4 if need be. Obviously you can vary the ideas and we would be glad to hear them.

Table 1 To do my best Tasting different foods with closed eyes. Doing their best to try new things, trust others, use their senses.

Table 2 To think about my beliefs Make a box lined with foil, or with a mirror in the bottom, and ask the Rainbows to think about what is important to them. When they look inside they will see themselves which will remind them it is up to them to look after those things.

Table 3 To be kind

Make thank you cards for someone who has done something special for them – parent, friend, neighbour, leader etc. Fantasticat could be used here.

Table 4 And helpful

Think of different ways that they could help at home and draw pictures.

Promise House

What you need

Sheets of A5 card and A5 paper.

What to do

Mark out the card as shown on the template and cut along the bold lines to make doors and windows. Colour the house and fold in half. Trim the paper so that it is slightly smaller than the card and fold in half. Glue the paper inside the house shape. Each door and window has a different number and represents a part of the house where a good turn is done during the week.

1 – hall 2 – living room 3 – bedroom 4 – kitchen

5 – bathroom 6 – back door/verandah 7 – garden

With thanks to Janice Addison who remembers this idea from when she was a young Guider in the 60s

Promise Stick

Eye = I

Hand = Promise

Eye = I

Hand = Promise

Heart = to do my best

Smiley face = to be true to myself

Glitter = and develop my beliefs

Flag = to serve the Queen and my community

“Help” = to help other people

Star = and to keep the (Brownie) Guide law

These are only suggestions and you may have better ideas especially for beliefs and for the Queen

I think you are fantastic at I I think

Being True to Myself

Fantasticat Card

This activity makes the girls think about what they are fantastic-at, what qualities they

value and to think about what makes the sort of person you would think of as 'good' - a

good friend, a loyal person, a person with good values, someone who can be trusted. If

they value them in others do they have those qualities themselves? If not could they

work on that? Or is there a quality they would like to develop so someone could send

them a card like this.

The conversation/activity can be tailored to your group and be very simple for Rainbows

as they only be promise to be kind and this is being kind to someone. For Brownies you

might want to have some words/phrases up around the room for them to think about.

Guides and Senior Section should be able to cope with a more in depth conversation.

To

I think you are fantastic at

Love from

_____________________________

Rainbow Activities

Promise Caterpillar

What you need

Copied sheets

Pencils

Prize/badge for completion

What you do

To take home and fill the circles with how they have kept their promise. Return for a fun badge? The Discovering our Promise badge? Or a little prize? Or just a well done!

Promise Flower Pot

What you need

Promise pots copied onto paper – brown or coloured if possible. Or foam with the pots cut out and stuck on.

Scissors

Something to make the stems; Paper, pipe cleaners, lolly sticks/craft sticks, sticks

Something to stick it all together – glue and sticky tape

Flowers copied

Prize/badge for completion

What you do

The girls can do as much or as little as you think you have ability/time for. So, much preparation can be done before in cutting things out for a gluing session and you might spend the time looking for sticks! Or you may want the girls to cut everything out. Or somewhere in the middle. Either way the end product should be a pot with flowers sticking out for them to take home and fill (colour in or write in what they have done) in a flower when they have done something for that bit of their promise.

Again, what they get when they bring it back, complete is up to you – see above.

The things you need to copy are on the next page.

Promise Flip Book

This is a quick and easy activity, ideal for new girls to introduce them (and their families) to the Promise.

Please look on 2 pages for the flip book, after the Promise Flower Pot pages.

From Guider Lee Ann, Owl and Toadstool Blog. She has some more lovely ideas so check her out.

Space doesn’t allow us to include the Brownie and Guide one but if you would like it get in touch.

Games

Tumbling Tower Wooden Brick Block Game

Play a game of Tumbling Tower Wooden Brick Blocks - £1 shops sell them.

Each block is independent of the others. It will touch or interact with other blocks and may move about and change which blocks it interacts with. No one block is able to support all the others but every block helps to support all the others even if it doesn’t touch them. Finally when one block is missing the whole structure falls down.

Write your name of one side of a small block and something you are good at on the other side. Now play the game again and see how important your block is.

Take your block home with you.

I am….

Read out the following statements and the girls can go to one side if they agree, the

other side to disagree, and stay in the middle if they are not sure.

I am great

I am powerful

I am beautiful

I am full of good ideas

I am very creative

I am a good influence on others

I am unique and valuable

I am unique and special

I am perfect just the way I am

I am truthful

I am forgiving

I am thankful

I am grateful for all the good in my life

I am always in the right place at the right time

I am safe

I am loved

I am loving

I am beautiful inside and outside

I am friendly

I am a good friend to myself

I am kind to others and they are kind to me

I am helpful

I am a good listener

I am healthy

I am strong

Think about who you are and how others might describe you. Look at all the faces. Choose which fits you best and draw yourself a badge.

I believe ….

Do you believe? – believing is about accepting things as true even though there may not be any proof.

True or false?

The earth is round true

You have a heart true

A man has walked on the moon true

The sun is a star true

Dragons exist they might

All dinosaurs were gigantic false

The colour orange was named after the fruit and not the other round true (before the late 15th century orange was also called red)

The air is mostly oxygen false (it is mainly nitrogen, about 78%)

Men and women’s brains are different true (there are differences in the ways they are ‘wired’)

Most of the earth’s oxygen is produced by the rainforest false (most is produced by marine algae)

Ostriches bury their heads in the sand when there is danger false (they would suffocate, they run away)

There are aliens who knows?

Promises in the Nest

This is an adaption of Birds in the Nest.

Before playing discuss the idea of promises that can and cannot be kept not just so the girls understand how to play but also to help them understand the importance of a promise.

Choose someone to be in the middle, the cat, – it could be a leader.

The girls, the birds, stand at one end of the room waiting to run to the other end.

The cat, in the middle, calls out promises that can be kept but when she calls out one that can’t the girls run from their ‘nest’ to the other ‘nest’ at the end of the hall.

If a bird is caught she is the next one to be a cat – maybe with the help of a leader to help her think of things.

Variation

You could change it from promises to things that are ‘right’ and things that are ‘wrong’. So, they run on statements that would be the wrong thing to do.

For older girls you could have a ‘stooge’ who runs at the wrong time to see if peer pressure makes a difference.

Promises that can be kept and Right

Promises that can’t be kept and Wrong

To keep my room tidy To bring One Direction next week

To help my mum/dad/aunt/grandma To cook all the meals next month

To try not to get cross To never get cross ever again

To put all the DVDs/Playstation games away after I’ve played

To give up sweets and chocolate for a year

To do my best to be truthful To never make a mistake

To try and be nice to my brother/sister To never eat unhealthy food - ever

To lay the table at least twice a week To never lose my temper

To try to remember to brush my teeth in the morning and at night

To always do what my parents ask straight away

To give some of my pocket money to charity

To never tell a lie – even a little one about whether or not my mum’s bum looks big!

To try to do what my teacher asks every time she asks me to do something

To be a pop star when I grow up

To do my homework on time To learn how to jump out of an aeroplane

To try new things when I have the chance To never talk in class, even to my friends

To be truthful To keep something you find

To be polite and considerate To be unkind to someone when all my friends don’t like them

To pick up litter – then wash my hands To see a 15 certificate film when I am 14

To think about how my actions can care for the planet, like turning off lights

To be running late so my Dad has to break the speed limit to get to Guides on time

To be helpful To take drugs

To take care of yourself with things like getting good sleep and brushing teeth

To be rude to someone when I don’t like the way they spoke to me

To try to learn new things and skills To eat too many sweets

To use your time wisely To copy in a test/exam

To be a good friend and listener To spend all day watching TV

To play with people who are on their own To not wait my turn for a toy at school

To listen to the adults who care for me To not keep my things/toys tidy

To tidy up my own things and toys To ignore rules

To try and be kind To be spiteful and unfriendly

To do what I know is the right thing to do To make fun of what someone looks like

To think about other people before myself and do a good turn every day

To forget the things I need for school/Rainbows/Brownies etc

To remember to recycle To drop litter

Pause and Reflect

This is an activity for Adult leaders. It can be considered while sitting alone or in the quiet company of others. Prepare a pack for each person as follows:

A short length of string A lemon sherbet sweet

A sheet of paper A paperclip

A plaster A small piece of rock or stone

A small flag with the letters S O S A candle and a match

An envelope containing a large blue star and several small stars

A printed sheet with the following instructions:

* Use this kit to pause and reflect on the wealth of gifts you are giving through Girlguiding.

* Slip the string onto your finger to remind yourself of how much you are secretly appreciated.

* Unwrap the sweet and put into your mouth. As you suck on it remind yourself of all the girls who may have a “sour” outlook on life but who are really sweet within. Guiding helps to bring the sweetness out.

* The blank paper is to remind you of the need to plan far more than you actually require so that you can make the most of the brief time you have with the girls.

* Clip the paperclip to the paper and think of it as a reminder of the organisation it takes to pull off a well-run Guiding programme.

* Use the plaster to remind you of the girl who has come to you wounded and is in need of healing through caring and respect.

* Take out the rock and rub it on your hand knowing that you are gently smoothing its rough places, just as you help girls to smooth out the rough spots in their lives.

* Wave the flag with the S O S to remind you of all the willing team members around you who will give you a hand, from other Leaders to Advisors and Commissioners.

* Hold the match and the candle and think about how they must work together to create a flame, just as Leaders work with girls to spark and nurture their interest in the world around them through knowledge, caring and love.

* Take out the large blue star and the little stars – remember that each one is a shining light in its own way, and keep in mind that both you and the girls are essential to an enthusiastic and rewarding programme.

* Lastly take the blue star and attach it somewhere you’ll be able to see it each day reminding you that you are the most important link between the girls and the whole of Girlguiding.