Ranger Fall Camp 2016: Tobermory

Hey there! Long time, no see! Life's been crazy this summer and fall and I've only gotten around to this video right before Christmas break! Regardless, here it is, the Fall Camp Video! Lots of stuff happened and I had lots of fun to let's get right to the adventure, shall we?

Let's start at the beginning! I had to drive to other girls, a second year named Hannah B. and a first year named Lillian. We were camping in Tobermory, which is a 3-hour drive, so I really got to know Lillian as she's new. We stopped for fast food and we were the second to last party to arrive at camp. We didn't have any trouble getting to Bruce Peninsula National Park, we struggled to find our camp site. We were camping on Group Site One but we didn't realize that they had their own area, away from the individual sites. We went into the "Cedar" area, which is without sign and light. It was also one way and almost completely empty as we went up in Tobermory's offseason. We finally found our way out however and made it to camp safe and sound... at 10 o'clock at night! The campsite was set up with five tents, four girls and one for leaders. Third years had our own tent and we crashed pretty quickly.

The next day was hiking day. We planned to hike part of the Bruce Trail. We made breakfast, which was a bit of a flop, as the eggs didn't cook correctly, but we were on our way after prepping lunch (ramen, sandwiches, and GOBSS). You might say, "Hannah, what is GOBSS?" It stands for Good Ol' Bed Sheet Snacks. You just bring your favourite trail mix-like snack, throw it onto a bed sheet (clean of course!) and shake until well mixed. It's gross and delicious at the same.

On our hike, we enrolled our first years! Emily, Olivia and I (the third years) all got enroled on the  Bruce Trail when we were first years and they thought it was pretty cool so we enroled them on there as well. They got to pick the spot and everything. The hike was so beautiful, I wish I could've gotten enroled again! We had so much fun, we even built a little inukshuk.

Now this is where things sort of went downhill... Whilst chasing a first year named Jaime to get a photo of her enrolment at "The Grotto" (it's cool, if you're in Tobermory, check it out!) I fell and hit my knee, hard. I thought I'd broken it at first as I couldn't feel my foot or move it. There was a paramedic there that was just hiking who stopped to help and after I took by boot off, I could fell and move my foot a little but my knee was really swollen. I had to get the unit to help me hop off the cliff face and a Park Ranger drove me back to our site. Luckily my knee wasn't broken or sprained, just really, really, really bruised.This event sadly leads to an early conclusion to our hike.

However, the festivities were far from over! Emily planned a Murder Mystery Night that was a ton of fun. We all played different characters as we worked to find out who killed a rich old lady!

All in all, it was a really fun camp and I can't wait for winter camp!

To watch my video, follow this link: https://youtu.be/AzKMVWZ_DSI

Ranger Game Night

Why hello there everyone! "Hannah!" You may say, "what was with that 6-month disappearing act there?" My response would be... oops? Really sorry about that but I got busy with work and school and blah, blah, blah, I ended up forgetting about this blog. So my most sincere apologies but I'm back.
I filmed this video way back in like the spring but I only was able to edit recently, so here it is! I thought I would introduce you guys to my Ranger unit  and what better night than on Game Night? We were all in our PJs and being our silly selves. Game nights like this are awesome because they are super laid back and self-directed, which is perfect for my unit. The programming for nights like is pretty simple. Just get everyone to wear their pyjamas (or sweats if they prefer it) and bring 1-2 board games.  Snacks are optional but highly recommended. Then just go for it, try a game and if it flops, move onto a new one. That's it. So to make this post longer than two paragraphs I'll give you some of my top picks for board game night!

Jungle Speed

This one is by far the Rangers' choice. We've played this game at tons of camps and meetings and it's definitely a favourite. It is a pretty basic game to look at but it's really fast paced game. The deck of cards it full of symbols, some match exactly why some only look similar. The deck is divided amongst the players and you go in a circle, each taking turns flipping cards face up to the circle. If your card is an exact match to someone else's you both grab for the totem in the middle of the circle/table. Whoever gets it first gives their pile of flipped over cards to the other player. The goal of the game is the get rid of all your cards. We get really competitive playing this game and really dive for the totem, some of us have even gotten scratched or wrestled for it! I really recommend this game to anyone, it's loads of fun and a really small portable and simple game.

Apples to Apples or any equivalent

It's a funny game and it's sort of like the PG version of Cards Against Humanity, with the same concept of matching one type of card to another and a judge picking their favourite. This game is also awesome because you can customise the length of it.If you don't have a lot of time, winner it the first to get to three. If you have all day, first to seven or ten. Lots of fun and pretty funny as well.

Any Card Game (Emphasis on President, Cheat and Spoons)

I feel like card games are vastly overlooked. They're really portable, great for flights, bus rides, hotel rooms, tents and more. We always have a deck with us at camp and because of this we've acquired quite a bit of knowledge in the world of card games. President is a little more complicated than some so I wouldn't recommend for anyone who isn't that familiar with card games (heck, I'm not even totally sure how to play it...) but it's really fun in groups. Cheat is also fun because you can totally annoy your friend by picking on them when you know they don't have any fours. Spoons is also a favourite amongst the Rangers, probably due to it's similarity to Jungle Speed. Other good games consist of old fashion Go Fish and War. Super versatile, totally recommend.

I hope that this list was helpful! Once again, I'm sorry about up and disappearing and I hope to become more frequent as September starts. If you haven't seen my video, you can watch it HERE. Thanks for reading and see you soon!

Guide Bag

Hey everyone! So Meeting Bags are pretty easy to put together, especially for yourself, but for all the parents who read this some different things should be put into your your younger daughter's personal bag.

With my Brownie unit the girl's are issued plastic baskets at the beginning of the year that they return at the end of the year. They're coloured coded to match their circle and everything! Sadly most units don't do this. For you I recommend a canvas bag, like a drawstring bag or a small reusable shopping bag. With younger girl's there are a few differences between their bags and those of an older girl.

For example, I do recommend a water bottle for all ages. Especially with younger Guides, there tends to be a lot of running around during a meeting and a water bottle prevents constant water fountain trips! Girls should also bring their program book and anything they might need for a evening. Lip balm and hair ties are also recommended! Also remind them that they should put any and all forms, notices, handouts etc. in their bag for you to look at when they get home.

Now since most parents receive emails about activities, I don't think a notebook or pencils are necessary. If there are any crafts, most units will provide supplies.

Now for some new things. To help with any evening activity confusion I recommending keeping the girl's sash, tie and even their uniform shirt in their bag. That way, you always know here it is, with their Guiding stuff. You can also put their indoor shoes in it in the winter if need be and they can also store their coats in them to keep their meeting area cleaner.

I hope you all enjoyed my video, you can watch it HERE, and I'll see you around!

I'm on Youtube!

Hey everyone, I'm back! Sorry for the super long and sudden hiatus... The long wait is over and I have some huge news: I've started a Youtube Channel!

No you haven't miss read. If you know me you know that a good portion of my life is dedicated to Youtube. I've been planning this for a while now and I hope you like this.

Like I said in the video I have lots of things planned. Here's a Quick Look at My TO-DO List:

• Mosaic Vlog
• Camping How-Tos (How to make the best bed roll, how to back for a camp, winter camping etc.)
• Hat Crafts! So many hat crafts!
• Leader Tips And Tricks
• Meeting Ideas
• Anything Else I think of on the fly!

Please check me out and subscribe! See you guys around!

Working with Little Guides

For those that don't know, I volunteer as a junior leader for a Brownie unit. They call me Blueberry and I'm the littlest leader. Going back to working with the little kids has made me come to realise that they don't like to sit still still, or stand still. They also like to be loud, very, very loud. So I've come up with my top three ways to get a spark or brownies attention.

The 30-Second Rule
This one was actually invented by the head brownie leader. This one is pretty easy. If the girls don't stop talking, then there is silence for 30 seconds. If they break the silence the time starts over. You can lengthen or shorten as seen fit. Great idea and really effective for Sparks.

The Quiet Game
Many of you probably already know what this is so I won't go into a long explanation. Basically, you tell the girls if they stay quiet throughout the event, then the girls get a set amount of free time, or a game/song of their choice. You can also have "Quietest Girl" Awards for the girl that was the best behaved during the meeting.

The Song
This one only works with some girls but is still a good idea. You teach the girls a little jingle or clap rhythm or whistle (if they can whistle) and when ever they girls are too loud just begin the jingle/claps/whistle and all the girls have to join in. When you finish the jingle then all the girls will be quiet since they were focused on following along. This one is lots of fun I think because it's signing and what Brownie/Spark doesn't like signing? Like I said, it only works on some kids but still a fun alternative to the "Brownies!" yell throughout the meeting area.

Hope these were helpful! I'll see you next week!

The Top 5 Things You Have to Bring to Camp

I'm going to go on a sleepover with my brownies soon and I've started thinking about all things that are essential to bring to a camp. There are the obvious PJs, toothbrush and underwear, but what about some other things that are easy to forget. Here are the top five things you have to bring to camp.


1. Extra Batteries for Everything
If it uses batteries, bring extra. I've been to many camps and the times I forgot to pack batteries, the
flashlight died. We missed out on flashlight tag or had to make a very scary journey to the outhouse at 3 AM. Not  fun experience. Batteries are small and will fit into any little slot, so bring lots of them.

2. Flipflops
This applies more to summer camps. When you are playing in the sand on a warm day at summer camp it's easy to forget about the trek back to your tent afterwards. Then when you do you have two options: stuff your sandy and/or wet feet back into your sneakers or go back barefoot. Neither of which sound necessarily appealing to me. Flipflops eliminate both of these problems. They are also good for public showers if they are available.  I've heard a few horror stories of girls going barefoot in the shower and getting Athlete's Foot or warts. Save your feet, bring flipflops.

3. Extra Socks
I went camping in Tobermory this past October and it was freezing. It dropped to below -5 degrees one night and we were icicles in sleeping bags. To keep our feet warm we put all our socks on at once. It was a lifesaver because we were so cold that night. Socks are also great to bring on long hikes. I did a 34km hike about two years back and I remember being at the last checkpoint with only 4.5km left and changing my socks may have been the secret to finishing that hike. Socks can also be great for packing fragile objects; pack them around the breakable object to prevent shattering.

4. A Tarp
The tarp is one of the most versatile piece of camping equipment. It can make a makeshift tent, cover luggage that won't fit in the shelter or protect a fire if rain starts to fall. I've used one to cover a food shelter with a leaky roof. You can get a creative as you want.

5. Pads
I don't know if I'm cursed but every single time I go camping, a girl gets her period. I've saved many of my friends by having extra. Even if it isn't that time of the month, bring one in case a girl gets a little surprise on your trip. You may just be a girl's savior. This applies to leaders as well. The pad can also be first aid supplies. Due to their high absorbency they can be used in case of a large cut.

Hopefully this list was helpful and that you guys will remember these five important items next time you go camping!

Winter Time Games

Where I live the snow has fallen. We are in full-fledged winter up here in the Great White North. With the snow comes some problems when it comes to wide games or camp games. So I thought it would be thematically appropriate to compile a list of games with winter in mind!

Sparks

Being only five and six, Sparks can't play the most complicated of games. Therefore you have to keep the difficulty down but the running to the max!

Snow Tag

This game is pretty easy: beforehand go out and drag your feet in the snow to create lines. Have these lines cross at different points and make the area larger depending on your unit size. Then tell the girls that one of them is "it" and that they can only run in the dug out lines. Then let them run. You can make variation by adding a freeze tag component, adding more taggers and/or making the tagged girls hold hands with the taggers. This games is a lot of fun!

Jumping the Icebergs

This game is fun to play and even more fun to watch! First, divide your group into teams. Put hula hoops of various sizes (your icebergs) in front of each team of girls. The "icebergs" can be close, far apart or even zigzagged. The girls have to "cross the ocean" by jumping into the hoops from one end to the other. The girls go one at a time and if some falls in the "water" that girl has to start again. If the girls finish quickly then you can space out the icebergs, add more or make it so when a girl misses the entire team has to go again. Good game for competitive girls!

Brownies

Moving up a branch, the Brownies still don't have the longest attention but they can now handle more complex games.

Climb the Mountain
This game is a good reflex game. Get the girls to make a snow pile then have them stomp down the surrounding snow.  You just made your "Mountain" and "Valley". Have the girls stand around it and when you call "Climb the Mountain!" the brownies jump on the pile. When you call "Walk the Valley!" the brownies jump onto the packed snow. If you say "Climb the Mountain!" when the girls are on the pile and a brownie moves then she is out and vice versa. If you say "Climb the Valley!" or "Walk the Mountain!" and anyone moves, they are out. If the unit has a problem with elimination then they can complete a task like doing jumping jacks or answering a question to get back in the game. The game is also great if you have limited space.

Ice Cube Race
This is pretty much like the egg race but you use an ice cube instead. I prefer this way since it's less messy. You can do it relay-style or with obstacles. Super simple but super fun!

Guides

Guides is where the real fun begins. Now is when the complex games really start to shine through. Here are my two faves!

SnowblindChoose one girl to be the "Snowgirl". She arms herself with a pool noodle and closes her eyes. The rest of the players crouch on the ground, eyes open, and wait for the snowgirl to start the action by chanting: "Snowgirl, snowgirl  all in white, blinding everyone in sight!" While she chants, the other girls run around. They must hold a pose by the time the chant ends. Now the snowgirl moves around while the other players remain in their poses. Still "snow-blind", the snowgirl tries to tag one of the players with the noodle. When she succeeds, the tagged girl becomes snow-blind as well and she must join forces with the snowgirl, who gives the noodle to her and stands behind her with their hands on her shoulders. They two then say the chant and the game continues. The game ends when only one girl is left. It's really funny to watch!

Glowstick Race
This is a game of my own invention and is best played in the dark. Split the girls into teams and have leaders or older girls stand at stations. Each station has a task, from running games, to team building games, to trivia questions. Once a team completes a station, they get a glowstick and are lead to a new station. The team that receives all of their glowsticks first wins. Good game for camp!

Pathfinders

The fourth and final part of this collection are the oldest and quickest. The Pathfinders can play the most complex of games and it is probably the hardest group to play games with. The trick is to make it worthwhile.

Ghosthunters

This game is quite long to set up but is a great strategy game and teamwork activity. You start by telling the girls this story:

“One hundred years ago two bandits met in this area to divide up their loot. One bandit felt that the other cheated her and while wrestling over the loot, they fell in the river and drowned. The local town council, fearing that the ghosts are frightening people away has called on expert ghost hunters (the players) to exorcise them. The ghosts will disappear completely if they can be surrounded by a group of people holding hands. However the ghosts are very shy and if disturbed by people will separate and move to another area. The task is to locate the ghosts and exorcise them by surrounding them. Players must make a plan to exorcise the ghosts."

Then, two leaders, walk around. About every 45 seconds to a minute they come together and "reenact" the scene together. The group's job is to surround the ghost and if the leaders think the girls are too loud they separate and the girls have to start over. It may seem complicated but the payoff is worth it.

Prison Break
This game is another night game. Stomp down the snow in a small circle; This is your "prison". A few girls patrol around the prison (at a fair distance) with flashlights as "guards". The girls are placed in the prison and have to sneak out and get to a safe location (I recommend a hot chocolate station) without being caught by the prison guards and being thrown back in prison. This can be a day game but that makes it harder to escape. This game is fun for an end of the day activity.

So this concludes my winter game compilation. You can use any of these games for any age group and change them any way you want to suit your unit. I made reference to this lovely list HERE. I hope you enjoyed these games and I will see you next week!