Welcome T
his issue we’re delighted to bring you a supplement dedicated to inclusion, echoing Scouting magazine’s core theme. As always, we want to emphasise that Scouting is a Movement that is inclusive and open to all, and here we provide you with some great ways of bringing the additional needs of others to the forefront of your programme. From learning Braille on page 18 to 10 games to suit a range of abilities on page 20, this issue is a celebration of the wonderful variety you can find within Scouting today. And we simply couldn’t be prouder. Enjoy the issue!
Contents
Create…
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A sensory garden Build a plot to delight the senses Fondue it yourself! Whip up this cheesy treat on camp Design a safety poster Another great activity idea from Halfords Create a sensory bubble tube Science has never looked so good!
10 Craft Christmas baubles
Bring seasonal sparkle to your HQ
Learn… 12 Prevent accidents with Care
Alex Drew, Editor
scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk
Our cover artist
Kimberley Burrows is a blind illustrator from Salford, Manchester, and the winner of the RNIB’s Young Illustrator of the Year. She can only work for 20 minutes at a time, but nevertheless continues to establish herself as one of the artists of the future. She says, ‘I’m really grateful to be a part of this project… especially on the subject of inclusion – something I’m very passionate about.’ The national magazine of The Scout Association, Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QW Tel: 0845 300 1818 Get in touch at scouting.magazine@scouts.org.uk. Read Get Active! and Scouting online at scouts.org.uk/magazine Please note that the views expressed by members and contributors in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Scout Association. Get Active! Editors Alex Drew, Lee Griffiths, Vicky Milnes and Kevin Yeates Art Editor James Daniel Designer Dean Purnell Content Advisers Rachel Jones With thanks to... Tom Bowden, Debbie Bowden, Mark Gill, Nicola Gordon-Wilson, Steve O’Brien, Rachel Paterson, Jennifer Smith, Pete Stillman, Laura Thorner Cover Kimberley Burrows Project manager Celia Beale Director of Immediate Media Branded Content Julie Williams ISSN 0036 – 9489 © 2015 The Scout Association Registered Charity Numbers: 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland) Get Active! is produced by Immediate Media Branded Content, 6th Floor, Tower House,
Printed in the UK by William Gibbons. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue.
This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.
We are proud to say Get Active! is PEFC certified. For more information go to pefc.co.uk. Promoting sustainable forest management.
Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Jamie Bolton Email: jamie.bolton@immediate.co.uk Tel: 0117 314 7356 116,700 average circulation of Scouting (1 Jan–31 Dec 2013) © Immediate Media Branded Content.
Remove all of your Scout-hall hazards
14 Be cool online
Disney teaches you how
15 Learn to sign 18
Introduce your Group to British Sign Language
Braille Your Scouts can create their own
19 Make your own anemometer
Chart wind speeds with this neat bit of kit
Discover… 20 High-energy games
From energy-burners to winding-downers!
23 Design a festive feast
Tesco invites Groups to learn about food
Explore… 24 Explore your HQ
Walk in the shoes of fellow Scouts
27 Solve signs and symbols 28
With the help of National Express
Explore your community Using just a camera!
30 Capture winter magic
Master the art of seasonal photography
PEFC/16-33-795
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GET ACTIVE! 3
Relax in and explore a garden made for the senses
Words: Steve O'Brien
Suitable for Beavers+ Everyone can benefit from the stimulation of a garden designed to help us smell, see, feel, hear and taste with more intensity than usual. They’re easy to design and can be any size – from a single tub to a full acre – so don’t think you need to have an area the size of Hampton Court to create something truly energising. For Groups with access to small plots of scrubland or garden, choose a modestly sized spot and think about the journey you want your visitors to take. For Groups with only a small amount of space, create a portable version using a handful of tubs, buckets, upcycled tyres or palettes as your containers. Focus on creating a distinct area for each sense, allowing each of the stimuli to shine out.
4 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
Don't forg et head to B to &Q for all y gardenin our g needs.
You will need
• Spades, forks and trowels • Containers eg tubs, buckets • Compost • Flowers • Herbs
Taste can be a fun way to establish the link between growing and eating. Vegetables are fine, but their flavours aren’t as immediate as those of fruit. Aim for strawberries, cherries, blackberries, etc. Herbs can taste distinctive too and can also offer stimulating scents.
Green is the obvious foundation colour for any garden, but it’s well worth introducing a rainbow of complementary colours. Your sensory garden should be a treat for the eyes, so while you should explore colour, be careful not to go overboard with it. Too much visual information is overwhelming and can detract from the overall soothing effect.
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Sounds can often be overlooked, but they’re essential for your sensory space. Use wind chimes to create peaceful, ethereal tones, and also think of introducing tall plants such as bamboos or long grasses – the way the wind blows through them creates a wonderfully soothing sound.
Different plants and flowers have different textures, so try for a variety of shapes and sizes. But don’t just think of organic buys as the only contributors – extra textures can be gained from pebbles, gravel, glass, moss, bark or wood chippings, and various types of timber. Try for a combination of smooth, rough and grooved for a truly stimulating sensory experience.
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Choose flowers and herbs that are highly scented, such as lavender, honeysuckle and rosemary. Like flavours in cooking, you should aim for a selection of scents, but take care that the fragrances don’t clash. And don’t just think of flowers and plants that give off strong smells from a distance, think also about ones that give off their scent when up close, such as mint and violets.
• Pick herbs little and often to encourage growth • Position herbs in the sunniest spot you have • Water potted herb s re don’t let compost dr gularly – y out • Re-pot herbs in la rger containers if they outgrow th eir tubs • Don’t forget to la bel herbs so you know what they ar e • Give potted herb s a liquid feed once a week
RAPID RECIPE
6 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
Badge
Design a safety poster Highlight the risks of winter cycling and how to avoid them with Halfords Suitable for Cubs+ Now that the nights are darker and colder, cycling safely has never been more important. This activity asks your Group to think about safety measures and how to communicate them to other cyclists in an engaging poster. Encourage your Cubs to come up with the most original ideas they can think of, in the most colourful and interesting ways. You can award a prize for the best, most informative poster and then stick all the entries up around your HQ.
What to do • Ask the Cubs to get themselves into groups of three or four. Provide them with some notepaper and pencils. • Ask them to discuss cycling safely at night: they should think about the risks they may face and the equipment they might need to make themselves visible. • When they’ve had 20 minutes or so to jot down what they want to put in, and made a small sketch
More info More info
of how they want their poster to look, distribute the pens or paints and the A3 paper so they can start on their masterpiece. • Twenty minutes before the end of the session, get each group to hold up their poster and describe it to the rest of the Group. When they’ve finished explaining it, stick it on the wall. When all the posters are up, have a vote for the best one.
Halfords Bike Workshops 2015
New dates have now been added! To book a free bike workshop (to earn the Cub Cyclist Activity Badge), go to scouts.org.uk/halfords.
You will need
• Notepaper • Pencils • A3 paper • Pens and paints • Blu-Tack or sticky tape
Pets at Home sponsors the Beaver Animal Friend and Cub Animal Carer Badges. All Pets This activity is part of the Halfords activity pack, which contains activities that enable Cubs to earn at Home stores run workshops to help Beavers and Cubs earn their badges and learn the Cub Cyclist Badge – find out more at scouts.org.uk/halfords. Halfords stocks the full range more about responsible pet care. Visit scouts.org.uk/petsathome to learn more. of safety clothing and attachments for bikes. Visit halfords.co.uk to see its selection.
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NEEDS A NEW GRAPHIC
GET ACTIVE! 7
BE S
Create more…
Once finis AFE he of the bub d, dispose ble and its con tube responsib tents or glue on ly. Tape th prevent le e lid to aka consumpti ge or on.
A sensory bubble tube
A homemade light show that’s both stimulating and soothing… Suitable for Beavers+
Learn how to make your own sensory bubble tube by Blipping here.
A must for any sensory room, a bubble tube can help to create a calming and relaxing environment for children, especially those who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or autism. They can be pricey in the shops, but creating your own is easy and great fun.
In association with
ALKA-SELTZER
• • • • • •
8 GET ACTIVE!
These 8-Hour Snap and Shake Light Glow Sticks (99p, scouts. org.uk/shop) come in a range of colours and are perfect for your sensory bubble tube.
ICK
1 2 3 4 5
Empty plastic bottle Water Vegetable oil Food colouring 1–2 tsp Alka-Seltzer Glow stick x 1
Scout Shops
G LOWST
Words: Steve O'Brien
What to do Pour water into the empty plastic bottle until it’s around a third full. Then pour about the same amount of OIL vegetable oil into the same bottle. Choose your food colouring, drop it into the mix and stir. Get your glow stick, activate it and place into the bottle. Break up a couple of Alka-Seltzer WATER tablets, drop them in and enjoy the show! When the bubbles stop, add in more Alka-Seltzer tablets.
You will need
December/January 2015
Badge
Craft Christmas baubles
Hobbycraft brings some seasonal sparkle to your December meetings with these dazzling decorations Suitable for Cubs+ Winter is here and with it comes a flurry of festive fun, so break out the glitter and glue, and deck the halls with these gorgeously glitzy baubles.
What to do
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Start by preparing the surface that you’re working upon with an old tablecloth or with sheets of newspaper. Using a paintbrush, cover half of the Styrofoam ball in PVA glue. Pour your chosen shade of glitter onto some newspaper and dab the part of the Styrofoam ball covered in glue into the glitter. Leave the Styrofoam ball to dry for around two hours.
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Once dry, cover the remaining area in PVA and glitter, leave to dry again for at least two hours. To make the string that will enable your bauble to hang, cut a length of ribbon or twine, fold in half and knot. Place a pearl head pin through the knot and into the Styrofoam. Hang in pride of place in your HQ or on your Christmas tree.
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More info Hobbycraft sponsors the Cub Artist Activity Badge and Beaver Creative Activity Badge. Activity packs for both are available at scouts.org.uk/hobbycraft.
10 GET ACTIVE!
You will need
• Protective tablecloth or newspaper • Glitter (in a range of festive colours) • Paintbrushes • PVA glue • Styrofoam balls • Ribbon or twine • Pearl head pins • Scissors
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December/January 2015
TM
Download the tag from scouts.org. uk/care
Badge
Prevent accidents with Care
Encourage your Pack to think about safety around your HQ with this activity Suitable for Cubs
What to do • Divide your Pack into small teams and give each team the equipment listed to the right. • Ask them to decide which areas of the meeting place (inside and out) could potentially be hazardous and come up with ways that accidents can be prevented, for instance ‘Doormat – could cause a fall/ trip hazard. Fix to the floor’ or ‘Kettle – potential scald hazard. Keep lid raised when hot.’
• Use the tags to mark up the problem areas to remind other meeting-place users to take care when they’re there and provide solutions on how to deal with accidents if they should occur. • Now ask the teams to think about hazards for Cubs with additional needs eg Cubs with visual or hearing impairments or impaired mobility. Are there more hazards? How can they be prevented?
You will need
• Pens • Photocopies of the tag (pictured above) • String • Scissors • Sticky tape
More info
Care, makers of over 90 tried and trusted healthcare products for everyday family ailments and sponsor of the Emergency Aid Staged Activity Badge, has produced some fantastic resources for Beavers and Cubs to complete the first stages of the badge. Visit scouts.org.uk/care to download an activity pack. Leaders can also receive a free Little Book of Care, a brand-new guide packed with expert tips on how to treat a range of common family health conditions. Send an email to care@thisispegasus.co.uk for a copy or request it from facebook.com/allthecareyouneed.
12 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
Pack
Be cool online
Disney’s Club Penguin wants to teach your Group the importance of online safety Suitable for Beavers and Cubs
The internet can be an amazing place if everyone’s respectful, speaks up, and stays safe. The following activity is designed to help your Group understand the importance of online safety, so that they know how to protect themselves and others online. Disney’s Club Penguin has created this resource as part of their online safety campaign, It Starts With You. This campaign encourages young people to be safe online by following three important rules: Be Cool, Be Heard, Be Safe. For more information, visit clubpenguin.com/safety.
What to do • Read out each of the statements listed below to your Group and discuss which ones are good and which are bad. • Split your Group into smaller groups and assign each of them one of the good statements. • Hand out the A3 paper and ask
each group to write down their statement and to decorate it with the pens and pencils. • Once complete, stick the statements around the HQ so everyone can admire their handiwork.
Safety statements
You will need
• A3 paper • Colouring pencils or felt-tip pens • Sticky tape or Blu-Tack
• I will treat people online just as I would offline. • I will call people silly names and be rude to them online, as I can’t see their reaction. • I will always stand up for my friends online by telling an adult if they are being bullied. • I will only show respect to my friends – no-one else matters.
• I will ask permission before sharing photos of other people. • I will post photos without asking permission from those in the photo. • I will ignore it when someone is mean to one of my friends online. • I will always stand up for myself online by responding to mean messages.
More info Club Penguin is a virtual world for children guided by an unwavering commitment to safety and creativity. Visit clubpenguin.com/safety for more online safety resources, tips and information for young people and parents. A free account will be required to access the virtual world. Parental permission is required to play.
14 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
PULL OUT AND KEEP
…
to sign
With around 35,000 deaf young people in the UK, there has never been a better time to introduce your Group to British Sign Language Suitable for Cubs+
Picture: Getty
Sign language is a method of communicating that uses hand gestures, facial expressions and body language instead of verbal communication. Within the UK, British Sign Language (BSL) is most commonly used (by up to 70,000 people) and is now fully recognised as an official minority language. As with other languages, it has a grammatical structure and syntax, but doesn’t directly connect to spoken English. Also used within the UK is Sign Supported English (SSE), which uses BSL signs, but in the same order as spoken English, which is used to assist spoken English. Over the page you’ll find a number of tools to help you introduce your Group to BSL, including the BSL alphabet and a few handy Scout phrases your Group may like to master.
What can Scouts earn?
Beavers and Cubs can use this activity to fulfil their Disability Awareness Activity Badge, while Scouts can use it to meet requirements for their Interpreter Activity Badge.
More info There are many tools available to help you include young people with hearing impairments in your Group – head to tinyurl. com/lpforvb to find out more about deaf-friendly Scouting and visit british-sign.co.uk to find out more about BSL.
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GET ACTIVE! 15
Learn…
British Sign language Bristol-based Scout Tom shares a few key BSL phrases
1 Introduce yourself Bring your fingers out from your forehead and around to the right
TOP TIP: The BSL structure means you say ‘name me’ first, before fingerspelling your name…
2 Fingerspelling the alphabet A
B
C
E
F
G
I
J
16 GET ACTIVE!
K
Draw a ‘j’ on your palm
mouth shape
D
H
Brush your hand forward
L
mouth shape
December/January 2015
M
N
Q
R
U
V
mouth shape
O
P
S
T
W
X
3 ‘Thank you’ Y
Z
TOP TIP: Touch your chin and bring your hands down in front of you
4 ‘I am a Scout’ TOP TIP: All sections are represented by the same sign. To specify which section you’re referring to, mouth ‘Beavers’, ‘Cubs’ or ‘Scouts’ as you sign.
Point your smartphone here to watch Tom’s sign-language video, where you can see him fingerspell the alphabet and learn more phrases including the Scout Promise. Alternatively, head to scouts.org.uk/TV to view it online.
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GET ACTIVE! 17
PULL OUT AND KEEP
Learn more… Where is Braille?
Introduce your Group to the basics of Braille with this activity Suitable for Cubs+ Braille is a writing technique that enables people who are blind or partially sighted to read by touching a sequence of raised dots with their fingertips. Braille characters are small rectangular blocks consisting of six dots (called cells) and every character has its individual pattern of raised dots. This activity shows you how to create a basic form of Braille. Once finished, ask your Scouts to read one another’s writing so they can appreciate the interpretation required for this impressive form of communication.
What to do
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Ask your Scouts to familiarise themselves with the Braille alphabet (printed at the bottom of the page) before choosing one or two words to write. They should keep their words a secret from their fellow Scouts. Now ask them to practise writing their words in Braille on the downloadable Braille grid. Give each Scout a small piece of card and ask them to fold it in half. They should write their words in written English on the inside of the card. Folding the card
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back over, they should then stick a fresh piece of Braille grid on the front and write out the words in Braille on the front with a pencil. Once they’re happy with their Braille, each Scout should use nail varnish to create the dots, being careful not to smudge their handiwork. Leave the cards to dry in a well-ventilated area for up to 20 minutes. Once dry, encourage your Scouts to swap cards with each other and to try to decipher each other’s messages.
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For years, Braille has been used to provide safety warnings on medicine packets, as well as on bleach bottles, but you can now find it in other places, including on the doors of public toilets, pedestrian crossings, restaurant menus, cashpoints, some bottles of alcohol and other household products. Some countries, such as Canada, even use a form of Braille on their bank notes. Why don’t you encourage your Group to look for Braille in the world around them?
You will need • Photocopies of the Braille alphabet (below) • Photocopies of the Braille grid (download from tinyurl.com/lhqf2ub) • Pencils and erasers • Sheets of card, cut into 10cm x 10cm squares • Scissors and glue • Old nail varnish, glitter pens or gloopy glue
The alphabet
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
More info To find out more about Braille, blindness and visual impairments, visit rnib.org.uk.
18 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
Badge
Make your own anemometer Chart wind speeds with this homemade weather station instrument from Heathrow Suitable for Scouts+
You will need
• 5 small paper cups • Hole punch • Scissors • Marker pen • Pencil with eraser end • 2 non-bending drinking straws • A pushpin • Stapler
What to do
1
Line up the paper cups on a flat surface. Use the hole punch to punch one hole in the side of each of the first four cups, around 2cm from the top. In the fifth cup, punch four holes 1cm from the top, spaced evenly around the rim of the cup. Trim the lipped rim off of the first four cups. Use a marker
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pen to draw an X on the bottom of one of the four cups. Push the sharpened pencil, point first, through the centre of the bottom of the fifth cup. The eraser should be inside the cup, with the sharpened point extended underneath. Feed the straws through the four holes at the top of the fifth cup so that they cross in the centre. Push the pushpin through the point where the straws meet. Slide the pencil up inside the cup until the eraser is touching the pushpin, then push the pin into the eraser. This will secure the straws to the pencil. Slide the remaining cups onto the ends of the straws, pushing the straws through the hole in the side. Fold the end of the straw over and staple it to the
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More info Heathrow is Britain’s gateway to the world. We are delighted to have it as a sponsor of the Scout and Explorer Aviation Skills Badges. Its expert resources are available to download at scouts.org.uk/heathrow.
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side opposite the side with the hole. The cups should be on their sides, and the open ends should all be facing the same direction. You’re ready to go! Working in pairs, take the anemometer outside and hold it out in front of you. Watch the anemometer spin, while counting the number of spins by keeping track of the cup with the X on the bottom. Faster wind speeds will cause the anemometer to make more revolutions per minute; slower speeds will cause it to make fewer revolutions per minute. Take turns holding the anemometer and, watching the X, record your results and see how the wind speed can change from one minute to the next!
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…
High-energy games We’ve compiled 10 fun activities for all attention spans and energy levels
1 Tick tock
Suitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: Time: 5 mins+
You will need: Ticking clock What to do: Set the alarm on the clock to ring five minutes after the activity starts. Hide the clock somewhere in your HQ. Tell your Group to pretend that there is a bomb and they have five minutes to find it. They need to be quiet as the timer on the bomb is ticking. Any movement may cause the bomb to explode so they need to listen to locate it rather than rummage.
20 GET ACTIVE!
2 Human Bingo Suitable for Scouts Energy rating: Time: 10–20 mins You will need: Pens and paper What to do: Give each young person a sheet that has a series of statements on it, for example ‘is lefthanded’ or ‘has a pet’ (head to scouts.org.uk/pol to download one or you can create your own). Each young person must then go around the Group trying to collect as many signatures as they can in the time limit. The young person that collects the most is the winner. December/January 2015
These are activities that may be particularly suitable for young people with short attention spans and high energy levels. As with any Scouting activities, it is important to be aware of the needs of all young people and to adjust activities accordingly.
3 Squirrels
4 Ships into harbour
Suitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: Time: 15 mins+
Suitable for Cubs+ Energy rating: Time: 10-20 mins+
You will need Four chairs and four beanbags.
You will need Blindfolds and two chairs
What to do: Place four chairs at the corners of an imaginary square, facing towards the square’s centre. Split your Group into four teams, giving each team member a number. Allocate each team a chair and ask them to line up behind it in number order. Read out the following rules: When you hear your number you should try to get three beanbags onto your team’s chair. You must have one hand behind your back at all times. You can only carry one beanbag at any time and can steal a beanbag from another team’s chair. No-one is allowed to touch the chairs. If a beanbag is thrown to a chair and falls off, it is thrown back into the middle. When everyone understands the rules, throw four beanbags into the centre of the square and call out a number. The winner is the first young person to get three beanbags onto their chair, which is when the game ends.
What to do: Blindfold two Scouts and sit them on two chairs about two metres apart, facing each other, at one end of your HQ. The rest of the Group should sit at the other end of your HQ quietly. Pick one or two Scouts at a time to creep up to the chairs and pass through between them into the ‘harbour’. The blindfolded Scouts have to listen for the others creeping towards them and point to where they think they are. If the Scouts creeping towards the harbour are caught, they should sit down where they are. Let the Scouts take it in turns to be blindfolded.
5 Spoons
6 Rescue teddy
Suitable for Beavers Energy rating: Time: 5 mins+
Suitable for Beavers Energy rating: Time: 5 mins+
You will need Spoons and chalk or rope.
You will need 2–4 chairs, blindfolds and a teddy bear
What to do: Divide your Group into three or four teams and give each team member a number. Place enough spoons in the centre of your HQ (one per team, plus two extra). Position each team the same distance away from the spoons in the centre. Mark out a circle in front of each team with chalk or rope. The leader should then call out a number and that young person from each team, carrying only one spoon at a time, has to get three spoons back into their team’s circle the fastest. The first team to do so wins. This game can be made harder by reducing the number of spoons, or by making the play area bigger. To make the game easier, add more spoons or increase the number of players running into the centre.
What to do: Put two chairs at one end of your HQ, facing into the playing area; place the chairs apart and away from the wall. Place a teddy bear in-between the chairs and slightly behind them. Blindfold two players and sit them in the chairs. The rest of the players should sit very quietly at the other end of the playing area. If a leader points to one, they have to creep up and rescue the teddy without being caught. If a blindfolded player hears an approaching player, they should point in their direction for three seconds, instead of waving their arms about. If a player is caught, they can either sit where they are, or they can be quickly swapped with the blindfolded player who caught them so that everyone has a go.
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GET ACTIVE! 21
8 Zip Zap Boing!
Suitable for Scouts Energy rating: Time: 5–15 mins
You will need: Willing Scouts
7 Game of determination
Suitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: Time: 5 mins
You will need: Rope or chalk, scrap paper and a whistle. What to do: Divide the room into three areas using rope or chalk. The middle area is no man’s land and the two ends form the team’s areas. Split the young people into two teams. Give each young person about five pieces of scrap paper. Ask them to scrunch them up into balls. At a whistle from the leader they should all attempt to throw their snowballs into the other team’s area. When the leader blows the whistle again, they should stop throwing. All the snowballs are then counted and the side with the fewest snowballs in their area wins.
What to do: Assemble your Troop in a circle, facing inward. The object of the game is to pass energy around the circle using three actions: Zip! – the energy passes to the person next to you. Point your fingers and shout ‘zip’; Zap! – the energy passes across the circle. Lunge and point fingers and shout ‘zap’; Boing! – the energy is repelled back to where it came from. Raise arms with palms flat, jump in the air and shout ‘boing’. One young person is invited to start the game (traditionally using a ‘zip!’). The game continues until someone makes a mistake (using the wrong word, or wrong action), at which point they are deemed out and should sit in the centre of the circle to help spot mistakes. The last two left are the winners.
9 Snakes
Suitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: Time: 5 mins+ You will need: Scouts What to do: Two young people act as the snake. They have one corner of the HQ, which acts as their lair. They must hold hands and chase the other young people. If the snake touches one of the other young people, that person joins the snake. Only the two ends can touch the young people and catch them. If the snake breaks, it must go back to its lair to reform before continuing.
10 Minefield
Suitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: Time: 15–30 mins
You will need: Mines (download from scouts.org.uk/ pol), a chair and blindfolds What to do: Divide your Group into even teams and line them at one end of your HQ. Lay out the mines randomly on the floor. Each team member is blindfolded in turn and is guided through the minefield by the rest of the team, who can only provide instructions, around a chair at the other end of the playing area and back to the team.
More info For more games ideas, head to scouts.org.uk/pol.
22 GET ACTIVE!
December/January 2015
Badge
Design a festive feast Your Group can help Father Christmas by creating a stunning seasonal spread Suitable for Beavers and Cubs In this activity, Santa is planning his trip around the world this December, but this year he also wants to collect food for his Christmas dinner from all of his international friends on the way. To help him remember everything he needs to collect on his travels, he would like your Group to help him create a shopping list so he knows where he needs to stop and for what. Be sure to include food from lots of different countries. Your Group can also help Santa find his foodie treats by telling him how they are grown so he knows where to look.
What to do
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Hand out the Farm to Fork Foods From Around The World PDF, which can be found on scouts.org.uk/eathappyproject. On the PDF are examples of where different types of food can come from and how they are grown. Ask your Group to pick 6–8 types of food from a range of countries on the list, ensuring they
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have a good spread from around the world. Get them to write their list and draw each type of food they have chosen, making sure they leave enough space to tell Santa where they are grown and how, for example, oranges are grown on trees and are often found in California and Florida.
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More info To find out more about Tesco’s Farm to Fork badges for Beavers and Cubs, please visit scouts.org.uk/eathappyproject.
The Scout Association
You will need
• Paper • Colouring pens, pencils and craft materials • The PDF of Foods From Around The World from scouts.org.uk/ eathappyproject
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…
Your HQ
‘Walking in the shoes’ of your fellow Scouts is the best way to encourage understanding within your Group Suitable for Cubs+ Empathy and awareness is essential for keeping Scouting truly inclusive. Leaders, volunteers and even Scouts themselves can attain new levels of acceptance, tolerance and understanding of the difficulties other Scouts face on a daily basis with this fun and eye-opening activity. Here, you will create a series of ‘sensory stations’ around your HQ that will give your Scouts a taste of what it may feel like to live with one of these disabilities. Scouts will take it in turns to visit each of the sensory stations before
24 GET ACTIVE!
attempting to navigate the HQ or complete simple tasks. Of course, this isn’t a perfect recreation of these conditions. In particular, the unique way that people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience and process their surroundings, varies according to the individual. It should, however, give your Group plenty to discuss and will help raise awareness of the help and support young people with disabilities might need in Scouting. We’ve also provided suggestions on page 26. December/January 2015
What to do
1
Set up your sensory stations in the corners of your HQ: blindfolds and dark glasses in one corner (representing visual impairment); headphones and earplugs in another (representing hearing impairment), and the remaining items in another (representing the sensory aspect of autism). At this third station, direct the lamps to point out at the Scout visiting the table. Keep the lids on the jars to build up strong scents before opening, and turn the volume up on the MP3 player/ Smartphone. These aspects give an idea of what it The Scout Association
might be like to be hypersensitive (over-sensitive) to different senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell), a characteristic often found in autism.
2
Divide your Group into three and assign each group a different station, encouraging them to try each of the stimulus while navigating a small section of the HQ for 5–10 minutes. Ask them to think about the challenges they face and the way they feel, and to jot down some notes. At the ASD table, encourage Scouts to play a card game while they try to work around the other distracting stimulus.
You will need
• Paper and pens • Blindfolds or very dark glasses • Noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs • Jars filled with strongly scented foods eg garlic • MP3 player or Smartphone with a distracting soundtrack ie white noise or out-of-tune radio • Bright lamps • Playing cards
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Rotate the groups so they’re each at the next station and repeat the exercise. Keep doing this until each of the groups has visited each of the stations.
Now divide the entire Group into pairs and ask them to pick a sensory station. One Scout in each pair should go through the experience again, but this time with the other Scout acting as a ‘buddy’ to support them. For tips on how to support Scouts with disabilities, take a look at the suggestions below. After five minutes, swap around.
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Gather again to discuss this: was it very different this time? How did having someone to support them help? What did they find particularly useful?
What Scouts can earn?
Beavers and Cubs can use this activity to work towards their Disability Awareness Activity Badge.
4
Call everyone into the centre of the HQ and talk through the Scouts’ experiences. What did they find difficult? What did they think was easy? How did it make them feel? How do they think this would feel outside of the HQ?
Top tips… Here are some things to consider when supporting a young person with disabilities
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Consider if the environment is creating difficulties for the person. What can you change? • Prepare the person for the task. • Use clear communication and give processing time. • Visual methods of communication can be helpful. • Have a quiet or calm space available.
Blind or visually impaired
Deaf or hearing impaired
• Use verbal descriptions and avoid vague terms such as ‘over there’. • Arrange a tour around new surroundings and identify changes or obstacles. • Always explain who else is present. • Use touch sparingly and appropriately, offering to escort rather than assuming.
• Speak clearly and naturally and make sure you are facing the young person. • Don’t cover your lips, turn your face away or obscure your mouth. • Speak one at a time and encourage others to raise a hand before speaking. • Use written/visual support where possible.
More info To find out more about Scouting for young people with disabilities, please visit tinyurl.com/lpforvb for hearing impairments, tinyurl.com/p8wuhqg for visual impairments and tinyurl.com/p3yvsr7 for young people with autism.
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December/January 2015
Badge
Solve signs and symbols
Learn to identify essential safety and information icons with this nifty game from National Express Suitable for Cubs
Answers: 1. First aid kit 2. Break glass 3. Wheelchair lift 4. Fire extinguisher 5. Emergency exit 6. Onboard toilet
Signs and symbols are everywhere, providing us with crucial safety advice, valuable directions and information regarding best practices. We interpret signs every day, but can your Cubs translate the six symbols below?
More info National Express sponsors the Cub Outdoor Plus Challenge Badge. Resources are now available to help Cubs fulfil badge requirements. Visit scouts.org.uk/nationalexpress for more information.
The Scout Association
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Explore more…
Your community Discover local life through a lens with this fascinating and revealing activity Suitable for Cubs+ Many of us think we know our neighbourhoods like the back of our hands, but it’s not until we really take a good look at it that we can truly appreciate the diversity and magnificence of the world around us. This activity invites you to dabble in street photography, which is a fantastic way to become proficient at capturing beautiful images on your camera, as well as exploring your home territory in fine detail. With street photography you can snap interesting road signs, zoom in on nature, immortalise architectural idiosyncrasies, or simply document day-to-day life, making something extraordinary out of the ordinary. It’s a wonderful way to explore and celebrate the diversity of your neighbourhood and the many characteristics within it. You can also theme your approach, perhaps by colour or shape, or even texture. All you need is a camera – but before you set out with your Group, check out our top tips.
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Top tips • Ensure your Scouts are appropriately clothed: you’ll be walking around outside for a good while, so make sure everyone in your Group is wearing suitable footwear and weatherappropriate clothing. • Use the correct kit: Ideally, every Scout would be kitted out with a highly responsive SLR camera, but this isn’t realistic. What you want is a camera that captures images without any delay, so you don’t miss moments. Cameras on phones can still produce great results, but may require some experimentation. Perhaps you can compare results with your Group. • Do a bit of research: Sometimes it’s not enough
TOP TIP
If you hav e impaired yo visually ung peop le in your Gro up, why not tr y ex plo audio reco ring with rdings of th e neighbou rhood inst ead of photog raphy?
to just be inspired by the scenes around you, so it’s well worth encouraging your Scouts to look online at what other photographers are capturing to get the creative juices flowing. • Personal space: If you decide you want to photograph members of the public, remember to be considerate.
December/January 2015
Badge
Capture winter magic Canon shares its expert advice for snapping this particularly special season Suitable for Scouts
Top tips
With crisp, frosty mornings and, if we’re lucky, pure white snow, winter can be one of our most striking seasons, so what better time of year to capture some truly beautiful images of the frosted world around you? By following Canon’s suggestions, you’ll boost your chances of success.
Things to remember
1
Camera exposure systems will try to compensate for a scene that has lots of bright white such as a snowy landscape; this may result in darker images. Take control of your camera and don’t be afraid to change the settings. A snow-covered landscape on a sunny day can reflect a lot of blue sky, so look into how to change the white balance in your camera settings.
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3
Cold batteries will drain more quickly, so bring a spare and keep them warm in an inside pocket. When you are choosing gloves to wear, pick a thin pair so you don’t need to take them off every time you want to take a shot. Try to avoid shooting when the sun is at its highest, as it will overexpose your shots.
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• When it has snowed, look for interesting shapes and tones and bright colours. The contrast will add drama to your shot. • Ice and fog create new patterns and textures eg a frosty spider’s web. Get down low and point the camera upwards for an exciting approach. • Get close to your subject. Fill the frame with just a leaf and focus on the ice crystals. If possible, shoot with the sun in front of the camera so that the crystals sparkle.
More info
Canon now sponsors the Scout Photography Badge and has created some great resources to help Scouts fulfil the badge requirements. Visit scouts.org.uk/canon for more details.
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December/January 2015