The great thing about Guiding is that anything is possible in a unit meeting. For example, it turns out that puppetry is a great way to learn about the arts and the environment from a female entrepreneur right in our own neighbourhood!

The 5^th Kanata Sparks in Ottawa had a very fun and exciting opportunity to participate in a hands-on fantastic Animal Adventure of the Arts.  A local puppeteer from Rock the Arts hosted one of our Sparks meetings to take us on a “field trip” to the zoo with her lovable and funny Creature Crew.  The Sparks got to learn about ways to help the environment, ways to keep our earth clean, making environmentally-friendly choices and respecting animals and their homes, all while laughing and playing along in this interactive show. This was certainly a field trip adventure to remember that took place right in our own regular meeting place!

Not only did the girls get to watch a unique and educational show, they also got to learn about puppeteering, female role-models working in the arts, careers in the arts, and what goes into making puppets and bringing them to life.  The hands-on portion of the workshop further reinforced the art of puppetry and strengthened this great learning experience.  Through manipulation of the puppets, the girls were given the opportunity to see what the puppets were made of and how to bring them to life themselves.

The girls learned about character building, critical thinking, environmental issues, animals, imagination, and attentive listening. The question and answer session also allowed the girls to ask questions about the puppets, the environment, animals in our environment and the arts in general.

The puppets then presented the girls their “Around the World” Keeper at the conclusion of our meeting.  A very fun and memorable way to receive a Keeper!

 By guest blogger Sarah Clayman, a Unit Guider with the 5^th Kanata Sparks in Ottawa.