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Archives
Tag Archives: brownies
These Brownies are protecting the planet with plastic-free parties
All through Girl Guides, we encourage girls to take action to protect the planet, and that mantra has slowly started making its way into other parts of my life. After making some changes at home this summer I started thinking … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged brownies, environment, plastic, plastic-free parties, taking action
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Little Free Brownie Library
The current National Service Project: Words in Action has been well-enjoyed by our unit! In its first year (2015), our unit held a book swap which resulted in a donation of 325 books to our city’s library. This year, we … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged brownies, literacy, Little Free Libraries, NSP, service, Words in Action
1 Comment
Reflecting on positivity
Our unit is just starting the Key to Me, and being the end of the year I really wanted to find something special for our girls to do. I knew it was recently Mental Health Week in Canada, and there … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged brownies, mental health, positivity mirror, Quebec, self esteem
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Avoiding checking out too soon
If you’re like me, you may have noticed the girls in your unit have had a little more trouble sitting still lately. Maybe they’re just a little more chatty than normal. You may have even had to remind yourself to … Continue reading
Saturday morning Guiding
As busy Guiders, we all spend occasional weekends doing Guiding activities, sleepovers, camps, cookie sales and outings. But what about having your weekly unit meeting on a Saturday? Could this be a way to engage girls and families who aren’t … Continue reading
Our bilingual unit adventure
When I moved two years ago from Mississauga to Barrie, Ontario to do a year of post-graduate studies at Georgian College, I wanted to continue my volunteer work in Guiding so I joined a French language unit near campus. This … Continue reading
Managing Friend Drama
Some years are better than others, but for every year I’ve been involved with our Brownies, it happens. There are inseparable friends who stubbornly cling to one another, in spite of our efforts to mix up groups and facilitate new … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides, Uncategorized
Tagged brownies, friendship, multi-branch unit, unit management
2 Comments
Transitioning into a new Guiding role
As someone who has always aspired to be a lifelong member of Girl Guides of Canada, I struggled to find a place for myself as a transitioning member (TMBR). During Rangers, I completed the program and earned my Chief Commissioner’s … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides
Tagged brownies, Girl Assistant, TMBR, Transitioning member, young Guiders
1 Comment
Saying ‘Welcome’ and ‘Bonjour’ with a postcard
A few years ago, I decided to start sending out mail to my Brownies and Guides at the beginning of August in preparation for the next Guiding year. There were many reasons that led me to come up with this … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities, Uncategorized
Tagged brownies, Francophone unit, Postcards, start of Guiding year
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How many sleeps until camp?
We signed our Brownie up for a week-long camp experience at Camp Adelaide in the “Outdoor Explorers” program. This was her first sleep-away camp and she was apprehensive about being away from home for so long so we went to … Continue reading
In her own words…. Brownies recruiting Brownies
Meet Devon – a Girl Greatness Award recipient who took it upon herself to recruit more Brownies for her unit! During my first year of Brownies, we only had three girls, but it was still fun! After the advancement, my … Continue reading
Posted in Girls' Guides, Uncategorized
Tagged brownies, Girl Greatness Awards, recruitment
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A Billion Brownies
After another crazy-busy year as a Brownie Guider in our multi-branch unit (72 girls!), by the time our last meeting rolled around, I was pretty much done. As in, I’m ready for summer, shut the door on the craft closet … Continue reading
Calming the Camp Nerves
As units grab their sleeping bags and pack their marshmallows for spring camp, we’re re-posting this blog on prepping girls – and their parents! – for camp. We at Brownies know how stressful a first camp can be! Nerves and … Continue reading
Guide friends, Girl friends, Mom friends
Writing about friendship is tricky. The first time I took a crack at writing this blog post, I started writing about my daughter Karley’s transition through Brownies, with the end paragraph talking about how she made this new awesome best … Continue reading
Captivated by the Drum
The Ardrossan Alberta Sparks and Brownies had the amazing opportunity to participate in a group event that hosted one of Canada’s acclaimed speakers and First Nations grass dancers, Jason E. Skani. Growing up in what he calls “Cree Country” Alberta, … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged Alberta Girl Guides, brownies, Cree culture, First Nations, grass dancer, Jason E. Skani, sparks
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Girl Guide fun + chocolate = the perfect Valentine’s Day
The Quebec Chocolate Challenge! What’s more fun than making and eating chocolate? Sharing, of course! The 1st Valois Brownies created an event called “Chocolate Wonderland” to complete the Quebec Chocolate Challenge and in the spirit of sharing, invited the Valois Sparks in order … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities, Uncategorized
Tagged brownies, Chocolate Challenge, Quebec Spin, Valentine's Day
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Calming the Camp Nerves
We at Brownies know how stressful a first camp can be! Nerves and anxiety everywhere. To help, I’ve made a list of my top ways parents and Guiders can help to calm homesick and anxious campers. For Parents: Don’t transfer … Continue reading
Camp packing tips
1. Girls should know their stuff. If you really need to ‘help,’ choose the clothing and items to pack, lay them out and have the camper pack them. This gives her the opportunity to know what she has packed. More … Continue reading
Why every Brownie should have a camp blanket
On this edition of Throwback Thursday, we’re revisiting a blog post on favourite topic – camp blankets! When I became a Brownie leader, right before we went to camp, I always brought my camp blanket to a meeting. This was … Continue reading
Throwback Thursday: The Benefits of Camping without Parents
If you’re involved in Guiding, you know how amazing the camp experience is. For girls, it may be their first exciting taste of freedom as they head out into the world without mom and dad. Here’s a Throwback Thursday post … Continue reading
The stars are bright on the Guiding Walk of Fame!
What happens when a Guider sees a photo on Facebook of a Hollywood birthday party theme? She turns it into a Guiding advancement ceremony, of course! Since we all know that every girl in Guiding is a star, we decided … Continue reading
Say cheese! Setting up a Girl Guide photo booth
I often forget to take pictures at Guiding events. At our recent Olympic sleepover we chose the scrapbook option in the Quebec Spin Challenge and I set up a photo booth to make sure some pictures were taken. I’ve seen photo booths … Continue reading
Why every Brownie unit should have a rubber chicken (or two)
Have you met our unit’s pals, Mr. and Mrs. Chicken? Here’s why we think you should have at least one rubber chicken in your unit kit, too: Chicken Games are Awesome! Thank you Becky’s Guiding Resource. Chickens can often … Continue reading
The Benefits of Camping without Parents
Every year, our Brownie unit takes a spring weekend camping trip. As I enter my seventh year as a Brownie leader, I have been reflecting on what I have learned about planning these camp weekends. There are some obvious things, … Continue reading
Girl-Centred Planning
“I wish we could pick berries or go to the apple orchard.” “I would like to have a haunted house.” “Let’s visit the Sparks again!” “We should plant seeds in an egg carton.” “I wish we could have an extra … Continue reading
A Step Back into a Brownie Time Machine
In planning for learning a bit about the history of Guiding, I wanted to do something different this year. Then I remembered that someone tried to pawn off a bag of old Brownie badges on me years ago. Are you … Continue reading
Yes, She’s a SPARK. No, She isn’t Cute.
Update: This post was voted a 2012/2013 GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal winner in the Cookies category! Bravo blogger Katherine! ————————————————- When I was a Spark and Brownie Guider, I often heard Guiders say with envy “Oh, your unit can sell cookies so … Continue reading
Posted in Cookie Bits N Bites
Tagged brownies, cookie day in canada, cookies, female role model, pathfinders, self esteem, spark
11 Comments
“Multi-Branch” Means More Fun!
I grew up with Guiding, joining as a shy Brownie and going through Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, and Link. I never doubted Guiding would remain a part of my life, but I didn’t know that I would begin my journey as … Continue reading
Bumbling [Brownie] Badges
Badges can be the bane of a Guider’s existence, can’t they? Although they provide satisfaction and joy, they are small and easily lost. They like to hide in every nook and cranny of our Guide bags, and only show up … Continue reading
Key to Brownies: Getting to know you with a Beaded Bracelet
How To: Beaded Friendship Bracelet (Thanks to Guider Janice for this idea!) Supplies: Pipe cleaners and pony beads (one kind of bead for each girl in the Unit) Opening activity – make beaded friendship bracelet. (Each girl will receive a different … Continue reading
What an Amazing Girl Member!
How many Guides ever have completed ALL the interest badges? Well, not only did Christina Selkirk complete all 10 Keys and 71 Brownie interest badges, but she also completed four program areas, three community service badges, three camping badges, 82 … Continue reading
Girl Guide Camp Blanket vs. Camp Poncho
This is the first of our Flashback Friday blog posts for the summer months! Every Friday we will re-share a post previously shared on GirlGuidesCANblog, that related to the summer months (camping, outdoor fun, family time). Enjoy! ———————————————————————– In today’s … Continue reading
Posted in Camping & Outdoors
Tagged brownies, camp blanket, camp poncho, camping, Guides, sparks
11 Comments
Thrills, Chills and Spills
As we are preparing for our annual spring camp, I can’t help but think back to the first time I went to Brownie Camp as a leader. I was a Junior Leader in our Unit for two years before I … Continue reading
Trial by Fire: Reflections of a First-time Guider. Part V
Several months ago I put a post up on my personal blog about becoming a Guider. The GirlGuidesCAN blog picked it up and after a short series of emails back and forth, I was asked to be a guest blogger, … Continue reading
Through Brownies’ Eyes
I have a Brownie unit in a rather affluent area. This, obviously, has advantages (for example, we don’t need to worry about an activity that costs a few extra dollars). It does, however, present some interesting challenges – a major … Continue reading
Sparks & Brownies Leave a Small (eco) Footprint
How small an eco-footprint does a Spark make? How about a Brownie? The 12th Milton Sparks and 19th Oakville Brownies could tell us! They were busy learning from Halton Recycles in preparation for World Thinking Day 2012! This post was … Continue reading
Online Resources: Guiding in the Cloud
This post originally appeared on Ottawa Guider Cara’s own Brownie Meeting Ideas blog. Cara offered it to us for re-posting as its description of online file sharing and collaboration may interest many of you. Thank you Cara! We hope you … Continue reading
Trial by Fire: Reflections of a First-time Guider. Part III
A couple of months ago I put a post on my personal blog about becoming a Guider. The GirlGuidesCAN blog picked it up and after a short series of emails back and forth, I was asked to be a guest blogger, blogging … Continue reading
Trial by Fire: Reflections of a First-time Guider. Part II
A couple of months ago I put a post on my personal blog about becoming a Guider. The GirlGuidesCAN blog picked it up and after a short series of emails back and forth, I was asked to be a guest blogger, blogging … Continue reading
Why Every Brownie Should Have a Camp Blanket
A few weeks ago, guest blogger and Brownie Guider Sarah of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, wrote for us what turned out to be a very popular post about the importance of her camp blanket in her Guiding and non-Guiding life. We … Continue reading
This Guider Asks: What Activities Are You Planning This Year?
I love the start of the Brownie year – everyone is so excited! Our Unit gets almost an entirely new group every two years. This year, we have nine new Brownies and four returning Brownies. Since most of our Unit … Continue reading
When Cookies Lead to a Cookie All Star…and a Cat?!
Oh no! Not another cat reference on the Girl Guides’ blog! Yes, but this time this cat isn’t out of the bag, it’s purring in a Brownie’s lap. How it got there is what today’s post is all about. It … Continue reading
Why Girls Need National Membership Week
Tomorrow is the start of our National Membership Week that runs from September 10 – 18 all across Canada! It’s a time for Guiders and Units to showcase what Guiding has to offer new girls and women who join Guiding. Need inspiration … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged brownies, future leaders, Guides, lones, National Membership Week, pathfinders, rangers, sparks, special days
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Why I Plan on Being a Brownie Leader Extraordinaire
Update: This post was voted a 2011/2012 GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal winner in the Reader’s Choice category! Bravo blogger Chantal! ———————————————————— When I was little, I wasn’t allowed to join Girl Guides, so instead I pretended I was a Girl … Continue reading
Badges of Honour by Kelly Waterhouse
Update: This post was voted as a 2011/2012 GirlGuidesCANblog Big Deal Seal winner in the category ‘Oh My Guides’! Bravo blogger Kelly! ————————— Note: this post originally appeared in the Wellington Advertiser in Kelly’s column “Write Out of Her Mind,” … Continue reading
Best GGC Cookie Conversation – Ever!
Today’s online smile is a real online conversation between two GGC leaders. Guider Jenn and Guider Nicki graciously permitted us to share this charming cookie conversation on our blog. Thank you both for being such great sports! —————————————————- Guider Nicki: … Continue reading
Friendship Pins for Japan
Look what one girl can do! Faith is a Brownie who was concerned about the situation in Japan, so she decided to make her own friendship pins to raise funds. In her words: “When I heard Japan had a tsunami I … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged brownies, crafts, friendship pins, meeting ideas
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Mayor grilled by five year olds. Details at 11:00!
As mayor of a Canadian high-tech hotspot, Waterloo’s Brenda Halloran has met with some pretty heavy hitters in her time. But she has perhaps never met a more curious audience than the 15th and 4th Waterloo Sparks and 24th Waterloo … Continue reading
Girl Guides – Action starts here
Sure, Wonder Woman may be making her comeback in a new T.V. series, but we’ve got our own super hero right in Canada. Meet 17-year-old Amanda M. from St. Albert, Alberta. Through her program to give birthday supplies to kids … Continue reading
Posted in Awesome Activities
Tagged Birthday bags for kids, brownies, meeting ideas, pathfinders, rangers, sparks
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