Water Safety, 25/06/10

Game – Beach Run.

Beavers move around the room. The leader calls out instructions & Beavers follow

Tide in-all run to one side of the hall

Tides out-all run to other side

Sharks approaching - Scatter

Chat about Water safety rules’ 

How many beavers can swim. If so is anyone ready to do swimming badge

Talk about safety on the beach and when near water

Alternative game: Flap the fish

Craft: make a sand picture

Game Port & Starboard

Usual rules with a few additions:-

Crabs – Run about sideways on hands and feet

Ice creams- sit and lick an imaginary icec ream

Suns out – lie flat on back

The High Cost of Getting Even

One night years ago, I was travelling through Yellowstone Park. I sat with some other people on a stand of bleachers facing a dense growth of pine and spruce. Eventually a grizzly bear, the terror of the forest, strode out into the glare of the lights and began devouring the garbage that had been dumped there from the kitchen of one of the park’s hotels. Now, a grizzly bear can whip any other animal in the Western world, with the possible exceptions of the buffalo and the Kodiak bear; yet I noticed that night that there was one animal, and only one, that the grizzly permitted to come out of the forest and eat with him under the glare of the lights—a skunk. The grizzly knew that he could kill the skunk with one swipe of his mighty paw. Why didn’t he do it? Because he had found from experience that it didn’t pay.

I have also found that to be true. I have encountered both four- and two-legged skunks during my life and found from sad experience that it doesn’t pay to stir up either variety. When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us—power over our sleep, our appetite, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.

Our enemies would dance with joy if they knew how they were worrying us, exasperating us, or simply getting even with us. Our hate is not hurting them at all.

But our hate is turning our own days and nights into an agonizing turmoil.

Try to cultivate a mental attitude that will bring you peace and happiness.

Traffic Safety, 18/06/10

6.00pm

Traffic lights                                           

[1 red, 1 amber, 1 green circle of paper]

Beavers pretend to be cars and must obey traffic signs held up by leader. Whistle for emergency vehicles means cars should pull in to side.

The Beavers walk around the room.

The leader holds up coloured cards to control the traffic – red = stop, green = go, amber = get ready

Don’t forget to add traffic noises

Chat – Green cross code

Coming in craft - make traffic light biscuit or dot-to-dot picture

6.40pm

Catch the scarf

One Scarf, something to show the teams where to stand such as 2 pieces of rope. 4 branches put in the ground etc, a whistle.

The Leader stands in the field exactly between the 2 teams, holding the scarf between two fingers, away from her/his body. Each team stand behind their "border-line" some distance away from the other team. The distance depends on the age of the participants, Beavers 5 meters, Ventures 10 meters. The leader calls out 2 names, one from each team, and then calls "now" or whistles. As soon as the "now"/whistle has sounded, the 2 scouts run to capture the scarf, and run "home". Let's say, that "A" captures the scarf. "A" hurries "home", - BUT if "B" touches "A" before "A" gets "home" then "B" wins. If "A" gets "home" without being caught by "B" then "A" wins. BUT HOW DOES IT END? Let's say that "B" wins the first run, - then "B"s prize is, to get "A" on his/her team.  Then the leader calls out 2 new names, and the game continues like this....until there are no more players on one of the teams!!! This is the social version. There is no loser, because everybody is on the winning team in the end!!! The game can be played in two versions: in the competition version, you stay at your original team and the winner of each little run scores a point to his/her team. This game is good if a new leader needs to learn the names of everybody - quickly.

Alternative programme ask your Local community policeman to visit and run the evening.

Circus Bases, 11/06/10

Circus bases:

Tightrope walking

Put a line of masking tape on the floor and pretend to walk the tightrope.

Skipping or Dribbling large soft ball around obstacles

Juggling

Using lots of softballs left the Beavers try their juggling skills.

Can Pyramids

Build a pyramid of 10 empty cans - then let the Beavers try to knock them down with softballs

Ping Pong ball throw

Using paper cups with different coloured rims (denoting different scores)  the Beavers throw a ping pong ball

Craft – spinning plates.

Large paper plates (already glued on the back plastic milk bottle tops) small garden canes. Colour plates then try spinning

Buckets-beanbags

Make scores for buckets in turn with 3 beanbags or balls each. See who gets the highest scores

Hula Hoops (who gets the most)

Countryside, 04/06/10

Chat about the countryside and the country code

Game:  Litter box

Equip: Large Box or rope, single sheets of newspaper rolled into balls

One Beavers sits inside the box or rope circle. The rest of the Beavers have to try to get the paper balls into the box/circle while the Beavers tries to get them out.

Craft: CountrySide collage

Equip: large sheets on plain paper (wallpaper lining paper is ideal), leaves, twigs, berries, magazines etc

Let the Beavers make a collage on a countryside theme

Game: Squirrels

In relay format - the Beavers have to run to the store of nuts at the end of the room and carry them back to their ‘home’. Use small balls - and get the Beavers to hold them between their knees to make it harder.

Game: Kim’s game

Gather 10 items from the countryside and let the Beavers try to remember them

Investitures, 28/05/10

6.00pm

Welcome: Gather everyone around and welcome them. Introduce parents to the Leaders/adults.

6.05pm

Investiture: New beavers come forward, say the Beaver Scout motto and collect certificates and badges.

Colony gathers in circle and makes the scout sign whilst whole colony repeats The Beaver Scout Promise

I promise to do my best

To be kind and helpful

And to love God

6.10pm

Game: Clumps

All the Beavers run around the hall. When the whistle is blown or you clap or call out a number, the Beavers quickly get into groups of that number.

6.20pm

Beaver Scout Motto

Be prepared: Being a Beaver Scout, you will always want to be prepared to anything. You should be prepared to –

• help other people

• keep yourself fit and healthy

• make new friends

• keep the Beaver Scout Promise

How to stand

Beaver Scouts try to look as smart as they can whenever they are in uniform. To help them to look even smarter, they have two special ways of standing – one is called ‘Alert’ and the other is called ‘At Ease’. A Leader will call out the commands – try to see how smartly you can do the actions. When a Leader calls ‘Colony Alert’ or ‘Beavers Alert’, you should stand up straight with your arms smartly by your sides moving your left leg to put your feet together. When a Leader calls ‘Colony – at Ease’ you should move your left leg until it is comfortably apart from the other, with your hands held behind your back. Practice standing at ‘Alert’ and ‘At Ease’.

6.25pm

Cannon Ball Fight

Equipment: Lots of small balls

Divide your Colony into teams of roughly equal numbers. You can use any number of teams, but two or four teams work best. Each team has an area or ship to defend (you can mark these areas with chalk). Each team is given an equal number of cannon balls. The object of the game is to get as many cannon balls into the other team’s ships and keep as many out of their own. Make sure you tell the Beavers to roll the balls along the floor and stay in their area.

6.35pm

Game: Transport the rations (in groups)

Mark off an area of the meeting venue as the sea. Put in a number of stepping stones (either paper or chairs). The Beavers, working in teams have to transport all the rations from one shore to the other, without stepping in the sea.

Equipment: Empty cans, food cartons, plastic bottles, boxes etc. Paper or chairs for stepping stones.

6.50pm

Hand out Beaver welcome letter to show position of badges. Remind beavers to clearly label uniform.

The Two Knapsacks

We are told that life is like a hike from the cradle to the grave. For some, it is a long trip of many moons; for others, it is a short excursion that ends unexpectedly.

But all are equipped with two knapsacks—one to be carried on the back and the other on the chest.

The average hiker along the trail of life puts the faults of others in the sack on his chest so that he can always see them. His own faults he puts in the bag on his back so that he can’t see them without some effort. And so, he hikes through life constantly seeing the errors of others, but overlooking his own mistakes.

Guys, this pack arrangement is bad, because nobody has a successful hike through life finding fault with the other guy. The person who can see his own faults, then strive to correct them is the one who enjoys the trip and enters the happy hunting ground with thanksgiving.

So place your bag of faults upon your chest and put the bag of other people’s faults and mistakes behind you, and have happy hiking.

Knots, 21/05/10

6.00pm

Port and Starboard

Label your meeting place walls with the following nautical names:

Port = left

Starboard = right

Bow = front

Stern = back

The Leader calls outs one of the commands and the players run to the relevant part of the room. Players that go to the wrong part of the room are out. You can add extra instructions to make the game harder. For Patron Saints, name the four walls England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Then call out the Saint’s name or symbols or feast day.

6.10pm

Creep Up on a Sleeping Tiger

The Colony sits in a large circle with one Beaver Scout in the middle blindfolded guarding a bunch of keys. Beavers have to take it in turns to creep up on the Beaver in the middle and snatch the keys without being heard. The blinded folded Beaver or tiger points if he or she hears the moving Beaver. If the keys are successfully snatched, the two Beavers swap places and another Beaver tries to snatch the keys. If the blindfolded Beaver points directly at the Beaver trying to snatch the keys, that Beaver returns to their place and another has a go.

Bunch of keys/Scarf or blindfold

6.25pm

Knot bases (ten minutes each base)

Knots could be:

Reef knot

Clove hitch

Sheer lashing (this knot would be useful for the next activity)

6.45pm

Hockey

This game can be played with many variations. You can set up a goal at one end of the meeting place and teams take turns to try and score a goal. Or you can play a game of hockey and have two players from each team playing at the same time, until one side scores a goal or you can set a time for each pair of players.

Shelter Building, 14/05/10

6.00pm

Cops and Robbers

Equpiment: Whistle

Divide the Colony into two teams. One team stands in a line at the end of the room facing the wall this team are the cops. The robbers stand at the opposite end of the room. A Beaver needs to be appointed as lead robber. The robbers then creep up on the cops, when the leader of the robbers thinks they have crept as near to the cops as they dare he or she blows on a whistle and the robbers turn and run back to their starting point. As soon as the cops hear the whistle they can turn and chase the robbers. If a robber is caught they become a cop. The Leader of the robbers changes after each go.

6.10pm

Masterspy

Throwing Memory Games 15 Objects

Split the Colony into small groups. One Leader throws the objects to another Leader. The Beavers then have to write down what objects were thrown. This game can also be played by allowing the teams to look at a group of objects for 30 seconds and then asking them to write down what they have seen.

6.20pm

Shelter Building

Using chairs and old newspapers, the Beavers build a shelter in which the whole group can hide.

6.45pm

Skittles

Four balls of two different colours. e.g. red and blue. Split the Colony in half and line them up at opposite ends of the hall. Explain that the object of the game is to get members of the other team out by hitting their feet with a red ball. The Beavers are only allowed to touch the blue balls, so they must use those to knock the red balls. Beavers are not allowed to hold a blue ball or to move.

Senses, 07/05/10

6.00pm

Chinese Handball

Four soft balls and a bench or five chairs to use as a jail. The aim of this game is to get other players out by hitting them below the knee with a ball. Ask your Beavers to move around the meeting place. Beavers must use their arms to both knock the ball on and to defend themselves. Anyone can hit the balls but only along the floor. If the ball hits them they sit in the jail. When another Beaver gets out they shuffle along until all five spaces in the jail are taken.

The Beaver on the end then joins in the game again. This is a very energetic game and can be played for any length of time.

6.15pm

Sense bases: Four bases led by an adult – 10 minutes each.

Make Names out of Letters: Beavers are blindfolded and given plastic letters which they use to spell words.

Taste Foods and Drinks Blindfolded: Beavers in turn are blindfolded and try to identify lemonade, salt, vinegar, liquorice, raw carrot. Use tiny amounts only. The Beavers that are waiting could identify crisp flavours.

Feeling Kim’s Game: Select a number of household objects which you then wrap in a clean handkerchief and staple closed. Beavers have a few moments to identify what the object is. Consider Hula Hoops, paperclips, pen top, rubber, torch bulb, small battery, pencil sharpener, safety pin, badge, money, boiled sweet.

Noisy Kim’s Game: Show the Beavers eight articles and then ask them to turn away, while you drop each in turn. They identify it by the sound it makes. Consider screw, paperclips, rubber, bottle top, pen, keys, book, and beanbag

6.45pm

Beaver Netball

Two chairs and three balls

Split the Colony into two teams and give each player a number. Two Beavers or Leaders stand on a chair at opposite ends of the room facing each other to act as nets (one for each team). Call two numbers at a time to play. Players start the game by touching the chair of the opposing team and all the balls are placed in the middle of the room. A Leader starts the game. The Beavers have to throw the balls to their net however they cannot move with a ball or take a ball from another player. To win a round a team’s net has to be holding two balls. The team with the highest score at the end of the game wins. You can increase the number of players and balls if you have a larger room. If you have Beavers as nets it is a good idea to swap them around after each round so that everybody gets a turn.