First Brownie meeting plan
For our first meeting, we’ll be working on the “Healthy Habits” Try-It. Try-Its are the Brownie equivalent of badges. The attention span and abilities of seven-year-olds being what they are, the girls don’t have to meet all the goals, they just have to give it the ol’ college try.
We’ll be having coloring and such for the girls to do as others arrive, then start the meeting with a Brownie circle. We’ll talk a little bit about germs, then we have a nifty activity planned. We’ll have lotion for the girls to rub on their hands, and then we’ll sprinkle their hands with glitter to represent germs. As they shake hands and touch each other, they’ll see the glitter go from person to person. Yes, we’re putting a sheet down and bringing a towel.
Then we’ll talk about hand-washing. We have a song to learn, and I’ve got little cards they can bring home, pictured at right. We’ll troop down the hall and wash our hands, then come back to the room.
Depending on how much time that sucks up, we’ve got a couple of other possible activities. One is a “mother may I” type game.
The children begin by standing against a wall. They can take a giant step forward each time we say something that’s ok to share. When we say something that’s not ok to share, they are to stand in place without moving forward and say, “No, no!” So like this:
“Share the playdoh.” (Children would move forward one giant step)
“Share your drinking cup.” (Children would stand still and say, “No, no!”)
“Share the library books.” (Children would move forward one giant step)
“Share your toothbrush.” (Children would stand still and say, “No, no!”)
Share your cookie/crayons/straw/dolls/tissue/spoon/whatever. By which point they should be to where we are.
If we’re still way off on time, we can also talk about feelings as part of health. Just in case we do, I’m going to put names of feelings on index cards. The girls could draw them, then act one out and the other girls could guess what it is. We could talk about a time when they might feel that way.
I’ve put out the call for another parent to volunteer to bring relatively healthy snacks, so hopefully someone’ll do that, which will suck up some more time and let the girls calm down some.
Then back to the meeting circle. We’re going to have a few other badge options for them to choose from for their next program. Then a friendship squeeze (cross arms, hold hands with the girl next to you, and send a squeeze around the room) and maybe a song, and away they go for another two weeks.
If we don’t get to do any or all of this, or if it all goes to hell, I’m okay with that. I’m not expecting the girls to march in lockstep with what I say. Also, I’m open to suggestion and comment on any of this!
Wow!
That’s a fantastic, well-rounded lesson plan. You are sure to have a great meeting!
Wow!
That’s a fantastic, well-rounded lesson plan. You are sure to have a great meeting!
Yup, you’re the leader.
LOVE the glitter idea!
Yup, you’re the leader.
LOVE the glitter idea!
This sounds like a fantastic meeting! Do you have different color glitters? It would be interesting if different girls had different color germs .. then you could really see who’s germs traveled where!
This sounds like a fantastic meeting! Do you have different color glitters? It would be interesting if different girls had different color germs .. then you could really see who’s germs traveled where!
how fun!
Makes me want to be a Brownie again. One idea with the glitter: have a couple different colors so they can actually see how the germs transfer. That way they can look down after a couple handshakes and see that they not only have the gold glitter they started with, but now they are dotted with red and blue too.
how fun!
Makes me want to be a Brownie again. One idea with the glitter: have a couple different colors so they can actually see how the germs transfer. That way they can look down after a couple handshakes and see that they not only have the gold glitter they started with, but now they are dotted with red and blue too.
GMTA!
Either that or we like our bling with some variety.
GMTA!
Either that or we like our bling with some variety.
Probably not in time for the meeting, but…
I love these: http://www.giantmicrobes.com/
They’d be fun for a lesson on germs for the kiddos.
Probably not in time for the meeting, but…
I love these: http://www.giantmicrobes.com/
They’d be fun for a lesson on germs for the kiddos.
Re: GMTA!
Good idea on both counts, and the other co-leader mentioned it too. The glitter I have is multicolored, but I may swing by Michael’s and if it’s super-cheap, I may snag some.
Re: GMTA!
Good idea on both counts, and the other co-leader mentioned it too. The glitter I have is multicolored, but I may swing by Michael’s and if it’s super-cheap, I may snag some.
I wish I could claim it, but the glitter idea came from a book of ideas for new troop leaders. I’m pretty much shooting my wad with this meeting. Well, we’ll have another two weeks to MacGyver some other learning activity.
I wish I could claim it, but the glitter idea came from a book of ideas for new troop leaders. I’m pretty much shooting my wad with this meeting. Well, we’ll have another two weeks to MacGyver some other learning activity.
Re: Probably not in time for the meeting, but…
Those are so cute, and I think of them every time someone I know is sick. Of course, thankfully they’re better before I could get one to send to them!
The main issue here is that parents haven’t turned in dues yet, we haven’t done any cookie sales, and we haven’t opened a bank account for the troop to deposit the money even if we did have any. Since the badges cost $1.25 each and we’ve got ten girls (I think), and supplies and badges traditionally come out of troop funds… basically we have a budget of zero. We gotta make it stretch.
Re: Probably not in time for the meeting, but…
Those are so cute, and I think of them every time someone I know is sick. Of course, thankfully they’re better before I could get one to send to them!
The main issue here is that parents haven’t turned in dues yet, we haven’t done any cookie sales, and we haven’t opened a bank account for the troop to deposit the money even if we did have any. Since the badges cost $1.25 each and we’ve got ten girls (I think), and supplies and badges traditionally come out of troop funds… basically we have a budget of zero. We gotta make it stretch.
Oh my God I had forgotten all about the friendship squeeze till you mentioned it here. I just got chills from the resurrected memory.
I hope everything goes great!
Oh my God I had forgotten all about the friendship squeeze till you mentioned it here. I just got chills from the resurrected memory.
I hope everything goes great!
No wonder boys think girls have cooties.
No wonder boys think girls have cooties.
Very cool!
Very cool!
Note to self: be sure to include section on boys and their cooties.
Note to self: be sure to include section on boys and their cooties.
Don’t forget to teach them the strangle hold they’ll have to employ in order to get a boy to share in the friendship squeeze.
Don’t forget to teach them the strangle hold they’ll have to employ in order to get a boy to share in the friendship squeeze.
Now, now. We have to save something for the second meeting.
Now, now. We have to save something for the second meeting.