header

Finding Activities

The meat of your camp
Getting Started Teamwork Choosing a Theme Selecting a Platform Finding Activities Running Camp Evaluating Camp

f

inding

a

ctivities


Coming up with activities is my favourite part of camp. It's where you get to be most creative and where older girls will get the most say.

Here are a few ideas but don't be afraid to see how you can transition some of your favourite regular camp activities into ones that can be done from a distance.

  • Girlpower:
    • Watch commercials and talk about how girls/women are represented
    • Make superhero capes
    • Make an acrostic of your name with positive attributes about yourself
    • Have each girl teach something new, sort of like a show and tell
  • Travel across Canada:
    • Play "can you guess what province this picture is from"
    • Learn a traditional song from a different province
    • Make crafty passports for your travels
  • Outer Space:
    • Create a new constellation and come up with a story about it
    • Challenge girls to design a new planet including a world-wide set of laws
    • Track the International Space Station
  • Relax and Recharge:
    • Make bath bombs
    • Do some yoga/stretching
    • Gather some craft supplies in nature
    • Colour mandalas

Below is a sample schedule that you can use to slot your activities into. Times will, of course, vary by age.

Items in blue need to be done by video and those in yellow should be done individually. Those uncoloured can be done either way. I like to have at least some meals together so girls can just chat and catch up, but your group can decide what works best for you.

The game night and talent show worked well for us, but again, you may find something else you would prefer.

Time Friday Saturday Sunday
9 am Breakfast Breakfast
10 am Activity 1 Activity 5
11 am Activity 2 Guide's Own (closing)
12 pm Lunch
1 pm Quiet time/Talent show prep
2 pm Talent Show
3 pm Activity 3
4 pm Activity 4
5 pm Make supper
6 pm Supper
7 pm Opening Game night
7:30 pm Set up campsite and get ready for bed ↓
8 pm Show off campsite Get ready for bed
8:30 pm Bedtime story Bedtime story

Some additional considerations


You want everyone to have a good time at camp. You know your girls best, but you know them in your regular weekly meeting setting. Now that they're camping from home, there are a few other things you will want to consider.

  • Not all girls will have equal access to supplies. As much as possible, give them options and use things that are easy to come by and don't require families to go out shopping. Everyone has a varying level of comfort doing so at the moment.

  • Families may be depending on their food for eating. As much as possible, avoid using food as craft supplies unless you're making something edible.

  • Other family members may be around. Be aware that others may be listening in on conversations and/or seeing what is going on on the video. Encourage girls to face so that their camera is pointing towards a wall if possible and let them know that they are under no obligation to turn their camera on if they don't feel comfortable doing so. If girls seem uncomfortable having some conversations where they might be overheard, remind them that they can type too.

  • Make sure you test anything new first.You'll find all kinds of activity ideas on the internet, but as they say, you can't believe everything you read. If you're doing a new craft or science experiment, make sure you try it out first.
<< Previous topic: Selecting a Platform Next topic: Running Camp >>


There are a few topics we covered this term that are relevant to this section of planning:

Spotting misinformation: Many Guiders use Google to find activities to use in their meetings and camps. However, just because an activity exists online does not mean that it will necessarily work in practice. For example, I have seen many “science” videos where someone blows up a balloon (making it look like it is filled with helium) using baking soda and vinegar. It is true that it will inflate, but it will not float in the air. Another example is an experiment you can conduct to lift the ink from a whiteboard marker off a glass plate using water. In my experience it sometimes works but depends on the brand and on luck. Testing activities ahead of time is extremely important. So is carefully examining the websites where you find ideas.

Serious games: Much of the Girl Guiding program that is described as discussing a topic can be turned into games. Regardless of the type of game chosen, girls are more apt to learn if they are having fun. Being able to reward them with badges, whether physical or virtual for the time being, can be an incentive for certain types of learners as well. Some girls thrive on group competition and some girls prefer to compete against themselves, furthering their learning along the way. Providing checkpoints or goals simply makes the improvement more obvious.

Virtual simulations: When travel and getting together are next to impossible, virtual simulations become a fun way to “visit” somewhere new. Many zoos, aquariums, museums and amusement parks offer options for exploring their institution. Some even provide opportunities to see behind the scenes or to participate in activities where costs or participant limits may be prohibitive under regular circumstances.


This site was created by Elizabeth Knowles as part of EDU 5188 - Integration of Technology in Eduacation - at the University of Ottawa in spring 2020.