The Girl Guiding movement has changed and still has a lot of offer your daughters. It's also a great way to get them involved with their community.
Many years ago when I was a Brownie, the uniform was a staid, brown dress and the Brownie Handbook largely offered helpful hints on activities such as how to wash up correctly.
Today, the brown dress has been replace by a brightly-coloured tracksuit-style uniform and the handbook has been replaced by Brownie Adventure. However the core values of encouraging girls to grow up as confident, useful members of the community while they make friends and develop their own skills and interests remain.
Joining the Brownies (or Rainbows, for girls aged four to seven) can be a great way for your daughter to make friends outside of school, learn new skills and become more independent – the first time I went away on holiday without my parents was with Brownie Camp, and I'm sure it is still the case for many Brownies today - like the daughter of this mum who asked about Brownie Camp on Netmums.
As well as playing games and making things at weekly meetings, many packs get involved in the community through fundraising events or in a more hands-on way such as weeding and planting in churchyards or other public spaces.
I was very proud of my arm-full of badges (I had the second-most in my whole pack – not that I was competitive or anything...) Working towards a badge individually allows girls to explore and develop their own personal interests and the badges they can work towards have moved with the times and now include communicator, computer, disability awareness and world issues as well as the more traditional types like toymaker, swimmer, cook, musician or writer and quirky ones such as circus sills.
Jo Hobbs, Head of Guiding Development said: “Whenever we ask girls what they enjoy about Brownies the most common responses is that it is good fun and they love the different adventures they have.”
More information
Today, Girlguiding UK (including Rainbows, Brownies and Guides and the Senior Section) is the largest youth organisation for girls in the UK. More than 14% of six-year-olds are in Rainbows and around one quarter of eight-year-olds are in Brownies. If your daughters are Brownies or Rainbows, we'd love to hear what they get out of it.
And if they aren't, perhaps it might be time to find out what your daughters might be missing out on?
Other posts you may like
Love catherinecooper’s post? Read more 
7 Comments
Post a comment
You must be signed in to post to Ready for Ten.
Haven’t registered? It’s really quick and simple.
mum
04 February, 2011
My eldest was a Rainbow and is now in Brownies. It has definitely helped her to grow in confidence. She's been to camp and days out and has a sash and waistcoat covered in the badges she has completed. Hannah's just as proud of her badges as I was of mine and she's really enjoyed learning new skills along the way.
mum
04 February, 2011
I really loved being a Brownie and I think it help me gain some independence and confidence. We went on camp, got involed in the local community and put on a panto each year. My eight-year-old has just joined and is going on her first camp next month - I'm so excited for her! What I particularly like about Brownies is that they offer a great mix of activities so there's lots of variety and girls are encouraged to try everything, including things which some might think to be 'boys' stuff.
admin
04 February, 2011
My daughter is a Rainbow and she just returned from her session tonight. She always comes back bouncing, rattling off a long list of things they did, and tells me she had fun. She is quite shy but loves the familiar environment, and many of the little girls that go she is in school with, some we met at post-natal group after she was born. Definately worth the effort of trying to get her that for half past five on a Friday evening :-)
Leigh
Ready for Ten Team
admin
08 February, 2012
What a fantastic organisation and it's so great that it has grown with the times to keep it as fun as possible! I love the way skills and attributes are taught with fun exercises and useful community jobs - and all kids seem to love badges! I have 2 boys at the moment but if I did have a girl, it'd be great to let her get involved in Rainbows and Brownies. I think it's great that they do 'boys' stuff too, Cathy!
Sue
Ready For Ten team
19 April, 2012
My eldest daughter Jade is 7 and has just moved from Rainbows to Brownies. She had her first Brownie meeting last night and loved it. She really enjoyed going to Rainbows and her younger sister Katie who is 5 has just replaced her at the Rainbows group. She has been desperate to join and loved it. She has been with me before as I have been a parent helped lots of times and have just been asked to Train as a Leader. Very exciting for all of us.
09 June, 2012
im a brownie and going to guides in september because im waiting for my bff we do great stuff there and woyuld recommend anybody to join
thanx for posting this blog
09 June, 2012
i have been at a camp for 3 nights at windmill hill PGL and really enjoyed it we are going on a holiday next month to austria for a skiing trip and i cant wait its amazing and if anybody has a daughter that doesnt go i would say let them go for a week and try it
i didn't go to rainbows but love brownies
Hollie