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Today, the brown dress has been replace by a brightly-coloured tracksuit-style uniform and the handbook has been replaced by Brownie Adventure.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?
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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