get active! december/january 2015

24 Explore your HQ Walk in the shoes of fellow Scouts27 Solve signs and symbols With the help of National Express28 Explore your community Using just a camera!30 Capture winter magic Master the art of seasonal photography

Explore…

This issue we’re delighted to bring you a supplement dedicated to inclusion, echoing Scouting magazine’s core theme.

As always, we want to emphasise that Scouting is a Movement that is inclusive and open to all, and here we provide you with some great ways of bringing the additional needs of others to the forefront of your programme. From learning Braille on page 18 to 10 games to suit a range of abilities on page 20, this issue is a celebration of the wonderful variety you can find within Scouting today. And we simply couldn’t be prouder. Enjoy the issue!

Welcome

The Scout Association GET ACTIVE! 3

4 A sensory garden Build a plot to delight the senses

6 Fondue it yourself! Whip up this cheesy treat on camp7 Design a safety poster Another great activity idea from Halfords8 Create a sensory bubble tube Science has never looked so good!10 Craft Christmas baubles Bring seasonal sparkle to your HQ

Create…

Alex Drew, [email protected]

Get Active! Editors Alex Drew, Lee Griffiths, Vicky Milnes and Kevin YeatesArt Editor James DanielDesigner Dean Purnell Content Advisers Rachel JonesWith thanks to... Tom Bowden, Debbie Bowden, Mark Gill, Nicola Gordon-Wilson, Steve O’Brien, Rachel Paterson, Jennifer Smith, Pete Stillman, Laura Thorner Cover Kimberley BurrowsProject manager Celia BealeDirector of Immediate Media Branded Content Julie WilliamsISSN 0036 – 9489© 2015 The Scout AssociationRegistered Charity Numbers: 306101 (England and Wales) and SC038437 (Scotland)Get Active! is produced by Immediate Media Branded Content, 6th Floor, Tower House,

Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BNADVERTISINGAdvertising Manager Jamie BoltonEmail: [email protected] Tel: 0117 314 7356

116,700 average circulation of Scouting (1 Jan–31 Dec 2013)

© Immediate Media Branded Content. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without written permission. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue.

Contents

This magazine can be recycled, for use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.

We are proud to say Get Active! is PEFC certified. For more information go to pefc.co.uk. Promoting sustainable forest management.

The national magazine of The Scout Association,Gilwell Park, Chingford, London E4 7QWTel: 0845 300 1818Get in touch at [email protected]. Read Get Active! and Scouting online at scouts.org.uk/magazinePlease note that the views expressed by members and contributors in the magazine are not necessarily those of The Scout Association.

PEFC/16-33-795

Learn…

Discover…

12 Prevent accidents with Care Remove all of your Scout-hall hazards14 Be cool online Disney teaches you how15 Learn to sign Introduce your Group to British Sign Language18 Braille Your Scouts can create their own19 Make your own anemometer Chart wind speeds with this neat bit of kit

Our cover artistKimberley Burrows is a blind illustrator from Salford, Manchester, and the winner of the RNIB’s Young Illustrator of the Year. She can only work for 20 minutes at a time, but nevertheless continues to establish herself as one of the artists of the future. She says, ‘I’m really grateful to be a part of this project… especially on the subject of inclusion – something I’m very passionate about.’

20 High-energy games From energy-burners to winding-downers!23 Design a festive feast Tesco invites Groups to learn about food

4 GET ACTIVE! December/January 2015

Relax in and explore a garden made for the sensesSuitable for Beavers+

Everyone can benefit from the stimulation of a garden designed to help us smell, see, feel, hear and taste with more intensity than usual. They’re easy to design and can be any size – from a single tub to a full acre – so don’t think you need to have an area the size of Hampton Court to create something truly energising.

For Groups with access to small plots of scrubland or garden, choose a modestly sized spot and think about the journey you want your visitors to take. For Groups with only a small amount of space, create a portable version using a handful of tubs, buckets, upcycled tyres or palettes as your containers. Focus on creating a distinct area for each sense, allowing each of the stimuli to shine out.W

ords

: Ste

ve O

'Brien

Don't forget to head to B&Q for all your gardening needs.


Green is the obvious foundation colour for any garden, but it’s well worth introducing a rainbow of complementary colours. Your sensory garden should be a treat for the eyes, so while you should explore colour, be careful not to go overboard with it. Too much visual information is overwhelming and can detract from the overall soothing effect.

Taste can be a fun way to establish the link between growing and eating. Vegetables are fine, but their flavours aren’t as immediate as those of fruit. Aim for strawberries, cherries, blackberries, etc. Herbs can taste distinctive too and can also offer stimulating scents.

Sounds can often be overlooked, but they’re essential for your sensory space. Use wind chimes to create peaceful, ethereal tones, and also think of introducing tall plants such as bamboos or long grasses – the way the wind blows through them creates a wonderfully soothing sound.

Different plants and flowers have different textures, so try for a variety of shapes and sizes. But don’t just think of organic buys as the only contributors – extra textures can be gained from pebbles, gravel, glass, moss, bark or wood chippings, and various types of timber. Try for a combination of smooth, rough and grooved for a truly stimulating sensory experience.

You will need • Spades, forks and trowels • Containers eg tubs, buckets • Compost • Flowers • Herbs

RAPID RECIPE


! Pick herbs little and often to encourage growth! Position herbs in the sunniest spot you have! Water potted herbs regularly – don’t let compost dry out! Re-pot herbs in larger containers if they outgrow their tubs! Don’t forget to label herbs so you know what they are! Give potted herbs a liquid feed once a week

Choose flowers and herbs that are highly scented, such as lavender, honeysuckle and rosemary. Like flavours in cooking, you should aim for a selection of scents, but take care that the fragrances don’t clash. And don’t just think of flowers and plants that give off strong smells from a distance, think also about ones that give off their scent when up close, such as mint and violets.

Highlight the risks of winter cycling and how to avoid them with HalfordsSuitable for Cubs+

Badge

More infoPets at Home sponsors the Beaver Animal Friend and Cub Animal Carer Badges. All Pets at Home stores run workshops to help Beavers and Cubs earn their badges and learn more about responsible pet care. Visit scouts.org.uk/petsathome to learn more.

• Ask the Cubs to get themselves into groups of three or four. Provide them with some notepaper and pencils. • Ask them to discuss cycling safely at night: they should think about the risks they may face and the equipment they might need to make themselves visible. • When they’ve had 20 minutes or so to jot down what they want to put in, and made a small sketch

of how they want their poster to look, distribute the pens or paints and the A3 paper so they can start on their masterpiece. • Twenty minutes before the end of the session, get each group to hold up their poster and describe it to the rest of the Group. When they’ve finished explaining it, stick it on the wall. When all the posters are up, have a vote for the best one.

You will need• Notepaper• Pencils• A3 paper• Pens and paints• Blu-Tack or sticky tape

Halfords Bike Workshops 2015 New dates have now been added! To book a free bike workshop (to earn the Cub Cyclist Activity Badge), go to scouts.org.uk/halfords.

Design a safety poster

What to do

NEEDS A NEW

GRAPHIC

More info This activity is part of the Halfords activity pack, which contains activities that enable Cubs to earn the Cub Cyclist Badge – find out more at scouts.org.uk/halfords. Halfords stocks the full range of safety clothing and attachments for bikes. Visit halfords.co.uk to see its selection.

Now that the nights are darker and colder, cycling safely has never been more important. This activity asks your Group to think about safety measures and how to communicate them to other cyclists in an engaging poster. Encourage your Cubs to come up with the most original ideas they can think of, in the most colourful and interesting ways. You can award a prize for the best, most informative poster and then stick all the entries up around your HQ.


A must for any sensory room, a bubble tube can help to create a calming and relaxing environment for children, especially those who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or autism. They can be pricey in the shops, but creating your own is easy and great fun.

Create more…

Scout ShopsThese 8-Hour Snap and Shake Light Glow Sticks (99p, scouts.org.uk/shop) come in a range of colours and are perfect for your sensory bubble tube.

You will need• Empty plastic bottle• Water• Vegetable oil• Food colouring 1–2 tsp• Alka-Seltzer• Glow stick x 1

1 Pour water into the empty plastic bottle until it’s around a third full.

2 Then pour about the same amount of vegetable oil into the same bottle.

3 Choose your food colouring, drop it into the mix and stir.

4 Get your glow stick, activate it and place into the bottle.

5 Break up a couple of Alka-Seltzer tablets, drop them in and enjoy the

show! When the bubbles stop, add in more Alka-Seltzer tablets.

What to do


A homemade light show that’s both stimulating and soothing…Suitable for Beavers+

Asensorybubble tube

Learn how to make your own sensory bubble tube by Blipping here.

OIL GLO

WSTICK

ALKA-SELTZER

WATER

BE SAFE Once finished, dispose of the bubble tube and its contents responsibly. Tape or glue on the lid to prevent leakage or consumption.

In association with

Wor

ds: S

teve

O'Br

ien

Hobbycraft brings some seasonal sparkle to your December meetings with these dazzling decorationsSuitable for Cubs+

Badge

1 Start by preparing the surface that you’re working upon

with an old tablecloth or with sheets of newspaper.

2 Using a paintbrush, cover half of the Styrofoam ball

in PVA glue. Pour your chosen shade of glitter onto some newspaper and dab the part of the Styrofoam ball covered in glue into the glitter.

3 Leave the Styrofoam ball to dry for around two hours.

4 Once dry, cover the remaining area in PVA and

glitter, leave to dry again for at least two hours.

5 To make the string that will enable your bauble to hang,

cut a length of ribbon or twine, fold in half and knot. Place a pearl head pin through the knot and into the Styrofoam.

6 Hang in pride of place in your HQ or on your

Christmas tree.

You will need• Protective tablecloth

or newspaper• Glitter (in a range of

festive colours)• Paintbrushes• PVA glue• Styrofoam balls• Ribbon or twine• Pearl head pins• Scissors

Craft Christmas baubles

NEEDS A NEW

GRAPHIC More info Hobbycraft sponsors the Cub Artist Activity Badge and Beaver Creative Activity Badge. Activity packs for both are available at scouts.org.uk/hobbycraft.

Winter is here and with it comes a flurry of festive fun, so break out the glitter and glue, and deck the halls with these gorgeously glitzy baubles.

What to do


More info Care, makers of over 90 tried and trusted healthcare products for everyday family ailments and sponsor of the Emergency Aid Staged Activity Badge, has produced some fantastic resources for Beavers and Cubs to complete the first stages of the badge. Visit scouts.org.uk/care to download an activity pack. Leaders can also receive a free Little Book of Care, a brand-new guide packed with expert tips on how to treat a range of common family health conditions. Send an email to [email protected] for a copy or request it from facebook.com/allthecareyouneed.

• Divide your Pack into small teams and give each team the equipment listed to the right.

• Ask them to decide which areas of the meeting place (inside and out) could potentially be hazardous and come up with ways that accidents can be prevented, for instance

‘Doormat – could cause a fall/trip hazard. Fix to the floor’ or

‘Kettle – potential scald hazard. Keep lid raised when hot.’

• Use the tags to mark up the problem areas to remind other meeting-place users to take care when they’re there and provide solutions on how to deal with accidents if they should occur.

• Now ask the teams to think about hazards for Cubs with additional needs eg Cubs with visual or hearing impairments or impaired mobility. Are there more hazards? How can they be prevented?

Prevent accidents with CareEncourage your Pack to think about safety around your HQ with this activitySuitable for Cubs


What to do

You will need• Pens• Photocopies of the tag

(pictured above)• String• Scissors• Sticky tape

TM

BadgeDownload

the tag from scouts.org.

uk/care

Pack

Disney’s Club Penguin wants to teach your Group the importance of online safety Suitable for Beavers and Cubs

More infoClub Penguin is a virtual world for children guided by an unwavering commitment to safety and creativity. Visit clubpenguin.com/safety for more online safety resources, tips and information for young people and parents. A free account will be required to access the virtual world. Parental permission is required to play.

The internet can be an amazing place if everyone’s respectful, speaks up, and stays safe. The following activity is designed to help your Group understand the importance of online safety, so that they know how to protect themselves and others online. Disney’s Club Penguin has created this resource as part of their online safety campaign, It Starts With You. This campaign encourages young people to be safe online by following three important rules: Be Cool, Be Heard, Be Safe. For more information, visit clubpenguin.com/safety.

Be cool online

• Read out each of the statements listed below to your Group and discuss which ones are good and which are bad.

• Split your Group into smaller groups and assign each of them one of the good statements.

• Hand out the A3 paper and ask

each group to write down their statement and to decorate it with the pens and pencils.

• Once complete, stick the statements around the HQ so everyone can admire their handiwork.

What to do

You will need• A3 paper• Colouring pencils or

felt-tip pens• Sticky tape or Blu-Tack

• I will treat people online just as I would offline.

• I will call people silly names and be rude to them online, as I can’t see their reaction.

• I will always stand up for my friends online by telling an adult if they are being bullied.

• I will only show respect to my friends – no-one else matters.

• I will ask permission before sharing photos of other people.

• I will post photos without asking permission from those in the photo.

• I will ignore it when someone is mean to one of my friends online.

• I will always stand up for myself online by responding to mean messages.

Safety statements


With around 35,000 deaf young people in the UK, there has never been a better time to introduce your Group to British Sign LanguageSuitable for Cubs+

to sign


More infoThere are many tools available to help you include young people with hearing impairments in your Group – head to tinyurl.com/lpforvb to find out more about deaf-friendly Scouting and visit british-sign.co.uk to find out more about BSL.

What can Scouts earn?Beavers and Cubs can use this activity to fulfil their Disability Awareness Activity Badge, while Scouts can use it to meet requirements for their Interpreter Activity Badge.

�Pi

ctur

e: G

etty

Sign language is a method of communicating that uses hand gestures, facial expressions and body language instead of verbal communication. Within the UK, British Sign Language (BSL) is most commonly used (by up to 70,000 people) and is now fully recognised as an official minority language. As with other languages, it has a grammatical structure and syntax, but doesn’t directly connect to spoken English. Also used within the UK is Sign Supported English (SSE), which uses BSL signs, but in the same order as spoken English, which is used to assist spoken English.

Over the page you’ll find a number of tools to help you introduce your Group to BSL, including the BSL alphabet and a few handy Scout phrases your Group may like to master.

PULL OUT

AND KEEP

…


British Sign language

! Fingerspelling the alphabet

" Introduce yourself

Learn…

TOP TIP: The BSL structure means you say ‘name me’ first, before fingerspelling your name…

Bristol-based Scout Tom shares a few key BSL phrases

A

E

I

B

F

J

C

G

K

D

H

L

mouth shape

Bring your fingers out from your forehead

and around to the right

Brush your hand

forward

mouth shape

Draw a ‘j’ on your

palm


! ‘Thank you’

Point your smartphone here to watch Tom’s sign-language video, where you can see him fingerspell the alphabet and learn more phrases including the Scout Promise. Alternatively, head to scouts.org.uk/TV to view it online.

TOP TIP: Touch your chin and bring your hands down in front of you

M

Q

N

R

V

O

S

W

P

T

U

ZY

Xmouth shape

" ‘I am a Scout’TOP TIP: All sections are represented by the same sign. To specify which section you’re referring to, mouth ‘Beavers’, ‘Cubs’ or ‘Scouts’ as you sign.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M

N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Learn more…

More infoTo find out more about Braille, blindness and visual impairments, visit rnib.org.uk.

Where is Braille?For years, Braille has been used to provide safety warnings on medicine packets, as well as on bleach bottles, but you can now find it in other places, including on the doors of public toilets, pedestrian crossings, restaurant menus, cashpoints, some bottles of alcohol and other household products. Some countries, such as Canada, even use a form of Braille on their bank notes. Why don’t you encourage your Group to look for Braille in the world around them?

Braille is a writing technique that enables people who are blind or partially sighted to read by touching a sequence of raised dots with their fingertips. Braille characters are small rectangular blocks consisting of six dots (called cells) and every character has its individual pattern of raised dots.

This activity shows you how to create a basic form of Braille. Once finished, ask your Scouts to read one another’s writing so they can appreciate the interpretation required for this impressive form of communication.

Introduce your Group to the basics of Braille with this activity Suitable for Cubs+

! Ask your Scouts to familiarise themselves with the Braille

alphabet (printed at the bottom of the page) before choosing one or two words to write. They should keep their words a secret from their fellow Scouts.

" Now ask them to practise writing their words in Braille

on the downloadable Braille grid.

# Give each Scout a small piece of card and ask them to fold

it in half. They should write their words in written English on the inside of the card. Folding the card

What to doback over, they should then stick a fresh piece of Braille grid on the front and write out the words in Braille on the front with a pencil.

$ Once they’re happy with their Braille, each Scout

should use nail varnish to create the dots, being careful not to smudge their handiwork.

% Leave the cards to dry in a well-ventilated area for up to

20 minutes. Once dry, encourage your Scouts to swap cards with each other and to try to decipher each other’s messages.

You will need• Photocopies of the Braille

alphabet (below)• Photocopies of the Braille

grid (download from tinyurl.com/lhqf2ub)

• Pencils and erasers• Sheets of card, cut into

10cm x 10cm squares• Scissors and glue• Old nail varnish, glitter

pens or gloopy glue

PULL OUT

AND KEEP

The alphabet


Chart wind speeds with this homemade weather station instrument from HeathrowSuitable for Scouts+

Badge

! Line up the paper cups on a flat surface. Use the hole

punch to punch one hole in the side of each of the first four cups, around 2cm from the top. In the fifth cup, punch four holes 1cm from the top, spaced evenly around the rim of the cup.

" Trim the lipped rim off of the first four cups. Use a marker

pen to draw an X on the bottom of one of the four cups.

# Push the sharpened pencil, point first, through the centre

of the bottom of the fifth cup. The eraser should be inside the cup, with the sharpened point extended underneath.

$ Feed the straws through the four holes at the top of the

fifth cup so that they cross in the centre. Push the pushpin through the point where the straws meet. Slide the pencil up inside the cup until the eraser is touching the pushpin, then push the pin into the eraser. This will secure the straws to the pencil.

% Slide the remaining cups onto the ends of the straws,

pushing the straws through the hole in the side. Fold the end of the straw over and staple it to the

side opposite the side with the hole. The cups should be on their sides, and the open ends should all be facing the same direction.

& You’re ready to go! Working in pairs, take the

anemometer outside and hold it out in front of you. Watch the anemometer spin, while counting the number of spins by keeping track of the cup with the X on the bottom. Faster wind speeds will cause the anemometer to make more revolutions per minute; slower speeds will cause it to make fewer revolutions per minute. Take turns holding the anemometer and, watching the X, record your results and see how the wind speed can change from one minute to the next!

You will need• 5 small paper cups• Hole punch• Scissors• Marker pen• Pencil with eraser end• 2 non-bending drinking

straws• A pushpin• Stapler

Make your own anemometer

What to do

NEEDS A NEW

GRAPHIC

More info Heathrow is Britain’s gateway to the world. We are delighted to have it as a sponsor of the Scout and Explorer Aviation Skills Badges. Its expert resources are available to download at scouts.org.uk/heathrow.


…

2 Human BingoSuitable for Scouts Energy rating: ËËËËË�Time: 10–20 minsYou will need: Pens and paperWhat to do: Give each young person a sheet that has a series of statements on it, for example ‘is left-handed’ or ‘has a pet’ (head to scouts.org.uk/pol to download one or you can create your own). Each young person must then go around the Group trying to collect as many signatures as they can in the time limit. The young person that collects the most is the winner.


1 Tick tockSuitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5 mins+

You will need: Ticking clock

What to do: Set the alarm on the clock to ring five minutes after the activity

starts. Hide the clock somewhere in your HQ. Tell your Group to pretend that there is a bomb and they have five minutes to find it. They need to be quiet as the timer on the

bomb is ticking. Any movement may cause the bomb to explode so

they need to listen to locate it rather than rummage.

We’ve compiled 10 fun activities for all attention spans and energy levels

High-energy games

6 Rescue teddySuitable for Beavers Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5 mins+You will need 2–4 chairs, blindfolds and a teddy bear

What to do: Put two chairs at one end of your HQ, facing into the playing area; place the chairs apart and away from the wall. Place a teddy bear in-between the chairs and slightly behind them. Blindfold two players and sit them in the chairs. The rest of the players should sit very quietly at the other end of the playing area. If a leader points to one, they have to creep up and rescue the teddy without being caught. If a blindfolded player hears an approaching player, they should point in their direction for three seconds, instead of waving their arms about. If a player is caught, they can either sit where they are, or they can be quickly swapped with the blindfolded player who caught them so that everyone has a go.

4 Ships into harbourSuitable for Cubs+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 10-20 mins+You will need Blindfolds and two chairs

What to do: Blindfold two Scouts and sit them on two chairs about two metres apart, facing each other, at one end of your HQ. The rest of the Group should sit at the other end of your HQ quietly. Pick one or two Scouts at a time to creep up to the chairs and pass through between them into the ‘harbour’. The blindfolded Scouts have to listen for the others creeping towards them and point to where they think they are. If the Scouts creeping towards the harbour are caught, they should sit down where they are. Let the Scouts take it in turns to be blindfolded.

5 SpoonsSuitable for Beavers Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5 mins+You will need Spoons and chalk or rope.

What to do: Divide your Group into three or four teams and give each team member a number.

Place enough spoons in the centre of your HQ (one per team, plus two extra). Position each team the same distance away from the spoons in the centre. Mark out a circle in front of each team with chalk or rope. The leader should then call out a number and that young person from each team, carrying only one spoon at a time, has to get three spoons back into their team’s circle the fastest. The first team to do so wins. This game can be made harder by reducing the number of spoons, or by making the play area bigger. To make the game easier, add more spoons or increase the number of players running into the centre.

3 SquirrelsSuitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 15 mins+You will need Four chairs and four beanbags.

What to do: Place four chairs at the corners of an imaginary square, facing towards the square’s centre. Split your Group into four teams, giving each team member a number. Allocate each team a chair and ask them to line up behind it in number order. Read out the following rules: When you hear your number you should try to get three beanbags onto your team’s chair. You must have one hand behind your back at all times. You can only carry one beanbag at any time and can steal a beanbag from another team’s chair. No-one is allowed to touch the chairs. If a beanbag is thrown to a chair and falls off, it is thrown back into the middle.

When everyone understands the rules, throw four beanbags into the centre of the square

and call out a number. The winner is the first

young person to get three beanbags onto

their chair, which is when the game ends.


These are activities that may be particularly suitable for young people with short attention spans and high energy levels. As with any Scouting activities, it is important to be aware of the needs of all young people and to adjust activities accordingly.


9 SnakesSuitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5 mins+You will need: Scouts

What to do: Two young people act as the snake. They have one corner of the HQ, which acts as their lair. They must hold hands and chase the other young people. If the snake touches one of the other young people, that person joins the snake. Only the two ends can touch the young people and catch them. If the snake breaks, it must go back to its lair to reform before continuing.

7 Game of determinationSuitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5 minsYou will need: Rope or chalk, scrap paper and a whistle.

What to do: Divide the room into three areas using rope or chalk. The middle area is no man’s land and the two ends form the team’s areas. Split the young people into two teams. Give each young person about five pieces of scrap paper. Ask them to scrunch them up into balls. At a whistle from the leader they should all attempt to throw their snowballs into the other team’s area. When the leader blows the whistle again, they should stop throwing. All the snowballs are then counted and the side with the fewest snowballs in their area wins.

8 Zip Zap Boing!Suitable for Scouts Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 5–15 minsYou will need: Willing Scouts

What to do: Assemble your Troop in a circle, facing inward. The object of the game is to pass energy around the circle using three actions: Zip! – the energy passes to the person next to you. Point your fingers and shout ‘zip’; Zap! – the energy passes across the circle. Lunge and point fingers and shout ‘zap’; Boing! – the energy is repelled back to where it came from. Raise arms with palms flat, jump in the air and shout ‘boing’. One young person is invited to start the game (traditionally using a ‘zip!’). The game continues until someone makes a mistake (using the wrong word, or wrong action), at which point they are deemed out and should sit in the centre of the circle to help spot mistakes. The last two left are the winners.

10 MinefieldSuitable for Beavers+ Energy rating: ËËËËË Time: 15–30 minsYou will need: Mines (download from scouts.org.uk/pol), a chair and blindfolds

What to do: Divide your Group into even teams and line them at one end of your HQ. Lay out the mines randomly on the floor. Each team member is blindfolded in turn and is guided through the minefield by the rest of the team, who can only provide instructions, around a chair at the other end of the playing area and back to the team.

More infoFor more games ideas, head to scouts.org.uk/pol.

Your Group can help Father Christmas by creating a stunning seasonal spreadSuitable for Beavers and Cubs

Design a festive feast

NEEDS A NEW

GRAPHIC

In this activity, Santa is planning his trip around the world this December, but this year he also wants to collect food for his Christmas dinner from all of his international friends on the way.

To help him remember everything he needs to collect on his travels, he would like your Group to help him create a shopping list so he knows where he needs to stop and for what. Be sure to include food from lots of different countries. Your Group can also help Santa find his foodie treats by telling him how they are grown so he knows where to look.

Badge

More info To find out more about Tesco’s Farm to Fork badges for Beavers and Cubs, please visit scouts.org.uk/eathappyproject.

You will need • Paper• Colouring pens, pencils

and craft materials• The PDF of Foods From

Around The World from scouts.org.uk/eathappyproject

! Hand out the Farm to Fork Foods From Around The

World PDF, which can be found on scouts.org.uk/eathappyproject. On the PDF are examples of where different types of food can come from and how they are grown.

" Ask your Group to pick 6–8 types of food from a range of

countries on the list, ensuring they

have a good spread from around the world.

# Get them to write their list and draw each type of food

they have chosen, making sure they leave enough space to tell Santa where they are grown and how, for example, oranges are grown on trees and are often found in California and Florida.

What to do


…

Empathy and awareness is essential for keeping Scouting truly inclusive. Leaders, volunteers and even Scouts themselves can attain new levels of acceptance, tolerance and understanding of the difficulties other Scouts face on a daily basis with this fun and eye-opening activity. Here, you will create a series of ‘sensory stations’ around your HQ that will give your Scouts a taste of what it may feel like to live with one of these disabilities. Scouts will take it in turns to visit each of the sensory stations before

attempting to navigate the HQ or complete simple tasks.

Of course, this isn’t a perfect recreation of these conditions. In particular, the unique way that people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience and process their surroundings, varies according to the individual. It should, however, give your Group plenty to discuss and will help raise awareness of the help and support young people with disabilities might need in Scouting. We’ve also provided suggestions on page 26.

‘Walking in the shoes’ of your fellow Scouts is the best way to encourage understanding within your GroupSuitable for Cubs+


Your HQ

…

What to do1 Set up your sensory stations

in the corners of your HQ: blindfolds and dark glasses in one corner (representing visual impairment); headphones and earplugs in another (representing hearing impairment), and the remaining items in another (representing the sensory aspect of autism). At this third station, direct the lamps to point out at the Scout

visiting the table. Keep the lids on the jars to build up strong scents before opening, and turn the volume up on the MP3 player/Smartphone. These aspects give an idea of what it

might be like to be hyper-sensitive (over-sensitive) to different senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell), a characteristic often found in autism.

2 Divide your Group into three and assign each group a

different station, encouraging them to try each of the stimulus while navigating a small section of the HQ for 5–10 minutes. Ask them to think about the challenges they face and the way they feel, and to jot down some notes. At the ASD table, encourage Scouts to play a card game while they try to work around the other distracting stimulus.

You will need• Paper and pens • Blindfolds or very dark

glasses • Noise-cancelling headphones

or earplugs• Jars filled with strongly

scented foods eg garlic • MP3 player or Smartphone

with a distracting soundtrack ie white noise or out-of-tune radio

• Bright lamps• Playing cards


More infoTo find out more about Scouting for young people with disabilities, please visit tinyurl.com/lpforvb for hearing impairments, tinyurl.com/p8wuhqg for visual impairments and tinyurl.com/p3yvsr7 for young people with autism.

3 Rotate the groups so they’re each at the next station and

repeat the exercise. Keep doing this until each of the groups has visited each of the stations.

4 Call everyone into the centre of the HQ and talk through the

Scouts’ experiences. What did they find difficult? What did they think was easy? How did it make them feel? How do they think this would feel outside of the HQ?

5 Now divide the entire Group into pairs and ask them to

pick a sensory station. One Scout in each pair should go through the experience again, but this time with the other Scout acting as a ‘buddy’ to support them. For tips on how to support Scouts with disabilities, take a look at the suggestions below. After five minutes, swap around.

6 Gather again to discuss this: was it very different this

time? How did having someone to support them help? What did they find particularly useful?

What Scouts can earn?Beavers and Cubs can use this activity to work towards their Disability Awareness Activity Badge.

Top tips…


Deaf or hearing impaired• Speak clearly and naturally

and make sure you are facing the young person.

• Don’t cover your lips, turn your face away or obscure your mouth.

• Speak one at a time and encourage others to raise a hand before speaking.

• Use written/visual support where possible.

Blind or visually impaired• Use verbal descriptions and

avoid vague terms such as ‘over there’.

• Arrange a tour around new surroundings and identify changes or obstacles.

• Always explain who else is present.

• Use touch sparingly and appropriately, o!ering to escort rather than assuming.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)• Consider if the environment is creating di"culties for the person. What can you change? • Prepare the person for the task. • Use clear communication and give processing time.• Visual methods of communication can be helpful. • Have a quiet or calm space available.

Here are some things to consider when supporting a young person with disabilities

Badge

Solve signs and symbolsLearn to identify essential safety and information icons with this nifty game from National ExpressSuitable for Cubs

More info National Express sponsors the Cub Outdoor Plus Challenge Badge. Resources are now available to help Cubs fulfil badge requirements. Visit scouts.org.uk/nationalexpress for more information.

Signs and symbols are everywhere, providing us with crucial safety advice, valuable directions and information regarding best practices. We interpret signs every day, but can your Cubs translate the six symbols below?

c_b��


Answ

ers: 1.

First

aid k

it 2. B

reak g

lass 3

. Whe

elcha

ir lift

4. Fi

re ex

tingu

isher

5. Em

ergen

cy ex

it 6. O

nboa

rd to

ilet

Many of us think we know our neighbourhoods like the back of our hands, but it’s not until we really take a good look at it that we can truly appreciate the diversity and magnificence of the world around us. This activity invites you to dabble in street photography, which is a fantastic way to become proficient at capturing beautiful images on your camera, as well as exploring your home territory in fine detail.

With street photography you can snap interesting road signs, zoom in on nature, immortalise architectural idiosyncrasies, or simply document day-to-day life, making something extraordinary out of the ordinary. It’s a wonderful way to explore and celebrate the diversity of your neighbourhood and the many characteristics within it. You can also theme your approach, perhaps by colour or shape, or even texture. All you need is a camera – but before you set out with your Group, check out our top tips.

Explore more…

Discover local life through a lens with this fascinating and revealing activitySuitable for Cubs+

! Ensure your Scouts are appropriately clothed: you’ll be walking around outside for a good while, so make sure everyone in your Group is wearing suitable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing.

! Use the correct kit: Ideally, every Scout would be kitted out with a highly responsive SLR camera, but this isn’t realistic. What you want is a camera that captures images without any delay, so you don’t miss moments. Cameras on phones can still produce great results, but may require some experimentation. Perhaps you can compare results with your Group.

! Do a bit of research: Sometimes it’s not enough

to just be inspired by the scenes around you, so it’s well worth encouraging your Scouts to look online at what other photographers are capturing to get the creative juices flowing.

! Personal space: If you decide you want to photograph members of the public, remember to be considerate.

Top tips

If you have visually impaired young people in your Group, why not try exploring with audio recordings of the neighbourhood instead of photography?

TOP TIP

Your community


More info Canon now sponsors the Scout Photography Badge and has created some great resources to help Scouts fulfil the badge requirements. Visit scouts.org.uk/canon for more details.

With crisp, frosty mornings and, if we’re lucky, pure white snow, winter can be one of our most striking seasons, so what better time of year to capture some truly beautiful images of the frosted world around you? By following Canon’s suggestions, you’ll boost your chances of success.

! Camera exposure systems will try to compensate for a

scene that has lots of bright white such as a snowy landscape; this may result in darker images. Take control of your camera and don’t be afraid to change the settings.

" A snow-covered landscape on a sunny day can reflect a

lot of blue sky, so look into how to change the white balance in your camera settings.

# Cold batteries will drain more quickly, so bring a

spare and keep them warm in an inside pocket.

$ When you are choosing gloves to wear, pick a thin

pair so you don’t need to take them off every time you want to take a shot.

% Try to avoid shooting when the sun is at its highest, as it

will overexpose your shots.

Top tips& When it has snowed, look

for interesting shapes and tones and bright colours. The contrast will add drama to your shot.

& Ice and fog create new patterns and textures eg a frosty spider’s web. Get down low and point the camera upwards for an exciting approach.

& Get close to your subject. Fill the frame with just a leaf and focus on the ice crystals. If possible, shoot with the sun in front of the camera so that the crystals sparkle.

Capture winter magicCanon shares its expert advice for snapping this particularly special seasonSuitable for Scouts


Things to remember

Badge

get active! december/january 2015

Documents

welcomethe scout association

future issue

national magazine

scouthall hazards14

sc038437 scotlandget

scouting magazines core

contentsthis magazine

copyright material