What is a Patrol Activity

Patrol activities help the Guides further develop within their peer group.  In order to actually 'do' an activity their must be several things happening at once.

Firstly their must be registered members of Guides participating.  Friends may attend sometimes.  (Up to three times then they must be a member to do any more visits to Guides programs and / or Patrol Activity visits - inclusive. The activity must be interesting, challenging and fun.  Something to be talked about and shared.

Having something special occurring keeps the friends interested in what you are doing.This way the friends will want to join in on the planning too.

Patrol activities are overseen by adults.

Patrol activities are not always held at Guides. These adventures can be to all sorts of interesting place, events, activities and services. Sometimes Patrol Activities can be something that is a small part of something else happening.  Like doing the food shopping before a come or cook out. Supporting a friend with a sport endevour, Going to the pictures together.  Going shopping anyway even hiking in the bush.

So you can see that to achieve a Patrol activity

• Management of any activity is a learned art.  
• Management of people has many different variables.
•  Time management is a different senaro altogether. 

Overnight stay has changed it's dates.

The planned overnight stay based on the theme 'FOOD' has changed it's dates. Now the days are Thursday to Friday of the second [possibly the first] week of the April School Holidays 2009.  To be confirmed by next week.

• The basic program has been sorted out. 
• The Patrol Duties teams are worked out. 
• Each Camp Patrol has colors and a name.
• The pre-camp work , overnight stay's activities and outcomes will benefit the Guides who attend the Ev Graham competition at the end of this year.
• Patrol Leadership skills and structure is being worked on.
• Basic camp craft skills will be shown and reinforced with practice over several of these overnight stays through out the year.
• Basic Patrol management and governance challenges are being shown, discussed and worked through.
• The basic cost of $20.00 each participant goes into a very full camp schedule.

One Survival Game to play in bushland

This game was found in an old GIA magazine. By using this method as a base program activity the game can be changed and added to as the camps progress. Programs and themes change so do does the game focus.

Preparation
A copy of instructions per patrol. An area (island) marked out per patrol. Necessary or useful gear (as below) scattered about the area.
• odd ropes
• cups
• 'billy
• tea bags
• water
• powdered milk
• flour
• Ice-cream container
• Spoons
• Matches
• Slings
• A copy of semaphore
• Clue to the identity of the saboteur

N.B. You have to make sure that only one person has a tie on.
eg. EITR UOYF ODIR TEGKS IRT ASI YTITN EDIRU OYK| NIH TUO YFI

(Hint: If you can't work this out you
must be backward.)


Instructions to Patrol


You are the survivors of a plane crash. You are on an island with your fellow survivors and have no immediate means of getting home. Deal with the following problems as best you can using anything you can find on your island to salvage. You should deal with them in the order which you consider most important or practical. Remember that you can't swim across the shark infested waters to ask us for help. We might rescue you in about 1/2-2 hours.
• Make a shelter to protect you from the weather.
• Make a 'meal' of tea and damper.
• Administer First Aid to one of your group who has a broken leg, and transport her to the shelter.
• Send a message to the mainland (you're too far to shout and we can't see any signs you write).
• Find out who in your group sabo¬taged the plan and tie her up. (There is some clue in the wreckage as to who this person may be.)

Written by Hazelwood and Churchill Girl Guide District

Encouraged to be written by Clear Vision

Patrol fires

You will need open space where many small fires can be lit. Give each P.L. a box of matches and a time at which every member of her patrol must have a fire burning. Every guide has a chance of making a fire, and the P.L. must organise as she thinks best — light them all together

Whistle relay

Patrols in relay formation, each member is given a different whistle or hand signal used in camp. Leader blows a signal at random, that guide runs to the far wall and returns to the patrol. Examples of signals — warning for a meal. Cool house, rally, P.L.'scome here, freeze, make a circle.

Knot queues X X X

"Nominate one or two Guides as catch­ers. Guides run about but when caught are taken to the Leader. They must tie the knot nominated by the count of five. If correct then they are free to run again. If not then go to the back of the queue and try again.

Tracking Tic-tac-toc

Using stones and twigs, arrange 9 tracking signs in a grid. Allow guides to look at it for 1 minute and then ask them to duplicate it exactly. Without looking at the orginal. Guides may work together in pairs, patrols or by self.

A GAME FOR CAMP

Give the Patrol Leader's sealed orders. At a given signal, each one opens her envelopes.

FIRST CHALLENGE: Go with your patrol and collect 12 sticks 20 cms long and six sticks 10 cms long. Do not break them off trees. First patrol back with all sticks collects the next envelope.

SECOND CHALLENGE: Collect 12 small stones all the same size. Take to leader for next envelope.

THIRD CHALLENGE: Lay a trail with sticks and stones from your patrol tent to leader (or any given point). First patrol to finish with all signs correct gets points. (Could be checked by having the patrol second from another patrol follow the trail).