World Thinking Day 

           February 22, 2010

The World Thinking Day theme for 2010 is girls worldwide say "together we can end extreme poverty and hunger".

The aim is to raise awareness among everyone about the situation and improve the lives of the poorest people in the world.

 

MORE THINKING DAY RESOURCES 

  • 'Bringing International Into the Program '.   A 36 page booklet of international crafts and games for all branches   HERE

  • 'Brownie Magic Around the World'. An international themed camp. 25 pages  HERE

  • Canadian World Friendship Fact sheet.  HERE

  • A 4 - page activity sheet for Thinking Day. HERE

ACTION GAME: What is Thinking Day?

Instructions : 

Give the girls the instructions on what to do when certain words are spoken.

The Guider keeps this sheet to prompt the girls.  

The girls should stand for this activity and should have a partner – if you have an odd number of girls, the Guider can partner with one of the girls. Otherwise the helper leader can have an imaginary partner.

Have one leader read the “Information about Thinking Day” sheet. Pause a bit when the children should be doing an action and/or do the action while reading the story.

  

When you hear:         

You should:

Thinking Day

Tap the side of your head and look thoughtful

Birthday

Say, “Happy Birthday!” and blow out imaginary candles

Party or Parties              

Say, “Yahoo!” with one hand raised in the air

Lord Baden-Powell           

Bow

Lady Baden-Powell          

Curtsy

London                           

Make a bridge with a partner

Boy Scouts            

Hold up two fingers and say, “Be Prepared”

Girl Guides or Girl Scouts                  

Say, “You Go Girl” with fisted hands on hips

Friends                          

Shake hands with your partner

World                            

Spin in a circle (like a globe)

THE STORY

Thinking Day is a very special birthday.  It is the birthday of Lord Baden-Powell and Lady Baden-Powell. 

On Thinking Day, girls all over the world have parties to celebrate Lord Baden-Powell and Lady Baden-Powell’s birthdays.  On this special birthday we think of the Sparks, Brownies and Guides all over the world.  And they think of us in the same way on thisday.  

Lord Baden-Powell was born in England about 150 years ago!  When he was an adult he wrote a book about camping, first aid, animals and lots of other things.  He called this book “Scouting for Boys”.  Lots of boys in England bought the book.  They loved it so much, they started little groups called Boy Scouts.  In the groups they did all the activities Lord Baden-Powell talked about in his book and they talked to their friends about how much fun it was.  In just a little while, Boy Scout groups began                                        popping up all over the world.  

Lord Baden-Powell had no idea how many boys there were in these groups so he decided to call them all together for a big party in London.  He invited ‘anyone doing Scouting’ to come to the party.  Was he ever surprised when eleven thousand boys showed up.  But he was even more surprised by the small group of girls that came as well!

Lord Baden-Powell stood in front of the girls and asked, “Who are you?”

Together they replied proudly, “We are the Girl Scouts.”

Lord Baden-Powell’s sister Lady Agnes Baden-Powell was at the party too. She smiled at the girls, then turned to Lord Baden-Powell and said, “It looks like  you’re going to have to have to write a book for the girls too.”

“Hmmm.  How about you doing it, Agnes?” replied Lord Baden-Powell.

And so Lady Agnes Baden-Powell wrote a handbook for the girls.  Over time younger girls wanted to join in the fun too, so the Brownies were formed.  

Just like the Boy Scouts, the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts spread all over the world! 

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INTERNATIONAL GAMES

  • INTERNATIONAL SHOPPING

To play: The players are in patrols, grouped in various parts of the room. The game leader has a list of items that could be bought in a store. One person from each patrol, the "shopper" comes to the leader. All are given the same items (whisper so the rest can’t hear.) They return to their patrol which is the "shop" and act out what they want to buy, because the ‘shopkeepers’ don’t understand English. The first patrol to guess correctly wins, and new shoppers go to the game leader. Try these items: Umbrella, pound of butter, jar of honey, wedding ring, bikini, ballet shoes, pencil sharpeners, bicycle pump, automobile tire, nose drops.

  • JAPANESE BALLOON GAME

The group stands in a circle. The leader has half a dozen balloons. Into each a message has been inserted before the balloons were blown up. One at a time, a balloon is passed from player to player around the circle, until the leader blows a whistle. The player holding the balloon when the whistle blows must go to the centre of the circle. She must sit on the balloon until it bursts, then read the note, and perform the action or answer the question contained in the message.

  • RABBIT WITHOUT A HOUSE – ( BRAZIL)

Pick someone to be "it" (the rabbit without a house) and someone to be the caller. Divide the others into groups of three. Each group makes a rabbit in a house by two girls holding hands (the house) and one girl (a rabbit) standing inside. The caller yells out "Find a house" and all the rabbits including the one without a house have to run and find another house. The rabbit left without a house becomes "it"

  • BEAN GAME

Guider calls out various types of beans and the girls perform the correct action.

RUNNER BEANS- run around

JUMPING BEANS- jump

BAKED BEANS -lie out in the sun

CHILLI BEANS- shiver

FROZEN BEANS- stand still

BROAD BEANS- stand with legs as far apart as possible

FRENCH.BEANS- say "Oh La La!"

 

  • SOUVENIR KIM’S GAME

    EQUIPMENT: approximately 20 souvenirs from different countries

  • TO PLAY: place all the items out on tray, or in the centre of the circle. Give the participants 1 minute to memorize the items. Take the items away and then have the participants write down the names of as many of the items as they can remember.

  • For Sparks, first break them into small groups, each with a leader who will write down the answers for them. Or modify any other way that works for your group.

    •  

    • THE SIT GAME

    Challenge the unit to all sit down together without using a chair arid without sitting on the ground. The solution is easy - if they co-operate.

    All the girls should stand in a circle and turn so they face the back of the girl on their left - or right. They all then sit down at the same time so each girl sits on the knees of the girl behind her. If they all do this at the same time they should all be supported and be supporting. To show that they have done it successfully ask each girl to raise both her hands in the air. You may need to have a few attempts before it works successfully!

    This game is to teach the power of cooperation.

     

    • STAND UP

    This is a simple little game to get everyone warmed up. Two players sit on the floor back to back. Lock your arms at the elbows. Without using your hands or unlocking your arms, stand up.

    Pretty easy, huh? Well try again, but this time with three people. Still too easy? Keep adding people, one at a time. See how many people you can work up to. It only counts if everyone can stand up!

    • CANADA FLAG GAME     
       Each Patrol or small group has a piece of plain paper, crayons, coloured pencils or markers and a dice. Each girl throws the dice in turn. The first to throw a 6 will draw the flagpole on the paper.  After this, the first to throw a 5 will draw the outline of the flag.  After this, the first to throw a 4 will draw one red end.  Then, the first to throw a 3 will draw the other red end. The first girl to throw a 2 will draw a maple leaf.  Finally, as soon as the 1 is thrown,  everyone stands to attention.

    • WORLD FLAG GAME (variation of above)
       Each patrol or small group receives a piece of plain paper, crayons, coloured pencils or markers and a dice. Each girl throws the dice in turn. The first to throw a six draws the flagpole. After this, the first to throw a five draws the outline of the flag.  After this, the first girl to throw a four draws the three leaves of the trefoil.  Then, the first to throw a three draws the base of the Trefoil. The first girl after this to throw a two draws the two stars. The girl who next throws the one draws the point, and then all of the girls stand up and make the Guide sign.
       

    • PUZZLING OVER THE WORLD FLAG

    Puzzles: You need one puzzle per team. Make puzzles from pictures of the World Flag and place in envelopes.

    Place a picture of the World Flag at front of the room for reference for the girls.

    The Relay -The object is to complete a picture of the World Flag.

    The first girl on each team randomly selects a puzzle piece from the envelope, runs up to the front of the room and lays the piece down then runs back to her team.

    Each following girl has a choice to either select a piece from the envelope, run up and add it correctly to the puzzle or run up and correct or switch a piece around.

    Note: A picture of the World Flag can be found on the Girl Guides National website.

     

    • THE MEANING OF THE WORLD FLAG   

    The gold on the blue background represents the sun shining over the children of the world.

    The flowing line encircling the Trefoil stands for our worldwide Movement.

    The base of the Trefoil stalk symbolizes the flame of the love of humanity.

    The vein pointing upwards through the centre of the Trefoil represents a compass needle, pointing the way.

     

    The two stars stand for the Promise and Law.

    The blaze of white in the lower right corner is for our commitment to world peace.

    The three leaves and the three gold squares represent our three-fold Promise.