Activities for Guides

A Solar Still

Water can be acquired even when an obvious water source is not to be seen.

• On a dry sunny day dig a hole at lease one metre across and 60 cm deep.
• Put a clean jar or tin in the centre, open end facing upwards, and spread a polythene sheet over the hole.
• Fix the edges of the sheet with stones and place a flat stone in the centre so that it sags toward the jar but does not sit directly on it.
• The sun will heat the soil beneath the polythene and moisture will condense on the underside of the polythene and drip into the jar.
• How long does it take to fill the jar with water?

Smoke Prints

Use these to decorate stationery or wrapping paper.

Materials

• Pressed leaves – fern or any with well defined veins
• Vaseline
• Newspaper
• Candles
• Matches
• Pieces of plain paper

1. Spread a small amount of Vaseline on a ¼ sheet of newspaper.
2. Pass it through a candle flame and keep doing this until it is coated with carbon.  [Take care not to let it burn].
3. Lay it on a flat surface and place the leaf on it, vein side down.
4. Cover with a clean piece of newspaper and rub over this, holding the leaf in place
5. Press the leaf on to a plain piece of paper, cover with newspaper and rub until the smoke print is transferred.

Bacon & Tomato Bake - A Meal in a Carton

You will need –

• A milk carton [small]
• Small knob of butter
• Breadcrumbs
• Rasher of bacon [cut into dice]
• Tomato [thinly sliced]
• Onion [finely chopped]
• Egg [beaten]
• ½ cup grated cheese

1. Completely open the top of the milk carton and wash it out thoroughly. Turn it upside down to dry completely
2. Grease the inside of the carton with the butter.
3. Put layers of breadcrumbs, bacon, tomato, onion cheese and beaten egg into the carton.
4. Reseal the top of the carton
5. Cook approximately 15 minutes on the edge of an open fire, turning often.

Straw Fountain

You will need:

•   screw top bottle half filled with water and a few drops of food colouring added
•   straw
•   hot water
•   blu-tak
•   nail or something to make a small hole

Make a hole in the lid of the screw top lid

Put in a straw to almost reach the bottom of the bottle.

Seal with blu-tak around the lid where the straw goes in.  Also, seal the top of the straw with the blu-tak so air cannot escape.

Make a small hole through the plug of blu-tak that has been placed on the top of the straw.

Put the fountain bottle in a bowl of hot water.

Note - the air in the bottle is heated by the hot water and expands.  This causes air pressure to push down on the water in the bottle and the water comes out through the top of the straw.

Funky Jandals

Personalise your jandals to reflect your sense of style and personality.

You will need –

•   acrylic paint
•   paint brush
•   fun foam flowers or other shapes
•   sequins, beads
•   strong glue
•   plain jandals

1. Paint a pattern or band around the sides of the jandals and leave to dry.
2. Stick the flowers or shapes to the join between the straps and the ‘thong’ to create a three D effect.
3. Decorate the straps to complement your flower or shape design

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles

Create your own special brand of bubble bath, to give as presents or enjoy for yourself.

You will need –

• 1 litre of water
• 125g bar of soap [grated]
• 120mls glycerine
• Essential oils – eg orange, lavender, lemon, ying ylang, bergamot, geranium

1. Mix together the water, soap and glycerine and stir to combine
2. Add up to 13 drops in total of essential oil.

Try a combination of oils for your unique aroma of sudsy fun.

Directions: mix the water, soap and glycerin together and stir. Now add your essential oils to the mixture.