There are two versions of this wide game, one aimed at 6-9 year olds, one aimed at 10-13 year olds. Both took a little over an hour for the fastest patrols to complete, so are ideal for during a unit meeting time.
We simply said ‘where’ the various regions were (e.g. ‘Africa is on the front lawn’) but you could add flourishes by putting up signs or creating a map to show where the regions are located. This wide game operated by patrols returning to base at the end of each task and being given another region to tackle – this was to reduce the number of patrols attempting tasks in the same area at the same time. However, it could also be set up so that there are multiple copies of equipment at each station, and patrols could then follow a set order.
At the completion of each task, the patrols earned the corresponding letter. We just had them written on colourful post-it notes, but you could go for anything!
To run both versions you will need the following items:
Equipment
Jelly worms/sour worms; Streamers; Paint brushes; Calligraphy pens; Ink/black paint; Grain (oats/corn/etc); Safari animals; Tarps, first aid, rope, buckets, assorted objects (for be prepared); 2 long ropes (to form river); Pipe cleaners/craft materials for crown; Paper; Atlas.
Race to Tunisia with WAGGGS – version one
[Read out to patrols before commencing]:
Last year (2014), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts held the world conference in Hong Kong. After the conference was concluded, it was realised that the W, A, G, G, G, and S were misplaced, and somehow got scattered around the world by delegates returning home.
Your patrols have been asked to find the missing letters, and get them to Tunisia ahead of the next world conference. Planning for the conference is already underway, so you’ll need to hurry!
Everyone will start in Hong Kong, before spreading around the world to find the letters.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, people generally eat using chopsticks. Practice your chopsticks skills by transferring some jelly worms between two bowls.
Each patrol member needs to transfer 2 worms each to earn ‘W’
Western Hemisphere region
While your patrol was climbing up to see the fabulous lost city of Macchu Picchu, the youngest patrol member twisted their ankle!
Using instructions in the Green Handbook and the first aid equipment provided, bandage and treat the ankle correctly to earn ‘A’ [for non-Australian groups – just print out instructions (preferably pictorial) of how to correctly bandage a twisted ankle]
Many Pacific nations use dance to tell stories.
Using the streamers and your imagination, make a grass skirt for each of your patrol members, and do a patrol hula dance to earn ‘G’. [you will need about two or three rolls of steamers per patrol]
Europe region
Europe has a rich history of Kings and Queens. Queen Elizabeth the Second was even a Girl Guide!
Your patrol needs to use the pipe cleaners to make a crown fit for a Queen (just one per patrol) to earn ‘G’ [this task could be done using any type of craft stuff, even just putting out a table full of odds and ends would be fine!]
Africa region
Many people travel to Africa to go on safari and see the amazing animals!
Your patrol needs to find (and bring back!) three safari animals hidden in the grounds to earn G [Note: safari animals could be small plastic animals, soft toys, pictures… whatever is easiest]
Arab region
Across the Arab region, Arabic script is used in writing and in art. Each partol member needs to practice by writing ‘girl guides’ in Arabic. Choose the best one from your patrol to show the leaders to earn ‘S’ [we used calligraphy pens with angled nibs and ink which worked well and was a little different to what the girls usually write with]
‘girl guides’ in Arabic.. according to Google Translate!
Tunisia
Find Tunisia in the atlas, and show the leaders.
The first patrol to do this AND present all the letters from across the regions will win!
Race to Tunisia with WAGGGS – version two
[Read out to patrols before commencing]:
Last year (2014), the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts held the world conference in Hong Kong. After the conference was concluded, it was realised that the W, A, G, G, G, and S were misplaced, and somehow got scattered around the world by delegates returning home.
Your patrols have been asked to find the missing letters, and get them to Tunisia ahead of the next world conference. Planning for the conference is already underway, so you’ll need to hurry!
Everyone will start in Hong Kong, before spreading around the world to find the letters.
At the end of each task, your patrol will need to identify the KEYWORD in order to be awarded a letter and move onto the next task. The keyword will usually be related in some way to the task, but it won’t be obvious!
[Some of the keywords the girls took a while and needed hints to get there, but they all managed to figure things out without too much help!]
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, people generally eat using chopsticks. Practice your chopsticks skills by transferring the items between two bowls.
Identify the clue to receive your piece.
[KEYWORD: Worms] [Receive a W]
Western Hemisphere region
Using only two pieces of paper as your boat, get all your patrol across the river, avoiding the water as it is full of piranhas.
If you fall in, you will lose an arm or a leg to the piranhas, and have to go back to the far side and attempt again, minus a limb.
Once all patrol members have safely crossed the river, identify the river to gain your next piece.
[Set up two long ropes a good distance apart to create a ‘river’]
[KEYWORD: Amazon] [Receive an A]
Europe region
Use the code to find the message:
[This code uses ‘Greek’ letters (‘symbols’ font in word) to create a code. The code reads ‘Greece and girls and guides start with G’. Using actual Greek words would not work unless your Guides already speak Greek, in which case, it wouldn’t be a code!]
[KEYWORD: ‘G’ or ‘Greek’] [Receive a G]
Asia Pacific region
Copy the character (one each), and identify the clue, to earn your next piece.
[This is a ‘year of the goat’ character. You might prefer to use ‘happy new year’ or similar. The girls copied the character using paint brushes and black paint]
[KEYWORD: Goat] [Receive a G]
Africa region
Use the fabric and bowl to transport the items on your head. Each patrol member must transfer at least one cup of the item from point A to B.
Identify the clue to receive your next piece.
[The ‘items’ should be oats, corn, rice, wheat… anything that is a ‘grain’. The fabric should be used to create a headwrap to stabilise the bowl the grains are being carried in]
[KEYWORD: Grain] [Receive a G]
Arab region
Use the pile of equipment to put together a Be Prepared kit suitable for crossing a major desert in the region.
When you are prepared (and have explained your choices), identify the clue to gain your next piece.
[For the equipment pile – do a raid of your shed or cupboard and just put a pile of stuff out!]
[KEYWORD: Sahara] [Receive an S]
Tunisia
Find Tunisia in the atlas, and show the leaders.
The first patrol to do this AND present all the letters from across the regions will win!