Any girlguide leaders / parents with ideas for gold award?

[Elodie]

My dd is ready to go for her guides gold award. She needs to do a new and challenging outdoor activity to get it, but obviously we need to stay local and it can’t involve contact with anyone outside of our family. She’s due to move to Rangers just after Easter, so it needs to be something she can do in the winter / early spring.

She’s a bit stumped as to what she can do. She’s been camping a lot (in the garden and at campsites), done lots of outdoor cooking, outdoor crafts and activities, etc, so that’s all out. There are various water sports within 3 miles of us but she’s done them before and it wouldn’t be very lockdown-friendly!

There are some nice walks near us, so we thought maybe DD could plan a family walk herself (taking responsibility for choosing the route (one she hasn’t done before), checking the weather and picking a suitable date, packing bags and organising food, finding the way, etc) but the leaders aren’t sure it would count as new, as she’s done a lot of walks organised by other people.

All ideas welcome! And if anyone knows whether taking the lead and planning a walk would be ok, that would be good to know too! Or maybe ways she could adapt her plans to make sure it counts?

[Princesa]

Has she spoke to her leaders? They may have some alternative ideas given the current circumstances. My girls did the Baden Powell badge just before it turned into the gold award, they did things like sewing a pillowcase dress to send off to a charity and planting trees. I think the outdoor thing they did was archery.

[Noodle500]

What about following something like couch to 5 k to get into running?

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by Princesa

Has she spoke to her leaders? They may have some alternative ideas given the current circumstances. My girls did the Baden Powell badge just before it turned into the gold award, they did things like sewing a pillowcase dress to send off to a charity and planting trees. I think the outdoor thing they did was archery.

See more...

Yes, the leaders asked her to think of something suitable to do in lockdown, and she thought of planning a walk along one of the signposted routes (she chose a 10 mile one that starts in woods near our house) but the leaders weren’t sure that it would count as something new. She’s done archery quite a few times before, along with lots of similar activities, so that’s out, unfortunately.

[2point]

What about setting up some sort of geocaching thing or a historical/local interest treasure hunt? Both of those could be interesting and help/encourage others to get out and about for exercise.

[chrisxal]

How about getting involved and perhaps encouraging neighbours etc to do the Garden Bird Watch that is being advertised on TV, I think she would have to send for a pack but I don't know what else it involves

[orlandoamber]

Could she plan an orienteering route for the family to complete? Slightly different to the planned walk...?!

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

Could she plan an orienteering route for the family to complete? Slightly different to the planned walk...?!

See more...

We thought about this, but she’s done orienteering before (same for geocaching and treasure hunts, etc, including setting and publishing them - it’s starting to feel like we do too much outdoor stuff!) so I think we might have the same issue with them saying it’s not a new activity. Definitely worth asking the leaders though

Thanks so much to everyone for all the ideas - I’ll get to her to look into them, and hopefully one of them will be suitable

[BevS97]

How about camping but constructing her own shelter. You could do this in the garden.

[Elodie]

Originally Posted by BevS97

How about camping but constructing her own shelter. You could do this in the garden.

See more...

I was wondering about something like that. She’s camped before, and made her own shelter before, but only for daytime use (never slept in her own shelter) so that could work. She could plan it now and do it closer to Easter so the nights are a bit warmer.

Another one to add to the list, thank you!