friendship

September 8, 2021

These Things I Prize

These are the things I prize and hold of dearest worth:
Light of the sapphire skies,
Peace of the silent hills,
Shelter of the forests, comfort of the grass,
Music of the birds, murmur of the little rills,
Shadows of cloud that swiftly pass, 
And after showers, the smell of flowers
And of the good brown earth -
And best of all, along the way, friendship and mirth.

- Henry Van Dyke
September 6, 2021

How Are You and Your Friend Different?

This is a group of activities for Pathfinders or Rangers to do.  Ideally, each girl is paired with a friend in the unit but this can also be adapted as a get to know you activity or as a bring a friend night.

Activity 1) Celerity pin-ups

You and your friend are stars!  A famous magazine is doing a story on each of you.  They ask how you and your best friend are different.  Make one list for each of you and go under you picture in the article.  

Activity 2) What Makes a Good Friend?

Finish these sentences then add your own…

  • When I’m in trouble, my friend….
  • When I get something new, my friend….
  • When my friend is afraid I …..
  • When my friend is disappointed I….

Activity 3) Skit

Make up a simple skit about friendship.  Include ways you and your friend are the same and different.

Station 4) Language Barrier

Could you be friends with someone who doesn’t speak your language?  Do you have to be able to confide in someone to be their friend?  Make a list of ways you can be friends even if you don’t share a language?

May 18, 2021

Tye Dye Friendship Scarves

Dandelions will produce a dye that will range from bright green to yellow depending on the time of year/maturity of the dandelions.  This is a fairly long craft so it is best done at camp or at a day long event.

Materials:

  • 1 scarf sized triangle of white cotton fabric per girl
  • elastic bands
  • fabric markers
  • large pot
  • sieve
  • salt
  • copper sulfate (optional)
  • dandelions

Directions:

  1. Fill a large pot with as many dandelions flowers, leaves and stems as possible.  
  2. Cover with water and boil until the water has taken on a strong colour
  3. While waiting gather up the material in several places and wrap tightly with elastic bands.  Fan folding patterns work especially well on this project.
  4. Strain dye though a sieve to remove the plant material
  5. Add one tbsp of salt for every liter of dye.  If available a small amount of copper sulfate will strengthen the colour
  6. Place the fabric in the dye and allow it to sit for 15-20  min.
  7. Remove the fabric and rinse in cold clear water.  Remove elastics and hang to dry
  8. Once dry the Pathfinders can autograph each others scarves with the fabric markers
April 6, 2021

Friendship Fingerprint Trees

To prepare for this craft you will need to print out or draw the trunk and branches of a tree.  You may want to write the names of the girls and women in your unit among the branches and the event name and date at the bottom.  Then make a copy for each girl in the unit ideally on card stock.

You will also need:

  • stamp ink in two or three different shades 
  • a hand washing station
  • a large table

Spread out the trees on the table.  Have each participant go around the table and put her fingerprint by her name in the tree branches on each copy.  If you didn’t pre-write the names, she can also sign it with a fine tip marker.

This project pairs nicely with a frame craft.  

April 3, 2019

Come Join Us

Today’s post is a little bit of a mystery.  On Facebook I recently found posted a pdf of an old song collection entitled “60 Years Guiding Frankston District 1930-1990, Campfire Songbook”  I believe it is Australian.  I recognized almost all the songs in the booklet, but not this one.  And I really like the words, so if you know of a source for the tune (a YouTube video or mp3) please leave a comment.

If you want good fun, if you want good friends,
come and join up, come and join us.
If you want a song as the long day ends.
come and join us, come and join us.
The stars shine high in the darkening skies
as the peace of the night descends.
And you’ll never know why we love it so
‘Till you join us

We love to walk with our friends and talk,
Come and join us, come and join us.
To lie and dream by a shaded stream,
come and join us, come and join us.
There’s a peace you can’t explain
And you’ll never know why we love it so,
‘Till you join us, ’til you join us

We camp by the side of the river wide.
And where the breeze laughing in the trees.
Soft rain on the ground and the glorious sound
Of the birds at the dawn of the day.

If you want good friends and you want fun
For this is the life fore everyone.
A life that sends us a million friends.
And a thousand and one delights.

We love to be on the sparkling sea.
To sail along to the winds wild song
The breeze in your hair the sun soaked air
And the scent of the salt in the spray.

September 5, 2018

Circular Braided Friendship Bracelets.

Friendship bracelets continue to be a popular craft in Guiding and it is easy to see why.  The materials are inexpensive.  The results are often satisfying.  And they are a great way to fill up time at camp or on a long bus trip.

The method of braiding them on a circle of cardboard was new to me (although clearly not new to the world).

There are lots of instructions online but I found the ones at Homemade Gifts Made Easy especially clear.

 

For older girls or ones who quickly master this easy plan you could introduce them to kumihimo braiding from Japan which takes this basic concept to a really spectacular level:  Braiding Plate Instructions from Weir Crafts

November 9, 2016

Magic in Our Friendship

There is magic in our friendship
this my friend, I know . . .
For in my heart
warm feelings always flow.

There is something magical
that lights your way
and this magic grows bigger
each and every day.

That’s the magic I feel
when I’m with you..
This magic feeling is because
I’ve found a friend in you.