What we chose to do and why:
During the Explorer term between Christmas and Easter, we (Matthew, Scott, Alastair and Hamish) were asked to run two Explorer Takeover Nights as part of the programme. After thinking of a couple of different possibilities it was suggested to us to run them around the Scouting values as this would count as one of our Chief Scouts Award Value Tasks. After this, we decided to base the first around Integrity, Respect and Cooperation and the second around Care and Belief.
The Scouting Values:
- Integrity – We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.
- Respect – We have self-respect and respect for others.
- Care – We support others and take care of the world in which we live.
- Belief – We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
- Cooperation – We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.
What we did on the 1st Explorer Takeover Night:
On the first night, we based the activities on team-based activities to improve their cooperation, care and their integrity. The first game we did was where we gave them each a chair and in teams of 5 they had to move across the hall with only four chairs to make sure they did not touch the floor and if they did they would have to go back to the start. This helped improve their cooperation as they were working together to complete the activity as a team, it also helped to improve their integrity as if they touched the floor they were honest and went back to the start and finally care as they had supported the other members of the team.
After this, we tested their knowledge by asking them about the scouting values to see how many they remembered (actually knew). This was to see if they remembered about them on the other night to see if they remembered what we had done. Next, we made them try to put up tents when they had a disability to each person: missing an arm, cannot talk, blindfolded and cannot hear anything. This helped them improve care as they need to take care of the blind person and cooperation by working together with the skills they had to complete the task.
Next, we got out a parachute and placed a barrel in the middle and their objective was to get the barrel out of the middle without touching the parachute or the barrel so they were meant to use the ropes to try and get the barrel out. This helped with respect and cooperation as they needed to work together and to complete the task and they needed to respect the rules of the game.
What we did on the 2nd Explorer Takeover Night:
To finish off the Scouting Values we still needed to cover Care and Belief, so to cover these we decided to do some Easter related things and Scout Beliefs i.e. Campfire and songs. We started the night by doing a general game, in this case collecting the required amount of bean bags for your team, but there wasn’t enough to go round all the teams so they had to take other teams beanbags to win. Then we moved onto recapping the values we did last time, before moving onto the ones we would be doing that night.
Next, we moved onto an egg hunt, showing care towards not breaking or smashing the eggs. (Even though they were plastic). Then we ran a game of four corner volleyball, but pretending the ball was an egg so not to break it, showing care again. After this, we moved outside around a small Campfire to sing a few songs relating to Scouting to cover the belief part. (Campfires Burning and Kum ba yah). Finally, we finished the night off by toasting marshmallows on the fire and playing two further games. Horses and Jockeys showing care for the person’s back you were jumping on and then last of all the Mickey, Minnie…1,2,3 etc game (which is a new favourite of ours).
What advice we would give to other Explores undertaking a similar challenge:
We would advise the other Explores that if they are going to do a similar sort of thing that they do the following:
- Plan your Explorer Takeover Night as far in advance as possible.
- Make sure you don’t under or overestimate if anything, underestimate the length of time a game or activity will take ensuring that you don’t run out of things to do.
- Do something that you can easily do as it’s most likely the first time you have ever done anything like this before.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help or ideas from other Explorers or leaders.
- Have a good understanding of the equipment you have available to you so you only buy the things you need, or don’t find you need something major. Also, see what you are able to borrow off other groups etc.
Matthew, Scott & Alastair
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