Ontario Girl Guides of Canada

Goal:
Experiencing the outdoors is an important part of the Guiding program. These activities aim to get units and girls outside throughout the year during regular meeting times. The activities are low-cost and require minimal special equipment. Many of these activities can be combined into one meeting. Bridging is strongly encouraged. You can invite older branches to come and prepare these activities for younger girls.

Challenge overview:
The activities below are grouped into the four seasons. It is expected that it will take a year to complete this challenge as you must complete activities in each season. Depending on the location of your unit you get to choose when you believe each season has arrived. For example, some units may have spring that arrives in April. Some units may have an earlier spring. Summer activities can be done whenever your location has summer weather.

Many of the activities are self-explanatory. Some have links to videos or more detailed instructions. Those marked by * have instructions at the end of this document/page. Activities marked SERVICE are those that can be a service project

Challenge requirements:
Sparks: complete 6 activities, at least 1 per season
Embers: complete 9 activities, at least 2 per season
Guides: complete 12 activities, at least 2 per season
Pathfinders and Rangers: complete 15 activities, at least 3 per season.

When you have completed the challenge, you may order your crests.

Year-Round Activities  |  Fall Activities  |  Winter Activities  | Spring Activities  |  Summer Activities

Year-round Activities
These activities can be done any time of year. Count any of these activities towards one season

1. SERVICE: Collect trash and clean up a local area near your meeting place.
2. SERVICE: Participate in the Great Canadian Shoreline cleanup project.
3. Play some wide games outside. Check out Ontario’s great Leading Active Games
4. Learn some compass games, go orienteering. For help with some ideas visit Becky’s (Dragon’s) Guiding Resource Centre
5. Go on a scavenger hunt in your local community or conservation area
6. Go on a senses walk in your community or conservation area. What can you hear, see, smell, touch?
7. Do a hula hoop nature study.
8. Participate in an outdoor activity that represents the season in your community.
9. Hold your entire meeting outside.

Fall

1. SERVICE: Plant bulbs at your meeting location or camp to bloom in the spring.
2. Promote Guiding at a local fall fair.
3. Lead or participate in a fall colours hike with another unit. Go on a Swatch Watch.
4. Make a corn husk doll.
5. Go apple picking.
6. Explore a corn maze.
7. Find pinecones to make into a birdfeeder.
8. Make and dress up a scarecrow.
9. Visit a farmers’ market to learn about local produce.
10. SERVICE: Help prepare a Girl Guide camp for winter. Inquire about suggested tasks when you book your property.
11. Make a wax paper leaf bookmark.
12. Play some Frisbee golf.
13. Have a game of Quidditch outside with homemade brooms.
14. Make a nature bracelet.
15. Play a stalking game.
16. Cook a grilled cheese sandwich on a buddy burner outside. Check with your local fire department and meeting location first! This activity requires Safe Guide acknowledgement - girls cooking outside.
17. Go on a fall hike and see how animals and people prepare for winter.
18. Play some games with pumpkins, have a pumpkin roll, throw beanbags at a pumpkin to see who can get the closest.
19. Make some leaf rubbing pictures and greeting cards.
20. Go on a Haunted Walk in your community.

Winter

1. SERVICE: Shovel snow at your meeting place or at homes near your meeting place.
2. Build a snow family or snow safari.
3. Do snow painting.
4. Go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Some schools and conservation areas have materials that can be borrowed. Some GGC properties have this equipment available. Please inquire when you book your property or visit the Property Booking page for more information.
5. Go skating.
6. Go tobogganing or sledding with your unit. Check your municipal bylaws before going. Refer to Safe Guide’s “Ice Skating Activity Guide” for further information and best practices.
7. Host a mini-winter Olympics with adapted winter activities for girls.
8. Look for animal tracks.
9. Look for constellations outside your meeting space using a star wheel and see if you can see the International Space Station or make your own constellations.
10. Play “Fox and Geese” in the snow.
11. Hunt for snow jewels.
12. Build a snow fort big enough for a doll.
13. Make a glow stick winter walk.
14. Play a game of Night Eyes near your meeting place.
15. Make some snow sun catchers.
16. Go birdwatching in your community.
17. Make snow ice cream with your unit.
18. Practice building a fire in the snow. Check with your local fire department and meeting location first!
19. Make milk carton hotdogs. Check with your local fire department and meeting location first. This activity requires Safe Guide acknowledgement—girls cooking outside.
20. Try building a shelter outside using a tarp and rope. Have a snack in your shelter.

Spring

1. Dance in the rain, go puddle jumping.
2. Hunt for spring insects.
3. Make and fly a kite.
4. Dance with ribbons or scarves. Make your own ribbon stick.
5. SERVICE: Investigate invasive species in your area. Contact your municipal government or conservation area for programs or resources about how invasive species affect the local ecosystem and what your unit can do to help.
6. SERVICE: Help prepare your local camp for the summer. Contact your property team for suggested projects.
7. Go on a habitat walk and see how many local animals make their homes.
8. Make a grass head or plant flowers. You can also plant flowers that attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
9. Make a weather collecting device.
10. Play human Tic Tac Toe.
11. Make colourful chalk designs outside and play some hopscotch or four square.
12. Visit a local maple syrup producer when trees are being tapped for sap.
13. Build a helpful animal house such as a butterfly house, bat box, toad house or mason bee house.
14. Make a milk carton boat (or use other recycled material) and race them in a body of water.
15. Bring a cook stove to your meeting place and try some recipes outside. Be sure to ask permission of your meeting location before doing so. This activity requires Safe Guide acknowledgement—girls cooking outside.
16. Make some spray bottle nature art.
17. Play parachute games outside.
18. Make nature paintbrushes and make some art.
19. Go on a spring alphabet walk. Find something in nature that represents each letter.
20. Set up some tents outside your meeting space and have a tent meeting.

Summer

1. Use environmentally friendly paints to decorate rocks; find out if your community has a rock garden they can be added to.
2. Make a nature wreath using only things found in nature.
3. Make a trail for others to follow using trail signs (see your Guide Program book for more images)
4. Identify 3 insects you can find in a garden. Find out if they are pests or helpful.
5. Attend an outdoor performance or perform your own skit/show outside.
6. Make a pizza box solar oven to cook some s ’mores. This activity requires Safe Guide acknowledgement—girls cooking outside.
7. Make a tree tapestry craft.
8. Make a cool-off necklace.
9. Make an arm-knitted scarf.
10. SERVICE: Food banks often receive fewer donations in the summer. Plan a neighbourhood walk and collect non-perishables for your local food bank.
11. SERVICE: Decorate water bowls to give to local businesses for dogs on hot days. Contact the businesses beforehand to make arrangements.
12. Do an experiment to see how sunscreen works.
13. Tie-dye something.
14. Bleach a t-shirt.
15. Make a flowerpot barbecue to cook pre-cooked meatballs. Notify your meeting location beforehand. This activity requires Safe Guide acknowledgement—girls cooking outside.
16. Make a sunshine painting
17. Have a tarp soap race.
18. Go swimming (you can also get your Girl Guide swim test and boat test done!) or visit a splash pad. Check Safe Guide’s “Swimming Planning Guide” for updated supervisor requirements.
19. Make a pool noodle sprinkler.
20. Blow giant bubbles.