THEME: Birds SUBTHEME: Care
5:50: COMING IN ACTIVITY: Bird Jigsaw puzzles made from calendars.
6:00: OPENING CEREMONY:
6:05:Game: Bird’s Nest
Divide the Joeys into groups and name the groups after well known birds eg kookaburras, emus, brolgas, magpies, hawks. Each group has a nest (hoop), which is their safety zone. The kookaburras hop and laugh, emus with beak in front of face using hand, brolgas high step, magpies swoop around, hawks try to catch a mouse, They all play and mix together, acting out their walk until the Leader calls “Danger”. Then all the birds have to return to their nests. The first group with their nest full is the winner. Repeat the game, changing the groups bird names around. Have snakes and frogs as rewards for the birds who win.
6:10: Game: Busy Birds
All the Joeys take a partner and stand spread out around the hall. The Leader calls out things for them to do, eg: jump up and down, stand back to back, hold hands and skip, touch your partner’s nose, until you call Busy Birds and they all run around to find a new partner.
6:15:Game: Bird’s Eggs
Have the Joeys partner up and lie down opposite each other approx one metre apart. They then blow the ‘egg” between them. Increase the distance for a bigger challenge. They could also have a battle between them to keep the “egg” away.
6:20: Craft: 3 Bird Feeders Joeys in three groups.
1. 2. 3.
1. Cut hole in bottle. Insert skewer below hole. Make hole in lid and thread string. Fill & hang.
2. Thread grapes and Cheerio’s onto thin wire. Twist and hang in tree.
3. Birdseed Hearts/Stars (Makes approximately 21 two-inch hearts)
Recipe:
· 3/4 cup flour
· 1/2 cup water
· 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (2.5 teaspoons)
· 3 tbsp corn syrup
· 4 cups birdseed
Mix flour, water, gelatin and corn syrup. Add birdseed and stir well. Spray the inside of a heart cookie cutter with vegetable cooking spray. (You could also wipe it down with veg. oil.) Place cookie cutter on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Spoon mixture inside of cookie cutter, pressing mixture firmly with greased fingers. (The more you press it down, the less shedding of seeds you will have.) Using a chopstick or bamboo skewer, make a hole near the top of the heart. Carefully pull cookie cutter away from birdseed heart. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. (You should spray the cookie cutter after every six hearts, that way it won’t stick.) Let dry 6-8 hours. (I let mine sit overnight.) Cut 10-12 inches of jute for each heart. String jute through heart and hang these from branches of tree at Scout Hall.
6:35:Game: Birds Have Feathers
The Leader stands in front of the Joeys and they all flap their arms like birds. The Leader then proceeds to call out names of something with feathers and others without feathers, eg: birds have feathers, bats have feathers, babies have feathers etc. If the Joey flaps his wings on a calling that doesn’t have feathers, he’s out. The Leader flaps their wings on almost all things to confuse the group and calls out as rapidly as possible. Those Joeys who are “out” could join the Leader and take turns to call out things.
6:40: Story: How the Birds Got Their Colour
6:45: Activity: Laughing Kookaburra
Joeys seated in a circle. Leader throws handkerchief into the air. Whilst it is in the air they laugh. As soon as it hits the floor they MUST STOP.
6:50: Singing: Kookaburra Sits In The Old Gum Tree
6:55 CLOSING CEREMONY:
Spare Game: Jabiru
Equipment: Nil
Method: Jabiru is the Australian stork that often stands on one leg. When Jabiru is called, all
stand still on one leg, holding the other leg with the other hand. Leader calls the names of various
birds for Joey Scouts to move around hall imitating the birds.