Key to Brownies: Circle Inspections

When I was a Brownie, Circle time was all about dues and chatting.  I’m sure we did inspection too… I think?  (I do remember getting a black eye once during circle time, but that’s another story).

Here’s how we’ve been doing Circle Time lately:

• Circle Leader grabs the circle pack (a pencil case with their circle song written on the outside and a pencil, the Circle Inspection Attendance Record and star stickers – everyone who gets a perfect score gets a star).  You can also get the Brownie Attendance and Dues book from the Guide Store… but we don’t do dues so mine makes sense for us.  (As always, do what works for you).
• Inspection: There are five points available and girls are measured on:
  (1) do they have their Brownie Book?
  (2) are they wearing full Uniform?  (shirt, blue pants, badge sash, and tie)
  (3) do they have clean hands and face (with allowances made if we’ve just finished a messy arrival craft – or something with markers),
  (4) is their tied back in a pony tail (if applicable)?; and
  (5) are they wearing rubber soled shoes suitable for running?
• Incentive program (New this year!): If they do get a perfect inspection, they get a star to put on the inside back cover of their Brownie Book (we split the page in two – top is in first year, bottom is for second year).  Girls with the most stars will be eligible for a (yet-to-be-determined) prize at the end of the year.

The fuzzy picture I’ve provided shows the front of the circle pack (the circle song is printed on the back – very helpful at the beginning of the year), some of the Brownie books with their stars proudly showing, and the page of stickers they have to choose from.

This idea came from a Guiding team discussion around “how do we do this better” and we’re really pleased with the results.  The girls are responding well to the stickers.  It is sinking in better for them than it did when we just had them write down a number on a page that got tucked back in the circle pack.  We’re really going to have to figure out what kind of prize we should give them – I think it should be something “Guidey”.  Maybe a set of crests – or from the Guide Shop.  Any recommendations?

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