Girl Power! (Rainbow Guides)

Member Name: azana

Product:	Rainbow Guides
Date:	20/07/09 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: fun, cheap, worthwhile

Disadvantages: I have yet to see the "helpful" thing kick in!

My daughter has been a Rainbow guide for nearly a year now, and I too have attended several meetings as a helper and been impressed with what is on offer.

Rainbow guides are a relatively new organisation on the scale of guiding, which is celebrating its centenary this year; Rainbows came to being back in 1987 and is for younger girls of 5-7. It can be a heavily oversubscribed activity, so if it sounds of interest to you and you have a baby/toddler I would suggest getting your name on a list if there is a unit in your area. Details can be found at www.girlguiding.org.uk.

What do Rainbows do?

Rainbows generally meet once a week in term time for about an hour. They do crafts, games, cooking and generally fun activities. In my daughter's unit they are encouraged to suggest areas of interest and activities have ranged from learning about Japan, to healthy eating and they have even been on a trip to a local play farm. There is usually lots of giggling, this is just for girls after all, they meet in small groups, my daughter's unit being just 14 girls. The adult to child ratio is excellent and in my experience the leaders are caring, good role models and really do their utmost to make Rainbows a good experience. The only tears seem to be from the older Rainbows as they leave at age 7, mainly to go on to Brownies, via a "Pot of Gold Party" - more cake.

Each meeting starts and finishes with the Rainbow song which reinforces the ethos of the group "look, learn, laugh, love" - basically enjoy life the world and help people. My daughter particularly enjoys circle time, the art activities she does and most of all just being with girls.

All Rainbows make the Rainbow promise which is "I promise that I will do my best, to love my God and to be kind and helpful", and then receives a promise badge and generally, in my daughter's experience there is chocolate cake at each promise party (a meeting where a promise is made). We are not church goers, but we don't find there is a heavy emphasis on religion and are comfortable with the promise.

Girls work towards various badges in the meetings themselves, the most recent one my daughter did was the HIT badge which involved the girls suggesting activities and challenges themselves. In my experience the girls are encouraged to have their own ideas and meetings are good fun and not adult dominated.

Costs:

This is a low cost activity. There is a uniform, of which our unit just wears the £8.50 polo shirt and some units may wear tabards though I believe these are being phased out. Subs work at at just over £1 a week - excellent value. As mentioned before my daughter has been on trips but again not expensive. Each Rainbow is provided with a little book bag and book to be filled in about Rainbows which features "Olivia" the Rainbow mascot.

Overall:

I think for developing social skills, independence and also for sheer fun, Rainbows is an excellent activity for girls and I can highly recommend it. I know that I personally got a lot from going through the guiding movement from Brownies up to Rangers, Rainbows didn't exist when I was a little girl but I am sure I would have like it. It appears my daughter is a fan of Rainbows too as she has signed up several of her classmates and awaits every meeting with great excitement. Rainbow guides is a fantastic organisation!


Details at: www.girlguiding.org.uk

Summary: our experience of rainbows