GUIDES
The game in a game
What you’ll need
• No resources required
Aim of the activity
Think you’d make an amazing private eye? Can you detect the other Guides’ missions without giving away your own?
Note to leader: This game needs to run alongside another game – a craft activity works best. Start your unit meeting with steps one to five, then come back to step six at the end.
Step by step
1
Get into Patrols and find a space away from everyone else.
2
Together, talk about the activity you’re going to do today. What’s something that’s likely to happen? For example, if it’s a craft activity, someone might pick up a red pencil or drop the sticky tape; or if it’s a sporty one, someone could drop the ball. Or does your leader have a phrase they always say? Choose one thing you’re almost certain will happen in your unit. This is your signal.
3
Now, what’s something your Patrol could do when your signal happens? You might want to be loud and obvious, or a little more subtle. Pick an action to match your communication style. It can be as bizarre as you want! If you’re loud and obvious – maybe you’ll crack a joke every time someone picks up a pencil, or pretend to sneeze when someone scores a goal? If you’re acting subtle, you might just cross your feet or touch your eyebrow when your signal happens.
4
When you’ve chosen an action for your signal, continue with the rest of your planned meeting and make sure you’re all doing your actions when your signal happens.
5
Here’s the tricky part – while you’re concentrating on acting your own signals, keep an eye on the other Patrols and see if you can figure out what theirs are too. Are they all doing something at different points in the game? Can you spot what their signals and actions are?
6
Come back together as a group. Can you guess the other Patrols’ signals and actions? Were some more noticeable than others? Can you think of a time you’ve used louder or more subtle communication? Why have you used different styles at different times?