Ready, Set, Go Camping (Brownie Try-it)

''This Try-it was introduced in 1986 as the Outdoor Happenings Try-it. It was renamed the Ready, Set, Go Camping Try-it in 1999, and retired in 2011.''

What do you think of when you hear the word "camping"? You might think of sleeping in a tent or in a cabin. You might think of hiking in a forest or playing games. You might think of cooking over an outdoor fire. Camping can be a lot of fun when you're with other Girl Scouts and your leaders.

As with all legacy Brownie Try-its, scouts needed to complete 4 activities to earn the badge.

Sleeping Bag Relay
Play the roll-a-bag relay so you can practice rolling up your sleeping bag or bedroll. You can also use two or more blankets tied together (see "Making Knots" on page 109 in you handbook).

Divide into two teams. Each team needs one sleeping bag. The first person runs with a sleeping bag to a line that has been set. She unrolls the sleeping bag and runs back to tag the second person. That person must run up to the bag, roll it up, and bring it back to the next person in line, and so on. The first team to complete wins!

Bandanna Tricks
A bandanna is a wonderful thing to take on a camping trip. You can do many things with it. Fold a large bandana so you can:

Carry your lunch or snack on a hike Bring home a treasure you find on a trail Wear it to keep your hair off your fac e  Wear it as a neckerchief Use it as a cowboy mask on a dusty road Make a hand puppet Use it as a sit-upon Use it as an apron</li> Use it as an emergency bandage</li></ul>

Can you think of other ways to use a bandanna? In some countries, children carry their things to school in a bandanna. Japanese children call it a furoshiki.

A Camp Stew for You
One-pot meals are easy to make and clean up after when you are on a camping trip. Work with an adult to prepare and cook a meal using this Girl Scout recipe for a camp stew.

You will need: <ul>2 pounds of hamburger</li> 1 onion, pealed and cut in small pieces</li> Two 10 3/4 ounce cans of condensed vegetable soup</li> 1/4 teaspoons salt</li> wooden spoon for stirring</li> can opener</li></ul>

<ol>Add salt to the hamburger meat. Separate the meat into small pieces.</li> Put the meat in the bottom of the pot. Stir it as it heats.</li> When the hamburger is starting to brown, add the onion pieces. Stir the onion pieces until they are soft.</li> Add the vegetable soup and some water. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon so it doesn't stick to the pot.</li> Cover the pot and cook the meat slowly until it is cooked all the way through. Serve the stew hot.</li></ol>

Storm Warning
There are many types of storms. Make up your own "group storm". In a clear space, each person acts out one part of the storm – the wind, the thunder, lightening, rain, snow, hail, etc. Then create a giant storm by having everyone act out a part at the same time. How will each person's part change as the "weather" changes?

Knowing Your Knots
Practice tying a few simple knots before you go on a camping trip. This will help you wrap up your sleeping bag and other gear. Besides, it's a great skill to have!

An overhand knot is a knot on the end of a rope. This knot is made with one piece of rope.

A square knot is used to tie two ropes together or to tie a package. It is also the knot used to tie a bandanna around your neck. Tie two pieces of rope together, following the steps in the picture. Remember this poem to help: Right over left and left over right makes the knot neat and tidy and tight.


 * 40 knots instructions.

Hiking Scents
Go on a scent hike.

Ask a pair of girls or an adult to lay out a simple scent trail. They will need an onion or cotton swabs dipped in oil of clove or peppermint oil. Ask them to rub the scents on trees, rocks, or signs. Try to follow the trail by using your nose. What other types of strong-smelling things can be used to make a scent trail?

Create a scent trail for another group of Girl Scouts.