Sports and Games (Brownie Try-it)

This Try-it was introduced in 1987 and retired in 2011.

Sports and games are a great way to give your body exercise, to make friends, and to learn how to work with other girls and have fun.

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

Skating
Ice skating and roller skating are fun sports and are good for fitness. Always skate with a buddy and follow safety rules.

You will need: A pair of skates Comfortable clothes Safety items, such as kneepads, elbow pads, writs guards, helmet

Practice falling. Standing still, bend your knees and lean forward. Fall forward so that your kneepads hit the floor first. Extend your arms in front of you, using your wrist and elbow guards to help soften the fall. You should practice falling while moving at slow speeds. Remember to keep your body relaxed and loose. If you stiffen up when you fall, you increase your chance for injury. Practice stopping. The right technique will depend on the type of skates you are using. Practice skating forward. Skate to the left and to the right. If you are a more advanced skater, you can try this skill backwards.

Bicycling
Try these bicycling skills:

Ride as slowly as you can without stopping.</li> Ride in circles. Try to make the circles as small as you can.</li> Ride in a long, straight line.</li> Practice turning, using hand signals. To turn left, put your left arm straight out with the palm forward. To turn right, put your left arm out and bent upward at the elbow, with fingers pointing up. To stop, put your left arm out and bent down at the elbow, with fingers pointing down.</li> Set up a bicycling practice course. Place about 10 large metal cans in a wide play area. Try to ride around the course without touching the cans.</li></ol>

Swimming
Have an adult teach you how to swim. Always remember the following rules: Have an adult watch you</li> Swim with a buddy</li> Swim where there is a lifeguard with rescue equipment</li> Leave the water before you get tired or cold</li></ul>

Ask an adult to help you practice: Blowing bubbles: Take a deep breath and place your face in the water. Blow the air out. You should see bubbles.</li> Bobbing in the water: Hold an adult's hand in water up to your chest. Take a breath. Bend your knees and as your head goes under the water, slowly breath out. Then straighten your legs and return to the surface. Remember, when your face is above the water, you breath in. When it is below the water, you breathe out.</li> Holding your breath: Hold an adult's hand while in the water. Take a deep breath. Next, place your face in the water. See how many seconds you can hold your breath.</li></ol>

Games
Look through your handbook or other books for several games to play. Choose two games to play with your friends and teach a third game to someone else.

Octopus Tag
Working together is very important in sports and games. Try this game with your friends.

You will need: A safe place with clear boundaries</li> <li>At least 4 people</li></ul>

<ol><li>Pick one person to be the octopus. Have everyone else who is playing line up together on one side.</li> <li>The octopus begins the game by shouting "feeding time".</li> <li>Everyone tries to run to the safe place without getting tagged. If the person gets caught, she must now hold hands with the octopus.</li> <li>Now the two people become the octopus. They must hold hands and work together. After shouting "feeding time", they must run together and try to tag more people.</li> <li>When someone else is caught, she also becomes part of the octopus. Continue the game until everyone has been tagged.</li></ol>