Fair Play (Brownie Try-it)

The Fair Play Try-it is part of the “Legacy” badge set introduced in 2011.

For the badges released in 2011, scouts must complete all of the activities listed to earn the badge.

Activity #1: Follow the Rules
Start the meeting by asking girls why rules are needed for games and sports. The bottom line-it makes game play fair.

Now it is time to play a quick game of Simon Says. However, instead of having girls sit out when you do not say “Simon Says”, they sit out if they do the action when you say those words.

Ask them if they are confused. (They should be!)

Now play again, and tell them that they need to do things when Simon does NOT say (the opposite of traditional rules). Then a girl is out when she follows this set of directions.

They should be utterly confused at this point.

At this moment, highlight why rules are needed-to play the game properly, to avoid confusion and to keep everything fair.

Activity #2: Include Everyone
Tell girls that once upon a time, there was a time in history when women could not play sports and girls teams in schools were underfunded, if funded at all. That all changed with Title IX.

No one should be left out of a game, no matter what their ability level.

Play a game from Games for Girl Scouts. There are a lot of fun team building games that the girls may have never played before.

Activity #3: Be a Part of a Team
When this is done, then it will be time to divide the girls into stations to do different activities. They are to be good sports about who is on their team and to encourage everyone as they try their best.

Tell girls that the fairest way to choose teams is by random numbers or letters, and that is how you are going to divide the stations and teams they will be participating in for the rest of the badge.

Line the girls up and count 1,2,3,4. Then select which numbers will be at which game.

Activity #4: Keep Score
How to run these two parts is up to you. You can have a jump rope contest, kick a soccer ball contest, relay races…you know your girls best and what games will fit into your time table. Different girls can keep score as each team takes a turn.

Activity #5: Have a Field Day
At the end of the meeting, the girls can be given these medals along with their Try It badge!

Additional Resources
http://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/content/dam/girlscoutsofcolorado/activity_plans/brownie/activity-plan-brownie-badge-fair-play-1.pdf