Promise and Law BraidMaterials required: - navy leather/ blue foamie/ blue felt/ blue cardboard
- trefoil shape for tracing
- 36 " each of three colours of wool: blue, white and yellow
- scissors
- leather punch/hole punch
Tell this story as you make the example or have each person do their braid as you demonstrate and tell them what each step means. The trefoil represents our three fold Promise, being true to ourselves, our God/Faith and country, helping others and accepting the Guiding Law. The wool (yarn) is tied to the trefoil with an overhand knot which signifies your enrolment when you first made your commitment to your Promise. Now begin braiding all the long ends together to signify that we try to think about our Promise and Law as we go about our daily lives. Being honest when someone asks you a difficult question, never telling lies or making up stories, recycling, being proud of being a Guide and respecting the wishes of others, doing things for others without being asked, using talents and abilities, using water conservation when brushing your teeth, face your fears and always do your best at whatever you try, be proud of being a Guide and tell others. (These are just examples- ask girls to give their examples) The longer we stay in Guiding the more the Promise and Law becomes part of our every day lives - a part of who we are. Tie another overhand knot which represents our MOTTO - BE PREPARED. When we take advantage of the opportunities which Guiding offers us, we will be well prepared to cope with whatever life brings to us. Newspaper PromiseMake the Promise out of newspaper - Give each girl a piece of newspaper, scissors, glue sticks, scissors and then have them each cut out the letters for the Promise. If they have lots of time then each girl can do the whole thing, if they don't then each girl can make a line, or each pair of girls. Ladders gameI have played this game for as long as I can remember at guides but I always called it Laws. To play it properly you need twenty girls, two rows of ten, each pair has one of the guide laws, you call out a number the pair run, and before they sit down they must say the guide law for that number, sometimes the leader would call out the guide law and they would say the number at the end. I have never really seen an accident anything worse than someone falling over, and that can happen in most running games. I remember at a Division Field day playing it just before the closing with about 60 or 70 guides, which means you would have six number ones and six number twos etc and it was a real hit on that day. We also play it at my Martial Arts club but the fruit salad version and it is very popular with all ages. Cheryl Perhaps we are playing it differently here. We have two rows of girls facing each other with their legs stretched out in front and meeting feet to feet. The runners go up the line stepping into each space between the legs - sort of looks like one of those obstacle course races where they are trying to step in the tires. The injuries happen if the runners miss in their stepping and come down full force on the shins, ankles or knees of the girls that they are running over. That much force coming directly onto a bone or joint ... like I said before, you hear the crack. When they get excited and rushing, their aim goes right out the window. The girl I had that broke her arm managed to get her toe caught under one of the legs just as she was lifting off and went flat on her face, landing on those girls in the ladder in front of her - luckily there were only a few bruises there because the first part of her body to hit (her arm), hit the floor rather than directly in one of the other girls legs. We had so many reports of injured legs that we were advised to stop playing it. 'Could be we're just bigger wimps here, but I think it was more of an insurance and lawsuit concern because they were getting so many reports. Kathy My Week of Guide LawsI give the recruits a sheet with the laws and a box above each. The heading is "My week of guide laws" I show to mum and then help the girl were she needs to fill any in the next week. We have a simple list with pictures on our board. Now and again, to fill in time, I pose situations and ask what guide law. eg: you said NO when the girls at school tried to give you a cigarette. Or, you saw the dishes on the sink and washed them while mum was getting the clothes off the line. Trying to show how they live with the laws. Di Promise PuzzleThis is quick to setup and do, but not so quick to make. However once it's made, you have a great quick activity for teaching the Promise. Buy one of those cardboard tray puzzles from a cheap shop - the ones that have a border. The design doesn't matter. You should be able to get one for a couple of dollars. Then get a tin of spray paint, light coloured is probably best. Spray the puzzle, and perhaps you'll need a second coat. When it's dry, write the words of the Promise on it. Voila, an easy-to-make and quick to set up Promise Activity. You could also do one for the Laws. Promise and Law Monopoly Equipment: Provide each team with a Monopoly board, tokens, 2 dice, and property cards. (No money or houses) Cover or remove any visible copies of the Promise & Law.
No of players: Unlimited - best played in patrols or small groups
Age: 10->
Purpose: to assist memorisation of the Promise & Laws and to encourage awareness of living them in daily life.
Source: Kathy W., Melbourne, Australia How to Play: 1. Players move tokens according to the fall of the dice as usual.
2. Players can buy property they land on by reciting from memory the Law for the number thrown to land there. (11 = Motto; 12 = Promise)
3. Players pay rent by giving an example of living the appropriate law (apply a time limit if necessary) or forfeit one of their own properties.
4. Examples cannot be used twice within a game.
5. The aim of the game is to own the most property at the end of the allotted time.
6. NB: Players may wish to have a few minutes revision time before starting play but they also learn from the attempts of other players.
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Love these games. Am always looking for new ways in which to teach my new girls the Law and Promise and this is also good for the 'older' Guides to refresh their memory. Thanks 
