Brownie Flashlight Fun!

Night Time Adventures at

Meetings and at Camp

5601 North Allen Road

Mableton, GA 30126
770-702-9100
Toll-Free: 1-800-771-4046
www.gsgatl.org
AUGUST 2013

Being outdoors at night is both exciting and scary! Troops can use
these activities to help themselves Be Prepared for their first overnight or
evening out experience, and to plan night-time fun activities for camp.

Volunteer Learning and Development

As you help the girls prepare for an overnight camping trip, you could use
these activities:

As part of an evening troop meeting, even if its just outside in a

church parking lot.
As part of a late afternoon/early evening trip or experience that
includes supper, a campfire, and night-time activities.
As part of a slumber party/sleep-over or backyard camp-out.
As a before or after activity combined with a trip to an observatory.
As a troop family evening event, perhaps combined with a picnic,
cookout or fishing trip.

All of these will help girls (and adults!) get ready for and feel more
comfortable on an overnight camping trip. If you include parents in these
activities, they may feel more comfortable with their daughters first camping
trip, too!

AS THE GIRLS PLAN THEIR CAMPING TRIP:

In your Girl Scout Brownie Ring (whole troop) or Circle (committee of 4 - 6
girls) ask the girls to come up with ideas for things to do at camp after dark.
Ask them to make three lists: things to do indoors (lodge or cabin), things to
do under an open shelter, and things to do outdoors. Ask them to put an R
(or a raindrop) next to activities that can happen whether it rains or not.
Some

possible activities include:

hike/nature snoop, scavenger hunt, treasure hunt
campfire, ceremony
talent show, skits/plays, songs, stories, jokes, riddles
astronomy/star gazing
science experiments, nature at night
inventors workshop
crafts, art projects, journaling
snacks (cook or prepare)
games

Also ask girls to imagine how camp will be different from home at night.
Some differences might be (depending on where you camp, etc.):
No television, radio, computer, etc.
No bedroom/no bed/sharing sleeping space with other girls
No closet to store clothes, shoes, etc.
No electric light (tents); no night-lights

No traffic noises
Animal and bird and insect noises
Other nature noises, like the wind in the trees, which you may not
hear indoors.
No bathroom in your tent! Having to put on shoes and a jacket or
raincoat to go to the bathroom.
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Seeing stars, the moon, moonlight, fireflies/lightning bugs/glow

worms.

HAVE AN IN THE DARK MEETING

First (indoors) we talked about the fact that navigation is harder in the dark,
when you can't necessarily see landmarks so easily.
Then we went outdoors and the girls had to walk the perimeter of our local
park and design a map or set of instructions to help someone navigate the
route in the dark. We told them to imagine that there were no streetlights lit.
They had loads of fun counting the number of paces from gate to gate,
making notes of the types of houses they were walking past, counting light
poles and using compasses to check the direction they were traveling in.
They then came back indoors to create their map or instructions. It was
really interesting to watch them working together (or not!) and the different
style of maps/instructions they produced. And of course, it was fun being out
in the dark with flashlights, too!
-

Rosalind M.

[At our] In the Dark meeting] the Brownies played Hunt the Owl - same
as Hunt the Thimble but we used a ceramic owl. Used flashlights but not too
many so it wasn't too light. The girls had to really look!
- Corinne

Apart from usual games I played a game which my girls loved. Each girl
was given three string tails which they had to tuck into their waistband. In
the dark they had to try and remove other peoples tails while keeping
their own. I would turn the lights on randomly and anybody at that time
without a tail was out.
- CrazyGuider

OUTDOORS AT NIGHT

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AVOIDING YUCKY STUFF AT NIGHT

Stay on trails or open areas to avoid poison ivy and briars. Use insect
repellent during mosquito and tick weather, and dress for the weather
and terrain.
Always have an adult a both the head and the tail of the line; at least
one of the adults should have a flash light without a red cover for
possible emergencies.
Allow time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness, pay attention to
where you put your hands and feet, and do not rush down trails this
is for your own safety (avoiding falls, etc.) but also protects wildlife.
When tent camping, put a light stick/glow stick on the adults tent(s)
steps or railing so girls can find an adult easily if they need one.
If girls get up during the night to visit the bathroom or latrine, they
should shake out clothing and shoes before putting them on; critters
sometimes move in overnight including scorpions. (Do this in the
morning, too!)

FLASHLIGHT FUN: SIMON SAYS

Everybody wants to play with their flashlight, so do it once and get it over
with! Either in a dark room (lodge, cabin) or outdoors before the campfire,
have everyone sit in a circle and listen to Simon:
Put your flashlight in your right handleft hand
Turn your flashlight on.
Point your flashlight at the sky.
Make BIG circles
Make little circles.

Point your flashlight at your toes.

Point your flashlight at your elbow.
Put it under your chin and grin.
Write your name with it.
Always end with Turning it off and keeping it that way so you can enjoy the
night time sky.
TIP: Be sure girls put their names on their flashlights. Have masking tape
and a permanent marker at camp so you make flashlight nametags if
necessary. Then when you have to collect all the flashlights and put them in
a box or bag (because the girls wont turn them off and will shine them in
each others eyes) youll know whose is whose when its time to return them.

STARLIGHT SAFARI
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After your campfire dies down or before your campfire sit quietly in the
dark. In a low voice, ask girls to use their senses to explore the night: What
does the night smell like? What does the night sound like? What noises do
you hear that werent caused by nature? What were they?
What does the night look like? What can you see? Can you identify anything?
Now turn on your flashlight and point it a little ahead of your feet (or a little
to the side.) What happens? (You can see whats in the circle of light, but
everything else disappears into the dark.) Tell or remind girls that after thirty
minutes in the dark, their eyes are as good as a cougars but if they turn
on their flashlight they will lose their night vision. [If you like, ask or tell
why.]
Explain that red light doesnt bother our eyes very much, so that covering
our flashlight lens with red cellophane or tissue paper or red plastic will let us
use our flashlight for astronomy activities like reading a star map. It doesnt
bother most other animals, either, so we can use our red lights for a Starlight
Safari without bothering our animal neighbors.
Safari Hike: Get everyone in a buddy line (partners.) Have the girls on the
right side close their eyes and let their buddy guide them. Go half-way to
your destination and have everyone trade. Ask the girls not to talk but to use
their senses again: listen to the night, smell the night, and feel the night on
their skin (or the trail under their feet.)
If possible, let your destination be an open area where you can stargaze. The
darker, the better! Spread out blankets, towels or ground clothes so girls can
lie down and look up. Take a few minutes just to relax and enjoy looking at
the stars. If some constellations are visible and you know them, point them
out. If not, look for the following:
A planet (doesnt twinkle like a star)
Stars with color: red, blue, and yellow
A meteor (shooting star) especially during predicted meteor showers
Full moon quarter moon crescent moon
The man, lady, or rabbit in the moon (tell the story if you know it)
A satellite (about the size of a small star, moving rapidly across the
sky.) Go to: science.nasa.gov/Realtime/JTrack/Spacecraft or to
spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index or to www.heavens-above.com
to track satellites!

FOR THAT EXTRA-SPECIAL TOUCH

For adventurous eight and nine year-olds, take ground cloths and sleeping
bags/bedrolls outdoors; it can be around the campfire, in a level area of your
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camp site, down by the lake, or? (Wherever there is the least light.) From
this secure and snug location, listen to night noises, find pictures in the stars
or look for satellites, listen to American Indian stories, and quietly check out
what the night-time critters are doing by using a red tissue paper or plastic
cover for your flashlights. End with a ceremony in the moonlight or at the
campfire, then settle in to sleep late in the morning or take a nap after lunch.

Spider Shine: Sapphires and Emeralds of the Night

Best age range: 3-year-olds and up
Location: anywhere short grass meets the woods is ideal
Best time: night
Season: summer, fall
Special materials: lightweight flashlight
What to do: Find a lawn or grassy area near hedges or some woods. Hold a
flashlight on the side of your head, next to your eye. Shine the flashlight on
the ground and look for tiny sparkles of blue or green light. When you see a
sparkle of light, keep the light fixed on the sparkle and carefully walk closer.
This should lead you to a small, harmless ground-hunting spider, most often
a wolf spider. The sparkle you see is the light reflecting off the spiders eyes
(spider eye shine). See how many spiders you can spot. Whats the smallest
spider you can find?

Eyes At Night Hike

Why do animals eyes reflect light?

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The eyes of many animals, but not humans, contain a reflective layer called
the "tapetum lucidum". That helps the eye gather more light, which
improves night vision. You just see what's reflected back at you; the rest of
the light is absorbed by the creature's eye.
But it's not a precision mirror, and it tends to give you less accurate vision
during the day. Humans go in for precision (which is why we can read) at
the expense of hunting or seeing predators at night.
The tapetum lucidum is reflective, but it's not like a mirror. It's more like
some bird feathers and butterfly wings, where it uses ridges or dots of clear
material to achieve a colored effect. The distance between the ridges
interacts with the frequency of light to give you different colors. The colors
you're not seeing are what the animal actually sees.

Hike Preparation at Troop Meeting

Materials:
Black construction paper
Reflector Tape (look in the automotive products at a hardware store)
Poster board
Glue Stick
Markers
Divide girls into two groups: each one will need to makes a set of eyes, one
for the trail, and one for the poster. (The eyes pattern is below.)
1. Cut black construction paper into 16 2"x 4" strips (each group makes 8)
2. Using the picture below as your guide (print out and cut apart to make
templates), each group cuts eyes out of reflective tape and attaches them to
construction paper strips.
3. Attach one set of eyes to the poster board, and label each pair of eyes
(see picture) for the group to use as a key when hiking

Hike Preparation at Camp

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Materials:
Night Eyes Poster
Set of Night Eyes
Masking tape, string or thumbtacks
1. Pick an area or trail that gives room for several people to stand together,
as well as an area that has room for a group to gather prior to entering the
trail.
2. Using the poster as your guide, hang the eyes at suggested heights on
trees or bushes so that they are visible from the trail. Avoid brushy areas
that would obscure the view of the eyes. Do this during the day! The other
adults with your troop should keep the girls busy (preferably on the other
side of camp).
3. Map the trail for future reference (optional)

Leading the Hike

This hike is best done when it is very dark. Only the group leader should
have her flashlight on at this time. Lead the group to the Night Eyes Trail,
keeping your flashlight pointed to the ground. Have another adult bring up
the end of the line. As you walk, you may encourage the participants to
discuss the sounds you may hear at night and to listen carefully for them.
When you reach the gathering spot, hold up the poster and let everyone
shine their light on it. Explain that you are going to be hunting for special
animals on the trail. Only their eyes will be visible. Ask how many have seen
night eyes when driving. How could they tell what animal it was just by
looking at the eyes? Demonstrate by placing flashlight up beside your eyes
(girls can do this, too). Explain that they will be looking for animals off to the
sides of the trail and on either side of it. They will need to look in the trees
and undergrowth. If they spot a pair of eyes, they should try to guess what
animal they have found. You may tell them how many eyes are out on the
trail. The poster is available to help them identify the animals.
If holding a contest for the most animals spotted, you may split up the group
into teams at this point. An adult should accompany each team. Give the first
team a few minutes head start. Instruct the girls to stay on the trail and walk
with a buddy. Flashlights can be turned on now, but they should be pointed
at the ground until they reach the beginning of the trail. After each group
finishes, they should return to the campsite.
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Retrieve the eyes in the morning. Save the eyes and reuse, if possible.
Variation: Ghost and Goblin Hike (Halloween)- make pairs of round or oval
eyes. Use construction paper scraps to make irises for the eyes, if you wish.
If you make a poster key, you may label the eyes "ghost", "goblin", "trick-ortreater", "black cat", etc.

Idea developed by Wally Brines, Naturalist at Woodlands Nature Center,

DuPage, IL and Girl Scouts of DuPage Council. New format and variation by
A. Robert-Curry, Whispering Oaks Girl Scout Council, LaGrange Park, IL

PATTERNS FOR EYES AT NIGHT HIKE EYES

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Animal Eyes at Night Where to Look/Place Eyes for Hike

Owl- High in tree

Fox 2 feet from ground

House cat- 6" to 1' from ground

Skunk- 8" from ground

Rabbit- 6" above ground

Possum- 1 1/2 -2' from ground

Raccoon- 1 1/2 -2' from ground

Deer- 4-5' from ground

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As well as providing a great opportunity to reinforce the message that recycling and
reusing are important for the environment, this outdoor art activity is simple and low
mess making it perfect for children of all ages (and for mum!). Plus, the end result
is just a little magical. In fact, my daughter has asked for us to eat dinner by the
candlelight of her lanterns each night since we made them.
To make your own recycled bottle lantern, you will need:

One clean soft drink bottle with the label removed. A 1 liter bottle works well
with one candle, a 2 liter bottle provides room for two candles
Coloured permanent marker pens (Sharpies or similar - the darker and
brighter colours will be more effective than light colours)
A utility knife and a pair of scissors
Sand
Tea light candles

To make your lantern:

1. Invite your child to decorate the bottom half of the bottle with the marker pens.
Shapes, patterns and simple motifs work best. Being that we were creating outdoors,
my daughter was inspired by her surroundings, featuring flowers, trees, the sun,
moon, stars, butterflies, snails and other insects, and rainbows.
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2. Cut the top half off the bottle by making a small slit with the utility knife and then
sliding the bottom blade of the scissors into the hole. Cut all the way around the
bottle (depending upon the age of the child, this step may be best performed by an
adult). If you find the exposed, plastic edge is sharp (ours was not), fold a length of
coloured washi or electrical tape along the edge.
3. Place some sand in the bottom of the bottle. This weighs the bottle down,
providing some stability. Then push your tea light candle into the sand in the middle
of the bottle.

Enjoy, indoors or out!

http://www.goexplorenature.com/2013/05/making-recycled-bottle-lanterns-withkids.html

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