Girl Guiding movement vs Scouting?

**IncyWincySpider** · 21-09-2009, 09:24pm

Have been meaning to sign up my 6yo (girl) to either Rainbows or Beavers for a while and was wondering which to go for. What are your recent experiences of them and which would you choose for your daughter? are they very different?

Sounds like there is a very long waiting list near us but I loved Brownies/Guides as a child so would like her to try something along these lines if she can.

**Oppro** · 21-09-2009, 09:30pm

I'm thinking of signing DD up for Beavers / Cubs / Scouts etc when she's old enough instead of Rainbows / Brownies / Guides. mainly because I'm hoping she'll get in to a single sex school but I want her to still have a good amount of interaction with boys as she grows up, plus it looks like brilliant fun!! But I LOVED Brownies when I was little, they had to practically forceably eject me in the end!

**thesquidgemy** · 22-09-2009, 09:28pm

I don't know anything about scouting but I was a Rainbow, Brownie and Guide myself and am a Brownie leader and think its a fab place for girls.

I think oppro's point is really interesting - lots of our girls love that its a girl only space, you can do whatever you want without worrying about boys watching or taking over or whatever but I suppose interacting with boys can also have its advantages.

Maybe contact leaders of the local ones and find out what they do and what the leaders are like. I find some guidey people to be very "old school" and am not a huge fan of that type of guiding. We're quite modern - go camping, go out and about, do charity stuff, craft, drama, music, dance, sport, games. Guiding is meant to be "girl lead" too - they decide what they want to do and we facilitate that but I bet not all units actually operate in this way.

Maybe find out prices too, if that matters to you?

FWIW, round here she would have missed Rainbows already (its for 5-7 and the waiting list would prob be too long for her to join by the time she is 7) and she needs to join the list for Brownies asap. If you're not sure, get her on the list now and decline the place when offered if you decide to go with scouting.

**Rowan Tree** · 22-09-2009, 09:51pm

I like that it is for GIRLS only.

**kelly** · 23-09-2009, 11:04am

I only have personal experience of guiding (am a guider also) and I feel that girls thrive in a girls only environment and are a lot less 'shy' when it comes to performing and similar.

I guess its really down to what the individual unit leaders are like though, we like to have a laugh and do all sorts of different activites and I like to think we're quite forward thinking and modern.