Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Steph Phillips — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:34:26 GMT

aww you'll have fun doing it I'm sure :)

I've done a lil talk a few times for reception classes (not rainbows I know, but still little kids!).. took my dog, along with xrays, stethoscope (kids loved listening to my Jess' heart beat!) - also a teddy and bandage - also pictures of fleas, & models of teeth/joints etc - (but not the very expensive ones!)

Bless them, they ask such cute questions.. so be prepared for 'very simple' answers.. one kid asked me 'how does she eat' .. all I could think of was 'um with her mouth!' lol.. but I did go on to explain why dogs & cats had k9's and mowlers.. which made the answer a bit more interesting!

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Tracy Windler RVN — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:28:22 GMT

Hi, I'm a scout leader, not sure if the set up is exactly the same, but we try to make events like this relevant to any badges they can achieve. The Scout Assoc has a website to look up the requirements for these badges. Might be worth checking out if Guiding has something similar, so you can match up what you plan to their badge criteria?? Just a thought.

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Mrs Dot Dot — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:40:53 GMT

I've done a few and took my dog... they loved it, dressing up stuff.... consult vet (steths, gloves, tops, syringes) and surgeon stuff(gowns, gloves, masks etc) and especially the long plastic gloves used for large animal exams... teachers seem to love these!!!, and bandaging fingers and hands..... doesn't have to be proper bandages just a quick layer of soffban and a layer of vetrap especially, as they can take it off and put it back on.

Check that they are OK for you to take a live animal for them to touch... schools can be a bit funny re insurance/ parent consent I've found, and lastly ask them to prepare some questions for you then they can ask what they want and you don't have to prepare too much.

Tha bandaging takes the longest and is a fun filler. I've really enjoyed my talks... good luck x

Sometimes it can be usefull to take a cudley toy for someone to bandage if they don't want a bandage themselves if they are particularly shy... or for them to look after during your talk so they don't feel left out

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

rachel w — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:18:25 GMT

Rainbows are 4-7 then they move on to brownies 7-10 then they come to guides 10-15

Must say i enjoyed leading brownies the best just a shame most units start at 6 which is y im a guide guider now although we do get to do a lot more with them

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Kate Claxton DipAVN(Med)VN — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:49:28 GMT

Thanks so much guys - that's all really helpful! Def going to try the groups thing - think they'd get bored just being talked at the whole time! :) x

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Nicola Smith — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:45:30 GMT

I did a talk for beavers. I took along bandages etc to bandage teddies, also took food , bowls, toys, lead and pics of things like scratching posts. Split them into groups and told them which animal their group was and they chose what they would have for their animal - all groups had to have food, item to eat/drink from/ toy and exercise - just to get them thinking about what all animals need. Seemed to go down ok.

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Phrin Vernon RVN — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:53:52 GMT

What age are Rainbows? Are they before Brownies?

Lil man has just started school and I am dying to do a talk to his class! Just for the Mama kudos it will bring him LOL!

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

Bunny1 — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:29:55 GMT

Keep it really simple, I've started asking about what animals they have - though some get carried away and you hear about every pet they have ever had! Or go for pictures of pets they might have and ask them to name them. I made a set of flashcards with things animals might need and things they might need - ie picture of cat bed on one and a childs bed on another, treats and sweets, dog toy and childrens toys etc. and then ask them which one is most appropriate for an animal etc.

You could then go for the veterinary angle briefly, I took pictures of the inside of the practice and talked about what happened in each room, and showed things like an x-ray, stethoscope etc.

Have fun! Rainbows are quite cute but I prefer my Guides!

Re: Rainbows - Caring for Animals

rachel w — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:27:06 GMT

i used to be a rainbow guider, i would stick to the basics, who have pets, anyone been to the vets that will take at least 20mins!! bandages are good take a lot on school talks bandage ur dogs paw then get them to bandage each other, if there anything like mine they will have a lot of questions, would do a little bit on general pet care feeding housing etc but not to indepth, take so interesting xrays to they can guess the animal, where it is what they think it is

Rainbows are at such a lovely age, im a guide guider now and its just not the same stroppy teenagers!!