This week beavers made savoury campfire twists, cheese and bacon added for flavour. They worked together measuring and mixing the ingredients in their lodges. Then wrapped the tasty dough around bamboo sticks. Then they cooked them in the yard over the fire. A few fell off but all beavers were given the chance to taste some. 🤤
We were also catching up on their personal challenge badgework. Well done everyone 👏🏻👏🏻
Beavers visited Mountsandel Forest tonight. Following on from the weekends platinum jubilee celebrations, they collected natural materials as they walked to decorate willow crowns. After they finished their creations on Mountsandel fort they had some fun rolling down the grassy hill. Everyone had a wee bun before walking back as newly crowned kings and queens.
On Friday night Scout section invited all sections, family and friends to come along to a street party. They planned the event the previous week and ran games during the event. Lots of families donated baked goods to sell during the evening, there was popcorn for sale, guess the number of sweets in the jar and a jubilee jumble fireside quiz sheet. We managed to raise £230 on the night and a further £20 from a family who were unable to attend. Thanks to all the leaders who helped out, the scouts, our fabulous YLs and PLs, the other sections and family members who supported the event. It was fantastic to see everyone enjoying themselves.
20 Ballymoney Beavers visited Crawfordsburn Scout Centre today. They enjoyed a puppet show, a magician, an adventurous activity (grass sledging), followed some trails, completed a scavenger hunt, met emergency service workers AKA heroes (RNLI, PSNI, Paramedics), crawled and ran around an assault course, toasted marshmallows, enjoyed play areas and bouncy castles. Phew!! Goody bags sent home with crafts to enjoy in their own their own time. We also had a visit to the scout tuck/goody shop. Thanks to NI Beaver team 👏🏻👏🏻
This week Beavers met at the cornfield project, in Coleraine. The Cornfield Project is an amazing regeneration concept that has taken a previously abandoned and unloved area of land and turned it into a thriving nature zone with widespread environmental activity.
They answered some quick quiz questions and then set off to explore the area ticking off their spotter sheets and picking litter as they went.
A rainy Tuesday evening didn’t stop our Beavers from completing their sports badge. Over our past few meetings we’ve had sports day games, netball and badminton tasters, and this week was football skills. Well done Beavers 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Beavers had an Irish night as its St Patrick’s day this Thursday. They had to use their skills to crack the leprechaun’s riddle and complete an Irish I spy. Then we had a visit from our fabulous Scout, Katie, who performed an Irish dance routine and then “tried her best” to teach beavers their 3’s. Well done Katie and thank you 🤩 Finally, a team game….chasing the snakes out of Ireland just like St. Patrick.
If you go down to the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise…Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and YL’s all met in Somerset Forest. We were unable to meet at the hall this week due to the main hall floor being repaired. So a bit of outdoor fun was in order 😃
A wee walk up to the top of the forest, some refreshments and then time to mix up the sections. Team leaders and scouts helped the younger sections to make shelters. All groups made natural shelters and a few had time to make tarp shelters too. Some great teamwork out in the fresh air.
Beavers were working together with their lodges to complete 4 challenges. Points are awarded to each lodge depending on how well they worked together
The team challenges were…..
Scores were as follows:
Red lodge 11 points, Yellow lodge 10 points, green and blue both got 8 points. Well done everyone 👏🏻
This week Beavers had visitor at the hall. William, a paramedic, covered all of the emergency aid stage 1 badge. How to get help, calling 999, putting someone unconscious into the recovery position, using bandages to stop bleeding and some CPR skills. To finish up he answered lots of questions 😅
Beavers did very well and a huge thanks to William for delivering a great session with the perfect level of detail for a young group. At the end of the evening Beavers were given ambulance service keyrings, rulers and their level 1 emergency aid badge.
Beavers learned a bit about Rabbie Burns (Scotland’s national poet) tonight. They found out about a Burns night supper of tatties, neeps and haggis. Rather than having a haggis tasting night we opted for a few Highland games. Tossing the caber (3 pool noodles taped together), Hammer throwing (welly throwing) and tug of war.
Some tug of war action here 💪🏻💪🏻
We also had a special guest tonight. While Beavers relaxed with Scottish shortbread and a drink, Davy entertained us with his bagpipes.
Here is the link to Davy piping
Lots of curious beavers asking questions. Finally, after awarding a few badges, Davy piped all the beavers out to their parents. Many thanks 😊
Some RSPB pictures to colour tonight while we waited for everyone to arrive. Then Beavers made fat balls to feed wild birds around Ballymoney.
They were given some lard in a bag and had to add various tasty bird treats. There were seeds, apples, raisins, oats, meal worms (yum 😂) and cheese.
Lots of squishing and squashing and then rolling of the mixture into balls. They’ll put them in the fridge at home to firm up and then place them in their gardens or around the trim trail for the birds to enjoy.
A game of “Holly says” to finish off which was won by one the the green lodge members = another lodge star won 👏🏻
This week we were listening to 5 of our Beavers who have been working on their hobby badges. They stood in front of the whole colony and shared their hobby with us. Tonight’s hobbies were drawing, Lego, craft/fishing, Judo and board games. After each Beaver spoke the other beavers had a chance to ask some questions. Well done to all of you 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
We also had a lodge challenge to earn lodge points – crossing the lava field (hall) using their stepping stones (carpet tiles) – and a 5 minute game of football.
Beavers completed 3 experiments in their lodges to gain their badge. They made lava lamps, candle in a glass and oobleck
They learned that a fire needs oxygen to burn and when the oxygen runs out a vacuum pulled water into the glass. Those who lit the candle also ticked off part of their skills badge.
They also learned via our Lava lamps that the Carbon dioxide released from alkaseltzer tablets carried water through the oil and once reaching the surface the CO2 bubble popped meaning the water blob returned to the bottom.
Then they had lots of messy fun with oobleck (a non-Newtonian fluid which acts like a solid when hit, but a liquid when held)
Beavers visited Castleroe Wood for a hike on Saturday. A lovely autumn walk (the rain even stopped and the sun came out!!) collecting leaves, pine cones, seeds and all sorts of natural materials. Half way through the hike we stopped for a creative activity. They each had a small ball of clay which they stuck to trees. Then they moulded the clay into faces and used the materials they collected to create forest faces.
Return walk to the car park where Scout section leader had set up an shelter and ground sheet for beavers to enjoy their picnic lunch. Thanks Shere Khan. A wee game of duck, duck, goose (standing variation) then home time. Well done Beavers, you all earned your hike level 1 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
The forest faces were made using all natural materials, including the clay we used. However, scouts do their best to leave no trace. With this in mind the faces will remain for a week or so for walkers and families to enjoy, then leaders will return to remove any clay from the trees.
2nd week back and we are still getting to know our colony of Beavers
Everyone started off telling Benny (our Beaver Mascot) what their name was and their favourite meal. Lots of McDonalds!! Don’t worry, camp meals will sort that out 😂😂😂
Some parachute games to see what we have in common and then inside for lodge assignments. Each Beaver was assigned a lodge and they will be challenged throughout the year to complete lodge challenges. They’ll earn points depending on how well they complete the tasks.
Youth led
We pride ourselves in listening to our young people, whether Beavers, Cubs or Scouts. Tonight Beavers were asked to write their name and a game they would like to lead, which was then put into our youth led box. Every week we will pick a game at random 😄 We also had a 3 dot vote so that Beavers could decide which badge they would like to work towards
Beavers met in the car park for some fun.
First up, we had Benny the Beaver mascot help us introduce each beaver and leader, telling us their name and something they like to do.
We had Beaver friendship bingo, a beavers movement game and the old favourite “foxes and rabbits”
This week Beavers went a walk around town practicing their green cross code. We split into 2 groups and started off on our walks. We also had a scavenger hunt as we walked. Finally a game of what time is it Mr Wolf when we returned to the car park.
Last weekend all sections joined groups from the county and beyond, taking part in another virtual camp. This time we had the benefit of being able to meet up for part of the camp too 😃
Beavers met at the hall first, watched the camp opening live, made our camp pictures, played games and completed the straw rocket craft. Eight new beavers were invested and the whole colony made their promise ⚜️ They went home with badges recently earned and resources to make their bee pegs.
Scouts met in the afternoon, took a trip to the local park for some footgolf (set up and ran by YLs), attempted Da Vinci Bridges and then lit campfires and had s’mores (kids brought their own) back at the hall. We also invested 2 new scouts and a leader ⚜️
Cubs had an evening session, practicing knots, making kites, dancing, s’mores (kids brought their own) and invested new cubs and leaders.
All sections were busy at home with their families completing a variety of challenges over the weekend. Well done to all Ballymoney Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, YL’s and leaders 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Huge thanks to Paul and the county team, all the Ballymoney Leader team and our fantastic parents for making our camp at home 2 a great experience ⛺️ ⚜️
This week Beavers made boats from tin foil for Lego mini figures. Once they created their bases and sails, it was time to launch the boats! All stayed afloat!! Time to experiment. How many pennies could their boats hold before sinking? Did it mattter where they placed their pennies? Only got a few pics 🙊 Also a wee game of foxes and rabbits 🦊 🐰
This week Beavers were challenged to create indoor campfires using junk/paper/Lego/play-dough…whatever they had available around the home. Pleased to say we have had lots of fabulous creations. Well done Beavers!!!
Unfortunately, due to social distancing because of the coronavirus, all face to face scouting has been cancelled.
Fear not!!! Beaver scouts have been busy scouting at home 🙂
Their first weekly challenge was to built a blanket fort and sleep in it. The challenge was accepted by around 75% of our young people and our YL too. The kids smiling faces cheered all the leaders up.
Well done to our fabulous Beavers. It was great to see siblings and parents getting involved too. Keep an eye out for next weeks challenge – build a 3D campfire!
Ballymoney Beavers met up with lots of other Colonies for the annual Beavershape day. A day of fun, scout skills and youth shaped activities.
On arrival at Bovevagh Parish Church, our Beavers enjoyed a teddy bears picnic. Bellies full and then it was time to start activities. First up was the youth-shaped activities – cool wall (to decide which badges Beavers were really interested in doing) and create a plate (Beavers drew various camp site ideas).
The next session was a parachute game and the wish tree – Beavers wrote something they would really like to do and by hanging it on the wish tree, their wishes will hopefully come true.
Then onto some more creative fun. They made ‘Lego’ woggles and designed their own neckers. Our own Beaver section YL Robyn helped run this activity.
Next up, a firm favourite…fires and smores! Each Beaver made a fire lighting kit, lit small fires using flint and steel and then toasted marshmallows for smores.
Of course no Beaver day out is complete without a bouncy castle, and so they had half an hour of bouncing on two inflatables.
Finally, they experienced an indoor campfire, where they joined in with some silly campfire songs. Shout out to Scout section YL Alex for his campfire song – singing in the rain. Most sang along and did their best to follow the actions.
Our Beavers were very well behaved and seemed to enjoy the day. Many thanks to Adam and the County Youth team for organising and running the day and to Bovevagh for hosting the event.
Beavers voted to go to We are Vertigo for their Winter Adventure…their wish was our command 🧞♂️. The turquoise ninjas had fun bouncing and sliding around the inflatapark. After this they visited the adventure zone. Lots of Beavers tried out the high ropes and low ropes, a few tried the climbing wall and they all had fun in the soft play. Many thanks to we are Vertigo for all their help.
Some of our Beavers attended the NI Beaver Rally day at Crawfordsburn Scout Centre this weekend. As the theme for the event was World around us, Beavers decorated rocks earlier in the week with drawings relating to India. These were then swapped at Crawfordsburn with rocks other colonies decorated with drawings/paintings related to other countries.
Beavers had a great time watching the magic show, bouldering and following the gruffalo trail….
They showed off their dancing skills with a Zumba session…
They were creative decorating cardboard shapes, rice sound makers and beaver biscuits…
Then they searched for bugs…
Finally fun on the assault course, shopping and stone swapping.
This week Ballymoney Beavers visited Fred at the RNLI boathouse in Portrush. They learned about keeping safe at the beach by wearing sun hats and sun cream and to protect their feet with old shoes/crocs. Fred told them all about the lifeguards and the importance of swimming/paddling in between the red and yellow flags. He also explained how to get help in an emergency.
Then the Beavers were shown around areas not normally open to the public. First stop, the changing room ….
Then down to see the dry suit and helmet worn when going out on the small life boat…
Finally upstairs to see the RNLI office…
Thank you to all the Beavers for donating money to the RNLI during our visit. They have all been given a small jar to fill with 5p’s to raise some more funds for this important, lifesaving charity.
Thank you to all those who supported our Easter fundraiser by entering our raffle. We raised £311 which will be used to buy more tents and equipment for our group camp later this year. The winner of the hamper was Margaret Archibald. Congratulations!!
Also a huge thank you to those who donated prizes including cinema and bowling passes from The Jet Centre, Coleraine and a voucher from McClesters Family Butcher, Ballymoney.
Beavers invited all mothers (and fathers and siblings) to come to our Beavers Bistro for a mother’s day treat. They had the responsibility of taking orders, and then helping to make tea/coffee to treat their family. Of course leaders were on hand to help with boiling water and delivery of hot drinks. Beavers did a great job of handing out plates of biscuits too. After everyone was relaxing with their tasty treats our fantastic Beavers gave mums a notecard (decorated earlier) and chose a rose for their mum. Well done everyone!!
At the end of the meeting we invested 3 new beavers and awarded badges. Thanks to our helpers …. Scout Leader David, scout helpers and young leaders. No photos this time, too busy 😂
