Girl guiding is split into four sections: Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers. Many parents have a daughter that attend one of these on a weekly basis but don't really know what its about, what they do and what they learn so here's a hub for anyone interested in enrolling their daughter in girl guiding.

History: Founded by Robert Baden Powell, Girl Guiding evolved from Scouts. In the year 1909, Baden Powell came to the decision that girls should not be in the same organisation as boys, and Girl Guiding was founded a year later. In Girl Guidings early years, Agnes Baden Powell (Robert's sister) was in charge. There are two themes that have been seen from the early days of the Guiding movement: domestic skills and practical feminism. This includes activities such as fitness, camping, survival skills and career preperation. All Guiding packs emphasize these movements differently but always remain paramount to girl Guiding.

Rainbows: Your daughter can join Girl Guiding as a Rainbow from the age of 5. Rainbows are not generally reqiured to wear uniforms as they arent popular with children of that age, but should a Rainbow want to wear a Rainbow tabard they are able to, some units will have a specific colour their girls will wear or your Rainbow can choose her colour. Rainbows meet once a week during school term time, during half terms and other school holidays there may be appropriate day trips. A Rainbow would leave when they reach the age of 7. Traditionally, she would then go on to attend Brownies...

Brownies: Formally known as Rosebuds, their new name as Brownies comes from a book by Julianna Horatia Ewing when children Betty and Tommy learn they can be lazy children or helpful 'Brownies'. Your Brownie, upon joining would receive a 'Becoming a Brownie' activity book. They would read this book and complete activities in their first six weeks in the lead up to making their 'Brownie Promise'. When your daughter makes her promise she would say that she understands how to be a good Brownie and about being helpful. She would then recite the Promise and Law and promise to adhere to them.

In the UK, the Brownie Promise is:

• I promise that I will do my best, to love my God, to serve my Queen and my Country, to help other people and to keep the Brownie Guide Law

The Law is:

• A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn everyday.

As Brownies is generally quite busy, the girls are split up into groups known as 'Sixes', this is for where there may be group activities such as a scavenger hunt and they would work together as their six. There is usually a leader of the six known as the 'sixer' and should the sixer be away, the group would have a 'second' to take her place.

Some Brownie units sing a song at the beginning and end of their meetings. In Brownies your daughter would have the opportunity to gain badges for different activities and learning life tasks such as: House Orderly, Hostess, Animal lover and Artist. As well as occasional daytrips, some units will organise 'Pack Holidays' for your Brownie to attend where they would stay in a secure hall for a week with the rest of her pack and enjoy several activities and daytrips. Upon reaching the age of 10, your Brownie would have the opportunity to leave Brownies if she so wishes or go on to Guides...

Guides: Like Brownies and Rainbows, Guides meet once a week and like Brownies, the girls are split into groups but rather than being known as 'Sixes' they are known as 'Patrols' with a leader for the patrol called the 'Patrol leader'. Your daughter can join Guides from the age of 10.

Guides is similar to Brownies in many ways, upon joining, a Guide is required to make a Promise and recite the laws. Guides are able to earn badges for their activites such as the 'Baden Powell Badge' and the 'Confectioners badge'.

Guides are able to participate in more exciting activities and generally decide as a pack the activites for the term, whereas at Brownies, the leaders generally plan the outline of the term. In Guides, your daughter may go camping, Guide packs always camp in a proper camping park that is secure and the girls sleep in tents. The girls put up their own tents and contribute in the cooking and keeping the area tidy learning life skills. Outside trips are also included in the camping trips.

Upon reaching age 14, your daughter has the choice to leave Girl Guiding or go onto Rangers...

Rangers: Rangers is open to girls aged 14-26, they are able to pursue several schemes including Look Wider and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme. A Ranger makes the same promise as a Guide:

I promise that I will do my best:To love my God,To serve the Queen and my country,To help other people and, To keep the Guide Law.

But with the additional line that they are:

To be of service to the community.

Brownies, Guides and Rangers all wear uniforms. Brownies wear the colour yellow, Guides wear Navy Blue and Rangers wear a lighter blue.

Hopefully this is a vague insight to anyone who wasn't too sure about whether they want their daughter to join Girl Guiding or simply wanted to know more about it. See links for Girl Guiding websites and uniforms.