The Rainbow Jigsaw is a very special programme just for Rainbows.
There are four Jigsaw areas for Rainbows to explore:
Rainbows Look; Rainbows Learn; Rainbows Laugh; and Rainbows Love.

Rainbows

This area allows Rainbows to begin to understand that they are part of
a wider world. Rainbows includes activities that explore their environment
  and communities. Rainbows are encouraged to get out and about to discover
the world about them.

Rainbows

Rainbows all the time, both in guiding and in their daily lives. A Rainbow learns
in many ways,  by doing activities at her meetings, going on interesting visits and 
meeting visitors at the meetings. Being a Rainbow is fun and not at all like school.

Rainbows

This area of the Rainbow Jigsaw encourages games, songs, parties, celebrations,
 making a mess and enjoying life. Rainbows also has a learning strand,
 as each Rainbow develops important skills at the same time.

               This area is at the heart of the Rainbow Jigsaw. A girl is beginning to understand
 the concept of ‘love’ when she joins Rainbows through her experiences of
caring and sharing with family and friends, and being kind to others. Rainbows
 promotes the ethos of the Five Essentials, in particular the Promise.

The Five Essentials

	Rainbows work together in small groups
	Rainbows are encouraged to govern themselves and make their own decisions
	Rainbows have a balanced and varied programme
	Rainbows care for the individual
	Rainbows share a commitment to a common standard

The New Rainbow Song

There are a number of  songs which are  now sung by  Rainbow units in the UK:

The different songs are all sung to the same tune which makes it easier for
the Rainbows  and Guiders easier to learn and remember.

This is the opening song to sing at the beginning of Rainbows

This is the song for the closing of  Rainbow meetings:

And the final song is sung when Rainbows have a "Pot of Gold Party"

Look at the world around
Learn everything you can
Laugh as you go along
Love this world of ours

Look, Learn, Laugh, Love
Now the jigsaw's done
New adventures
Brownies here I/we come

Roundabout Fun

Decision making is one of the Five Essentials of guiding and a girl of Rainbow age can make simple choices and decisions for herself.  She is also beginning to discover that she may not always get her own way and has to learn to accept decisions made by others.

The Rainbow Jigsaw strengthens and encourages the girls' decision-making skills and retains Rainbow Chat, the time set aside in meetings when the unit can discuss issues, as an essential feature.

A Rainbow Roundabout is an exciting new unit resource that Rainbow Leaders can use to promote unit decision-making.  It contains activity ideas which support the Rainbow Jigsaw and complement other Rainbow activities. There are currently 4 Roundabouts available, World, Festivals, Get Healthy and Rainbows.

The resource is based around a large plastic mat that is placed on the floor so that all the Rainbows and Leaders can sit around the edge and see it.  The mat is divided into the four Jigsaw areas - Look, Learn, Laugh and Love - and contains activity ideas based on a theme.  The Rainbows decide as part of Rainbow Chat which activities they want to do as a unit, voting on suggestions as necessary.  The leaders need to ensure that a balance of activities are chosen from each Jigsaw area but the choice should be made by the girls.

When a unit has chosen the activities they want to do, the Leader will incorporate them into the term's planning.  They may be done as a block over a couple of weeks or spread throughout the term.

Rainbow are rewarded by gaining a badge when they have participated in four Roundabout activities - one from each Jigsaw area.  Roundabout badges are not individual achievement badges and all Rainbows should be given the badge at the same time.  It is not compulsory for every Rainbow to have completed every part of the four Roundabout activities to be given a badge.  If Rainbows participate in more than four activities on a Roundabout they do not gain another badge.  Roundabout badges are worn around the bottom of the polo shirt or hooded top or on the pocket of the tabard.

The Roundabout badge incorporates the symbols for the four Jigsaw areas and is available with a choice of three different border colours - red, blue and yellow.  When the Rainbows choose which activities they want to do as a unit, they should also vote on which colour border they are going to have for their badge.

The Guider's sticker pack include stickers which show the four Jigsaw symbols and these can be used as instant rewards.

To help the Rainbows evaluate the four activities at the end of their Roundabout they should be given a chance to write or draw what they did on the unit recording poster.  This A2, sheet can be displayed in the meeting place during the meeting to remind girls what they have done and then kept safe for them to look back on during their Pot of Gold challenge when they reflect on their time in Rainbows.

 

Rainbow Sleepovers
 

Most Rainbows enjoy a ‘sleepover’. They give Rainbows a chance to get to know each other and their leaders better, as well as grow in confidence and gain a sense of independence. Holding a Rainbow overnight event also gives Guiders the opportunity to get to know their Rainbows better. They are usually held nearby so no child will be too far from home. There is now a special sleepover badge that Rainbows   can be given on completion of an over night.
                                             
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©  2005 Somerset North Guide Association