Traffic Lights: One child stands in the centre of the hall, the others stand on one side of the hall. The child in the centre calls out the name of a colour. Children wearing that colour are immune from being caught. All other children must cross the hall without being caught by the child in the centre. If they are caught they become the child in the centre.

Films: One child is in the centre of the hall. She calls out a category (e.g. film, book, tree, animal, country, fruit) and a leader calls out a letter. Each Brownie in turn must name something from that category beginning with that letter. If they are successful they cross to the other side of the hall. If they can not think of something they must run and the person in the centre will try to catch them. If they are caught they become the person in the centre. NB: This game works with a small number of Brownies, but not a whole pack.

Snake: All children join hands. The child at the front must run, twisting and turning, trying to make the line break. When she suceeds she goes to the back of the line. NB: Do not play on a hard surface as children may fall over during play.

Russian Folk Tales: Give one to each six to act out or turn one into a game. Play string bags using words that occur often in the story. For younger children you could turn it into an action story.


Once upon a time there lived an old man who planted a turnip. It grew and it grew, until it was an enormous turnip. The old man tried to pull the turnip out of the ground. He pulled and he pulled, but it would not budge.

So the old man called to his wife. The old woman took hold of the old man and the old man took hold of the turnip and they pulled. They pulled and they pulled, but it would not budge.

So the old woman called to her grand-daughter. The grandaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man and the old man took hold of the turnip and they pulled. They pulled and they pulled, but it would not budge.

So the granddaughter called to her dog. The dog took hold of the granddaughter, the grandaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man and the old man took hold of the turnip and they pulled. They pulled and they pulled, but it would not budge.

So the dog called to the cat. The cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the granddaughter, the grandaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man and the old man took hold of the turnip and they pulled. They pulled and they pulled, but it would not budge.

So the cat called to a mouse. The mouse took hold of the cat, the cat took hold of the dog, the dog took hold of the granddaughter, the grandaughter took hold of the old woman, the old woman took hold of the old man and the old man took hold of the turnip and they pulled. They pulled and they pulled, and out it popped!


Once upon a time there lived an old woman who was very poor. There was nothing to eat in the house and she was hungry.

"If I scrape out the flour box I should have just enough flour for one bun," she said.

So the old woman scraped out the flour box and made a little round bun and placed it on a wire rack in the kitchen to cool. The little round bun did not want to be eaten, so it rolled out of the window. It rolled down the street, down the hill and into the town.

After a little way it met a rabbit. The rabbit said, "I'm going to eat you up little round bun." "Please don't," said the little round bun, "I'll sing you a song instead." And so the little round bun sang the rabbit a song and then rolled off down the road.

After a little way it met a wolf. The wolf said, "I'm going to eat you up little round bun." "Please don't," said the little round bun, "I'll sing you a song instead." And so the little round bun sang the wolf a song and then rolled off down the road.

After a little way it met a bear. The bear said, "I'm going to eat you up little round bun." "Please don't," said the little round bun, "I'll sing you a song instead." And so the little round bun sang the bear a song and then rolled off down the road.

After a little way it met a fox. The foxr said, "I'm going to eat you up little round bun." "Please don't," said the little round bun, "I'll sing you a song instead." And so the little round bun sang the fox a song and tried to roll off down the road.

But the cunning fox had other ideas. "That was lovely said the fox. Please do sing it again. But I'm a little heard of hearing. Step up onto my tongue. That way I'll be able to hear you better." So the little round bun climbed up onto the foxes tongue and began to sing. But before he could finish his song the cunning fox closed his mouth and gobbled the little round bun all up.


One upon a time there lived a King with three sons. It was time for the sons to marry, so the King gave them each an arrow. Shoot these arrows and whoever brings them back will be your bride.

The first son shoot his arrow. It was brought back by a princess. The second son shoot his arrow. It was brought back by a general's daughter. The third son shot his arrow. It landed in a pond and was brought back by a frog. "I can not marry a frog" said the prince. But the King insisted, and so they were wed.

Some time later the King wanted to discover which wife was the best at sewing. He told them all to make him a shirt. "But how can a frog make a shirt?" asked the prince. He went to bed feeling humiliated and sad. But, when her husband was not looking the frog slipped off her green skin and became a woman. She made the most amazing shirt. When the prince awoke he found the shirt next to his frog princess. The King thought this shirt was by far the best.

The King then decided he wanted to discover which wife was the best cook. He told them all to make him a loaf of bread. The other two wives were cross at being beaten by a frog and were determined not to let it happen again. They spied on the frog princess to see what she would do. She saw them and pretended to throw her bread on the floor and then into the fire. They ran back and did this to their bread. In the morning the frog princess had a beautiful, tasty loaf of bread whilst the other two had nothing but burnt bread.

The King then held a ball to see which wife was the best dancer. "But how can I dance with a frog?" wept the prince. But the frog cast off her green skin and revealed herself to be a beautiful woman. They danced and danced until the ball had ended. The prince told his wife how much he loved her, but when the princess tried to put her green skin back on, he became angry. "Must I be the joke of the kingdom, married to a frog?" he asked, snatching the skin. He took it out into the woods and burnt it.

"Why did you do that?" asked the frog princess. "You can not have me without the frog." And then she vanished never to be seen again.

Please note: I am a Brownie Guider in the UK. These pages have been put together from research for our Thinking Day celebrations and badgework. I do not have any further information about or contact details for units in other countries.