My Future Flag

Age Range: 10 - 17 years
Time Required: 20 - 30 minutes
Fundamental: Outdoors

Design and make your own inspirational flag that's all about you!

Materials Needed

  • Piece of calico or white cotton fabric approx. 50cm x 30cms 
  • Acrylic paints/ fabric paints 
  • Brushes 
  • Pallet 
  • Water 
  • A Pencil
  • Marker
  • Clear area to work with newspaper plastic sheet to work. 
  • Gadget rope or cord approx. 60cm (optional) 
  • Needle & a thread (optional) 
     

Instructions

To make the Flag

  1. Prepare a clear surface and cover to protect from paint. Set up your materials.
  2. Layout your piece of fabric- Calico or pale coloured cotton would work well.
  3. Using a pencil divide your flag into 4 parts, these could be 4 even rectangles, stripes, or triangles or 4 uneven shapes. Leave a strip about 5cm’s wide down the left-hand side (the Hoist) if you would like to sew a hem/pocket for your strop rope and fly your flag.
  4. In one space you will be adding 3 positive words that describe you.
  5. In the second space paint a symbol or picture of what you are good at and love doing.
  6. In the third space paint a symbol or picture for something that would like to be good at or try.
  7. And in the final space paint a picture or symbol for something that you would like to see yourself doing in the future or what you would like to be.
  8. If you would like you can show your flag to your Unit or family and explain the meaning behind the symbols. Hang it in your bedroom to inspire you to reach for your goals.
To fly the flag on a flagpole

  1. When the paint is dry, fold over the hoist side of your flag about 2.5 cm’s to make a narrow hem like pocket wide enough to thread the gadget cord or rope you are using as the strop.
  2. Using a needle & thread or machine, sew the pocket leaving both top & bottom open.
  3. Thread your cord through the top opening and down the side of the flag.
  4. At the top of the cord (the strop) tie a Wooden Toggle or a loop using a double overhand knot. Tack the strop inside the pocket with a needle & thread to prevent the flag from sliding. Now you are ready to fly your flag.
 

 

As a Girl Guide, How Can I Lead This Activity?

As a Girl Guide you can choose to do this activity at home as part of a badge challenge and discuss with you Unit at a meeting. You could build a flagpole in the front yard (see page73 of the 3rd Handbook- Green or page 46 of the 4th Handbook- Blue) and fly it there. Your other family members may like to make their own flags. 

As a Unit Leader, How Can I Make This Activity Girl Led?

As a Unit Leader you could include this activity in a program about Heraldry, setting goals, knowing yourself, confidence building or camp planning or you could make flags at camp- individual ones or Patrol ones girls work on together.

 

As a Unit, how can we make sure everyone is included?

As a Unit girl can be encouraged to share their ideas and be supported by the other Guides & Leaders.

Follow Up Questions and Reflections

What can we do differently next time?
What other activities could you do with your new skills?
How did it make you feel?
What did you like or dislike?
What did you learn?

Activity source and acknowledgements

Something Guides do by Possum
 

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