Storm Wolves Showdown Games Day with the Branch Hoppers

The Branch Hoppers and Storms Wolves met at Lookout Mountain for a day of games. The outing also marked the third time in the fall season that the boys had shared an outing together. Once everyone arrived the group hiked out in search of Steve and Brian who were busy setting up the course for, Life and Death in the Forest.

The morning was brisk and damp and a great reminder that without the proper gear and preparation for the day this combination of weather can be a miserable experience. Making their rendezvous with the mentors, the group circled up to listen to the rules of the game while they snacked on some food.

The mentors explained that Life and Death in the Forest teaches us about the intricacies of the food web through playful embodiment of those who call the forest home. Herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores make up the basic players in the game with food and water sources represented by cards hanging from string scattered throughout the playing field. A player not only has to collect a certain amount of food and water sources in an allotted time, they must also keep their own life which is represented by a specific number of rubber bands depending upon one’s status within the food chain.

With our game set up, the rules explained, and participants prepped, all that was left was to start. The herbivores got a head start to disperse into the landscape and begin stealthily scouring the forest for food and water. Next the Omnivores were sent off needing to pick a priority of plant food, water, or hunting to begin the game. Finally, the carnivores were let loose much to the dismay of the herbivores and omnivores who now flinched at every twig snapped and fern rustled.

For twenty minutes Explorers and Mentors alike ran, crawled, climbed, ducked, dove, scurried and scampered. The struggle between life and death becomes surprisingly real when time starts running out and the only thing standing between you and that last food source is a hungry Carnivore licking his chops for a shot at one last meal.

At the end of the round we circled back up and debriefed our experience. Initially we had picked what we thought would be a balanced ecosystem, but it turned out that the herbivore and omnivore populations had been demolished. This was a great time for the group to think about what would happen the next year to our population of carnivores. Picking new roles and trying once more to balance our numbers within the food web we played another round.

Coming in a half an hour later tired and sweaty the group circled up once again to debrief. The Explorers struggled to focus and the mentors had difficulty tracking whether it was environmental factors at play or if the boys had just reached their limit. This was a great time to talk about our expectations for the elder EC groups to be present during our outings and take initiative. After a few more reminders and some unfocused leadership the boys made the decision to clean up the game, have a closing circle, and then head back to the trailhead so that the Storm Wolves could show the Branch Hoppers their favorite game, Where’s My Egg? Although they had difficultly making decisions the boys held a solid closing circle and shared what they were thankful for openly and honestly.

Back at the trailhead the mentors took a step back to watch the Explorers try and get their game together. Similarly to what the mentors had experienced, the boys talked over one another causing some frustration and confusion. The group was able to overcome this hurdle and it was fun to watch their playfulness and companionship engaged with one another. This ended our games day on a high note and the group internalized their need for focus during circle time. The mentors also learned an important lesson that occasionally we need to step back and observe the dynamics of the group in order to be more targeted and effective mentors.

For more pictures for our Showdown outing please visit the photo album from the day. Thanks for reading!

Grey Fox Kits Play in the Wind at Fairhaven Park

On a blustery Saturday afternoon, the Grey Fox Kits were reunited after a warm winter to kick off the 2015 Spring Season of Boys Explorers Club. We had originally planned on having a day of exploration and carving in the Sehome Arboretum, however, given the windy weather and the eventful history of the Grey Fox Kits, the mentors decided to relocate to Fairhaven Park. Thanks to the flexibility and efficient communication of seasoned BEC Parents we pulled off this last minute switch without a hitch. Both Explorers and Parents were appreciative of Fairhaven Park’s versatility offering grassy fields and open areas under trees to play and carve the day away with peace of mind.

As the Explorers gathered for our opening circle we briefly inspected a dead beetle then caught up with one another about our winter adventures. We took some time to reflect on why we had switched locations, how we felt about wind and where our edges were in regards to plans for what we wanted to do during the outing. Truths were spoken and we decided what better way to kick off our Spring season than to have a game day with some more sedentary activities sprinkled in to change things up from time to time.

We first began with many heated rounds of “Where’s My Egg?!” where the boys honed their sneaking skills and tapped in to Coyote’s trickster ways as they tried to deceive the mother bird of where her egg had gotten off to. Much attention to rules and fairness was another theme of this game. Boys were challenged to discuss rules as they came up and decide upon fair and equal solutions that would allow us to play with honor and respect for ourselves and one another.

After many a round played, the Explorers lost some of their interest and naturally gathered around the packs rehydrating and munching away at their lunches. Boys chatted amongst one another until someone had a joke to tell. One after the other, jokes were told amongst the group. Good laughs shared with good company. It was nice to be back amongst fellow Grey Fox Kits.

To switch things up, the mentors brought out a variety of supplies for activities: plaster casts and a coyote skull, paper and pencil, homemade pickle jar terrarium with spiders included, animal track flash cards, and a handful of natural history books. Some boys were immediately captivated with drawing, while others just wanted to sit and carve. A few Explorers gained insight into more advanced carving techniques, while others honed tracking instincts by inspecting and identifying plaster casts of coyote, bobcat, and deer. But ultimately most of the boys slowly gravitated towards free play with one another amongst the trees in a heated match of pinecone tag.

With a good chunk of our outing behind us, we wanted to get in some more games before it was time to go. As we transitioned to a new area to play we were joined by Emily Highleyman, the executive director of Wild Whatcom. Without skipping beat she was nearly as eager to play games as the boys. Many of the Explorers had games in mind that they were excited to play, but with only enough time for two or three games, it was clear some boys were going to have to realize their game wasn’t going to be played, at least for today. But coming to compromise and finding consensus is common place for a veteran group of Explorers like the Grey Fox Kits. In a matter of minutes the games to be played were decided, rule intricacies were hashed out, and we were transformed into rabbits and coyotes locked in a heated game of “Run Rabbit, RUN!” huffing and puffing from one rabbit hole to another hoping not to become coyote kibble.

Worn out from all the games our outing was nearing its end. We gathered in a circle where our outing had begun and reflected on what a fun outing we all had. Some boys were grateful for fun games, others were grateful for simple things like trees and sky. But overwhelmingly, Explorers were grateful for their thrilling encounter with a falling branch last fall. Though it was a trying experience, and rather scary for most, the boys all said they have learned a lot from the experience, become more aware and in tune with not only their environment but also themselves, and most importantly for any boy their age they now have a thrilling story to share with their friends. All in all we had a complete outing; free play, carving, natural history, games, group decision making, sharing jokes, getting lost in the moment, reflecting on the past, and growing for the future. Who could ask for anything more?

Make sure to check out all the photos from this outing in the Grey Fox Kits Photo Gallery!