Rainbow Roundabout

Children aged 5 - 7 years are beginning to make simple choices and decisions.  They also begin to discover that they don't always get their own way and have to learn to accept decisions of others.  A Rainbow Roundabout is a selection of activities with a common theme.  Rainbow Leaders help Rainbows understand brief details of the various activities to help them make decisions about which activities to include in the term ahead.  Rainbows are helped to think about how to include the ideas of all Rainbows and may vote, take turns or pull-out-of-a-hat to help fair decision-making.  Guiders ensure a balance of Look, Learn, Laugh and Love activities but the specific activities from the roundabout are chosen by the girls.  These activities are then incorporated in the term planning.  

The Rainbows also decide what colour Jigsaw badge they will all get at the end of the Roundabout.  Rainbow badges are for participation, not individual achievement, so all Rainbows are awarded a badge when the Unit has undertaken four activities from a roundabout.  It is not essential that each Rainbow takes part in every roundabout activity.  

At the end of a Roundabout the Rainbows record what they did on a poster - this can be done with words or pictures and helps become a useful aid to discussion when Rainbows are reflecting on their time in Rainbows during their Pot of Gold preparation.