Fantastic Haggi and where to find them
You’ll need
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Old socks or stockings
- Sand, flour or rice
- Pipe cleaners
- Soft toys (if not making haggis)
- Rocks and sticks
- Tracking symbols sheet
- Googly eyes
Chat about haggis
- The person leading the game should explain that haggis is a tasty Scottish food with a mixture of minced meat, oatmeal, fat, and spices in an edible bag. The bag is traditionally made from an animal’s stomach, but now some people use synthetic (man made) ones instead.
- The person leading the game should explain that while the meat is usually beef or lamb, haggis is so important in Scottish legend that lots of people pretend that it’s its own animal (called ‘wild haggis’) as a joke.
- The person leading the game should explain that as part of this joke, some people pretend that you can catch haggis in the wild.
- Everyone should split into teams of about five people.
Prepare a haggis
It’s up to you what you use to represent the haggis. If you don’t want to make your own you could still hide the haggis and find the haggis using small toys or cut or pictures.
- Each team should fill a small back or old sock with a grainy filling such as sand, rice, or flour (or even a mixture of the three). They should try to make the filled haggis about six centimetres long.
- Each team should pat down the contents so it’s compact then tie the end and cub off any excess fabric. It’s OK if they need a grown up to help with this stage.
- Each team should add some details, for example, googly eyes and pipe cleaner legs.
- Each team should try to add something to distinguish their haggis from the others. How about some colourful fur, a scarf, or a hat?
Hide the haggis
- The person leading the activity should choose a start point for everyone to come back to.
- Each team should take their haggis and hide it somewhere nice and safe.
- Each team should use the sticks and rocks to make a series of tracking symbols that lead from the start point to their haggis. They can use the ‘Tracking symbols’ sheet to help them remember the symbols.
Find the haggis
- Everyone should gather at the start point and wait in their teams.
- The person leading the game should give each team a trail to follow – no one should follow the trail they made.
- Each team should follow the trail to find another team’s haggis.
- If people want to, and are careful not to disturb any of the tracking symbols, you could swap trails again so each team can catch another haggis.
Reflection
This activity needed each team to use their problem-solving skills to follow the symbols and catch the haggis. What natural materials did people use to make the tracking symbols? Did people prefer laying the symbols or following them? Was it easy to understand the symbols, or did people sometimes misunderstand what they meant?
This activity was all about communication. Teams didn’t talk to each other or write down any words – they communicated through the tracking symbols. Why might people choose to use tracking symbols in the wild? They don’t need people to speak the same language, they’re quick, and they don’t need fancy equipment or even a map. They also don’t need people to be together, for example, to hand over directions.
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Food
Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
- Glue and solvents
Always supervise young people appropriately when they’re using glue and solvent products. Make sure there’s plenty of ventilation. Be aware of any medical conditions that could be affected by glue or solvent use and make adjustments as needed.
Step up the challenge by timing teams as they follow the trails.
Make it accessible
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Why not play this game as an introduction to Scottish foods? You could have a tasting session with real haggis, neeps, and tatties. Remember to cater for everyone’s dietary requirements. This could even count towards the Cub Chef Activity Badge.