Whatever the weather
You’ll need
- Scissors
- Glue sticks
- Access to the internet
- Dice (optional)
Before you begin
- Print off the board game, including the game pieces, weather cards, rules and dice template. The game works best if played in small groups, so you may need several copies of each.
- Cut out the weather cards, game pieces and dice template from the ‘Game pieces and board’ sheet.
- Assemble the die by folding in all the marked edges, applying glue to the tabs and folding the template into a cube shape with the tabs on the inside.
- Stack the weather cards face-down and place them on their square beside the game board.
- Place the game pieces on the ‘Take off’ position on the board.
Run the activity
- Everyone should split into teams or play individually if you’re in small groups. Each player/team should choose their game piece.
- Play should proceed with players/teams taking turns to roll and move their piece across the board.
- If a player/team lands on a space with a weather symbol, they should take the top card from the weather cards pile and follow the instructions given.
- The first player/team to reach the end of the board wins.
Reflection
The outcome of this game was based on the roll of the dice. Similarly, weather conditions are often random and can change very quickly. What challenges might this present for airports, airlines and their staff? Individuals like meteorologists (weather predictors), air traffic controllers and pilots all need to work together closely to keep things moving and keep people safe when the going gets tough.
If playing in a team, all you could do was celebrate when your team got to the end or shrug it off if you were the last team to the end of the board. As they say, you can’t win ‘em all. How we react to little victories and bumps in the road is very important though. Imagine one of the scenarios on the weather cards happens to you in real life. How could you react in a considerate way to others if there are delays with your flight or if you manage to arrive ahead of schedule?
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.
- Scissors
Supervise young people appropriately when they’re using scissors. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.
Make your own easier or more challenging game board using the one provided as a guide. It could feature more weather spaces for a longer game with more players/teams. In the same way, new weather cards could also be created, with new forfeits, challenges and even Air Activities quiz questions.
- Make sure your printed game board, die and cards are easy to read. You may need to print on a larger paper size. You can always have helpers lend a hand and young people pair up if anyone needs it.
- Foam or regular dice may be easier for some people to use than the paper one.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
Try out the Condensation station and It’s a breeze! activities to learn more about the weather and how it might affect being up in the air.
As part of the extended activity, young people have the opportunity to personalise this game, with facts and figures they’ve researched themselves, questions they want to know answers to and their very own board, dice and card designs.