Here's everything you need to know when hunting for vintage Girl Scouts apparel, cookie boxes, badges, gear, and more.
Keep all the parents and girl scouts in your troop up-to-date with this editable Girl Scouts newsletter Canva template! β WHAT'S INCLUDED? β You'll receive a link after purchase to a Canva template. The Canva template comes with four layout styles and is fully editable so you can easily personalize your newsletter for your own troop: change colors, fonts, text and more! Not familiar with Canva? No problem! Included with your purchase is an easy-to-follow Canva guide. β SIZE β Print on letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11) PLEASE NOTE: This item is a digital download. No physical items will be shipped. This printable, editable template allows you to print as many newsletters as you need for as long as you're a troop leader. This file is for personal use only. By downloading this file, you agree to the terms of the shop.
Girl Guide Blanket Exhibit - Smart Gallery, Social Museum and Art Gallery. Skipton
Looking for some inspiration for Girl Guide and Girl Scout SWAPS? Check out these 27+ easy and adorable SWAPS ideas and projects that kids can craft!
The Ambassador planning guide is an online resource to help Ambassador troops and Juliettes complete Journeys and badges. Refer to the Volunteer Toolkit for the most up to date materials.β¦Read On!Ambassador Planning Guide
Help yourself stay organized for every lesson!
Read GSACPC Volunteer Essentials 2018-19 by Girl ScoutsβArizona Cactus-Pine Council, Inc on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our...
For over a century, Girl Scouts have proudly worn distinctive uniforms that symbolize the high ideals for which Girl Scouting stands. Uniforms provide unity among Girl Scouts and a feelingβ¦Read On!Daisy Uniform Guide
This Girl Scout Bridging ceremony guide 2024 will help leaders plan this important scouting milestone.
Join us on our Junior journey as we explore the AMUSE Junior Journey for Girl Scouts. Our guide is packed full of tips and plans to complete this journey in a day or in multiple meetings for your girls.
A place for leaders to find ideas to use at your events and meetings. Ideas for Girl Scouts, or other organization inspiring girls to be leaders of tomorrow.
Updated August 2019 CONGRATULATIONS! You just signed up to become a Girl Scout Daisy leader! You are probably a bit nervous and wondering what to do next. You may even get the jitters before the first meeting and wonder why in the world you are doing this to yourself (you know why...it is for your daughter. That is how almost all leaders sign up). Where does a leader start to learn how to lead? What does she have to do in order to start having meetings? Every Council has their own website, and if you look at yours, you should find a new leader guide like the following that I found on other Council websites. The following are pretty much the same thing, just formatted a bit differently. Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Start Up Guide Girl Scouts of Connecticut Orientation Troop Start Up Guide Image from Ivorymix and used on Canva Other Resources for Girl Scout Daisy Leaders Of course, this blog is a terrific resource for leaders! It is based on my years of experience leading a troop (I am entering year 11 as I write this) and my three plus decades as a teacher. This blog post, The Most Asked Questions from New Leaders (Answers Provided), will be of some assistance. There is a list of resources at the end of the post to help you along further. My blog post on my other Girl Scout blog, Top 3 Tips for Maintaining Your Sanity as a Girl Scout Leader, offers suggestions for you to keep yourself happy while leading. Advice to Girl Scout Leaders Both Veteran and New is an article I wrote after leading my troop for six years and being totally burnt out. I stepped down as head leader and became the co-leader I always wanted (and needed) to have. Presently, I am not a leader in name, but I am the one who runs all the meetings for my troop since the head leader is too busy as she now owns her own business. With only three girls in my troop, it is not hard for me to run meetings and it is fun, not stressful. The other two moms are super supportive and help whenever it is needed. This is how scouting is meant to be. 5 Ways You Are Making Your Life as a Girl Scout Leader More Difficult Than it Needs to Be was written because of what I have read in the Girl Scout Facebook groups that I belong to. Leaders stress over the same things no matter where they live. I shared my thoughts on how to make leading less stressful. I also have a list of 14 Facebook Groups Girl Scout Leaders Should Join. I strongly suggest that you DO NOT join all 14! Start with the Girl Scout Daisy page and Girl Scout Gab. One is focused on where you are and one is great for general questions. Both have files that you can use for your troop. Do you have any other resources to share?
When the new scouting year begins, it is time for leaders to plan a Girl Scout Investiture and Rededication ceremony. This guide will help you with your planning.
A place for leaders to find ideas to use at your events and meetings. Ideas for Girl Scouts, or other organization inspiring girls to be leaders of tomorrow.
Join us on our Junior journey as we explore the AMUSE Junior Journey for Girl Scouts. Our guide is packed full of tips and plans to complete this journey in a day or in multiple meetings for your girls.
Are you the leader of a Cadette Girl Scout troop? Here are some resources for you to use as you guide your middle school girls through this level of scouting. Updated February 2022 *This post contains affiliate links. Cadette Leaders Need Practical Resources for Their Middle School Troop How many of you know a girl who was a Girl Scout past the fifth grade? If you are like most people, not many. When girls begin their adventures in Girl Scouting, they are as young as five years old and in kindergarten. Everything is exciting to them, and they are very happy with crafts, field trips and an occasional guest speaker. As the girls become Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts, it becomes more challenging keeping them engaged. They want more outdoor adventures like camping and fun overnights at museums and party places. As their leader, you do your best to comply with what they want while attempting to keep your own sanity. Photo from Pixabay By the time the girls finish the Junior level at the end of fifth grade, there is a dramatic drop in their ranks. As puberty hits full throttle and what other people think becomes more important, the coolness factor of scouting plummets and many girls no longer want to be associated with the movement. For my troop, this has not been our experience. I was the leader for six years, and this upcoming year I am stepping down from that role and moving to a co-leadership position. A friend of mine will be the leader, and ten of our eleven girls will become Cadette Girl Scouts. We are also very fortunate that the principal of our school is a former Girl Scout who earned her Gold Award years ago. She is a positive role model for our girls. The Challenges of Being a Cadette Leader Middle School Girls Are Not the Easiest to Be With! As a mother who has been through the middle school years once before, I can honestly say that I am not looking forward to replaying the drama of these early teen years. Relational aggression (female bullying), cliques, first heartbreaks, and monitoring social media use was challenging. Cadette leaders have to deal with all of this with girls who are not their daughters. Many times, a troop will inherit new girls at this stage because the girls' former troops have disbanded and are no longer viable. The girls wish to remain in scouting, but need someone to take them in. Leaders must be very aware of integrating new girls into their established troop and making sure that they are welcomed and accepted by the others. We are all sisters in scouting, and this is a great opportunity for new friends to be made. Cliques and leaving other girls out is not an acceptable behavior and needs to be thwarted. A Smart Girl's Guide: Middle School (Revised): Everything You Need to Know About Juggling More Homework, More Teachers, and More Friends! (Smart Girl's Guides) from Amazon This book, as well as the original version, has been a source of comfort and an invaluable resource for both of my daughters. The Biggest Challenge Facing Cadette Leaders There is competition for your time! Photo from Pixabay As girls get older, their lives get busier. Once upon a time,dance and athletics were a fun activity. Many girls, including those in my troop, participate on travel teams for sports or competition teams for dance. This means hours of travel and practice that will interfere with Girl Scout activities. In middle school, girls are introduced to after school clubs. These may bring new friends and new interests that will also occupy their time and lessen their involvement with Girl Scouting. Photo from Stoonn via freedigitalphotos.net Then there is homework. Modern society dictates that more homework is good, so teachers pile it on. For high achieving students, this extra workload can be a challenge, but for those who struggle in school, this creates more problems. Homework has to come first, even at the expense of a Girl Scout activity or meeting. Peer pressure is also a challenge. No matter how you slice it, Girl Scouts is not considered a cool activity. Adult leaders need to combat that with activities that the girls vote on and plan. When other middle schoolers find out that the scouts in their grade slept over in a museum, went on a long weekend to a water park resort or saved all their cookie money for a trip to Disney, then the cool factor is upped significantly. A Smart Girl's Guide: Friendship Troubles (Revised): Dealing with fights, being left out & the whole popularity thing (Smart Girl's Guides) from Amazon Online Resources for Cadette Leaders Starting at a new level is always a challenge. As the girls get older, meetings are supposed to be more "girl led", but with cliques, absences and forgetfulness, things might not get accomplished as they would with a responsible adult in charge. Of course, this is a life lesson that needs to be learned. As the leader, you are transferring the role of leadership to the girls. Here are some great resources on how to do that, as well as how to run your meetings, select badges and community service projects, plus how to do a Journey. Girl Scout Leader Blog All the posts from my main blog relating to Cadette Scouts Old Cadette/Senior Ambassador IP's and Badge Thanks to the Wayback Machine, you can get all the requirements for the old program at this link. Cadette Uniform This shows where badges, patches and pins go on a Cadette vest or sash. 6th Grade Cadettes Moving up from Juniors is a big deal. Here is some wonderful and relevant advice from leaders who have already made the transition. Camping With Cadette Girl Scouts One leader shares her camping trip with readers. Cadette First Aid Badge Learn how your troop can fulfill the requirements for this badge. Silver Award These are the directions on how to earn the Silver Award.
Making a Sit-Upon is a Girl Scout tradition! A sit-upon is a homemade padded seat cushion usually used for camping to give you a dry place to sit around a
Recently I started teaching the girls how to sew. First up? Making Sit-Upons! My girls are second-year Brownies, and were able to do this project in one troop meeting, though we did run over about 15 minutes. Count on it taking roughly an hour from start to finish, not including any coloring/decorating. This can be done at any level, but the younger the girls, the more adult assistance required. It was a perfect craft for my third graders. If you have a smaller troop, and are able to find some of these retired Try-Its on eBay, you can work on the "Stitch It Together" badge! (Remember, they need to complete four steps to earn this badge.) Our troop is fairly large though, and it's tough to find affordable Try-Its in bulk, so I've opted for a cheaper generic fun patch instead. More to come on that! What Are Sit-Upons, and How Can They Be Used to Learn to Sew? Sit-Upons are a proper Girl Scout tradition. They're inexpensive, fairly easy to make, and a great way to introduce the concept of sewing (without a machine). There are lots of different approaches, and not a lot of wrong ways to go about making a Sit-Upon, but the basic gist is: - Waterproof material exterior - Padded interior - Some form of water/weatherproofing for exposed seams/edges . . . and that's pretty much it! Anything else is just gettin' fancy. ;) Some leaders prefer to make these out of bucket lids, so the girls don't have to sit on the ground (plus, they can carry things in their buckets!). But keep in mind it can be tiring for little ones to carry big 5-gallon buckets everywhere when at camp. The smaller square versions can also be used at camp, sporting events, wherever, and are more easily portable than the bucket versions. But they can't be used to carry other items in them, like you can with a bucket. Because I wanted this to be the introduction to sewing for my Brownies, we went with the square versions instead of buckets. As with all my posts, go with whatever works best for your girls. :) To make a traditional Sit-Upon, you will need: 1. Waterproof Reusable Shopping Bags (it's okay if the handles and sides are a mesh material (this material is called "non-woven" even though it looks woven. The key is the front and back of the bag need to be laminated. You can use vinyl-type tablecloths cut into squares instead, if you prefer. Some people use the "non-woven" bags and cover completely in duct tape for weatherproofing. But it can get expensive). One for each girl, plus one for you (not a bad idea to get a spare to experiment with, if you're new to sewing) 2. Hole Puncher (regular size -- don't get the 1/8" confetti size. Those holes aren't big enough) 3. Yarn (pre-cut strands, prepped with masking tape on both ends; bring your skein to the meeting, along with the roll of tape, as well; see below for details) 4. Masking Tape 5. Adult-Sized Scissors (don't use your expensive sewing scissors. The ones you use will end up with lots of duct tape residue on them) 6. Duct Tape (bring more rolls than you think you'll need) 7. Padding (I used an old, old mattress pad, cut into 10" squares. These are some super comfy Sit-Upons! You can use newspapers, but keep in mind you'll need to ensure ALL the edges/seams are sealed well, because wet newspaper gets kind of gross. Packing foam works well too. Bubblewrap? Not so much, unless you have Girl Scouts who never bounce. Because otherwise bubblewrap will pop and flatten pretty quickly. Magazines can work, but may not be big enough. Be sure to remove staples if you use magazines). As with everything else, get creative, and use your resources wisely! 8. Sharpies (optional) 9. Adult Volunteers, especially if you have a large troop Dollar Store Score! These polypropylene bags cost $1 each, and are laminated on front and back, to make them durable and waterproof. The sides are non-laminated polypro and not waterproof, but we're going to cover that bit up, so that's okay. How to Make a Sit-Upon: Step One: Flatten your bags and measure the padding to go inside. Be sure to leave room for the edges to be sewn together easily. My padding was ~2" smaller than my bags, so roughly 10" square. Keep your bags flat throughout this process. Once you open them up, it's a lot harder to keep the padding in place, and to stitch/seal. Step Two: With the padding tucked securely inside the bag and centered, flatten the edges of the bag with one hand, and use the hole puncher to go through ALL edges in one punch, all the way around the bag. Do not punch through the padding. I punched my holes about 1-1/2" apart, roughly. Don't punch too close to the edge, as it won't be as reinforced when stitching and will tear easier. You'll be punching through many layers at once, in some parts of the bag. You can sharpen a dull hole puncher by snipping through layers of sandpaper, if need be. If you have a ton of bags to do, wear a glove to protect your hand from the pressure of repetitive hole-punching. Step Three (for You): Measure and prep the yarn. When you're making your sample one, don't tie off the yarn when you begin. Run it through with masking tape on one tip only, leaving the yarn connected to your skein at the end. Once you've stitched all the edges, and have enough left to tie off (~4-5" inches on each end), then snip the end connected to the skein. Carefully pull the yarn out of your Sit-Upon, and measure the length of your yarn. Cut strands that length, one for each girl (I actually made them a couple inches longer than mine, just to be safe). Then immediately apply the masking tape to both ends of the strands (otherwise it will fray and you'll have to trim the yarn before taping the ends). Your masking tape tip should be at least 1-1/2" long. Easy-peasy! Step Three (for the Girls): Hand-stitch ("sew") using classic overcast stitch (continuous loops around the edge). Start up at one corner near the top, so when you're finished, you can tuck the ends of the yarn down into the bag easily. Don't aim for perfection. This is all about function, not form. Reassure your girls that it's okay if they make a mistake. It'll be covered with duct tape anyway. Leave 5" or so as a tail for your yarn (you shouldn't need to anchor your yarn or knot it. It should stay put as is, but you can do a small overhand knot if you like, at the beginning) so you have something to tie it to once you're done. Pull it taut (carefully) all the way around, so the edges are snugly together as you go. If you pull too tightly though, it may rip the fabric slightly. Which is no big deal, because you're covering it up with duct tape! Don't be intimidated by the handles. You can stitch in between if necessary. The point is to try to keep the edges as flat as possible, and the holes lined up fairly well. But don't fret if it gets a little off-kilter; you're going to cover it all up. Be sure to have adult volunteers on hand for this project, as the girls are not only learning how to hand stitch, but also how to do it effectively. And the bags can be unwieldy when you begin. Your adults don't need to know how to sew in order to help. They just need to be on hand to assist the girls as needed, especially when it comes to cutting the duct tape! Bring extra yarn and the roll of masking tape, and plenty of scissors (child-sized ones are too small to cut duct tape effectively, so I asked my adult helpers to bring along a pair of regular scissors with them). It is possible the yarn might break, especially for very enthusiastic seamstresses! :) If that happens, tie off the broken part, then prep a new strand on the spot with masking tape, tie it through a hole onto the broken part, trim the broken part, or tuck it inside the bag, and continue. When finished, tie the yarn ends together (remove any slack in your stitches), and tuck the ends down into the bag. Step Four: Once the edges are nice and snug (so you've hidden ALL of the "non-woven"/non-weatherproof bits, except for the handles and trim), cut a piece of duct tape that is slightly longer than the length of the bag, and place along one side, covering the holes and stitched. Fold the tape over carefully, so that both sides of the bag have all holes covered, for weatherproofing. Don't worry if there's some hanging at the ends. You can fold it over and cover with duct tape when doing the top/bottom edges. Cover up everything you just did. The duct tape will be folded over to cover both sides of holes/stitching, and will effectively prevent moisture from seeping in through the holes. Do the same on the other side, and then along the bottom of the bag. Taping the top can be tricky, because you want to seal the holes, but still leave the handles accessible. First, cut two small lengths of duct tape to go on the outside of the handles. Apply as you've done with the side edges. Then take a third strip of duct tape and place in between the handles. Adhere to one side, then fold over, between the handles, to cover those holes. Top edge, with three separate pieces of duct tape. Once you've done all this, and all holes/seams are taped, you are going to use four additional strips of duct tape, cut slightly shorter than the length of each side (cut as you go, otherwise the duct tape will stick to itself and become a wadded up mess). Use two per side, at the top and bottom. One goes on the front/top, covering the exposed edges of your three pieces, but is not folded over the edge. The other goes over the bottom folded tape, but flat on the front side only. Using additional strips of duct tape reinforces the folded/seam tape, and helps keep it in place. You may need to do the same to the sides as well, or just certain areas (corners, etc.) and that's okay. It's better to have a little too much tape than not enough. And some of the girls may need extra tape -- let them do as much of this as possible. Now, flip the bag over and do the same on the back side. Reinforce corners as needed. Fold any overlapping bits and tape over them. Anything left hanging will eventually start to come unstuck, so tape it well. You do not need to duct tape the whole bag, unless you're using the "non-woven" bags, which are too breathable to be waterproof, and are also pretty hard to clean. Non-woven bags are made of polypropylene, and are very lightweight, but not terribly durable, or weatherproof. It can be costly to completely cover a bag in duct tape -- more so than buying the laminated bag, or using laminated tablecloths, etc. Step Five (Optional): Use Sharpie to write names on the bags, and/or color the bags, if desired. Please note, regardless of the material used, if the surface is laminated/waterproof, Sharpie will rub off onto skin, especially if you've applied lotion or bug spray, etc. To prevent this, apply a sealant over the Sharpie. Test your sealant first, as it may cause the Sharpie to run or fade. Generic permanent markers seemed to fade more than Sharpie brand, but your mileage may vary. My Sit-Upon! I love it. :) I decorated one side only, with a mix of Sharpie and generic, let it dry completely, then coated with waterproofing Mod Podge. It took several days for the surface to dry completely, and the generic markers did fade slightly, but it turned out great! Next up? A Fun and Easy Way to Learn Basic Sewing Stitches!
Download or Print this free guide on how to flawlessly run a Bronze Award Ceremony. This guide is perfect for scout leaders and can be used as a guide for running the perfect ceremony!
Are you a Girl Scout? Find out how to earn your robotics badges in this article.
Facebook Pinterest Twitter Email Today Iβm sharing a few ways to bring your girls together with some bonding activities and icebreakers that are great for any meeting or to celebrate Friendship Day on August 5th. Such an important part of being a girl organization is the friendships made during our time in scouting. A troop of devoted friends that support one another will leave a lasting impression on your girls of what friendship means for the rest of their lives. Sometimes though, youngins need that extra push to put themselves out there, or could use an activity to help them branch out. Did you know? Friendship Day is August 5th, and a great way to celebrate is to play friendship building games together. These games are a blast, and are sure to warm everyone up to one another. Afterwards, have your girls pick their favorite quotes about friendship and talk about what qualities they look for in a good friend. This will not only encourage one another to be more kind, but also value the friendships they have made along the way. Friendship Games and Activities Friendship Swap and Necklace You can make friendship necklaces or SWAPS. Silkies (necklaces) you can get from Michaelβs Craft store. Unicorn charms and rings from Amazon. 12 pony beads, 1 for each line in the GS law or just make a rainbow. Here are some different friendship games below and donβt forget to have fun! Minefield Set up an obstacle course at your next troop meeting. Pair up the girls, perhaps with a new friend, and let one verbally guide the blindfolded partner through the obstacle course. Switch up the course before switching blindfolded partners! Players have to effectively communicate and trust one another to finish first. Categories This game is a great way to help girls realize what commonalities they may have with each other. Call out different categories and ask the girls to arrange themselves based on how they fit into that category. Start out with basic things like eye color or favorite food, then move onto questions about pets, favorite school subjects, or who has moved before. Girls may realize something they didnβt know they have in common with each other. Give them some time later on to connect over these new discoveries. Speed up the game to make things fun, or slow it down if the girls are enjoying getting to know each other more. Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors This tournament-style rock, paper, scissors is best with larger groups. Pair girls off and have them play best 2 out of 3 rock, paper, scissors. Ask the losers of the match to follow the winner to their next match, cheering them on. This keeps going until the last two winners face off, each with half their troop cheering them on! This is a great way to energize the group and foster some friendly competition. 2 Truths and A Lie This game is a classic for good reason. It makes players work together to figure out how they are being deceived, and gives the chance to learn about each other quickly. Have girls introduce themselves with 3 facts about them, but one is not true. The weirder the facts, the better! Sit in a circle so everyone feels more inclined to chime in. There's nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate. Unknown Here is a place to pick from 55 Other Friendship quotes to use with your troop. Dots When entering the meeting, place a colored dot on each girlsβ forehead out of their sight. Without speaking, everyone must group up with those who have their same color dot. The troop has to work together in a unique way to ensure everyone gets into their right group. Your girls are bound to get to know each other a better with these bonding games. Enjoy! Friendship Bracelets Along with fun Friendship games have your girls make friendship bracelets to give to each other. A friendship bracelet is a decorative bracelet given by one person to another as a symbol of friendship. Friendship bracelets are often handmade, usually of embroidery floss or thread and are a type of macrame. There are various styles and patterns, but most are based on the same simple half-hitch knot. Get Bracelets Singing Make New Friends With Troop If you have never sung song before here is a quick video with lyrics and someone singing it for the tune. 12+ amazing resources to help you plan and organize your troop + FREE Kaper Chart Download One thing we all know as leaders we need all the help we can get to make the program fun, educational, and to help build the girl leaders of tomorrow. This post is packed full with ideas for: Kaper Chart ideas plus a free download How to organize your troop Collaboration Ideas Badge Planning Resources World Thinking Day Cookie Season Support Extra Fun For Meetings How to make your troop unique Ceremony Ideas Check it out now Enjoy every minute being a leader and continue to inspire your girls!
Download or Print this free guide on how to flawlessly run a Silver Key Ceremony. This guide is perfect for scout leaders and can be used as a guide for running the perfect ceremony!
Join us on our Junior journey as we explore the AMUSE Junior Journey for Girl Scouts. Our guide is packed full of tips and plans to complete this journey in a day or in multiple meetings for your girls.
When the new scouting year begins, it is time for leaders to plan a Girl Scout Investiture and Rededication ceremony. This guide will help you with your planning.
Last week I recreated this Cloud identification tool that I saw on Pinterest and my son has loved it! Almost every day he has been outsid...
Looking for a fun camp craft for kids? Learn how to make a sit upon with duct tape! This colorful duct tape sit upon is perfect for sitting on around the fire.
Download or Print this free guide on how to flawlessly run a Juliette Low Eternal Flame Ceremony. This guide is perfect for scout leaders and can be used as a guide for running the perfect ceremony!
You don't need to be a seasoned camper to take your brownie girl scout camping. From choosing a campsite to preparing your parents, we've got you covered.
Whether you are a seasoned leader or starting your very own troop, here is a ready made plan for your first Girl Scout Brownie meeting of the year.
Download or Print the complete guide on everything there is to know about the girl scout bronze award. This guide includes requirements, ideas, projects, ceremony information and more!
That time of the year is upon us. You know β¦ 50 Ideas to Help Your Girl Scout Sell Cookies Read More Β»
This clever printable activity shows each child how she fits into her unit, division, (district), county, region, country... and ultimately the world of guiding. It can help them grasp how one individual, and many individuals working together, can make a difference.
Growing up as a Girlscout never truly goes away as you get older. In reality, being a Girlscout actually helps you to do a lot more in life than you did.
Help your girls in the 2nd & 3rd grade learn about the world and earn badges doing it. Plan your troop meetings with ease with these ideas.
These great ideas for scout crafts for your troop are all quick and easy. They are great for scouts or any group of kids that need craft ideas!
We tried out these super cool little coding robots at a Girl Scout event this weekend! We had so much fun! This is the Ozobot in the video: https://amzn.to/2I45BzH (Amazon affiliate link) If you are reading from a blog reader or email, you may need to click on over to the YouTube video link to watch it.
