HJournal wishes Girl Scouts a HAPPY 100th ANNIVERSARY ;-) (3/12) These illustrations are from the Girl Scout Handbook, circa 1949 and Cadette Girl Scout Handbook, circa 1963. I was hoping this post might be of interest to fellow Girl Scouts enthusiasts. It's kind of a collection of my favorite Girl Scout Memoirs. I also like to collect old Girl Scout and Boy Scout books and memorabilia. Parades I was in charge of the t-shirts for our local Girl Scouts. They might be plain, but they hadn't made t-shirts in a few years and I really didn't have anything to go by. We had them in time for the Peanut Festival Parade, Dothan, Alabama (fall 2000). Our first parade was the Peanut Festival Parade in the fall of 1998. Shown with Mrs. Alabama and in the second photo--our troop leaders: me and Mrs. Lolley. Then we moved north to Ozark and my troop and a sister troop sponge painted sweatshirts (a badge requirement of course!) for the Christmas Parade '01. Thinking Day My husband helped us by cutting the Eiffel Tower out of cardboard. Then he lit it up with Christmas tree lights. It was a sight to behold in the dark. I had my girls make the display for a homeschool project. I found striped fabric with France's flag colors. I helped with one Thinking Day '01 and made these "passports" for the girls to get stamped at each troop's booth. Every troop had a different country. I remember we did Ireland and France. We actually had a girl from Ireland in our troop. She was my daughter's best friend. We gave a Bon Bon candy to each "visitor" to our France booth (Feb. 2002). Patches and Badges My co-leader, J. Lolley, came up with this cute idea for our Daisies' and Brownies for a simple uniform. We decided not to use the Daisy smocks. That's why I put all of Elise's patches on a banner (shown above). One of the girls from our troop, actually won the G.S. card design contest for our district. Woo Hoo :0) Uniforms I worked real hard with the parents to make sure the Try-its and official insignia were properly placed. With kids, it's real important to receive badges as soon as possible. It's not practical to have a full-blown ceremony every single meeting so we would announce at least two ceremonies a year and lock in the date. Badges earned in between those dates would be recognized as part of a regular meeting and the girls could go ahead and get them on their sashes. I really wanted the girls to learn to sew on their own badges once they became Juniors. Occasionally we would use meetings to go over this. The girls were given needles and corresponding thread and we would sit in a circle on the floor while I went around to show each girl how to sew them on and give them help if needed. If there were a lot of badges to put on, I would sew them on myself rather than let them get lost. I rarely had to reorder badges because of this. Activities Every year we asked the girls what they wanted to use their cookie money for and the number one answer was, "Go to the Beach!!!" We never did do that, (except when we lived in Port St. Lucie-2000!) but we did use the money for practical things like going to Girl Scout Camps as a troop to earn badges. And of course we had parties. We went on a trip to Florida Caverns State Park, Mariana, FL which is close to Dothan. Our troop did a lot of activities at Landmark Park in Dothan, Alabama. My Daisies and I were actually asked to be in a Girl Scout commercial for Alabama and it was filmed at Landmark Park! This was taken at Girl Scout Day at Landmark. Little Brother was a tagalong to many Girl Scout functions. We also gave service to Landmark Park '02 when we showed guests how to make Cornhusk Dolls. In 1998, the Dothan troop planted daylillies at the elementary school's garden (shown on bridge). Making Corn Husk Dolls Meetings Meetings were usually held at a church or a leader's home. Most of the ones in Ozark were held at my home 2001-2002, but when we needed more room to make quilts for the children's hospital we held meetings at the local library's meeting room. Swaps Collection Swaps are small crafts that G.S. give as gifts or trade with other scouts. They are sometimes referred to as potlatch. Their origin is Native American. POTLATCH is the ceremonial exchange of gifts practiced by Native Americans of Northwest Coast tribes. The custom stems from the legend explaining why birds have colored feathers. As the story goes, two Indian girls plucked feathers of a magic bird and distributed the multicolored plumage to the colorless birds living in the forest. From that time on, birds have had brightly colored feathers, and those gifts were remembered at potlatch ceremonies. Swaps can be simple or complex, cheap or expensive, whatever the maker desires. Each girl needs to decide how many swaps she wants to make. This is the same number she will receive. Larger troops may want to make several kinds of swaps so that the girls will have more opportunities to trade. Probably 10-15 per girl is a good number to aim for. Swaps can be made during a troop meeting, during a special meeting called for the express purpose of making swaps, or examples shown at the meeting, with the swaps to be made at home. One suggestion,which might be helpful for younger gilrs, is to have a mother/daughter evening to mass produce the swaps in one night. You can demonstrate some of the ideas listed below, or just provide an assortment of beads, ribbons, felt, pipe cleaners, etc. and let their imaginations run wild. Or you may want to have your group plan a swap and then consider the cost, materials needed, how long it will take, etc. Swaps are usually only an inch or two in size and attach with a safety pin. Traditionally they are pinned on a swap hat. This hat could be part of your troop identificationNall a certain color, with troop number decorated on with fabric paints. On the day of the swap, each girl will come with a shoebox (or something) with her swaps in it, and will mingle with other girls, trading her swaps for others that interest her. Hopefully, the swaps will have small safety pins attached and can be pinned to a swap hat or jacket. Leaders may want to come prepared with a few extra swaps for girls who were absent when they were made. Why swap? To promote friendship. To learn to talk to other people. To have mementos of a good time. To share our handiwork with other scouts. Girls on wider opportunities and adults at national meetings swap patches and handmade items. These often reflect the area the scout lives in. Camp swapping is a great background for this. (This was found on the internet many moons ago!) I have a few more Swaps shown at my post: Some Favorite Campy Things. First Aid Kit Autograph Book Bed Roll Buddy Burner Caterpillar Clover American Flag Friendship Knot Mess Kit Peppermint Peanut Baby Pretzel Scottish Bonnet Warm Fuzzy S'more

Below is a collection of World Thinking Day pictures and ideas from troop submissions on our Facebook Page to use for inspiration for your next International event. HAITI First year Cadette troop 30770 made these dresses and head wraps for their international food festival also known as tasting tea. They represented Haiti. They are a 1st year Cadette troop. Troop 30770 …

If your troop has decided to study a country, this free World Thinking Day Passport is something you can print for your troop's travels. This Girl Scout holiday occurs on February 22nd of each year, although you can have your celebration at any time. Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from over 150 countries around the world celebrate World Thinking Day, This resource pairs nicely with my free Girl Scout World Thinking Day Planner and my Girl Scout World Thinking Day Certificates for All Levels Two Sizes. This resource has three pages to print and put together. Instructions on how to put it together are included. Inside the passport the girls will: Write fun facts about the country Write what continent the country is located. Color in the flag of that country A blank page for you to use as you wish or you can leave it blank Other fun resources for leaders: Girl Scout Valentine's Day Conversation Hearts Meeting Daisies to Cadettes Girl Scout Winter Theme Backup Meeting Plan for Daisies Through Cadettes Girl Scout Brownie Snacks Badge Meeting Snowman Theme for Winter Girl Scout Daisy Snow or Climbing Adventure Badge Full Meeting Plan Please be sure to leave feedback so you can earn TpT credits on future purchases. Terms of Use Short Version-These for your troop use only and not to be shared with another leader, Service Unit, Council, website, blog, training, friends, or family. Failure to comply is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA). Leadership Made Simple is not affiliated with Girl Scouts of the USA. This product is not connected in any way, nor is it sponsored, endorsed, or approved by Girl Scouts of the USA.

Who’s ready for an adventure?! Girl Scouts are! Travel is a common troop experience in Girl Scouts. Girls often plan field trips, overnights, weekend-long trips, and even more. Sometimes these trip…

As the birthplace of Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low, Savannah's an ideal trip spot for troops—especially since dozens of historical sites around town have created tours for Scouts that culminate with receiving a badge. For the ultimate getaway—and the right blend of education, fun, and togetherness—combine the options below for your troop.

Girl Scout International Day event Passport. This can be used for all the girls that attend the event to learn more about the countries that have Girl Scouts.

able Thinking Day fact card for our passports. Perfect if you chose France for your Girl Scout Thinking Day or International Night celebration.…

World Thinking Day is February 22nd, so round up your favorite Girl Scouts and help them reflect on the global sisterhood of Girl Scouting with this fun World Thinking Day badge!

Here are the Top 5—check them out and see if your favorite is among them: girl scout songs, camp songs, camping, and best camp songs.

Traveling with your Girl Scouts is one the best ways to share the world with our girls, giving them an opportunity to explore new places and broaden their perspective. Sandy shares a few tips to he…

Whether it is spring or fall, camping is a Girl Scout rite of passage. Your troop will love to have this First Girl Scout Camping Trip Certificate for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes and higher. It is a memorable occasion to celebrate! This certificate can filled out with metallic markers or Sharpies, and you can even decorate it with some colorful stickers if you desire. Be sure to take a picture of your scout holding the certificate for her Girl Scout scrapbook. For sturdiness, you will want to print it on cardstock. Here's aCamping Kaper Chart that you can use for all levels. Earn these badges while camping with your troop: Girl Scout Daisy Outdoor Art Maker Badge Plan for Meetings or Camping Girl Scout Brownie Outdoor Art Creator Badge Plan for Meetings or Camping Girl Scout Junior Outdoor Art Explorer Plan for Meetings and Camping Trips Please be sure to leave feedback so you can earn TpT credits on future purchases. Terms of Use Short Version-These for your troop use only and not to be shared with another leader, Service Unit, Council, website, blog, training, friends, or family. Failure to comply is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA). Leadership Made Simple is not affiliated with Girl Scouts of the USA. This product is not connected in any way, nor is it sponsored, endorsed, or approved by Girl Scouts of the USA.

How much fun can you have in a weekend while camping with your scouts? GSSEM Troop 41135 put that to the test. They spent a June weekend at GSHOM Camp MerrieWoode in the Little House unit. They stayed in Little House A and had access to Harriet Hall as their dining hall. It is also the …

A Girl Scout field trip or outing does not have to be tied to badge work. It can be just for fun.

We all know that girls go the distance when selling cookies. They put their leadership and financial literacy skills to practice when they set goals, practice their elevator pitches, and…Read On!Girl Scout Travel: Powered by Cookies

If you need help planning, here are free Girl Scout World Thinking Day 2024 resources for leaders to use.

You don’t have to be an expert camper or a pro backpacker to take your girls on a troop camping trip. From picking a campsite to preparing parents, here are 6 steps to help you and your girls…

World Thinking Day 2023 is Tuesday, February 22nd and is the first Girl Scout holiday of the calendar year. Here are free resources for leaders to use with their troop

15 activities to challenge your troop to complete for Leap Year. …

Camping with your Girl Scout troop is a time honored tradition. Here are resources for leaders to use so they can be ready to take their girls on an outdoor adventure.

Jennie Pilkey is a co-leader for a first year Daisy troop. She shared how their troop planned a GS Indoor Camping Sleepover. This is our first year as a troop, and the first year for all but 3 of our girls as scouts. Our girls decided they would like to try camping this spring, so we wanted …

There’s no doubt about it—troop camp is an amazing experience. Whether you’re a first-timer or a returning troop, there’s something valuable that every girl and adult can take away from…Read On!Troop Camp 101

This post is part of the “Ask a Leader Advice” series. I get many leaders writing me asking me questions and help every month. This post will answer your question with tips and suggestions from my perspective and often the perspective of other leaders who have shared with me how they have done things with their troop. I also encourage you to add your advice in the comments below if you have experience with the question. LEADER’S QUESTION: “How to Raise Money To Travel With Your Troop?” Advice from one leader to another…. This is one question I get asked often is “How to raise money to travel with my Girl Scout troop?” If you know my back story you know I was a leader for 14 years and a Girl Scout myself for 12 and for all those years I was involved with a multi-level troop. So I have had the opportunity to try many different fundraising ideas not only for travel but to earn money to use for the big awards or to donate things for service projects. Before I jump in, I will start by saying fundraisers are a touchy subject with Girl Scouts, and as we all know each council handles them differently. So before pursuing any of the following ideas please check with your council. I am basing my ideas on what I know my council allowed. Yard Sale – Depending on your Girls ages a Yard sale is a lot of work but can bring in a lot of profit, and when your girls are done donate whats left to another organization who wants to have a yard sale. Car wash – If you choose the right location you can bring in a good profit from this type of fundraiser. If you wanted to add a bake sale and sell water at the car wash as well people can snack while they wait for their cars. Cookies in a jar during the holiday season – These were a big seller – the girls sold them up front before making them and then got together and purchased the material and put together the orders. Collecting Cans, Old Ink, or Cell phones – Believe it or not after 3 months of collecting, putting signs up in local businesses to get old ink and cell phones, and asking all the troops in service unit to collect cans my girls earned over $200 dollars toward their bronze award. After collecting all the cans we took the girls to a recycling facility they got to take a tour and drop off their cans for recycling. For the ink we used a company called empty4cash – click here to learn more Host a Dog Wash – This is a unique fun way to earn some cash. You can bring dog treats to give pets after wash. Maybe also include special deals for families with more than one pet. Host a Community Meal – You can get every Girl Scout level involved in this and can even work toward their cooking badge while earning money. Ideas are to have a chili cook-offs, spaghetti supper or pancake breakfasts. You could also consider trying a unique meal if you have parents with cooking skills try a new cooking adventure such as Chinese or traditional Bolivian cuisine. Few other helpful tips for fundraising that I have shared on the blog in past: A great fundraiser to do is a Hoagie Sale. Click here to read more about how to stay organized and earn money for the big trips you want to take with your girls Make more money with the annual Girl Scout Cookie sales by trying a different way to run cookie booths. Click here for ideas on how to run a cookie marathon booth. I personally do not have all the answers on how to earn enough money to go on bigger trips with your girls so I asked another leader, this is one response from a leader named Pamela Fleming who has a troop of girls who have been together since kindergarten she shared with me her story of how her girls who are now in 10th grade have went on a number of trips and plan to go on a even bigger one this summer. Pamela writes…. “My girls have been together since kindergarten. This year they are all in 10th grade. It is sometimes difficult to keep them interested in scouting. For my girls, I have found that travel is the best way to keep them engaged. Travelers visiting the United States must arrange for their visas to be processed in advance of their flights; get more information from iVisa to learn more about the necessary steps. In 2015, we visited Savannah for six days. This July, we are going to London and Paris and including a visit to Pax Lodge and Disneyland Paris. How are we paying for this travel? First, we participate in the Fall Product Sale and of course cookie sales. However, that is not enough. I do not want to burden the parents with a lot of bills for travel. Therefore, we hold Girl Scout Par-Teas. We do them in March and call it a Girl Scout Birthday Par-Tea and do another one in the fall and call it a Founders Day Par-Tea. We have food, crafts, and table games. We also offer portraits or a photo booth (done with my iPad and a photo strip printer). This last time, we had a professional face painter and the cost was $2 per face. The parents of the girls donate food and the funds come from ticket sales and the portraits/photo booth. They have been very successful and we vary the theme. Last time it was dress fancy. So that the person running the photo booth or portraits do not have to handle money, I have the girls and parents buy tickets from the cashier and use that to pay for what they are wanting to do. For the portraits, they are uploaded to Shutterfly and then the participants are given a private link to view the photos and they can purchase prints from Shutterfly or download them to their device. It keeps the costs down for us and makes it easy to deliver the pictures.” Need More Inspiration? For over 100 ideas that could get your creative juices flowing checkout this book from Richard Black called The Fundraiser Guru: 100 All New Fundraising Ideas while some ideas wont work for Girl Scout Troops there are lots of ideas to get your girls thinking about Fundraiser they can do as group. Enjoy every minute being a leader and continue to inspire your girls! Purchase this wonderful illustrated book from Amazon.

Camping with older girls is a whole new experience. They’re more independent, and capable of handling much of the trip planning and set up. But they also have different needs, interests, and goals …

Here are five of the top money-earning ideas that will help your scouting troop earn funds for events throughout the year.

In this exciting adventure, your troop will explore different countries and cultures while soaring through the skies. Buckle up, and let’s embark on a global journey!

Camp can change your life. Girl Scout staff member and former camper and counselor Gabi shares how her experience at Camp Bothin shaped who she is today.

Here is part two on how my troop did the Girl Scout Senior Girltopia Journey in a weekend.

Here's the very Best Old Paris Walking Tour. Learn about the fascinating history of Paris, find some hidden gems & see some more iconic locations.

Learning about nature, going camping, and exploring the great outdoors is all a part of the scouting experience. This Girl Scout Junior Outdoor Art Explorer Plan for Meetings and Camping Trips will make planning an outdoor experience easier for you. This badge can be earned over two meetings or while on a weekend camping excursion. With multiple options for each step, you can choose what works for your troop. All crafts are laid out in detail with product lists for you to make shopping and organizing easier. What's included: All five steps Two options for Step 1 Four options for Step 2 Three options for Step 3 Five options for Step 4 Two options for Step 5

By Cheryl Olive, Girl Scout Troop #7000 – International Travel Group I have the pleasure of being the organizational leader for Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines’ international travel group. In the s…

Since 1932, March 12 has been observed as the official Girl Scout Birthday with the Sunday through Saturday calendar week including it being referred to as Girl Scout Week. Whether you’re looking f…