Making Invitations for Girl Scouts

Girl Scout Engagement

Girl Scouts belong to troops and they engage themselves in various activities. These activities include community service programs, art and crafts, as well as adventurous activities such as rock climbing, hiking and camping. Although you probably associate the Girl Scout with their famous cookies, they are so much more than that.

Important Life Skills

The activities that the Girl Scouts participate in are so as to teach the girls important life skills.  However, if you want to plan Girl Scout events, creating invitations is a great way to let the guests know when and where the event will be. You can create your own invitations with little time and money input.

• Choose a shape that represents a recent or upcoming Girl Scout activity. That is if the event is camping, use a tent shape. If the event is to help a crisis shelter, use a shape that captures the essence of the activity.
• Then trace the shape of your choice onto pieces of heavy card stock. Cut out the shapes. If you are using smaller cutter shapes, do not cut them out but instead trim the edges with edging scissors.
• Use markers or stickers to decorate the cut stock.
• The party event information should go on the backside of the cutouts. Place them in an envelope and mail them (or hand them out). This method enhances creativity of the Girl Scouts in the process making responsible able and reliable girls.
•  Alternatively, you could take picture of the entire troop or individual pictures of the members of the troop. Then, you have them printed. Either at home on a photo paper or you can use a photo service like the one at your local drug store. Once you have the pictures printed you write the event’s details at the back of the picture them mail it as you would a postcard.

What invitations have your Girl Scouts created for events? Do you mind sharing some of your ideas with us? Please leave a comment! We would love to hear your ideas!

Girl Scout Recycling Craft Bonanza!

Tapping into Creativity

Girl Scouts love to create!  One fun way to tap into that creativity and work on problems solving skills at the same time is by doing a recycling craft bonanza.  It is so simple!

Variety of Items

Just provide the girl scouts with a variety of items that are headed for the trash along with scissors, tape, glue, and string.  Let them decide what they are going to make and how to do it.

Offering Suggestions

The adult role in this project is to help problem solve being very careful to let the girl scout be in charge of the creation.  When asked you will offer suggestions or show a process or technique so the girl scout can complete the creation as independently as possible.

Gathering Items for the Bonanza

Here are some things which might be provided for the Recycling Craft Bonanza:

From the house

• plastic lids all sizes, shapes, and colors
• old greeting cards
• card board rolls from toilet paper, paper towels, and aluminum foil
• old puzzle pieces
• parts from old games
• pieces of yarn or fibers
• old fabric
• small boxes
• empty salt and oatmeal containers
• empty small plastic containers like yogurt or single serving fruit containers
• packing materials like foam or cardboard
• drinking straws
• CD’s and DVD’s
• old magazines

From outside

• pinecones
• sticks
• feathers
• seed pods
• acorns, walnuts, and  buckeyes
• bird seed

Build Amazing Creations

Once they get the idea, girl scouts will build amazing creations with the discarded parts.  It is sometimes hard for girl scout adults not to take control of the process.  It is more helpful to everyone if the girl scout adult makes a creation alongside the girl scouts.

What do your girls create with recycled items? Please let us know by leaving a comment! We would love to hear from you!

Summer Activities Guide for Girl Scouts

There’s Nothing To Do!

Ah, the dog days of summer. Along with the heat comes that dreaded phrase “There’s nothing to do!”  Keep your Girl Scouts out of the summer doldrums this year by developing a Summer Activities guide that can keep them busy and active all summer long.  The best part is that the girls themselves get to create the guide, so it will be filled with things that they absolutely love to do!

End of Girl Scout Year Events

On one of your last meetings before the summer, host a sleepover, barbecue, or day at the park or pool to gather the girls together in an informal, fun atmosphere.  Break down your group in to teams of two or three girls and assign them each two to three summer activities to add to the list.

Make a List of the Girl’s Ideas

Whenever a team comes up with an activity, they can write it on a piece of paper or a dry erase board so that it is “taken”.  At the end of the party, copy down all of the ideas and make sure each girl gets a copy to take home with her over the summer.

The Conquer Challenge

Make sure that each girl has a list of everyone’s addresses and phone numbers and challenge the girls to “conquer” at least two activities on the list with at least one other girl in the troop.  That way, not only do the girls have a great resource for summer activities, but they are prompted to keep in touch with one another during the break.

Staying Connected This Summer – Part II

View Part One: Staying Connected This Summer

Summer Scavenger Hunt

It is fun to find ways to help your Girl Scout troop to stay connected this summer!  One really popular activity for the girls is a Summer Scavenger Hunt.  You can make up a list of items that teams of two or more girls have to find during their summer break.  Make sure to include things at local parks, museums and eateries that will encourage the girls to plan fun outings with one another and stay connected all summer long.  For example, they can “find” a pizza at a local pizza parlor to share together.

Girl Scout Photos

The teams should make sure to take photos of themselves with the object on their list to be presented at the first troop meeting in fall.  All girls who find all the items on their lists should win a prize  that can encourage even more fellowship.  Things like tickets to the movies (complete with popcorn and soda!) or a day at an amusement park or a camp-out would be a great way of fostering even more friendship among the girls.

Volunteer Event Option

If you want to make the scavenger hunt even more meaningful, consider adding a volunteer event on to the list.  Perhaps they have to “find” an elderly person to help, or someone with disabilities, or even an animal.  Either way, they can take photos of their experience and share they way they stayed connected this summer at your next meeting.

 

View Part Three: Staying Connected This Summer

Funtime Summer Girl Scout Meeting Activities

 

 

Check out these activities if you are at a loss for what to plan for your summer Girl Scout meetings. When planning a Girl Scout meeting in the summer months, you will need to determine if you want to just have a social gathering, or if your Girl Scouts will meet in the summer to complete a particular service task.

Social Gathering

If you choose a social gathering, there are many fun summer Girl Scout meeting activities like swimming at a local pool or beach, hiking in the woods, picnicking at a local park, or even horseback riding.  If the weather is too hot to allow for outdoor activities, remember you can always choose an indoor venue as well.

Indoor Activities

Some indoor activities that are perfect for a summer Girl Scout meeting are bowling, ice or roller skating, and sometimes there are even local indoor pools that can be accessed for a small fee.  Whatever you choose for your summer Girl Scout meeting, make sure you call ahead to determine hours of operation and restrictions on group size and make sure that food and drinks can be brought to the location or may be purchased on site.

Sending a Memo

Additionally, it is always wise to send a memo prior to your meeting to emphasize that, as Girl Scouts, it is important to observe proper etiquette at the site and leave it in the same condition (or better!) than it was prior to your summer Girl Scout meeting.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Cards

Our girl scout troop made Thanksgiving cards this week to give to someone in need. The individual in need could be a homeless person, an elderly neighbor, or a new child at school. The idea about creating the card is to think of someone who would truly benefit from receiving the card, under the supervision of the parent.

Here is one of the cards decorated with markers. You will also see  a pilgrim spoon that one of the girls made during meeting time. Hope you enjoy!