Activities for Kids

New Girl Scout Badges Announced for 2020-2021!

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

Entrepreneur Badges

Toy Business Designer  Daisies come up with an idea for a toy, design it, make it better, and share it—just like entrepreneurs!

Budding Entrepreneur Brownies become entrepreneurs by making something, testing it out, and improving their idea to make it the best it can be.

Business Jumpstart  Juniors sharpen their entrepreneurial skills as they come up with an idea for something that solves a problem, get feedback, share their idea, and pitch it to others.

Business Creator  Cadettes think like entrepreneurs as they come up with a business idea that solves a problem, produce a prototype, solicit feedback, improve their idea, then create a business plan and pitch it.

Business Startup  Seniors learn more about the entrepreneurial mindset as they explore what it takes to create their own business.

Entrepreneur Accelerator Ambassadors think and act like entrepreneurs as they bring a business vision to life, learn how to work with a team, and motivate people to take a chance with them.

Access the Badge Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans
  • Hard-copy badge booklet ($2.50 each)
    • available via online shop or in Council Shops mid-August
    • Digital download badge booklet PDF ($0.99 each)

Get the badge: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

Mark Your Calendar

For these virtual events for girls:

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

STEM Career Exploration Badges

One badge per level for Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes

Girls explore their own interests, how those connect with different STEM careers, and how they can use STEM to make a difference. They look at different fields and careers in STEM and create a plan for how they’ll make the world a better place. The badges are “Unplugged” but include optional “Plugged” and in-person components to amplify the activities.

Access the Badge Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans
  • Hard-copy badge booklet ($2.50 each)
    • available via online shop or in Council Shops mid-August
    • Digital download badge booklet PDF ($0.99 each)

Get the badge: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

Mark Your Calendar

For these virtual events for girls:

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

Automotive Engineering Badges

Three progressive badges per level for Daisies, Brownies, and Junior. Girls earn these badges in a particular order.

Girls learn how vehicles are designed, engineered, and manufactured. In each of the badges, they design and build vehicle prototypes that meet sets of criteria and solve problems for others.

Access the Badge Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans each
  • Hard-copy badge booklet ($5.00 for 3-badge pack)
    • available via online shop or in Council Shops mid-August
    • Digital download badge booklet PDF ($1.99 for 3-badge pack)

Get the badge: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

Mark Your Calendar

Week of August 3:

  • In three events for Daisies/Brownies/Juniors, women who work for General Motors in the areas of design, engineering, and manufacturing will talk about how cars get made.
  • A bonus Daisy/Brownie/Junior event will feature GM CEO Mary Barra in conversation with GSUSA’s Sylvia Acevedo.
  • Details to be announced

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

Civics Education Badges

 Democracy for Daisies  Daisies begin learning about the people who work together in their government.

Democracy for Brownies Brownies find out how people in the government decide what rules are made and how they are followed.

Democracy for Juniors Juniors learn more about how their government works—from their town or city to the whole country.

Democracy for Cadettes  Cadettes find out new things about their government—how each branch works, how they work together, and how each piece makes a difference in society.

Democracy for Seniors Seniors expand their knowledge about how their local, state, and national government works.

​​​​​​​Democracy for Ambassadors  Ambassadors become experts on local, state, and national government—and prepare to use that knowledge to inform their voting.

Access the Badge Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans
  • Hard-copy badge booklet ($2.50 each)
    • available via online shop or in Council Shops mid-August
    • Digital download badge booklet PDF ($0.99 each)

Get the badge: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

Mark Your Calendar

Week of August 10:

  • In one event for Daisies/Brownies/Juniors and one for Cadettes/Seniors/Ambassadors, inspiring civically active women will talk about the importance of civic engagement and how girls can use their voices to make a difference.
  • Details to be announced

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

2021 Global Awards

2021 World Thinking Day Award

On February 22 of each year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate World Thinking Day by doing the same activities around a shared theme. The World Thinking Day 2021 theme is Peacebuilding. This year, girls will celebrate what it means to be a peacebuilder in the context of the Global Movement. They’ll expand their understanding of these concepts, practice the skills to resolve conflict in peaceful ways, and take action to make their world and communities more peaceful places. Although World Thinking Day is February 22, girls can earn this award at any point during the year!

Access the Award Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans

Get the award: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

2021 Global Action Award

Every year, the Girl Scout Global Action award addresses the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development. In 2021, the award focuses on Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. Girls can earn their Global Action Award by discovering what climate action means, connecting with the issues in their community and around the world, and completing a Take Action project to make the world a more sustainable place.

Access the Award Requirements

  • In the Volunteer Toolkit (free!) in 2 meeting plans

Get the award: available via online shop or in Council Shops ($3.00)

Click here to get this information in a downloadable/saveable/printable PDF format.

Badges and Patches

Three Steps to Unlocking Your Limited-Edition Ranger Patch

BIG NEWS: Girl Scouts is continuing our exciting partnership with the National Park Service and the “Girl Scout Ranger Program,” a joint venture connecting girls with National Park Service sites throughout the United States, including monuments, seashores, and urban sites.

This year Girl Scouts will be awarded a limited-edition commemorative patch for participating in activities focusing on the significance of the 19th Amendment. This special program will offer pathways for Girl Scouts to learn about women’s history and the suffrage movement through discovering, connecting, and taking action to make the world a better place.

So, how exactly do you earn your special patch and learn more about women’s rights?

1. Choose a National Park Service Site or Explore Online.
Visit http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm. Choose a national park or any of 419 sites protected by the National Park Service. Research and consider exploring areas of national parks connected to women’s history and the suffrage movement in your area. Not able to visit a park in your area? No problem! Take a look at the park or historic site’s webpage and virtual tours. These are often full of photos, videos, history, and other educational resources. Many also have Facebook and Instagram accounts. Another great source of information is the NPS women’s history webpages.

2. Answer Questions, Conduct Research, and Get Outdoors.*
Once you’ve selected your site, complete one or more of the following:

a. With help from an adult, research the site’s webpage.
b. Visit the site and take a tour or attend a ranger-led program, if that’s available. Please first make sure the site you choose to visit is open to the public!
c. Look for books or trusted websites that explain the history commemorated at the site.

Then choose fun activities listed in the 19th Amendment Centennial Program Activity Guide here to earn your patch! Best part? All the activities have a women’s rights historical tie-in!

3. Unlock Your Limited-Edition Patch.
Your special 19th Amendment Centennial Patch will be available for pick up as soon as National Park Service offices officially open for business. To receive your patch, present the completed activity log at the park where you completed your activity.

Are you ready to explore women’s history through the national park lens? We certainly are! Share your best shots on Instagram and Twitter using #gsoutdoors (don’t forget to tag @GirlScouts!) and invite your entire troop to do the same! We will feature some of your social media posts on our national channels.

*GSUSA encourages all Girl Scouts to respect social distancing rules. Follow your state’s guidelines about stay-at-home measures and enjoying public nature spaces.

Activities for Kids

The Escape Game: At-Home Virtual Escape Room

TEG Unlocked is an at-home adventure packed with evidence, puzzles, and an online dashboard designed to create a digital version of an escape room style experience. It will require deductive reasoning, critical thinking, a dash of teamwork, and a bit of wit!

HOW DO GIRL SCOUTS PLAY THE ESCAPE GAME (TEG) UNLOCKED?

  • Recommended for 2 – 4 Girl Scouts with an Adult Moderator.
  • It is recommended that each Girl Scout and the Adult Moderator (must have a current GSUSA membership) have a laptop or desktop computer with internet access.
  • All virtual program guidelines set forth by GSUSA and Girl Scouts of Citrus must be followed, including never to record activity, take pictures of the screen, use last names and girls must complete the GSUSA Internet Safety Pledge and turn it into the designated adult.
  • Each person must register through The Escape Game’s online store via a Girl Scout specific URL and then they will be emailed an individual password to log in.
  • Due to the challenging nature of the activities, TEG Unlocked is recommended for Cadettes and up.
  • Average play time per volume is 60-90 minutes; however, it is not timed and there are built in hints.
  • Other technology devices and a pen and paper may be needed.

See more info and get started: click here to go to The Escape Game

 

Badges and Patches

Get to Know the Junior Aide Award

Who can earn the Junior Aide Award?
You guessed it, Girl Scout Juniors can earn this award.

How do girls earn the award?
Girls can earn this mentoring award by teaming up with a Daisy or Brownie troop, and make/complete a plan to help the Daisies or Brownies on their Journey.

How can you find a Daisy or Brownie troop to work with?
You might be lucky enough to meet at the same location as a younger troop, or be in easy contact with a troop. If not, ask around at your service unit meeting to see who would be interested in teaming up with your girls. Still no luck? Talk to your council contact person. They may know just the troop to set you up with.

Where can leaders find resources to help Juniors plan a Daisy or Brownie Journey?
The VTK allows troop leaders to view meeting plans from all age levels. If the troop you are helping has already selected their Journey, you can view all the meeting plans and work with Junior girls to customize it.

Where does the award go on their uniform?
Juniors place this award under their Bridge to Junior Award (or under their membership year pins if they didn’t earn that award) and above their Brownie Wings. If there are no Brownie Wings on her uniform, be sure to leave space for other pinned awards like My Promise, My Faith and the Safety Award before the badges start. To learn more about where to place badges, awards, and insignia, view these resources from GSUSA.

What is the importance of this award?
This award is the first in a series of mentoring awards that girls can earn in Girl Scouts. The Cadette Program Aide Award, Volunteer in Training Award, and Counselor in Training I and II Awards all work together to give her more and more opportunities to lead girls younger than herself. At your troop meetings, there are lots of opportunities to make group decisions and be a leader among peers. With mentoring awards, girls become role models and practice the role of authority and guide of a group younger than herself. The Junior Aide Award is not a prerequisite for any of these awards, but does offer a first step in building this type of leadership.

Where can I find more information about this award?
To learn more about the Junior Aide Award, view the handbook section of your Junior Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting.