GS Ideas with Miss Heather

Sometimes, a Girl Scout leader needs something from off the beaten path to keep the girls engaged.  To help, I put together a list of free badge resources available from valuable community partners.  I shared this with a group of leaders during a fall 2019 event and many found it helpful.  Take a look at this list to see if it sparks interest!

As many troops are moving to online meetings, it may be fun to attempt a journey.  Last fall, I hosted a Journey in a Day for Juniors to complete the Agent of Change journey in one day-long retreat.  The event was held in a library so we were able to research female change agents in the children's biography section... but girls could research via the internet (maybe watch YouTube videos) in place of that... Leaders, take a look at my plan and feel free to make it your own!

The Brownie Dancer badge is a really fun one to earn at home while sheltering during the Covid-19 crisis... dancing is great fun to keep your spirits up! The steps are: Warm Up and Get Moving Try a New Dance Take to the Floor Like a Dancer Make Up Your Own Dance Show Off Your Moves My Brownie, Amber, enjoyed trying to "stretch the alphabet" as described in step 1 (below).  For step 2, we tried a Bollywood Burn dance/exercise DVD.  We had so much fun trying to do the moves! If you don't have a dance exercise DVD, check out the fitness programs on demand for your television provider or try YouTube.  For step 3, Amber chose to try out the vintage option.  She found videos on YouTube to learn about old-time curtsies and more.  For step 4, she choreographed a dance to one of her favorite songs from the Disney Zombies movie.  She practiced and then had her sister record her on my iPhone (sorry, she said I couldn't share).  Finally, for step 5, Amber hosted a

My Daisy has been working on a couple of badges since the Covid-19 shelter began.  One of the first she completed was the Outdoor Art Maker. For Step 1, "See the Colors of Nature," Kyra sat on the back deck and painted a picture of our backyard.  The step called for watercolors, but we only had acrylics on hand... when sheltering, you have to be willing to adapt! For Step 2, "Hear the Sounds of Nature," Kyra made maracas with my Brownie, Amber.  They used paper cups, washi tape, and plastic forks (taped in between the cups to make handles).  Kyra used rice in hers and Amber used dried beans in hers so they could compare the different sounds they made. For Step 3, "Share Your Outdoor Art," Kyra made a series of "leave no trace" paintings that showed her being responsible in nature and she described each one to me. These projects made for a very creative day for Kyra and she enjoyed expressing herself with art.  Click here to check out the