Cabin Camping Part One (What the Girls Should Bring)

Fall Camporee! I took my Junior troop to an awesome camp (outside our council) that was a 3 hour drive from home. We had three adults and 8 girls. We were only going to have 2 adults, but ended up with some scheduling issues, and it worked out well, as we had plenty of room for all our gear, food, and girls in three cars.

Packing their own bags was just the first step in earning their Camper badge

Some Random Things:

Never put girls to sleep head-to-head (lice), and always check with your council ahead of time regarding the rules concerning where adults sleep. Our council rules are 2 unrelated registered female volunteers in the room where girls are sleeping, or no adults in that room at all. No male volunteers in the same sleeping area as the girls, period. Your council may have different rules, so check with them first.

Make sure you have at least one registered volunteer who is Camp certified, with CPR, and First Aid, too. It can be one registered adult, or three different ones. Doesn't matter (in our council). 

Make sure you have updated health forms on all girls AND adults attending. Keep these in your leader daypack, along with all medications, and your first aid kit. 

Call the camp ahead of time to find out about weather (it may be in the mountains, thus cooler than the forecast for the area, etc.). Find out about specific restrictions on activities (no jewelry, glasses must be secured, etc.), and if you need permission slips for anything while there. 

Find out ahead of time exactly what the sleeping and cooking arrangements for your troop will be. I had a friend who assumed they were staying in a cabin with a kitchen, so her troop brought food that could not be prepared over a camp fire. They were not happy to discover there was no kitchen in their cabin. So when in doubt, ASK!

Below is the information I sent to my parents. It included a packing list for the girls, as they had to pack their own bags as part of earning their Camper badge. You can adapt much of this for your own troop, regardless of level. We were staying in a cabin for a weekend, so they didn't need to bring dunk bags or dishes, etc. More info on Foodstuff to bring in the next post.

By the way, be sure to include deodorant and pads on your list, for Juniors and up. Our girls are in 4th grade but some already need deodorant, and the last thing any leader wants to deal with is a girl starting her period with no one with pads on hand. This can also encourage parents to have a chat with their daughters ahead of time, regarding periods/hygiene. Also, at one point in the trip I flat out told my girls if they hadn't showered yet, they were to go do so. Stinky! Ha. They were great. :) But stinky, yeah. They all showered. It was good.

Anyway, here's the info I sent out.  Information I've altered for privacy is in italics.

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Information for Parents:

PERMISSION SLIPS, CHECKS, and HEALTH FORMS must be turned in at drop-off.

(Information here with camp address, contact names and numbers, etc.)

All girls are expected to abide by the Girl Scout Law as well Troop & Camp Rules. Refusal to abide by the rules and cooperate can result in having to sit out of an activity, doing additional cleanup/kapers, or being sent home. We are there to have fun, and a great troop experience. We expect all the girls to be on their best behavior.

Please print out the next page and give to your daughter. She needs to pack her own bag, but parents double check the bags to ensure everything is there that needs to be. If it is not on the packing list, your child should not bring it. We had some issues at (previous camp) with novelty items that were not appropriate for camp. If there's a question about something, contact me ahead of time. Contraband items will be confiscated. ;)

Please drop off your daughter's gear at (leader's house/date)

Bring a booster if she still uses one OR is under age 9 (check with your state laws for this. All GS must be in appropriate seats/restraints in accordance with your state law, as well as destination state law).

(Information here on specifics for departure.)

All snacks and meals for the trip will be provided (the cost is covered in the fee). If your child has special dietary needs/restrictions, let us know immediately, as we will be purchasing groceries in advance. (More on foodstuff in next post!)

We will send out a group text to parents on our way home, with the time to meet at (return location).

All medications MUST be labeled and in original/prescription bottles, with detailed instructions, and packed by parents, separate from girl's bags. Do not pack medications in with your child's things. While we will have various OTC medications and first aid items on hand, you need to provide any special medications your child may need while at camp. If your child is prone to carsickness please let me know BEFORE we leave, and provide medication for the drive there and back.

(First Aid certified, registered volunteer to dispense all medications, including OTC ones. It's always a good thing to keep a record of what you give a girl, and when.)

No electronic devices of any kind are allowed (we cannot have them at camp, and cannot ensure their safety if left in cars). However, if your child needs to reach you at any time, she is absolutely welcome to use a chaperone's cell phone. If you need to speak with her, please call (leader's) cell.

Have questions or concerns? Please call or email me. :)

We are going to have an ADVENTURE! And it'll be awesome. :) We will take good care of your child. ❤

JUNIOR INFO FOR CAMP

CAMP RULES:

• Abide by Girl Scout Law at all times.
• Stay with the troop at all times.
• When away from our cabin, or doing an activity ask before leaving the troop to go to the restroom, etc.
• Work well with your Patrol.
• Don't be afraid to try something new! :)
• If you need something, ask an adult. When you're given an answer, accept it kindly and move on.
• No bickering, arguing, or whining. You are in fourth grade now, and representing our troop, our school, and your family. Be on your BEST behavior. Treat all the adults and the other girls with respect.
• Follow directions.
• If you are having a problem with another girl, work it out the Girl Scout Way. If you need adult assistance, ask for it.
• Issues with behavior can result in having to sit out of a camp activity, doing additional kapers, or a parent being called to come get you.
• This trip will determine whether or not we can take big trips in the future as a troop. So please help one another, follow the GS Law, and make yourselves proud of how well-behaved you've been! 

CAMP ACTIVITIES:

(Details about activities here.) For all activities there will be very specific guidelines we MUST follow in order to participate safely. You will learn more about these activities when we get to camp.

We will have snack bags for your daypacks like we did at (previous camp), but this time we will be preparing some of our own meals as a troop. Everyone will have a job to do with preparation and/or cleanup for meals throughout the weekend.

Everyone is to help with cabin cleanup and any camp kapers throughout the weekend. Girl Scouts leave things neater than we found them. So clean up after yourselves please.

WHAT TO WEAR FRIDAY TO SCHOOL:

• Comfortable pants/jeans.
• GS t-shirt
• Comfortable socks.
• Old tennis shoes or boots. No Crocs or sandals or flip-flops. Wear closed-toe, comfortable shoes.
• Rain jacket or hoodie if weather calls for it (otherwise pack it).
• Do not wear Junior vests to school that day. Do not bring them to camp. (We were heading to fall camporee, before we'd even had our first troop meeting of the year. Some troops bring vests to camp. I've found they aren't necessary, and pins can get lost, etc. So we do camp shirts instead.)

At school on Friday, when you're packing up at the end of day, pull your water bottle out of your backpack so we can fill the water bottles before we leave school. These are the water bottles you are going to use at camp, so bring a good one that won't leak and is durable.

All the stuff you packed ahead of time will already be in the cars when you get out of school. (See next page.)

WHAT TO PACK AHEAD OF TIME:

Everything below, with the exception of your water bottle, should be packed and dropped off at (leader's) house ahead of time. You are in charge of packing your own gear, so follow the directions, please.

• Warm, full-sized sleeping bag, packed in a stuff sack.
• Pillow packed in garbage bag (garbage bag doubles as dirty laundry bag)
• Large backpack or duffle bag (see list on next page for what to pack in it)
• Your booster seat if you use one or are under age 9
• Small daypack with these items inside (put your name on anything of value):

1. refillable water bottle (you will use the one you are bringing to school that day)
2. bug spray, sunscreen face stick
3. kleenex
4. hand sanitizer or wipes
5. baseball cap
6. extra hair rubberbands and/or headbands
7. flashlight (do NOT bring ones that make noise)
8. bandana
9. attach Situpon with carabiner if desired

PACK IN DUFFLE BAG/BACKPACK (no rolling backpacks or suitcases):

• 2 pair Pajamas (sweatpants/t-shirts are fine. NO nightgowns (we had one issue with a girl bringing a thin nightgown and the temps were near freezing. Recommending clothes that can double as day time layers is good)
• 2 pair jeans (belt if needed)
• 1 pair comfy pants (for ride home)
• 2 short-sleeved shirts
• 1-2 long-sleeves shirts
• Rain jacket if weather forecast is wet (wear Friday if needed)
• Sweatshirt or hoodie
• 4 pair underwear (bra if necessary)
• 3-4 pair comfortable/warm socks
• Gloves if weather forecast is cold
• Boots or old tennis shoes. Pack one pair. Wear the other. So you have two pair shoes total. We will be walking a LOT and getting dirty. Your shoes should be comfortable and not brand new.
• Small bag or Ziploc with your toiletries inside:

1. Toothbrush with travel case or Ziploc (put your name on it)

   
   
2. Toothpaste

   
   
3. Soap

   
   
4. Shampoo (conditioner if needed)

   
   
5. Washcloth AND bath towel for shower

   
   
6. Hairbrush/comb and rubberbands if your hair is long

   
   
7. Deodorant/pads if necessary 

   
   

• Plastic bag to hold wet/dirty clothes (use garbage bag your pillow was stored in)
• Sleep mask, and/or ear plugs if necessary
• White pillowcase for tie-dyeing (write name inside it, small, in Sharpie)
• Any medications you need should be packed by your parent and given to your leader separately, along with all permission slips, health forms, and camp fees.

Do not pack anything else. No electronic devices, whistles, etc.

If you need to bring something that is not on the list, ask me ahead of time. 

We will have crafts and games for indoor activities, in case of inclement weather.

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That was the list the girls (and parents) were given. I had them all drop off gear, forms, and checks the night before we left. That way we could pack all three cars with everything (including coolers with food -- just added ice the next morning), so we could scoot out of town quickly the following afternoon. It worked out really well. 

We had some girls ask ahead of time if they could bring a small stuffed animal to sleep with. That was fine. But we also had some try to sneak in other items as contraband. Which wasn't fine. The girls were great though, and left their contraband items in their duffle bags. Mostly. ;) We did have to remind them to check their daypacks each morning, and remove any unnecessary items, because they get heavy when you're hiking ten miles. And sit-upons are fun, but kind of a pain to carry throughout the day. I would recommend them for evening campfire times, primarily. Also, no need to bring a flashlight in daypack in the daytime, etc.

More on what the leader needs to bring, in the next post.

Coming Soon: Getting Started with JUNIORS!

So apparently I'm just going to keep on blogging throughout this Girl Scout journey (ha! See what I did there? Journey. Tee hee).

Stay tuned for how to get started with Girl Scout Juniors! First up will be prepping/planning your first meeting, then some camping preparation tips, and diving right in to earning our first three badges!

I will also be updating some Daisy posts along the way, as I have to different troops, and have tweaked some things the second time around with my younger troop.

And have had some requests for things like communicating with parents, and recruiting parent volunteers. I will do my best to address all the questions and suggestions. Keep 'em coming!

Things have been crazy since my last entry, but I'm back in full swing with both troops.

Check back soon for updates!

And thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read my blog. :) It's now had over 500,000 views since I started it, which is mind boggling and really cool.

So keep on searching, and hopefully I can offer up some more helpful ideas for my fellow leaders, and point you to other online inspirations as well, because it's the leaders who make this happen. And we are all in this together!

-TroopLeaderMom

SWAPS and Bridging to Juniors Badge

Today we're looking at one activity that achieves two different goals for Brownies.

1. SWAPS! Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere.

New to Girl Scouts? Here's some info on the tradition of SWAPS.

Last year before camp, we made Fairy SWAPS. They were super cute, and easy to make.

This year we made a few changes.

If you have a small troop, you're fine with just doing one craft for your SWAPS, I think. But if you have a larger troop, you might want to make a few different SWAPS, to not saturate the market, so to speak. ;)

The challenge with making ten identical SWAPS per girl is that if you go to camp (or other event where swapping SWAPS is happening), then the girls will start to encounter other girls who already have that particular version of SWAPS from one of your troop members already. And then you're stuck with members in your troop who cannot trade their SWAPS.

While that did not happen to us last year, it did happen to another troop in our service unit.

So this year we combined our pre-camp prep SWAPS with our Bridging to Juniors badge requirements, and had our Brownies assist the Daisies in making SWAPS for camp.

2. Bridging to Juniors involves two steps:

• Looking back at what we've learned/experienced and assisting a younger troop by passing on what we've learned (teaching Daisies how to make SWAPS is a great example).
• Looking forward and finding out from other Juniors what opportunities lie ahead (this was not covered in this meeting; we split the Bridging requirements over a couple of meetings).

Bridging to Juniors badge goes underneath membership stars on vest.

Please note, while the Bridging to Juniors badge has requirements, the "Flying Up" Wings badge does not. It is given to all girls who move from Brownies to Juniors, a tradition dating back to when Brownies were called Brown Owls.

Leave room under the Bridging badge for the Junior Aide badge. The wings go underneath that.

So, we had our Brownies and Daisies together in one special "Sister Troop" meeting. We had three stations (long tables) set up, with one SWAPS craft per table. Because the numbers weren't perfect for every Brownie to be assigned a Daisy, we had them sit D/B/D/B (etc.) at the stations. We spent about 15 minutes at each table, then each group would move to the next table, so everyone had a chance to make several of each design. The Brownies did an outstanding job helping the Daisies make SWAPS for camp. :)

I had enough supplies on hand for each girl to make 13 SWAPS: ten to trade, and one of each design to keep (if she wanted). It's fairly common to have 10 SWAPS per girl, for trading, in my experience. You can always do more if it's a large gathering.

We did not stick with our camporee theme this year, as it was tie-dye and I knew there would be gobs of tie-dye themed SWAPS there. So we went with something a little different.

Dragonfly SWAPS

These were by far the easiest of the three, and took the least amount of time. We had some extras left over (hang on to leftover SWAPS. You can use them in later years!).

Supplies you will need:

- Tiny clothespins (I got mine on Amazon. You can find yours at Michael's or other craft store, if you prefer). The ones I used were 1" long and came in a variety of colors. Teensy and so cute!
- Stick-on bar pins (safety pins can work but not easily; this is what I'm talking about)
- Gauze ribbon -- at least two different shades (be sure it is wire-free. Wired ribbon can scratch)
- Scissors
- One or more samples pre-made ahead of time

If you don't have stick-on pins, you can use glue or a glue gun to apply the bar pins to the clothespins ahead of time.

If you want to get fancy, add your troop number to these! We were running tight on time preparing for camp (and February was a bust for troop meetings, due to snow). So we had some designs that did not have our troop numbers on them. SWAPS typically should have a troop number on them, but eh. You do what you gotta do!

So, each girl gets one clothespin with pin stuck on it, at a time (or, if you are beyond Daisies, let them stick the bar pins on there too. Since we had Kindergarteners, and 13 SWAPS to make per girl total, we did it ahead of time).

Then she chooses two colors of gauze ribbon and cuts ~2" length of each. Place one atop the other, and pinch them together in the middle, then clip the clothespin around it. Ta-da! Instant dragonfly!

These are super cute!

Doc McStuffins/Band-Aid SWAPS

My Daisies love Doc McStuffins. You don't have to call it that, if you have older girls or whatever, though. These required more prep time on my part ahead of time, but it was super easy.

Supplies you will need:

- Felt in skin tone(s) and white (you should only need one white felt sheet, as you can get a lot out of it)

- Heart foam stickers

- Glue dots

- Scissors 

- Safety pins

- One or more samples pre-made ahead of time

Preparation ahead of time, if you like:

Take your skin tone(s) felt sheets and cut strips that are approximately 1" wide and 3.5-4" long. 

Cut 1" squares out of your white felt sheets.

Have the girls glue dot the white felt in the middle of the skin-toned felt. This is the "gauze" part of the bandage.

Flip it over, and stick the foam heart in the middle of the back of it.

Stick a safety pin through one end.

Ta-Da! Instant Band-Aid SWAPS.

It's funny how all the girls immediately knew what these were supposed to be!

My Pet Clouds

I love these SWAPS. They are so stinkin' cute! And a bit more complicated than the others, but well worth it.

Supplies you will need:

- Small cotton balls (do NOT get jumbo ones, otherwise they won't fit in your baggy)
- Jewelers' bags (mini Ziploc-style bags; I bought mine in bulk off Amazon. God bless Amazon. You can find yours at Walmart or Michael's, etc.) I used the 2"x3" size, which is very small, but was perfect for what I wanted. You don't want to go too large for SWAPS, since some girls wear them on hats, etc.
- Googly eyes (small)
- Glue dots
- Stapler (with extra staples)
- Pre-printed paper labels
- Marker/pen to write troop numbers on label (not Sharpie though; it'll bleed through)
- Safety pins
- One or more samples pre-made ahead of time

Preparation ahead of time: Print off your labels and cut them out.

Click on this image to download the template.

The poem says:

In the whole wide world,

with everyone in it,

you're one of a kind,

and the sky's the limit!

Thank you to this awesome blogger for the inspiration!

Have the girls first write their troop number on the paper. It's easier to write on it before stapling, in my experience. But it really doesn't matter.

Then flatten the cotton ball a bit, to give it a nice "cloud" shape (not necessary, but cute). Then apply googly eyes with glue dots. Or you can use googly eyes with adhesive on the back. Those were a lot more expensive when I checked though. I love glue dots. They're super handy!

Gently insert the cloud into the baggy (doesn't matter which direction it goes).

Pinch the bag shut, and fold the label in half, so the poem is on one side, and the heart with My Pet Cloud/troop #s is on the other.

Slide the paper over the top with the poem in the front, and staple once, directly under the poem. 

When you put your safety pin in, do it on the top side, through paper and baggy. Otherwise it might tear your SWAPS.

Awwww, isn't it adorable?

Once we were finished, I collected all the SWAPS and separated them into sandwich-sized Ziplocs, 13 per bag. These went into my camp stuff. 

SWAPS are not about what each individual girls makes, though you're welcome to let them keep one of each when they make them if you like. It is traditionally a troop effort. And since they're going to be traded away, it doesn't matter who made which one. By taking them home with me, I ensured they all made it to camp intact. If you let the girls take them home, I guarantee someone will forget hers. 

So gather them up and split them up, and hand them out when it's time to trade!

Looking for a cute way to display SWAPS? Check it out!

And that is it for this year's SWAPS! More to come as soon as I catch up on end-of-year stuff and laundry. . . . 

Learning to Sew (Part Two -- All Levels)

Last time, I introduced my third grade Brownies to the concept of hand-sewing by making Sit-Upons (see this post). This time, we backed up a tad and focused on three primary stitches, as well as things like threading needles, making knots, and "tails" when hand-sewing.

You might choose to do this activity before your Sit-Upons. And that's fine! But I wanted to do this craft right before we move on to our "real" sewing craft at the next meeting, so hopefully the different stitches would still be fairly fresh in the girls' minds.

Before we did this project, I emailed my parents (many of whom have commented to me in the past about not knowing how to sew), letting them know that I needed volunteers (who did know at least the basics of how to sew) to attend the meeting, but that ALL parents were welcome, if there were any who wanted to learn alongside their daughters.

If you want to do this for your parents, make sure you know ahead of time who's coming, so you can have extra supplies on hand. 

Things You'll Need:

1. Tapestry Needles (one for each child, plus yourself -- metal tapestry needles work much better for this craft, than plastic ones)
2. Embroidery Floss (pre-cut lengths if possible)
3. Sharpies
4. Thin, Styrofoam-Type Plates
5. Scissors (sharp)
6. Adult helpers if you have a large troop

Amazon has a super deal on a pack of 25 here. Don't get the plastic ones. They bend too easily.

This craft is great for any age, really, even Kindergarten Daisies! But as with most crafts, the younger the girl, the more help they may need.

Before the meeting, you will need to prep several things. The activity itself should take between 45 minutes to an hour.

If possible, match your embroidery floss to the Sharpie colors you're using.

You can never have too much embroidery floss. Seriously.

Make dots with Sharpie along the outer edge. This is for your overcast stitch. Do not make the dots too close to the edge, as pulling the thread through can rip the plate.

Make dashes inside (two circles if possible, so they learn how to continue on to a different section using the same thread). This is for running stitch.

Make X shapes inside, for cross stitches.

You don't have to use different colors, but it makes it easier for the kids, especially when working from the back, I think. Don't use washable markers on styrofoam. Sharpies/permanent markers work best.

Create a sample plate for you. Consider not knotting your embroidery floss initially, as you'll need to measure it out (I just eyeballed it, and wrote down how long my thread was for each section, then added a couple of inches for good measure. It worked fine).

The nice thing about these plates is you can hold them up to the light and see the Sharpie from the back side, which helps when they're getting started with each section, so they know where you put their needles.

See how well the Sharpie shows through the back, when held up to the light?

Before your meeting, prepare a plate with Sharpie marks for each girl, and pre-cut lengths of embroidery floss for each plate. Put these and a tapestry needle into a small Ziploc baggie.

Have a spare plate (pre-colored), floss, and tapestry needle, for you to use to show them how to do it, at each stage during the craft. Then you can put it down and walk around to help as needed.

So you have two plates for you ahead of time: one that's complete, and one that's just like the girl' plates, in progress.

Don't worry about finishing your in-progress plate along with the girls during the meeting. Just pick it up and use it to illustrate various stitches as needed.

Explain the "right" side and the "wrong" side by showing them your finished plate. Ask them how they can tell which is the front and which is the back (knots in the back).

The wrong side of your sample plate.

Show them the tapestry needles, and how they have a large eye (better for thick thread), and a dull point. (I always ask them to tell me what they see, instead of telling them initially. Good way to exercise powers of observation!)

In the next meeting, we will be working with standard needles. So I took a minute to sit next to the girls at the table, and show them how NOT to pull thread up, toward your neighbor's face. Needles (even dull ones) can be hazardous. Best to spread out around the tables for this craft.

There are several ways to knot the thread: my grandmother taught me to lick the tips of my pointer finger and thumb, hold the end of the thread between, then "roll" the thread between them, and pull the rolled part down. This forms a knot.

(But that trick is easier with regular thread than thick embroidery floss.)

You can also use a wrap-around method to knot the floss.

Or just have them tie a small knot at the end.

A list of methods can be found here. Or just Google how to knot thread.

It's likely they will need to just tie a knot in the end, and that's fine. If possible, leave  about 3" of thread beyond the knot, as they will tie this to the end of their floss once they're finished. (This is not a typical way to knot thread upon completion, but for this style of project, it's fine, and it will be more intuitive to them.)

The plates can break if you fold them or squeeze too hard. So be gentle. :)

Thread the needles (put tip of thread between tongue and front top tooth. Pull out to flatten. If the embroidery floss tip begins to fray while trying to thread it, snip it at an angle with sharp scissors).

Leave about 5-6" as a "tail" from your needle. Do not double the thread entirely when tying it off. It will be too thick, and you'll need twice as much embroidery floss. Just thread it through and leave a tail hanging. You may need to adjust the length of the tail as you go. (I have no idea what the correct term is. I always called it a tail. Leave me a comment if there's a more correct term.)

This crafty mama blog has lots of fun activities with sewing!

Start with the overcast stitch along the edge. It's not necessary to tug hard on the thread as you go, because the styrofoam can rip if you pull too hard. Also, it's key to have them keep an eye on the thread, and the tail to make sure it doesn't tangle as they go.

Overcast is running loops around the edge. My grandmother just called it an "overstitch."

Then tie off the end of the pink/overcast thread to the end you left at the original knot. Snip the pink thread, re-thread needle with green, and move on to the running stitch.

Be sure to have them hold their plates up to the light when starting the running stitch; they are literally stitching on top of the green dashes on the plate. So start at one end of each dash on the back, push needle through to the front, cover the green dash, poke needle through the other end of dash, and so on. When they hold it up to the light, there will be a solid line of green from the stitches. But from the front (or back, not held up to light), it looks like dashes.

Don't tie off from the outer ring to the inner. Just continue on with the new ring of running stitches that's closest to the one you finished in the outer ring.

Tie it off when finished, re-thread with purple, and start on cross stitches.

The correct way to do a cross stitch is to do all the same direction per row, then back the opposite direction. This is confusing when learning how to sew, especially when there are only 5 Xs. If you prefer, mark your Xs in rows, close to each other. I have a large troop and was running out of prep time. So I made it work.

In the meeting, I told them just to cover the purple lines in each X, the same as they covered the green dashes before, and to do each X closest. I had them look at it first, and decide for themselves the best way to do it, so as to not waste thread.

It worked out fine. :)

Tie it off, and ta-da! You're finished!

All done! :)

If you have extra time and extra embroidery floss, you can have them do another overcast the opposite direction of the first one, so the edges have V-shaped stitches all the way around.

Next Up? Finishing up learning to sew!

Brownies: Pets Badge

We chose to do this as a 100% do-at-home (or at a friend's home, or an animal hospital, etc.) badge. Normally I try to avoid giving them homework. However, it simply wasn't feasible for us to work in a troop visit to the animal hospital, or something, in the midst of the holiday craziness (plus our service unit has several events during the holiday season, plus there are school parties and gah! Too much!).

So yeah, I totally used the "girl-led" approach for this one, and let the parents know I had faith their daughters could easily complete the requirements for this badge.

I tweaked them, so they'd work. You do what you've got to do. See your Brownie book for more

I told the girls it was their choice. I was pleasantly surprised at how many did it.

Here's the handout. Feel free to follow any or none. As always, do what works for your troop!

Pets Journal for girl scouts

Fill in the blanks and complete at least five of the steps at the bottom and back of this sheet. When you've finished, have your parent drop it in my mailbox, email it to me, or bring to the next troop meeting. Don't lose it! If you do, have your parent contact me.

You may choose to do this for more than one pet, if you want. Just write the information down for each pet. If you do not have a pet, you can help with someone else's pet, or visit the Humane Society, Adoption Center, or Animal Hospital if you want.

Girl's Name:____________________________________________________________

Pet's Name: ____________________________________________________________

Type of Animal: ________________________________________________________

Breed (if known; also list physical description):________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Choose FIVE (or more) activities and document your actions by listing what you did. Not all pets need the same things, and that's okay (you can't walk a fish, after all)! Just be sure to complete at least five of the activities at some point during the next two weeks, and write about what you did:

1. Physical Needs (feed, water, walk, potty/litter box):__________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
2. Emotional Needs (playing with pet, showing affection, petting, and so on):
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
3. Describe Your Pet's Personality:_________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
4. Something You've Learned from Caring for an Animal:_____________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   ____________________________________________________________
   
5. Draw a Picture of Your Pet:
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Describe How You Feel About Your Pet/Animals in General:______________
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7. Learn About Animals! Have your parents go to this website so you can read about caring for all kinds of pets: http://www.petco.com/CareSheets/petco_CareSheets.aspx. List something you learned here: ______________________________________________________
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8. Create a LOST Sheet for Your Pet. Include the pet's name, physical description, recent photograph, and your address/phone number. Keep it on hand just in case. (Check yes if you did this: _____ YES. Leave blank if not.)
9. List Some Ways to Keep Pets Safe. Include foods/plants that can be dangerous to pets, information about safe shelter for when the weather is cold, and so on:
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Brownies: Sit-Upons (Sewing, Part One)

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!

How to Train Your Dragon Fun Patch (All Levels)

Oh gosh, y'all, it's been ages since I've posted! Sorry. Life's been hectic. Two troops, two homerooms, several websites, and my house is in shambles. So of course, forget the laundry. Let's update the blog!

Woohoo! I survived the holidays! 

Anyway. So, let's get right to it shall we? First off, prepare yourself for a bit of a scavenger hunt, because the fun patches we used for this were a one time special edition patch that is no longer available (sorry!). So, sharpen those Google skills, and head out to magical eBay, Etsy, and other online sites for your own Dragon Trainer fun patches. I have faith you'll find something.

We took two meetings to cover this fun patch, and used several of the suggested steps below. As with any fun patch, you're welcome to adjust as needed to best fit your troop. I did this with third grade Brownies. The list of steps runs the gamut though: you'll find fun activities for Daisies all the way up to S/A in here.

So this post is a little different. Normally I type up in great detail what we did. This time, I'm giving you a host of activities to choose from. Knock yourselves out! ;)

And if some of these won't quite work for you, do some searches for How to Train Your Dragon party games/activities. There are gobs of parenting blogs out there loaded with great suggestions that could be incorporated into a fun patch!

Awww, look at this great picture! Thanks, Google.

How to Train Your Dragon Patch Requirements

Each level completes a different number of requirements (preferably at least one from each section if possible): Daisies – 2 to 3, Brownies – 3 to 4, Juniors – 4 to 5, C/S/A – 5 or more

Feel free to adjust the suggested steps, or change the requirements to fit your troop's needs. These are suggestions only for this fun patch. 

The focus is on Knowledge, Loyalty (Friendship), and Diplomacy.

Knowledge:

1. Research dragons or other mythological creatures. Share one fact (or more) with the troop.
2. Draw a picture of your own made-up mythological creature (or make a sculpture, or write a list of its features, etc.). Can work in teams to show Friendship and Diplomacy.*
   *We did this one but a bit differently. I had each girl create her own creature and name it (Rainbow Boogers anyone? Ha!), then everyone slid their paper one girl to the left, and that girl added a new feature and new characteristic/talent to the creature, while respecting the original artist's work. It was fun! It was a good exercise in working together, in being Diplomatic by pointing out the positives, etc.
3. Write a story or poem about your favorite animal (real, extinct, or mythological/imaginary).
4. Pick a wild animal and learn about it: habitat, food, etc.
5. Learn about endangered animals. What can you do to help them?
6. Do you have a pet? How do you take care of it? Do something special for your pet (make braided leashes, decorate leashes/collars with fabric pens, look at the ingredients in the pet food, research healthy foods for pets, do something for your local animal shelter, etc.).*
   *We incorporated out Pets badge into the HtTYD meetings. It was a good fit.
7. What are some misconceptions people have about some animals (think of an animal that is viewed as dangerous – versus those that are not viewed as dangerous)? Are these views always accurate? What are some safety tips for interacting with animals (dogs, cats, ocean/beach, even insects)?
8. Play the “Which Animal Am I?” game: Write the name of various animals on slips of paper. Place in a bowl/hat, and have each girl draw one, then act out the animal. Girls guess who you are, and next one takes a turn.
9. Make paper dragons (Google “origami dragons” for instructions, and/or make paper airplanes and decorate with faces, etc.). Here's a good site: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Origami-Dragons
10. Or paper airplanes colored as dragons. Have races to see whose goes the farthest.

Loyalty/Friendship:

1. How do loyalty and friendship fit into Girl Scouting?
2. Play a collaborative game.
3. Break up into teams (buddies) and design your own team colors.
4. Design a logo for your team.
5. Use face paint for teams (HTTYD2 Dragon Races) and have relay races.
6. Pretend you are chief of your village (town/city). What are some things you would do as chief, to help your village?
7. Show your support for your “village” (school, town, sports team, etc.), by attending an event wearing its colors.
8. Create a troop banner (using troop crest or other design).
9. Write one funny fact about yourself (something you like, something you can do, etc.), but don't put your name on it. Place all facts in a bowl and draw them one at a time. Have girls try to guess who wrote what.
10. Working with a buddy: Make Viking shields with one other our of cardboard and markers/duct tape.
11. Working with a buddy: Make Viking helmets for each other out of cardboard and duct tape: http://bugbooandbean.blogspot.com/2011/04/dragon-party-armour-part-1-viking-hats.html
12. Come up with your own activity here.

Diplomacy:

1. When you have a disagreement with someone, what are some healthy ways to resolve it? What are some unhealthy ways?
2. Have a mock debate. Pick the topic (can be something serious like Animal Preservation for older girls; something less serious/more opinion-based -- like cats versus dogs -- for younger ones) and draw names out of a hat to choose sides.
3. How can you have a difference of opinion and still live by the GS Law (key: Respecting Others)?
4. What is an ambassador/representative? How are you an ambassador/representative for your troop?
5. Discuss ways wearing your GS vest impacts how others view you. What about school shirts/uniforms? And so on.
6. Do a postcard exchange with a troop in another country/area.
7. Pair off into buddies. Come up with three things you have in common: these must be common interests (not just how old you are, in the same GS troop, etc.). You can find something in common with ANYONE if you're willing to try.
8. Learn about one aspect of government or law, and how it works to help resolve or prevent conflict.
9. Your own Diplomatic activity here.

Other Just for Fun Activities:

1. Pretend you're riding a dragon. Create an obstacle course near your meeting place and have “dragon races” around it.
2. Have a tournament with your paper airplane dragons, from the top of a slide or other (safe) location.
3. Use fabric markers to make t-shirts with your team logo/design on them.
4. Play “Chase the Dragon's Tail”: Everyone stands in a line and places their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. The first person in line is the Dragon. The last person is the Tail. The Dragon tries to catch the Tail without breaking the line. When the Dragon succeeds, she becomes the Tail, and the next person in line becomes the Dragon (and so on).
5. Play “Simon Says” with a Dragon twist: Choose a dragon-y name for yourself instead of Simon.
6. Here are some free online coloring page templates from HTTYD: http://www.coloring-book.info/coloring/coloring_page.php?id=237

Note: Check to see if you can also work badges into these activities. Many of the steps will work for Wearable Art (retired** Brownie Try-It), Pets, etc. Check your guidebook and Google for more ideas!

**Yes, I know, there's a big hoo-ha over whether "retired" badges are still official. Honestly? While I'm incredibly picky about many things, this is one battle I'm not even given more than this bit of thought to: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Loads of retired badges are still relevant. If you can find them, earn them, and wear them proudly. Is that the "official" stance? No clue. I'm not even Googling this one. Because I'm still hoping they'll bring them out of retirement and give us full access once more....

Here are some things we did:

First, I had them come up with three great things about themselves. Not things they were interested in (Legos! Ponies! Glitter!) but actually think about their strengths, their best traits, as well as the things they held dear (Family, Friendship, etc.) that helped guide them, helped make up their goals. Most of the girls wrote things like "Smart!" and "Creative!" Some had a challenging time with it and needed some encouragement. We involved each other in this -- pointing out each other's best qualities. It was good! 

Once they came up with their three traits, I had them draw three things (anything they wanted) to represent those traits, to create a personal Coat of Arms.

I love it when the girls get creative. They did a great job!