Girl Scout Daisy Create and Innovate Badge

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Children are naturally creative. Leaders will harness this ability to earn the Girl Scout Daisy Create and Innovate badge. Leaders who have covered the petals in previous meeting and have new girls who have not earned them will find this product useful, as the activities cover the concepts. It also serves as a review for the girls who have earned them already.

Because of the hands on activities, this badge will require two meetings to complete.


Girl Scout Daisy Create and Innovate Badge


Available on TpT


Included in this resource:

  • Introduction activity
  • Recycle craft for Step 1 (great for review of the green petal, Use Resources Wisely)
  • Two activities for Step 2 and a movement activity for introducing what they will be doing. Craft can review/earn the light green Daisy petal, Considerate and Caring.
  • Easy closing activity for Step 3
  • All printables
  • List of materials needed for each activity

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Girl Scout Daisy Create and Innovate Badge

Now Available: Juliette Gordon Low Takes Her Place on the Quarter


Let’s celebrate history is in the making! Our very own trailblazer, Juliette Gordon Low, is making her mark on American currency. Today, the United States Mint released the Juliette Gordon Low special edition quarter which is one of five final quarters being released through the American Women Quarters™ Program Order yours today!

What is the American Women Quarters™ Program?

According to the United States Mint: “The American Women Quarters™ Program is a four-year program that celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States. Beginning in 2022, and continuing through 2025, the U.S. Mint will issue up to five new reverse designs each year.” These quarters pay tribute to women from diverse backgrounds who have made their mark on suffrage, civil rights, abolition, government, humanities, science, space, the arts, and more. It's a powerful recognition of the incredible impact women have had on our nation's history. 

Just think about the trailblazers who've graced these quarters to date: Maya Angelou, Bessie Coleman, Celia Cruz, and Eleanor Roosevelt are just a few examples. Now, Juliette Gordon Low is joining their esteemed company, and we couldn't be prouder. Learn more here.

Why is this important?

The selection of Juliette Gordon Low for this prestigious honor on the national stage serves as a powerful reminder that her visionary spirit and the Movement she founded are beacons of hope for every girl. And today, the world needs Girl Scouts more than ever. Low’s legacy comes to life in every Girl Scout and alum who speaks up for what they believe in, leaves the world better than they found it, and blazes a trail of their very own. Juliette Gordon Low's journey from trailblazing leader to a face on our nation's currency is a testament to the power of girls and women everywhere.

What is the significance of the design?

Let's dive into the design elements and their significance on the new quarter featuring Juliette Gordon Low. The design captures Juliette’s spirit and strength. Juliette is rocking her 1920s Girl Scout uniform, complete with trefoils on her hat, lapels, belt buckle, and pin. Check out the Thanks Badge over her heart—it's the highest adult award in Girl Scouting! And that Silver Fish around her neck? It’s the top honor in UK Girl Guiding, symbolizing swimming upstream and overcoming obstacles. This quarter's design is packed with history and Girl Scout pride.

Additional Commemorative Products Available

Let's celebrate Juliette Gordon Low's legacy together with:


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Now Available: Juliette Gordon Low Takes Her Place on the Quarter

Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting

Take a breath during cookie season with these easy ideas for a Girl Scout Valentine's Day meeting.

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The holiday season is over. There is still a whole lot of winter that has to happen before the warmer spring season arrives. Your troop is stuck indoors…unless you are selling Girl Scout cookies at booths on the weekends. If you want a break from focusing on cookies, why not plan a fun Valentine’s Day meeting that does not require a lot of planning.

Easy Girl Scout Valentine's Day Meeting

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you know how much I love to plan and organize.  Now is the time to start thinking about a Valentine’s Day craft if your meeting falls near the holiday.  Yes, I know that it is also World Thinking Day on February 22nd, as well as Twos Day, but newer and younger troops may not be celebrating this year. Plus, in case you are not aware, you can celebrate WTD any time of year, not just in February.

Your Valentine's Day meeting can be done in three simple steps.

1. Read a Story

There are so many wonderful Valentine's Day books for kids. Here are just a few.


Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting 

With illustrations by the well-loved Tedd Arnold of Fly Guy fame, this story is sure to incite giggles.


Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting



The book was written an illustrated by the popular duo Laura Numeroff and Felicia Bond. A crowd pleaser at any age!

Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting



Written and illustrated by Felicia Bond, see what Cornelia Augusta does the day it rains hearts.

2. Do a Craft

For this easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy meeting, you can do a fun craft using a ready made craft kit. Here are just a few. 

Easy Valentine's Day Craft



Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Meeting




Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting


3. Make a Treat

Because Council rules vary, your girls may not be able to eat their Valentine's Day treat while at your meeting, and that is fine. Have plastic bags and/or foil to wrap up whatever you are making and the girls can eat their treat at home.

Materials

Cookies
Icing
Paper plates
Paper bowls
Plastic knives
Red or pink sugar and sprinkles

One of the easiest and most fun activities that my girls did through the years is decorate cookies. If you are not a baker, go to the grocery store and buy the jumbo package of sugar cookies.

Have the icing and decorations in bowls around the table. Have the girls decorate them. Easy!

What is your troop doing for Valentine's Day?


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Easy Valentine's Day Girl Scout Daisy Meeting

Friendship Matters: How We Can Tackle Loneliness to Boost Confidence Among Girls


Did you know that as girls grow older, they often start to feel lonelier and less confident? Yup! It’s true. Experts have long discussed the impact of loneliness and social isolation on peoples’ well-being, including mental, emotional, and physical health. The U.S. Surgeon General has even called loneliness an epidemic. In recent years, girls have been disproportionately affected by mental health issues—it’s no wonder they’re not immune to the loneliness epidemic, either. It’s time we dive into this.


We set out to learn more about loneliness and how it affects girls by sending out a survey. And guess what? The results were eye-opening. Nearly 70 percent of girls ages five through 13 experience loneliness. And, as feelings of loneliness increase, self-confidence decreases.

But there was a bit of encouraging news, and it has to do with the power of friendship.

Here’s what we learned:

  • Loneliness Increases with Age: Survey results show that loneliness escalates as girls get older. 64 percent of girls ages five through seven, 67 percent of girls ages eight through ten, and 73 percent of girls ages 11 through 13 reported feelings of loneliness.
  • As Loneliness Grows, Confidence Drops: While 86 percent of girls ages five through seven expressed beliefs in their ability to tackle challenges, this figure drops to 80 percent among girls ages eight through ten and even down to 73 percent among 11 through 13-year-old girls.
  • Friendship Is a Confidence Booster: Companionship helps girls try things they wouldn’t otherwise do alone. For more than half of the girls surveyed, having a friend by their side encourages them to try new things (52 percent) like talk to a new kid (52 percent); 50 percent would join a new group with a friend.
  • Girls Prefer Real Interactions to Screen Time: Most girls would prefer to be creative (63 percent), go outside and play (59 percent), or spend time with their family (59 percent) rather than spend all their time on screens. Despite the ubiquity of digital devices, these results point to girls’ desires for a range of authentic experiences and interpersonal connections.
These findings highlight the importance of supporting young girls in building meaningful connections and boosting their confidence. With that in mind, Girl Scouts has programming meant to tackle the specific issues today’s girls face, thanks in part to amazing partners like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.

Our amazing mental wellness resources and programming were specifically developed to support girls, Girl Scout council staff, and adult volunteers as they learn about mental wellness, behavioral issues, and healthy habits. Through our mental wellness programming, girls across the country are given the tools to effectively identify and communicate their emotions, offer support to their friends, and seek help from trusted adults in their community.

And we know a thing or two about helping girls build lasting friendships and their self-confidence!

Girl Scouts offers programming that can help all of us address the loneliness epidemic.


Girl Scouts Mental Wellness Programs for Girls:

  • Resilient. Ready. Strong. Patch Program
    • Have you heard about the awesome Resilient. Ready. Strong patch program designed for ALL grade levels? Launched in 2021, this program is all about boosting confidence and tackling challenges heads-on with easy and fun activities and help girls boost their resilience and learn skills to lift their moods when they need it.
  • Mental Wellness Patch Program
    • Picture this: A special program for Girl Scout Juniors through Ambassadors (grades 4–12), packed with practical tips for handling tricky emotions. We’re talking about helping girls identify and tackle their feelings while encouraging help-seeking behavior through the “Finding My Voice,” “Showing Up for Me and You,” and “Knowing My Emotions” patches.
  • Making Friends
    • Brownie troop leaders and caregivers, listen up! Our Making Friends badge program is your Brownies’ ticket to friendship success. From mastering introductions to showing the people in their lives they care and, of course, having a blast together, we’ve got Brownies covered!


Girl Scouts Mental Wellness Programs for Adults:

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
    • Created for council staff, troop leaders, and volunteers, YMHFA delivers vital information to better support youth mental well-being and address common mental health and substance use challenges. Don’t miss out on this amazing resource!
  • Mental Wellness 101
    • Attention troop leaders and adult volunteers! This training program equips you with the knowledge and tools to promote mental wellness within the Girl Scout community. So important!
To learn more about our programs, this data, or to sign up for Girl Scouts, head to girlscouts.org. Join the conversation on social media. Tag us @girlscouts.
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Friendship Matters: How We Can Tackle Loneliness to Boost Confidence Among Girls

Girl Scout Leap Year Meeting

If you want to take a break from regular badge work, here is a once every four years Girl Scout Leap Year meeting.

*This post contains affiliate links.

For many leaders who are in the cookie zone, the end of February may seem like a long way off. Booth sales, cookie meetings, and cookie cupboard pickups are front and center right now. Even though it is a few weeks away, it isn’t too soon to start planning your upcoming meetings.

This year, in 2024, leaders have the once every four years opportunity to celebrate Leap Year with their troop. Daisies don’t remember what a Leap Year is, as they were toddlers the last time one occurred in 2020. 

Leaders, here is an opportunity for your troop to celebrate February 29th, 2024 with this Girl Scout Leap Year Meeting resource.

Girl Scout Leap Year Meeting


 
Girl Scout Leap Year Meeting


Available on TpT

Included in this resource:

  • Leap Year trivia game
  • Movement activities
  • Thinking games
  • Recipes and other food activities
  • Future Me page
  • Coloring pages
  • All printables

What are you planning to do for your Girl Scout Leap Year meeting?

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Girl Scout Leap Year Meeting