There are so many different activities you can do with your troop. Here are some fun ideas to get started, but there are so many other things to do.
Make Bird Feeders: Bird-watching is an activity that anyone can enjoy right from their own backyard, and one of the best ways to attract birds is to put up a bird feeder. There are so many ideas online. Many thanks to Nicole of Lakeville for sharing this site with tips and instructions: Make Your Own Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder.
Paper doll making: This is popular, especially with the younger kids. This website has many different templates that you can print and cut out. The girls can customize their dolls with hair and clothes. http://www.makingfriends.com/f_Friends.htm
Beaded or hemp necklaces and bracelets: These are always fun. You can get a kit or go the jewelery or craft store and get string and some beads. For girls that are on the older side, hemp bracelets can be a great activity. Just google Hemp bracelets for some instructions.
Make SWAPS: SWAPS are "Special Watchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere" (see SWAPS tab). These can be traded at events (encampments, Rock-the-Mall, overnights, etc.) or you can just give them out to visitors, program teachers, or just random people on the street. At a meeting, you could have stations to make several different types.
Paper bag puppets: Get paper bags, preferably the smaller kind, although if you wanted you could use the big ones. Use yarn for hair, pompoms, markers, cloth, fabric,and googly eyes all make good body parts.
Pretend camp out in the backyard: Put up the tent, get out the sleeping bags, and have a camp out. Make dinner over a campfire if you have a small grill that you can all gather around. Make s'mores over the campfire, or you could do it in the microwave. Tell scary or silly stories, play games, and have a great time!
Scrapbooks: Girls can make scrapbooks about the troop using pictures you've taken, or they can bring in their own pictures. You can buy colorful card stock, get some funky scissors, stickers, and a bunch of colorful markers and pens. Put it all out on the table and watch them go to it!
Tie Dye: There are many different tie dye kits that you can buy online. Just search "tie dye kits" and you'll find many different things. The girls can bring in the article of clothing they want to tie dye and it can really be anything. Shirts, shorts, pants, socks, skirts. It is best if they are cotton, but I think you can tie dye just about anything.
Baking and Cooking Classes: So many baking classes to be found! There's a range of classes from candy, cakes and cookies to breads and baking. Check out The Little Bitts Shop or Fran's Cake and Candy -- or put out a request in your local area and you might find someone to come to you!
Decorate Cupcakes: This is always fun. I remember doing this with my own troop and we served our cupcakes when we served dinner to people in a homeless shelter, but you can make them for yourselves if you want. You can make the cupcakes ahead of time for the girls, or you can make them together at one meeting and decorate them at the next. You can get different sprinkles and frosting and food coloring for all the girls.
Another cool idea to do with older kids is to make groups and tell them to try to make chocolate chip cookies or some other basic treat from scratch and from memory. I did this with my troop recently, and it was really fun. Surprisingly, our cookies came out okay. They weren't the best cookies ever, but the weren't totally inedible either.
Make Candy Sushi: A sure-fire hit with the girls! Just google it for directions.
Make Posters: if you have a cookie sale or some other event coming up, you can find some poster board and card stock and make some colorful posters.
Beaded Pipe Cleaner Snowflakes: These snowflakes always turn out beautiful! Check out http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/beadedsnowflake/beadedsnowflake.html for directions.
Google or look on Pinterest for Patch Kits: There are so many patches and kits available online that you can order and have shipped to you to do with your troop! Go to Pinterest or see Cupcakes and Lace, Making Friends, or GSCNC Kits .
Make Bird Feeders: Bird-watching is an activity that anyone can enjoy right from their own backyard, and one of the best ways to attract birds is to put up a bird feeder. There are so many ideas online. Many thanks to Nicole of Lakeville for sharing this site with tips and instructions: Make Your Own Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder.
Paper doll making: This is popular, especially with the younger kids. This website has many different templates that you can print and cut out. The girls can customize their dolls with hair and clothes. http://www.makingfriends.com/f_Friends.htm
Beaded or hemp necklaces and bracelets: These are always fun. You can get a kit or go the jewelery or craft store and get string and some beads. For girls that are on the older side, hemp bracelets can be a great activity. Just google Hemp bracelets for some instructions.
Make SWAPS: SWAPS are "Special Watchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere" (see SWAPS tab). These can be traded at events (encampments, Rock-the-Mall, overnights, etc.) or you can just give them out to visitors, program teachers, or just random people on the street. At a meeting, you could have stations to make several different types.
Paper bag puppets: Get paper bags, preferably the smaller kind, although if you wanted you could use the big ones. Use yarn for hair, pompoms, markers, cloth, fabric,and googly eyes all make good body parts.
Pretend camp out in the backyard: Put up the tent, get out the sleeping bags, and have a camp out. Make dinner over a campfire if you have a small grill that you can all gather around. Make s'mores over the campfire, or you could do it in the microwave. Tell scary or silly stories, play games, and have a great time!
Scrapbooks: Girls can make scrapbooks about the troop using pictures you've taken, or they can bring in their own pictures. You can buy colorful card stock, get some funky scissors, stickers, and a bunch of colorful markers and pens. Put it all out on the table and watch them go to it!
Tie Dye: There are many different tie dye kits that you can buy online. Just search "tie dye kits" and you'll find many different things. The girls can bring in the article of clothing they want to tie dye and it can really be anything. Shirts, shorts, pants, socks, skirts. It is best if they are cotton, but I think you can tie dye just about anything.
Baking and Cooking Classes: So many baking classes to be found! There's a range of classes from candy, cakes and cookies to breads and baking. Check out The Little Bitts Shop or Fran's Cake and Candy -- or put out a request in your local area and you might find someone to come to you!
Decorate Cupcakes: This is always fun. I remember doing this with my own troop and we served our cupcakes when we served dinner to people in a homeless shelter, but you can make them for yourselves if you want. You can make the cupcakes ahead of time for the girls, or you can make them together at one meeting and decorate them at the next. You can get different sprinkles and frosting and food coloring for all the girls.
Another cool idea to do with older kids is to make groups and tell them to try to make chocolate chip cookies or some other basic treat from scratch and from memory. I did this with my troop recently, and it was really fun. Surprisingly, our cookies came out okay. They weren't the best cookies ever, but the weren't totally inedible either.
Make Candy Sushi: A sure-fire hit with the girls! Just google it for directions.
Make Posters: if you have a cookie sale or some other event coming up, you can find some poster board and card stock and make some colorful posters.
Beaded Pipe Cleaner Snowflakes: These snowflakes always turn out beautiful! Check out http://www.firstpalette.com/Craft_themes/Nature/beadedsnowflake/beadedsnowflake.html for directions.
Google or look on Pinterest for Patch Kits: There are so many patches and kits available online that you can order and have shipped to you to do with your troop! Go to Pinterest or see Cupcakes and Lace, Making Friends, or GSCNC Kits .