Tula: Courageous and Strong - Red Petal

Petal Activity #1: Enjoy Tula’s Story and talk about it

Tula's story is in the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting.  Tula the Tulip is the fourth petal of ten that you will learn about in this guide.  Tula's petal is about learning what being courageous and strong means.  If you don't the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting, you can hear it read here by Troop #5007.

Petal Activity #2: Make an art gallery celebrating women who are courageous and strong

We did this requirement last - because I wanted my girls to see that THEY could be courageous and strong.  I had previously printed pictures of each of my girls, and when we got to this part, I gave each girl their photo, and a piece of colored construction paper.  We took out our troop arts and craft supplies, and I asked each girl to paste their photo to the construction paper, and decorate it.  When they were finished, I had each girl show us her art, and tell us about the girl in the picture and how she was courageous and strong.  I LOVED this part of the badge - it was a really empowering, and uplifting experience for both my girls and myself.

Petal Activity #3: Practice being courageous and strong

We did this requirement second, rather than third.  This was also one of my favorite petals to earn.  I had 9 daisy girl scouts, and so I took 4 eggs and hard boiled them.  I left the other 5 fresh.  When we got to this part of the meeting, I gave each girl a paper plate, and let them each pick an egg.  I talked about being courageous, and what that means.  

Courage is being able to face fear, and being able to move past uncertainty and nervousness.  It is being brave; feeling scared and moving forward despite that feeling.

Then I explained that we have 9 eggs, and 4 of them are hard boiled, which means 5 of them are not.  I asked my girls to them smash their egg between their hands.  Many of the girls balked - no one wanted to be covered in egg.  I used this time to reinforce courage, and how they are feeling fear - and now we were going to move past it.  We encouraged each other, and one by one they smashed their eggs in their hands.  The lucky girls were relieved and the less lucky little ladies delighted in being intrepid and making a bit of a mess.

We had a great time with this - not many things cuter than 5 and 6 year olds learning about girl scouts!  Tell me how your Tula the Tulip earning went!