US Contact lists - Councils within the US

 

Girl Scout 

verb

Being a Girl Scout is something you DO, and it is an EXPERIENCE that no girl should miss!

Welcome!  One of the biggest hurdles for new leaders is who to contact, and how.  We are working on a complete list of councils within the US - scroll down and see if we have yours. 

*If you dont see it, feel free to drop us a comment!

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Girl Scouts of the Nations Capitol
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Girl Scouts of Central Illinois
• Indiana
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana - Michiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Girl Scouts of the Nations Capitol
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Girl Scouts of Southern & Central New Jersey
• New Mexico
• Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest
• New York
• Girl Scouts of Suffolk County
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Girl Scouts of the Nations Capitol
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming
• Puerto Rico
• Guam
• US Virgin Islands
• American Samoa
• Northern Mariana

He's got the whole world

Girl Scout songs are an integral part of being a girl scout.  These are some of my favorites! Please enjoy them.  I grew up in the midwest, so if you are from a different region, you may have slightly different lyrics!  I've included links to YouTube videos, but they are not *my* videos - enjoy them, and let the artists know if you loved them!

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

Link to YouTube video for On My Honor

He's got the whole world in His hands, 

He's got the whole world in His hands, 

He's got the whole wide world in His hands, 

He's got the whole world in His hands. 

1. He's got the Dancing Daisies... 

2. He's got the Bouncin' Brownies... 

3. He's got the Jumpin' Juniors... 

4. He's got the Crazy Cadets... 

5. He's got the Sassy Seniors... 

6. He’s got the Awesome Ambassadors... 

7. He's got the loud mouth Leaders...

Songs - The Princess Pat

Girl Scout songs are an integral part of being a girl scout.  These are some of my favorites! Please enjoy them.  I grew up in the midwest, so if you are from a different region, you may have slightly different lyrics!  I've included links to YouTube videos, but they are not *my* videos - enjoy them, and let the artists know if you loved them!

The Princess Pat

Link to YouTube video for On My Honor

The princess pat, (the princess pat)
Lived in a tree, (lived in a tree)
She sailed across, (she sailed across)
The seven Seas, (the seven seas)
She sailed across, (she sailed across)
The channel two, (the channel two)
And she took with her, (and she took with her)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)

Now what is that? (now what is that?)
Its something made, (its something made)
By the princess pat, (by the princess pat)
Its red and gold, (its red and gold)
And purple too, (and purple too)
Thats why its called, (thats why its called)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)

Now Captain Jack, (now captain Jack)
Had a mighty fine crew (had a mighty fine crew)
He sailed across, (he sailed across)
The channel two, (the channel two)
But his ship sank, (but his ship sank)
And yours will too, (and yours will too)
If you dont take, (if you dont take)
A rick-a-bamboo (a rick-a-bamboo)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)

Now what is that? (now what is that?)
Its something made, (its something made)
By the princess pat, (by the princess pat)
Its red and gold, (its red and gold)
And purple too, (and purple too)
Thats why its called, (thats why its called)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)
A rick-a-bamboo, (a rick-a-bamboo)

But what about dues?

Girl Scout 
verb

Being a Girl Scout is something you DO, and it is an EXPERIENCE that no girl should miss!

Dues.  This is a hot topic for every troop leader.  Between annual national dues, any local dues that may be imposed on top of national, and the potential troop imposed dues, it is something leaders must seriously consider before making the choice to charge them or not.

First - I'd like to add that girl scouts is a girl led activity, and regardless of age, the girls should be involved in the decision of whether to charge dues or not.

There are a lot of pros and cons to charging dues, and the mechanics of making a troop work can be more difficult without dues.  Some leaders view dues as integral.  Some view them as an unnessecary cost.  Personally, I see the value in charging dues, but I also see a LOT of value in refraining from charging them.  In my troop, we charged $25 per girl the FIRST year we were a troop.  If parent's could not pay, I didn't pursue it.  I lived in a pretty low income area, and we really just were trying to get through fall and get to cookie season.  That council did not give any funds for new troops, so we were really starting at ground zero.

This worked well for my troop.  We had a few that didn't or couldn't pay, and many who did pay promptly.  It was enough to get us through, and we haven't charged dues since.  My troop has always been fairly successful with cookie sales.  We generally run between 7 and 10 girls and my girls generally net $1500+.  Since they are small yet, this is plenty for them to do fun stuff, pay their registration, and purchase their uniforms and badges, etc.

In the following paragraphs, we will go over the pros and the cons of charging dues. Ready?

Pro's

• The troop has funds - this is important.  Without funds, they cannot do any activities that cost money, purchase badges, or buy supplies
• Dues give a girl ownership over her troop, and meeting.  
• Dues teach girls many lessons - life isnt free, money comes from somewhere, etc. 
• You, as a leader, are not spending a lot of money out of pocket.
• Often the troop can do more things, or more expensive things.

Con's

• Dues can cause conflict between troop members family's and the troop.  Sometimes parent's can't or just wont pay.  If they can't, some element of embarassment or shame is generally hand in hand with that.  If they won't pay, they might just not care. 
• Dues are NOT required, thus you cannot penalize a girl if her parent's dont pay them.  Troop money is still troop money and must be used equally.  This national standard can cause some frustration for leaders and scouts, as well.
• It is hard to guess the correct amount.  Leaders I know have charged anywhere from $.25 a meeting to $150 a year.  
• Enforcing dues handed in at meetings may unitentionally single out a girl who's family cannot afford to pay.
• If your troop does charity work, parents may have some issues or question why they need to pay dues, if the troop is well off enough to donate to more needy groups. 
• It may not cover all expenses, and it becomes a lot to ask for someone to pay national dues, possible local dues, troop dues, then drop another $75 for a uniform, and pay a portion of events.

In the end, you really have to sit down and talk with your parents, girls, and coleaders.  Some troop charge dues, some don't.  It really comes down to what works for your specific troop.  I urge you to sit down and really see how far you can get without them.  I would not advocate using your own out of pocket money on scouts, and don't run yourself ragged trying to saving money.  Just be frugal and cognizant of everything that can be done at low or no cost, and keep costs low all around.  Everyone will appreciate it!

Look for a post coming soon on low cost and no cost activity ideas, and as always, please share any questions or comments you have!

Coral Patches

Girl Scout 

verb

Being a Girl Scout is something you DO, and it is an EXPERIENCE that no girl should miss!

One day, I was perusing Facebook for further resources pertaining to girl scouts.  I happened to come across a really interesting post in my Facebook group - Girl Scout Troop Leader Connection.  The post was actually kind of distasteful, when I looked more into it.  On the surface, it was a post that said something like, hey check out this cool group - what it really meant was, I need to refer people to this group so I can win something for me, so I am spamming other groups for my own benefit.

ALL THAT ASIDE, when I went to check out the group - Coral Patches - and it was a REALLY COOL group!!  I followed the link to her website - http://www.coralpatches.com/store/ and just looked around.  This site.  You guys. It is awesome.  First and foremost - there are TONS of great resources.  

Let me introduce you to Nicole Sutherland.  She is the creative mind and power behind this site, and she is a doll.  I've spent quite a but of time talking with her, and spitballing, and I am very excited to do a collaboration in the form of a blog post with her.  We have an exciting surprise for you at the end of this post as well! <3 

I am a coffee drinking Girl Scout mom from San Diego who likes Disneyland, making cupcakes, watching football, cooking, crafting, and running marathons. Follow me on Instagram @nic0le for more ideas. ”

— NICOLE

First.  FREE.  There is a large number of FREE resources - I'm talking, download and print at Office Max on the cheap, free. There are awesome, detailed fun patch requirements that you can print for free.  I love this - you all know how we do fun patches in my troop - we have 3 requirements that must be met to earn it - so this was right up my ally.  However, it was also just the TIP of the iceberg.  Nicole has so much more than just patch instructions.  There are resources from super cute planners, to attendance forms.  Cookie sales trackers to calendars.  Kapers charts to badge trackers.  

People. They are gorgeous as well.  Nicole has a great eye for design, and color, and it really shows in her work.  Now - my FAVORITE part of the free printables is that Nicole will absolutely print these items for you.  And yes, there is a cost - but not the etsy cost you've come to expect.  Nicole prints these for a minimal fee ($0.65), on 90lb cardstock, in a flat envelope.  

Click on the photo to check it out!

There are also a variety of other fun things available for purchase for a small cost - patches, stationary, stickers, etc.  I would love for you to pop on over and check her things out.  AND it's probably pretty important that you do - because I am hosting a giveaway.

My readers are girl scout leaders who are selfless, and giving and dedicated. And deserving of a little something fun - so check out the rafflecopter below and enter to win a $20 credit to Coral Patches.  The giveaway runs from now until 12a EST on October 5th.  Enjoy and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Did you check out Coral Patches? Did you enjoy it? What are you going to get when you win the $20 credit?

What should NEW leaders know? PART 1

Girl Scout 
verb

Being a Girl Scout is something you DO, and it is an EXPERIENCE that no girl should miss!

My posts thus far have largely been cultivated from my own on the job training, and gained knowledge, as well as research I have done online and in person.  *I* decided to try something a little bit different.  I created a google form, and asked leaders across the nation to contribute to it.  It had four (4) questions.  They were:

• What is the #1 thing you wish you knew as a new leader?
• What kind of leader resources would you find most useful?
• What is something you want to ask other leaders anonymously?
• Is there anything else you'd like to note here?

I received over 100 GREAT responses to this and am compiling them for general use for new leaders, seasoned leaders - really any volunteer that is looking for answers. THIS particular post is going to be what new leaders should know - part 1. 

The first season of scouting as a leader can be very hard.  I spent my entire girlhood as a girl scouts, and still was completely unprepared for the politics between moms, with dealing with difficult guardians, with knowing what exactly the service unit or council was there for - a slew of things.  So I want you to know - when you are there, in the trenches, and its not the unicorns and butterflies you imagined, there are many many MANY seasoned leaders out there that are rooting for you, cheering for you, and standing behind you.  We all want you to succeed.

Some answers were repeated time and time again by seasoned leaders, and I will highlight that when discussing those points!  Without further ado, here are the first couple of things that all NEW leaders should know!

1. How much time I would invest in it.
1. This one was repeated over and over again - it was included in probably 20-25% of the answers.  And I concur - it is SHOCKING how much time you invest.  But what is MORE surprising? Realizing that it doesn't (usually) even feel like work.  For many leaders, molding and guiding little ladies in their endeavors is a passion, and girl scouts is the perfect outlet.  You are intimately involved in the lives of your girls, becoming a mentor, a confidante - someone they trust. Someone they enjoy. So yes, it is time consuming. Sometimes it's a complete time suck.  But it is VERY rewarding.  You will find that you love your girls, and they love you.
   
2. Something else that came up was - I wish there was something for just average leaders.  But here's there thing.  There is NO SUCH THING as 'just an average leader.'  So maybe your girls don't earn EVERY SINGLE badge.  Or maybe you just don't have it in you to spend more than an hour planning meetings each week - pinterest just isn't your friend, and so you show up, the girls have fiun and you call it good.  Maybe you don't sell eleventy billion cookies, or go camping every weekend.  That doesn't make you average, or sub par.  As long as you love your girls, and work hard to make girl scouts a great experience for them, you are an amazing leader, and YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH.
   
2. How to keep everything organized.
1. Every leader does this differently.  My current set up is this: 
   
2. As you can see, my method is not the most organized.  I am a person who struggles with ADHD, and I find it easiest to have everything at my fingertips - when I find my focus waning, I can choose another item to work on easily.  Basically, I prefer to have all of my girl scout stuff in the same area, and then I choose what I need.  I have a 'craft corner' as well, and each week, I stuff what craft stuff I need into my scout bag to take to meetings.  THIS MAY NOT BE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU LOL!!  Something other leaders have mentioned finding great success in is using a bag meant for scrapbooking supplies, or (oddly enough) hair dresser or cosmetology supplies.  Something that looks something like this:
3. In the end, you'll need to figure out what works for you.  It will be a process.  It may take some time. Be patient with yourself, and try a few things out. You'll get there.
   
3. The more you let scouts get involved with the planning of meetings and camping early on, the more leadership skills they will gain. 
1. Girls of ALL ages are great planners.  The very young girls often need some guidance but they are ABSOLUTELY able to plan meetings and events, and to have some self empowerment in terms of decision making.  I DO find that with younger girls, it is easier for them to process it if you present an 'either or' choice.  Such as we are going to do such and such petal next week - we can do *this* activity OR *this* activity, and ask them to choose which to do.  I have a blog post on event planning with younger girls and how to help/guide them and to empower them to lead.  You can see that post here!  As girls get older, you can hand the reins over more and more to them until you are in the back seat and they are driving the meeting planning.
   
4. What the SU was, how they can help and that they had monthly meetings.
1. Your SU is your service unit and they are an extremely valuable resource for you!  Sometimes in onboarding, the information you receive isn't as comprehensive as it maybe could be.  A service unit is a subdivision of your council that includes girls, volunteers, parents, and community members.  It serves as a unit within the community to work together to achieve community and scouting goals.  Your service unit has a variety of roles they fulfill.  They recruit girls and volunteers, provide training, host activities and have a series of administrative duties, such as monthly meetings and identifying delegates.  You as a volunteer are expected to participate in your service unit, whether that is by volunteering on your SU, attending monthly meetings, attending trainings or even just networking.  Your SU is the go between with YOU and your girls, and the council.  Something that *I* think, and was reiterated to me by my membership specialist, was that leaders sometimes feel an overwhelming disconnect with their service unit.  This is nothing short of tragic.  But it is so easy to change - many leaders aren't completely aware of all of the help, training and service that a SU can provide, and knowledge is power.  When I posed this sentiment to my membership specialist, this was her response: "I think it starts with you and me and sharing this info with others.  I know that change is a hard pill to swallow for many of our volunteers (and council employees) across GSUSA, but if we can let go of how things used to be, sometimes we can share the joy of positive energy that makes the difference.  We can be the change we want to see."  And really, isn't that the crux of it? WE CAN BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE.  If you have any other questions or need information regarding your service unit, please please PLEASE do not hesitate to contact me.
   
5. I wish I knew how much flexibility there was, and there is no one *right* way to do everything.
1. This is so so so important for new leaders.  YOU can take the reins.  The girls can take the reins.  Things do NOT need to be completed just as described in the journeys, or girl guides.  You have such leniency - many of the books in girl scouts offer a specific way to complete the steps to a badge. And this is a perfectly acceptable way to obtain your badges.  However, sometimes you might come across something and think, wow that's lame. OR think, wouldn't it be so much cooler to do something like x,y and z? And that's the beauty of girl scouts.  You can change it up as much or as little as you like!  And remember, there is NO one *right* way to do anything - as long as you meet the general requirements, you have plenty of flexibility and empowerment to something your troop genuinely enjoys.  Some of the ways we completed our Daisy work is here.  Some of the ways we completed Brownie work is here.
   
6. There were MANY comments from leaders who are clearly frustrated and exasperated, to the effect of parents not wanting to help, not reading correspondence, and a general feeling of uselessness for them.
1. I think it is important to speak to this.  Please don't underestimate your parents.  Sometimes, parents suck. They just do - that's the reality of it.  You don't know their lives, and there may be more going on than what meets the eye.  Or maybe they truly just suck.  Either way, you don't know, so do yourself a favor and assume and err on the side of forgiveness and understanding.  Now - it is SO important to be clear and succinct when dealing with your parents.  Give them clear, and easy to understand expectations at the beginning of the year.  You can see the parent letter I use here.  Parents are your greatest resource during the scouting year.  There are a lot of roles that they can fill - cooking mgr, fall product mgr, treasurer, drivers, etc.  The most important thing to remember when dealing with your parents is that sometimes they just don't know how to bridge the gap.  They may want to help, but not a the level or capacity they *think* you expect. They may not want to step on toes. They may not even realize you *need* help!  What I find works best in terms of parent involvement is to jot down what I need from parents.  My current list looks like this:
• Fundraising Ideas
• Drivers for overnight
• Outdoor Skills training
• Brownie lead
• Daisy lead
2. My way to approach this is to select TWO (because someone may say no, or fall through) parents that I feel will be able to help out in these areas.  I selected more involved parents for the leads, less involved for the fundraising ideas.  I will approach the primary person for each of these roles on my list, and privately (in person or on the phone) speak with them, and basically implore them to help lol.  I am honest, and let them know that I can't do it all (no matter how much I'd like to) and that their participation will offer a more rounded, easily enjoyed experience for our girls, and that is really everyone's goal.  This approach allows parents to see roles in a smaller light, and makes them less overwhelming. It's pretty easy to say yes when someone comes to you and says, listen, I need 5 age appropriate fundraising ideas in 2 weeks.  Can you take some time to jot some down? To that same point, it is pretty easy to turn someone down when they say, I really need you to chair the troop fundraising. Parents WANT to help - they just need guidance.  Also, remember to make sure you are IN PERSON (if possible) or on the phone.  It is much harder to say no when presented with having to turn a person down to their face. 
3. The other conflict leaders frequently experience is trouble in paradise.  Dissent, disapproval, frustration or any other number of emotions you may encounter with the parents of your girls.  A resource my own council gave me, and that I find SO incredibly helpful is the F.A.I.R. method when talking to parents.  
4.  I have expounded on this previously in my blog, and you can find further information on this method here.
5. Lastly, if you are being harassed, threatened, demeaned, bullied, etc by parents, and are unable to self resolve it, please please PLEASE reach out to your council. They will step in and help you.  Trust. I have personal experience with it, and if you have questions on my experience, feel free to email me!
   
7. Girls sometimes have a SHORT attention span - be prepared, and be flexible to keep them engaged.
1. My last piece of advice for this post is about keeping those little ladies involved.  This is pointed more towards the smaller girl scouts, but it can sometimes happen with older scouts as well. Just be flexible and understanding - they are generally very excited to be at girl scouts and to be with their friends and sometimes have a hard time reining that in.

That's all for today's post.  It is only PART 1, and there will be more to come.  I hope, as a new leader, you found this information useful.  I hope more seasoned leaders read along, nodding and also found something useful here.  If you have anything to add, or a different method for any of this, please comment on this thread and SHARE!

Remember - Girls can do anything they set their minds to...especially when given the right opportunities!

How to Plan a Girl Scout Meeting

Girl Scout 
verb

Being a Girl Scout is something you DO, and it is an EXPERIENCE that no girl should miss!

As we zoom towards the new year, many leaders are already in the trenches, planning meetings, and holding meetings.  For some leaders, this comes naturally - and for some...it's a labor of love.

Everyone does it differently.  But there are some parts of the meeting that are pretty standard.  There are typically six parts of a girl scout meeting.  Those parts are: 

1. Start up
1. Otherwise known as pre-meeting activities. These are the things one sets out to occupy girls as they arrive, until it is time to start the meeting.  They vary with age - for instance, I set out coloring pages for my Daisies.  Cadettes, or older girls, may not need anything set out, as they can usually handle entertaining themselves.  This may also be a good time to have girls vote on things of importance - like which badge do you want to work on next, or and upcoming trip - please select your top three choices so we can discuss the most popular ones as a group.  This should be simple, and easy to pick up - AND - if you make this part FUN, it is a great incentive for girls to arrive on time!
2. Opening
1. This is the official call to order for your meeting.  Everyone does this differently, but it should be something to bring the girls together.  In the past, I have gathered my girls in a circle, and we've recited the promise.  However, historically, girl scouts have started their meeting with both a recitation of the promise, as well as a flag ceremony.  I have neglected to do this, because of an incorrect assumption that it was pretty time consuming.  I recently chatted with another leader at length, and she really delved into how her troop handles a flag ceremony, and it literally took TWO minutes.  So, we will be adding that this year.  Some other suggestions are starting with a song or game.
3. Troop Business
1. I am a big fan of troop business.  This is when I collect forms, and I suppose if you collect dues, you would do this at this time as well.  You can touch on old business - 'Just a reminder girls, permission forms are due next week.  Cookies start Jan 12th.  Etc.'  Any simple decision making or planning is done at this point as well.
   *I have found, in discussion with other leaders, this is the most common section to be dropped when it comes to meeting planning.*
4. Activity
1. This is self explanatory.  The activity portion is when you will handle the crafts, badge work, etc for the meeting.  This is the meat of the meeting.
5. Clean up
1. This is self explanatory.  This is time designated for the girls to clean up and put the meeting space back the way it was before they had their meeting.  Girl scouts always leave a place looking cleaner than they found it.  It is important that all of your girls are involved with this step, and many troops find kaper chart to be useful for these tasks.
6. Closing
1. This signifies the ending of the meeting.  It is a great time to reiterate the girls accomplishments during the meeting, and let them know what to expect in upcoming meetings.  It is also a great idea to do some sort of feel good activity.  Some troops like to sing a song - my troop does a friendship circle complete with a friendship squeeze.

Now that we have all of that hammered out, some people find it useful to use a template to plan their meetings.  Personally, I like to use a laminated paper that I can write on with dry erase markers, then erase and use again for the next meeting.  

To find a copy of the form I printed and laminated (helloooooo Fedex!) so that I could reuse often, please click here!

Some leaders prefer a paper copy they can write on, and save.  Some like to hand these to the girls to run their own meeting, and lets be honest.  Some leaders prefer a cute, well organized meeting planner that is not only useful, but also makes them smile.  

If you are that leader, please click here to find a copy of a meeting planning for that a fellow leader has created and shared with all of us to use.  And while you use it, give a little shout out to Angela Brooks who has been so kind as to share with all of us.

As always, my resources are your resources.  Please feel free to use these as you find useful.  You will never find a fee, or a link to Etsy or Teachers Pay Teachers for the resources found on this site - leaders devote enough time and effort to their girls - no need to reach into your pocketbook as well.

Did you use these planners? How did they work for you?  Do you have another awesome resource you use for planning? Comment and let me know - the more information we have, the merrier!

Gloria: Respect Myself and Others - Purple Petal

Welcome to the Daisy Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting!  The main focus of this book for our first and second year girls is the Daisy Petal Patch.  Unlike the badge work for older girls, there are not a whole heck of a lot of guidelines for the petal patches.

If you want to print off a picture of the Gloria for the girls to color during the gathering time, you can find one here!

1.  Enjoy Gloria's story and talk about it

Gloria's story is in the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting.  Gloria the Morning Glory is the sixth petal of ten that you will learn about in this guide.  Gloria's petal is about learning what it means to respect yourself and others.  If you don't have the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting, you can hear it read here by Troop #5007.

Other appropriate books to enjoy and discuss in lieu of Gloria's story:
I'm Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis
The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper
I Won't Comb My Hair by Annette Langen

2.  Invite an older girl scout to talk to your group about ways to respect yourself and others.

This is a great opportunity for an older scout to fulfill requirements for bridging or other badge work.  It's a good time to reach out to your network of leaders to see if anyone has a girl who'd like to take a few minutes to share with your troop.  You could also ask your girls, and families, if any of them are or were girl scouts, and ask them to talk to the girls.  My troop had my sister come and chat for a bit, but my girlfriend's troop had a grandmother come and not only talk about ways to respect yourself and others, but also share a bit about girl scouting 50 years ago!

3. Practice respecting myself and others

One activity for this is a healthy snack.  Discuss the importance of healthy eating for a healthy body, and then tell your girls you will be making a healthy snack today.  My favorite is a smoothie, and it can be done simply with a bullet or similar blender that is easily transported.  

Ingredients:

• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Clementines
• Honey
• Ice
• Juiced Apple Juice
• Any other fruit you, or your girls may like to try

**I juice an apple for this so I can add some liquid that is all natural - you can definitely use whatever juice or water you like.**

1.  Plug in blender, and peel 1 banana, 2 clementines and cut the greens off of 5 strawberries.

2.  Toss fruit in blender.  Add a squeeze of honey, and about 1/4 cup of apple juice. 

3.  Put a handful of ice cubes in - I use 5 ice cubes.  Its important that the ice goes last (if you invert the container to blend) or first (if using a traditional blender) so that the ice is the first thing to hit the blade.

4.  Blend, and pour.

I also encouraged my girls to add in or take out any fruit that met their desire.  We had a large variety of smoothies, but they were all tasty.

Another very cool activity is one that stresses the importance of hand washing.  I love this simple experiment that shows how easily germs are spread.

Supplies:

• Glo germ or some similar substance 
• Black light or UV light

1.  Open this experiment with a short discussion about the health benefits of hand washing.  Explain that this experiment will show what happens if we don't wash our hands, and discuss proper hand washing technique.

Open Dialog:

1. Do you think you wash your hands well enough?
2. How does illness spread?
3. When should you wash your hands? 

2.  Apply the powder (or gel - it comes in both forms) thoroughly to your girls hands.  Make sure it's worked into both sides of the hands, and into all the creases.  This is when I explain how the powder works - this powder is made of fluorescent material, and we can't see them without a UV light, and that is similar to how germs cannot be seen by the naked eye.  In this experiment, the powder will symbolize germs.

3.  This step will look different for everyone, depending on what they choose to do.  I had 6 girls, and I split them into two groups.  One group (GROUP A) had 3 girls, and only ONE had the powder worked into her hands.  She then shook hands, held hands, high fived - however they wanted to interact - with the other two girls.  The other group (GROUP B) had 3 girls, and each girl had powder applied.  These girls performed normal daily tasks - one drank from a cup, one used a pencil to do homework, and one played with a toy.  

4.  Hold the black light up to all affected surfaces.  With GROUP A, talk about how ONE girl had germs, and didn't wash her hands, and ask the girls to notice how those powder transferred to the other girls.  With GROUP B, look at the cup, writing utensil, and toy, and ask the girls to notice how the powder transferred.

5.  Ask the girls to head to the sink, and wash their hands appropriately.  When they are done, look at their hands under the black light again.  There will be spots they missed - this should be related back to how we can miss germs if we don't use proper hand washing technique.  This is a great time to reinforce that proper technique.

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 Gloria the Morning Glory earning went!