Deciding to Meet Over the Summer

On my other Girl Scout leader blog, I posed the question-do you meet over the summer?  The response was mixed, as some leaders like to meet while others, like myself, enjoy not having the responsibility of planning and creating meetings for the girls.

As Daisy leaders, you will also have to decide if you want to meet or not. It is entirely up to you, and there is no rule that says you have to continue with biweekly or monthly meetings .

If you want to stay in the groove, summer time is perfect for outdoor activities. A nature hike, a trip to the park, or even water play in your backyard are fun things to do that will cost little or no money.  As always, make sure you get your field trip permission in advance and tell parents if there is not enough adult supervision, then the trip will be canceled.

Photo from morguefile.com

One reader posted a comment that, in my opinion, was brilliant! Local libraries have tons of summer programming for younger children. Why not have a meeting there and all of the planning has been done for you? If you do not want to jump through filed trip approval hoops and collecting forms, why not just send out an email to the troop parents that says:

The Smithville Library is having a story and craft hour on Tuesday from 1:00-2:00.  I am taking my daughter to it and thought that your girls might be interested in attending, too.  This is not a Girl Scout event, but a nice way for the girls to see each other informally over the summer as a group.  Please be sure to follow the library's rules about dropping children off and picking up.

Since children that young need parents to stay, afterwards, you can suggest playing together at a nearby park if the weather permits. You will not be left with 10 girls on your own.

Will you be meeting with your Daisy troop over the summer?

How to Earn the Spring Green Daisy Petal-Considerate and Caring and Do a Mother's Day Craft

Updated October 2019

Mother’s Day is around the corner, and who is more considerate and caring than a mom?  Here is an opportunity for you to earn a petal and get an important holiday project completed.
  

Before launching into any craft, have a brief discussion with the girls about what it means to be considerate and caring.  Have them give examples of how their mothers act that way towards them.

Then ask them how they can do the same for their moms.  One way is to make a special craft/gift and card that is just for her.

You may want to break this meeting into stations and ask for additional volunteers.  One station is for making the card, one is for doing the craft, and the other is for wrapping the gift.  That way you can focus in one on activity and keep the girls in small, more manageable groups.

Before your meeting, make a test craft to iron out the kinks and to see how long it might take the girls to make it.  Keep it simple and doable so that the girls are enjoying themselves and are not easily frustrated.

Also, make sure that you gather the materials and place them all in one bag before your meeting.  

Photo from morguefile.com

Here is a list of blog posts for Mother's Day crafts you can do with your troop.

Free Kids Crafts

Easy Mother's Day Crafts from DLTK Kids

About.com has many ideas that are simple and easy to do

Let me know what ideas worked for you!

Reviewing the Girl Scout Law Craft Idea and Game

It is getting close to the end of the year, and perhaps you want to review that Girl Scout Law with your girls.  A blogger and Daisy leader came up with this craft for an end of the year party.  You may want to do it as part of your final meeting or as one of your last meetings before the summer break.

Here is the link for the Flower Power craft.

Photo by my daughter.  No copying permitted.

If you think that you have time, you can also play a game to help reinforce the Girl Scout Law (if not, prep this game and play it at another time...it is awesome!)  The game is free to download, just add your own markers and dice.  You may want to laminate this, as it is an investment.

Here is the link for the Girl Scout Law game.

What do you have planned for the end of the year?

How Often Do You Meet?

A question many new leaders wonder is how often to meet.  I know some leaders who met every week right off the bat, and I know others who meet once a month.

What works best?

There is no right or wrong answer, as each leader knows what she can handle. For me, meeting every week would be impossible.  Even though I know my girls could meet, I just have too many other things going on to worry about a weekly meeting.  On the occasion when there is only one scheduled meeting due to the school calendar, I am, honestly, more relaxed.  Since all planning falls on my shoulders, having an extra day "off" gives me time to get refreshed for the next meeting.

But when we meet again, I truly have missed it.  Once a month is not enough for me, and I am ready to work on the next service project or patch.

Photo from morguefile.com

For young girls like Daisy Scouts, I think that every other week is the perfect meeting schedule.  Leaders get time to unwind and prepare between meetings, and the girls remember what they did during their previous time together. Children thrive on continuity, and every other week is consistent enough without being overwhelming.

Meetings should last about an hour to an hour-and-a-half, depending on what time you meet.  After school meetings can be a bit longer, but evening meetings need to be an hour or else it can interfere with bedtime routines.

How long do you meet and what time do you meet?  What has worked for you?