Girl Scout Swap Kits

Signing on to be a Girl Scout leader is a big responsibility that requires a lot of planning if you are to be successful. Keeping the girls in your troop actively engaged in activities that are fun and educational is not something you can put together overnight. A resourceful leader will lay our her plans yearly, then monthly, and then break them down into each meeting. Long-range planning is essential so you re not scrambling at the last minute for something to do. Girls can sense this, and the activity you didn't plan well may fall down flat on it's face.

On the other hand, you do not want to spend hours and hours planning what your troop is going to do. After all, you are a volunteer!

There are certain Girl Scout traditions that can be incorporated into your yearly planning. One of them is having your troop make Swaps. There are many Girl Scout Swap kits available for leaders to purchase that will fit any theme or badge you are working on.

What is a Girl Scout Swap?

Making Swaps is a crafty Girl Scout tradition. According to the Girl Scouts of America's website, Swaps stands for:

Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere

Sometime in the 1950's, Girl Scouts began trading little crafts they made when they met at large Girl Scout gatherings. These keepsakes were made to promote being a "sister to every Girl Scout" and were meant to tell something about the giver. One of the rules of trading Swaps is that you cannot refuse one that is offered to you.

Some Swaps are meant to be traded, while others are meant to be kept. All Girl Scout Swaps need to have a pin so they can be placed on a hat, jacket, or Girl Scout bag. These items are not to be placed on the Girl Scout uniform.

Swap Top Kit from Amazon

The Benefits of Buying Ready Made Girl Scout Swap Kits

As a leader, you have enough to do with planning meetings and field trips, getting permission forms, emailing parents, ordering patches and badges and making sure your troop meetings run smoothly. There are a lot of big details to take care of! Making Swaps only takes girls a few minutes of time during your meeting. Do you really want to spend another chunk of time surfing the net for some great little craft idea, going to the store to buy the materials, and then assembling them in bags?

That is a lot of prep work for a craft that will take no more than ten minutes. You also have to prepare enough Swap kits to trade with other troops if that is what you are doing at a camporee or other large Girl Scout event.. Do you want to make two dozen tiny craft kits?

Girl Scout Keychain Kit from Amazon-Makes 10

Br Prepared!

When ordering your Girl Scout Swap Kits, make sure you leave enough time for them to be shipped to your home before your meeting.  Save your receipt so you can be reimbursed by the troop treasurer.