Make A Kaper Chart for Back to Troop

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Updated October 2019

Having a Kaper Chart is one thing that leaders use to assign jobs to girls and begin their journey to owning their meetings. By the time girls are Cadettes, they should not just be selecting which badges they wish to earn, but also leading their troopmates at the meeting in which they are earning it.

But don't worry...your little Daisy Scouts are not there yet!

Photo from Pixabay

Young children love to help and take turns doing different jobs. In this blog post, I discussed the benefits of having a Kaper Chart and what kinds of jobs you can assign each girl.

Last year, I shared with leaders a list of resources that can be used for Kaper Charts.  You can read it here.

Your co-leader and you will have to decide how often to rotate jobs. There is no right or wrong way to do it.

Materials to Make a Kaper Chart

You do not have to get all Pinteresty with this. A few simple flourishes on white posterboard on a trifold is a good base to get started.

One of the easiest and versatile things to use are library pockets. These are a staple item for teachers since they are so functional. All you need is for each girl to decorate an index card that has her name on it and that is her name card for the kaper chart for the year.

Another fun accent that is inexpensive and will save you time are another teacher staple, bulletin board letters.

This bulletin board set and more available on Amazon

You have your letters and troop numbers, you might want to add a few personal accents.

First, there are flower cut outs. The girls can write their name on these and you can place them around the border of the chart.

Available on Amazon

These retro looking cutouts can also be laid out around the border to make it more colorful. You can write each girls name on it as well.

Available on Amazon

These blank daisy shaped cut outs can be used for many things, including your troop Kaper Chart.

Available on Amazon

These are just a few things you can use for your Girl Scout Daisy Kaper Chart.

Your Very First Daisy Girl Scout Meeting

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Updated October 2019

The time is fast approaching for your very first Daisy Girl Scout Meeting. Before you let the feeling of panic set in, take a deep breath and get yourself prepared.

Do Your Paperwork and Get the Training

Before you schedule your very first Girl Scout Daisy meeting, you need to have all of your paperwork completed and handed in. Many Councils now offer online training that you can do at your convenience. 

Check that you have all of the girls' forms and that you have been scheduled for a specific meeting place and time. If you have not been assigned a meeting place, you may not get together with your girls. Contact the Service Unit team member in charge of this task and get a printout of your meeting schedule. My troop always met in the art room of the elementary school where most of the girls went, so the school secretary and custodians also had the schedule as well. Everyone needs to be on the same page so your space is not given to someone else at the time you will be meeting.

Photo from Pixabay

All of the required new Leader Training workshops need to be taken before you have your first Daisy meeting. Keep any paperwork proving you have completed your training in your leader binder so you always know where it is. Failure to do these two things will lead to problems if, heaven forbid, a girl becomes injured while under your care. The Girl Scouts of the USA does have insurance, but only covers incidents if everything is done properly.

Meet the Parents

You will want to have parents attending the first troop meeting. This way your co-leader and you can share your goals and expectations with girls and their parents. You can also ask for volunteers, as they will be needed for busy crafts, as well as asking a parent to be the troop treasurer. Any volunteer at a meeting must be registered and background checked! Have any necessary paperwork and information ready to be handed out to parents who want to assist. No paperwork=no helping at meetings. It is that simple. 

Since many parents work or have other children who need to be watched, emailing the parents a few weeks in advance of your first Daisy meeting will help them clear their calendars. Advance notice is always very much appreciated and puts you in their good graces.

First Daisy Meeting 

You need to prepare a craft that the girls can do on their own during your very first Daisy meeting. This way you can speak to the parents without too many interruptions.

This article will give you a list of leader essentials that you will need for every meeting.

Here is what I did at my first troop meeting:

I bought a large piece of white poster board. In my favorite Cherry Liney font I typed up "Daisy Troop _____" (our troop number). I glued it in an arc and then glued a large blue circle for the center of the petal.

I cut and pasted a petal shape and printed it onto card stock (you can also do this free hand). I cut out enough for each girl and a few extra (always do that-young girls will make mistakes!).

While the parents and I spoke, each girl used magic markers to write her name and decorate the petal. It was easy to check on the girls, as they were at the next table.

When all of the girls were done, each glued her petal around the center. I brought this poster to each of our meetings throughout our first year. It can be converted to a Kaper Chart if you want and you can also add Daisy stickers.

Available on Amazon

At the end of our very first Daisy Girl Scout meeting, we sang "Make New Friends", did the "Friendship Squeeze" and went home.  I wish I had brought my camera so we had a keepsake for our Girl Scout scrapbook.  Don't forget to bring yours and start documenting your troop's journey!

Updated New Daisy Leader-Tips for Running a Successful Troop Book

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Back in 2012, I decided to sit down and write a book for brand new Daisy leaders. While I had many articles on this topic across the internet on my own blogs and other websites, there was still a lot of information that I had not covered, especially in the area of starting your troop.

Since it's publication back in June 2012, it has had only one update, and that was back in 2013. A lot has changed in scouting since then, and I have also changed as well. My troop, which consists of four 9th graders, are now Girl Scout Seniors. We have had big changes within our ranks, and the girls are so much more mature and able to do more than when I first became a leader.

The Daisy program has expanded to include three earned badges, which will make their debut this fall. Facebook groups have popped up to help out leaders of all levels. Other leaders have created blogs to share what they do with their troop. I started this blog in 2014 to help Daisy leaders, as your concerns are unique. I want to give other leaders a helping hand. It is possible to lead as long as I have. 

Available on Amazon

In this 2017 update, I have added three new chapters and expanded the original twelve to include more ideas on how to earn the petals. There is an updated resource guide in the back. And while there is a chapter devoted to the Journeys program, there are no lesson plans or links on how to do those in the book. I am a firm believer that year one for Daisy leaders should be focused on petals, the way the program used to be run. As new troop leaders, you have enough on your plate planning, organizing and running meetings to meet the smaller goal of earning a petal at each meeting. Journeys are more intensive. Give yourself some slack and wait a year to do one if you are so inclined.

If you are new to being a leader and want to learn more, this easy to read guide at your side will help you take the necessary steps to becoming the best leader you can be.

Easy Girl Scout Craft for Founder's Day

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Updated October 2019

I know it is still August, but you should be planning your fall meetings by now if you are getting ready for Back to Troop. With the busy-ness of back to school shopping for your family, last minute summer getaways, and getting what you need for sports and other after school activities, time will surprisingly sneak up on you.

Wouldn't you feel ready for your fall troop meetings if you have already planned them out and have the supplies ready to go?

For me, that is a resounding "yes"! I always had my yearly calendar laid out and the supplies I needed for the first few meetings ready to go. Since I am a teacher, summer is my prep time and fall is my most busy time work-wise. Having my Girl Scout meetings and outings planned for September and October made it so much easier on me both mentally and physically.

Photo from Pixabay

One of the core values of celebrating Girl Scout Founder's Day is to do a service project. It does not have to be elaborate, especially if you are leading Daisy Scouts. It should be fun and meaningful, as that is what Juliette would have wanted. 

Here is a cute craft for your troop to do and then give to others.

Available on S&S Worldwide

This Velvet Bug Tote Bag comes with 12 easy to color totes and it also includes the fabric markers.The bags measure 6" x 4.5". Directions for the activity can be found on the sales page under the "Activity Ideas" tab and are easy to download. In fact, when you download the sheet before you order, you will find a $10 off coupon for your purchase of $39 or more.

The time to do this craft is about 30 minutes.

After the girls have colored the tote in, have them fill it with sucking candies, Hershey Kisses, trial size hand lotions or hand sanitizer that you have purchased, and a note or picture wishing the person a wonderful day. These totes can be donated to a senior citizen home.

Earn the Violet Daisy Petal Be a Sister to Every Girl Scout Create Sisterhood Jewelry

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A part of creating a brand new Daisy troop is to create a sisterhood among the girls. This is especially true if you have a group that comes from different area schools. You need something that unites them as a troop. That is where the earning the Violet Daisy petal, be a sister to every Girl Scout, comes in.

Photo by camomile on Morguefile and altered by the author

Doing a craft that everyone in the troop will have, and can wear or bring to every meeting identifies the girls in the troop when they are in school. It can be a part of their uniform!

Beading is an easy craft for girls to do. It promotes fine motor skills and most girls this age enjoy doing something like this. You can create a troop necklace, bracelet or keychain that every girl can go home with.

Materials

Letter Beads
Pony Beads
Gimp
Keychain

S&S Worldwide is great place to buy your beads because they sell each letter individually. No more leftover beads! You can create something that says "Troop _____" (add your number). 

Individual Letter Beads Available on S&S Worldwide

Available on S&S Worldwide

Add a bag of pony beads to be used as spacers, put it on blue gimp  and you have an easy craft for your troop to do!

Girls can wear their troop jewelry any time and others will know that they are happy and proud to be a Girl Scout!

Why Games for Girl Scouts is a Book Every Leader Must Have

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Games for Girl Scouts is a book every leader must have.  In order to have successful meetings with your troop, you’ll have to be good at time management.  There will be occasions when you have ten or fifteen extra minutes left over at the end of your meeting.  Other times, you may want to play some games to help you earn a badge. For both of these occasions, this book will comes in handy.

Games for Girl Scouts is an investment for the leader. For only a few dollars, this book will become part of your Girl Scout leader bag of tricks. There is no need to spend hours searching the internet to find activities your girls when you have a short amount of time.  Everything you need is here.

Photo from Pixabay

This book is for all levels and it will grow with you as your troop matures.  This simpler activities that you would play with Daisy Girl Scouts will evolve into the more complicated games that Juniors and older girls can do independently.

The book is divided into 10 different chapters:

Chapter 1 Getting Started (how to use the book)

Chapter 2 Getting to Know You Games (great for the beginning of the troop year or when a new girl joins)

Chapter 3 Quiet Games for Indoors or Outdoors 

Chapter 4 Active Games for Indoors and Outdoors 

Chapter 5 Relay Games

Chapter 6 To-and-Fro and Inbetween

Chapter 7 Simple Games to Make and Play

Chapter 8 Girl Scout Lore and Skills (traditions)

Chapter 9 Nature Awareness Games

Chapter 10 Wide Games and Special Events

Each chapter is divided into several subtopics.  Under each of these subtopics are many games from which to choose.  

Next to the name of each activity there are symbols. The symbols will tell you whether the activity can be played indoors or outdoors (or both), whether it is for a small group or a large group, and what age group it would be appropriate for.  There is even a symbol to tell you if the game is international in its origin.  International games are perfect to help celebrate World Thinking Day or earn badges and patches.

Available on Amazon

In this guide, you are told exactly what materials you need so you can easily prepare for your meeting.  Most of the things you will need are already around your house or are inexpensive to buy. Leaders are given clear and concise directions for each game.  In addition, there are drawings for games that need further illustration, and there is even music for those activities that involve scouting songs.

In the back of the book, there is a list of resources for leaders and for children.  The index is divided not only alphabetically, but also using the symbols of who the games are good for.

Games for Girl Scouts is a must-have book for all Girl Scout leaders.  The information and activities in this book will take you through all of your years as you manage your troop.