Quick and Easy Girl Scout Kaper Chart for Back to Troop

A Girl Scout Kaper Charts gives each girl in your troop a sense of responsibility at each meeting. It does not need to be difficult or expensive to put together. Here are some quick, inexpensive and easy ideas for you to use.

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Updated August 2021

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!

Image created by the author on Canva

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.

Easiest Girl Scout Kaper Chart of All

                           Available on Teachers Pay Teachers

Using my 13 years of Girl Scout leadership experience, I have opened a Teachers Pay Teachers store to create materials I wish I had when my troop was younger.

These Girl Scout Daisy Kaper Chart Job Cards are so simple to use. Just print, cut them out, and put on your poster board. They are colorful and feature Daisy Scouts! There are also blanks for you to fill in as well.

You can find them here, as well as many other things for Daisy leaders.

Materials to Make a Kaper Chart

You do not have to get all Pinteresty with this. A few simple flourishes on white poster board 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 Girl Scout Daisy Meeting

Your very first Girl Scout Daisy meeting does not need to be stressful. Here is a quick and easy idea for new leaders to use.

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Updated August 2021

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 created by the author on Canva

Clip art by Clipartino on Etsy

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 First Daisy Meeting Ideas for 2021

Need more Girl Scout Daisy first meeting ideas?

Available at Teachers Pay Teachers

This Girl Scout Daisy Leader Start Up Kit has everything you need to prepare for your first meeting with your troop. There are 17 pages to help you get it all together before you meet with your girls.

Included in this kit:

Preparation Before Your First Meeting Materials
First Daisy Meeting Checklist
Meeting With Your Co-Leader Checklist
10 Essential New Leader Tips
An Easy to Follow Meeting Routine

A start to finish plan for your very first Girl Scout Daisy meeting that includes:

Name tags

Three Getting to Know You Games

Two craft choices

Craft templates

Materials list

PLUS:

BONUS Coloring Page

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.