Entering the scouts is a very important moment for any child. Some kids are frightened by so many unfamiliar faces, some embrace the opportunity to get new friends; at the end of the day, the entire group is having fun.
Girl scouts are able to teach young girls invaluable life lessons and skills through engaging, entertaining activities, most of which will be fairly new to your little one, so it’s up to you to prepare your girl for the road ahead. Today we’ll talk about some of the most important things you may want to keep in mind, so let’s start from the top.
Organize more frequent camping trips
Girl Scouts spend a lot of time polishing their survival skills in the wilderness, and the best way to help your little girl get familiar with the great outdoors is to go camping. Kids tend to be interested in whatever the adults are doing, so take the opportunity to show your little one how barbecue is made, how wood is chopped, and how to organize her backpack.
Be engaging; ask the soon-to-be girl scout to help you with the basic camping tasks. Don’t let her handle sharp or heavy tools, but explain which item should be used for which occasion and why. The familiarity of the camping experience will later help her handle numerous Girl Scouts activities.
Wintertime Cabin Camping
Scouts are active throughout the whole year while campers generally prefer milder temperatures and tame weather. You may want to consider organizing wintertime cabin camping trips to prepare your little girl scout for the more rugged side of the Girl Scouts.
Smart packing becomes drastically more important, and managing resources becomes a necessity. Different activities are on the table too, so you may want to teach your child how to melt snow, how to spot winter-hardy plants, and remind show her of the importance of having dry clothes at all times.
Engage your girl in packing
Creating a camping checklist is always fun, but inexperienced campers tend to pack too many unnecessary items. Your little girl would probably want to bring her favorite teddy bear and a bag full of snacks; make space for the teddy bear, but explain that each inch is important, and every compromise means that certain supplies need to be left out.
The basics of First Aid
Not all camping trips go smooth; an accidental trip over a twig can make a bruise while flowers and plants are among the main triggers for various allergic reactions. Even though your little child will eventually learn all there is to First Aid in the Scouts, you may want to give her a few tips in advance.
Unpack your first aid kit, and name each of its components. Briefly explain when a bandage should be used, and why it always needs to be sterile. Point out that alcohol and iodine may sting, but they’re of invaluable help when it comes to disinfecting most wounds.
Teach her basic cooking recipes
Obviously, no one expects your little girl to enter the scouts as a master chef, but it wouldn’t hurt to know a few simple recipes.
For example, teach her how to boil an egg, and how to whip up an omelet. A paper cup is the only tool she’ll need to hard-boil an egg on the campfire embers, impressing her new Scout friends. With a loaf of bread and a few vegetables, she’ll know how to make a simple sandwich anywhere.
Meat skewers are also remarkably easy to make, especially if you’re typically roasting marshmallows on your camping trips, as the process is essentially the same.
Girl Scouts and Cookie Business
One of the most recognizable Girl Scouts badge group is ‘Cookie Business’, which is meant to learn Daisy scouts how to prepare homemade delicacies, teach Brownie campers the importance of giving back to the community, and Junior (and higher ranks) the basics of customer insight, marketing, customer loyalty, and such.
As you’re teaching your child how to bake cookie dough, talk about the aforementioned topics; the advice you give your little child will help her tackle the challenges at higher badge groups.
Teach the young scout the importance of eco-friendly camping
The Scouts have quite a few rules, among which the seven principles of Leave No Trace are included. Essentially, non-camper parents teach their kids to dispose of their waste properly, not giving their children enough guidelines on how to behave in the wilderness.
There are no trash cans in the thick of the woods, and even if there are, it’s important to leave the place in the exact same condition as it was prior to the arrival of campers. Point out that being polite to nature is helping it grow healthier, and it’s, in turn, helping animals as well. Again, outdoor etiquette is taught at the Scouts, but knowing the basics early on can help your little girl considerably.
Hiking and Trekking
Walking is generally very healthy, especially in the wilderness. Share a few stories of your past hiking or trekking experiences to grab your little girl’s attention; talk about the wildlife that surrounds your hiking trail, and point out the differences between hiking and trekking.
Explain the dangers of dehydration, overheating, and hypothermia, as she’ll learn more about them in the Scouts. Explain why you are wearing light shoes and clothes, and point out that packing heavier gear can detriment the trip.
Canoeing
One of the most entertaining activities Girl Scouts partake in is canoeing. However, most young children would be more inclined to play around in shallow water than row a heavy paddle.
The first canoeing experience can be a bit scary for little girls, especially if the activity is scheduled for the earlier stages of the program; it would be smart to take your girl canoeing before that, as she will be far more comfortable with you guiding her first steps.
We hope that this article was useful to you and that you have learned something new today on how to prepare your girl for the girl scouts experience. Make sure you are staying safe in these times we are all going through and have a good one, guys!
