Need Ideas? | Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Helpful Resources

Troop Year Planner
Get the tools you need to help your troop thrive. Download our simple month-by-month guides to make this your best year yet.

Pinterest
The GSWPA Pinterest page is filled with fun and creative ideas for meeting activities and crafts, celebrating special Girl Scout days and traditions, having a successful cookie season and much more!

Volunteer Toolkit
The Volunteer Toolkit (VTK) is a digital resource that supports troop leaders and co-leaders, making the process of running a troop easier and more efficient. Log into MyGS and click on the Volunteer Toolkit tab.

Monthly Ideas and Things to Do

See below for a month-by-month guide to what happens during a typical Girl Scout year, including Girl Scout holidays and traditions, important dates, and more!

October

Happy Birthday, Juliette!
Celebrate Juliette Gordon Low's Birthday, also known as Founder's Day, on October 31. Celebrate her life and legacy through activities that keep her spirit alive!

See our Pinterest board for resources about JGL, along with activity and craft ideas to help celebrate her birthday.

Gifts & Goodies Program
Have your troop participate in our fall product program to start getting funds for your troop. You can sell as little or as much as you'd like, in person or online! Learn more about the Gifts & Goodies program.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Breast Cancer Awareness Month - October
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month - October
Fire Prevention Week - Second week in October
Make a Difference Day - October 25
Juliette Gordon Low's Birthday/Girl Scout Founder's Day - October 31
Halloween - October 31

November and December toggle arrow

November and December

Give Thanks, Give Back
The holidays are the perfect time to show girls how important it is to give back to their communities. Here are a few ideas for how girls of all ages can contribute to helping others. Let the girls choose something that will be interesting to them and make them feel like they have made a difference.

Go to a nursing home and sing for the residents.
Organize a clean-up day at a local park, playground, or school.
Sew or knit hats for the homeless.
Organize a canned food drive or a pet supply drive.
Work with an organization serving people with disabilities.
Help out at a veterinary clinic, animal shelter or SPCA.

Our Volunteers Pinterest board has more ideas for ways to give back.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Write-a-Friend Month - November
Native American Heritage Month - November
Young Readers Day - Second Tuesday of November
Veterans Day - Nov. 11
World Kindness Day - Nov. 12
Take a Hike Day - Nov. 17
Thanksgiving Day - Last Thursday of November
Pearl Harbor Day - Dec. 7
National Brownie Day - Dec. 8
International Children's Day - Second Sunday in December

January

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Get activity ideas, selling tips and more on Little Brownie Bakers
Check out Pinterest for fun cookie crafts, recipes and activities and ideas for Blinging Your Booth!

Notable dates and celebrations:

Martin Luther King Day - 3rd Monday of January

February

World Thinking Day
On World Thinking Day, Feb. 22, Girl Scouts participate in activities and projects with global themes to honor their sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in other countries. World Thinking Day not only gives girls a chance to celebrate international friendships, but also unites them to focus on one issue, or theme, to make the world a better place.

Check out our Pinterest board for plenty of ideas for celebrating World Thinking Day.
See GSUSA's World Thinking Day web page, which features activities and ideas by grade level.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Black History Month - February
Groundhog Day - Feb. 2
Valentine's Day - Feb. 14
President's Day - Third Monday of February

March

Girl Scout Week and Birthday
Girl Scout Birthday, March 12, commemorates the day in 1912 when Juliette Gordon Low officially registered the organization's first 18 girl members in Savannah, GA. Girl Scout Week is celebrated each March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes the Girl Scout Birthday.

Find Girl Scout Week resources on Pinterest.
Learn more and find printables on our Girl Scout Days & Traditions page.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Women's History Month - March
International Women's Day - March 8
St. Patrick's Day - March 17

April

Girl Scout Leaders Day
Girl Scout Leader's Day, April 22, honors all the volunteers who work as leaders and mentors in partnership with girls. It also happens to coincide with National Volunteer Week, celebrated in mid-to-late April. Girls, their families, and communities should find a special way to thank their adult Girl Scout volunteers. Find fun thank-you gift ideas for your Girl Scout Leader or special volunteers in your life on Pinterest.

Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day on April 22 by doing a green project in your school or community. See our Earth Day Pinterest board for ideas.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Keep America Beautiful Month - April
April Fool's Day - April 1
World Health Day - April 7
National Siblings Day - April 10
Holocaust Remembrance Day - April 16

May and June toggle arrow

May and June

Bridging Ceremonies
Just like camp, cookies, and community service, bridging is a longstanding tradition and an important part of the Girl Scout experience. Bridging is when girls are recognized for their achievements and look ahead to all the amazing new adventures that await at the next level of Girl Scouting.

Download the Girl Scout Bridging Guide
Learn more about Bridging and how to host a Bridging ceremony.
See our Bridging Pinterest board for ceremony, gift, and activity ideas.

Mother's Day and Father's Day
Show our Girl Scout moms and dads how awesome they are! Check out Pinterest for plenty of special DIY gift ideas they'll love.

Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, and Flag Day
Give girls a sense of pride! A flag ceremony is the perfect way to honor our national service holidays. Learn more about flag ceremonies and how to handle the American flag.

And be sure to check if your community is having a Memorial Day service or parade in which your troop can take part.

Notable dates and celebrations:

National Teacher Day - May 5
Mother's Day - Second Sunday in May
Armed Forces Day - May 16
Memorial Day - Last Monday in May
Flag Day - June 14
Father's Day - Second Sunday in June
Summer Solstice - June 21

July and August toggle arrow

July and August

Camp
Camp season is in full swing! Check out our Camp Pinterest board for fun camp activities, crafts, campfire recipes, and songs.

Back to Troop
It's time to start planning out your next Girl Scout year!

Get back to basics and review the handbook or guide for your troop's level.
Make sure the girls in your troop have their uniforms ready and know how they should be worn. See the uniform diagram for information.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Independence Day - July 4
Family Fun Month - August
Friendship Week - Third Week of August
Friendship Day - First Sunday in August
Sisters Day - First Sunday in August
National S'mores Day - Aug. 10
Women's Equality Day - Aug. 26

September

Investiture Ceremony
An Investiture Ceremony welcomes new members, girls or adults, into the Girl Scout family for the first time. Girls receive their Girl Scout, Girl Scout Brownie, or Girl Scout Daisy pin at this time. Your ceremony can be casual or more formal. Consider including a flag ceremony and/or a candlelight ceremony. Find ideas on how to do an Investiture Ceremony.

Notable dates and celebrations:

Hispanic Heritage Month - September
Labor Day - First Monday in September
Grandparents Day - First Sunday after Labor Day