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Brownie Program Ideas

Program Ideas and Adaptations for Brownies

This year, your Brownies will explore their world and discover just how far they can go with their Girl Scout sisters by their side!

Inspire your Brownies to dream big with these fun and easy badges, Journeys, and activities that have been adapted for virtual and safe, in-person meetings. We'll be adding content throughout the year, so bookmark this page and check back often!

GSSEM Resources
Badge in a Box Program

GSSEM's excited to introduce our new Badge in a Box program!

These all-inclusive boxes have everything Brownies need to complete a badge at home!

Each box includes access to Google Classroom:

  • Worksheets
  • Videos
  • Websites

Costs:

  • $12 per box
  • Add-On: $3 per badge

Important links:

Registration deadline: One week prior to your pickup date (or sooner if the box sells out)

For more information, or if you have questions, please email Leatrice Thompson at lthompson@gssem.org. For registration questions, please contact helpdesk@gssem.org.

Grade-Level Training Sessions

Are you new to leading Brownies or looking for tips on working with girls in grades 2 - 3?

GSSEM offers live and pre-recorded Brownie grade-level training sessions to help you and your troop have the best Brownie year ever!

Visit gsLearn to view pre-recorded sessions or register for live sessions.

GSUSA Resources
Badge: Coding Basics

Brownies find out how computer scientists write programs for computers to solve problems.

PURPOSE:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how programmers write programs that make computers work and how people can use computers to help others.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Create algorithms for a computer that follow a sequence
2. Use loops to improve your algorithm
3. Use events to make things happen
4. Learn about women in computer science
5. Create your own set of commands that use events

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.
 
Badge: Democracy for Brownies


Brownies find out how people in the government decide what rules are made and how they are followed. 

PURPOSE:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know the three branches of government—and some of the things they are responsible for.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Find out about local government
2. Find out about state government
3. Find out about our country’s legislative branch
4. Find out about our country’s executive branch
5. Find out about our country’s judicial branch

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead the Sunny petal.
 
  • Leading an engaging Brownie meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting  
  • Digital ice breakers and games
  • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
  • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more.
Badge: Girl Scout Way

Brownies learn all about the Girl Scout traditions and how to share the Girl Scout way. 

PURPOSE:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to practice and share the Girl Scout way.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Sing everywhere
2. Celebrate Juliette Low's birthday
3. Share sisterhood
4. Leave a place better than you found it
5. Enjoy Girl Scout traditions

PLAN YOUR MEETING:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 3 of this badge.
 
  • Leading an engaging Brownie meeting: Recommendations for facilitating group conversations, handling supplies, and organizing your meeting  
  • Digital ice breakers and games
  • Virtual meeting agenda (PDF): Use this resource to help you adapt the meeting plans found in the Volunteer Toolkit
  • Step-by-step planner: Sign in to the Volunteer Toolkit to find instructions for meeting 1 and meeting 2 of this badge, including materials lists, scripts, meeting aids, and more. 
Badge: Hiker

Brownies find out what they need to know to become a Brownie hiker.

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to hit the trail for a hike.

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Decide where to go
  2. Try out a hiking skill
  3. Pick the right gear
  4. Pack a snack for energy
  5. Go on your hike!

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Step 2 of this badge.



Badge: Meet My Customers

Brownies find out how to manage their money by pretending to be a customer. Then they use what they learned to make sure cookie customers enjoy buying from them.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Find out where your customers are 
2. Talk to some customers
3. Practice handling money and making change
4. Role-play good customer relations 
5. Thank your customers!  

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

  • Video demonstration: Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.
 
Badge: Money Manager

Brownies will learn the difference between needs, like food and clothing, and wants, like video games and movie tickets.

PURPOSE:

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to manage money wisely. 

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Shop for elf items with your elf doll
2. Go grocery shopping
3. Go clothes shopping
4. Get ready for school
5. Have some fun

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

Badge: Pets

Brownies learn how to choose the pet that’s right for them—or find out how to take the best care of a pet they already have.

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to take care of a pet.

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Find out what care different pets need
  2. Keep a pet comfy
  3. Help a pet stay healthy and safe
  4. Make a pet feel loved 
  5. Feed a pet

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Step 1 of this badge.

 

Badge: STEM Career Exploration

Brownies find out how all the things they love—like camping, baking, or walking a dog—can become jobs that change the world. Then, they’ll create a plan to turn their dreams into reality!

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this badge, they’ll know how to use STEM to help others.

REQUIREMENTS

1. Explore your interests 
2. Discover the possibilities 
3. Learn about the day-to-day 
4. Brainstorm your next steps 
5. Share your goals

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Step 2 and 3 of this badge.

 
Journey: Think Like a Citizen Scientist

Brownies learn how scientists use observation to understand the world as they collect and analyze data as part of a citizen science project.

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this award, they will have sharpened their observation and data collection skills through three citizen science activities. Brownies will also have put their skills into practice through a Take Action project. 

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Find out how citizen scientists make observations, collect data, and work with scientists to receive feedback on research
  2. Do three citizen science activities: sharpen observation skills through two observation games and a SciStarter project
  3. Plan a Take Action project that helps others

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

Watch a volunteer lead Part 1 of this Journey.

 
Journey: Think Like an Engineer

Brownies find out how engineers solve problems and do a hands-on design challenge.

PURPOSE:

When girls have earned this award, they’ll know how engineers use the Design Thinking Process to solve problems and have completed a hands-on design challenge activity. Brownies will also have connected the steps of the Design Thinking Process to the steps of a Take Action project.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Find out how engineers use the Design Thinking Process to solve problems.
2. Do 3 Design Thinking activities: design and build an assistive device, a     water collection device, and a device that can launch a ball across a room.
3.  Plan a Take Action project that helps others. If you're a Girl Scout volunteer,     go to Volunteer Toolkit for complete meeting plans and activity     instructions.

PLAN YOUR MEETING​:

National Service Projects

Brownies choose a service project to put into action. 

PURPOSE: 

When girls have completed this activity, they will have given back to their community through a service project.

PLAN YOUR MEETING​

World Thinking Day Award

Every year, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world celebrate February 22 as a day of international friendship called World Thinking Day. The 2021 theme for World Thinking Day is "Peacebuilding." To earn this award, Brownies will explore the theme’s meaning and make a peace pledge to make a difference. 

PURPOSE: 

When girls have earned this award, they’ll understand what peacebuilding means and will have made a peace pledge for World Thinking Day. 

REQUIREMENTS

  1. Explore World Thinking Day
  2. Find out what peacebuilding means
  3. Explore peacebuilding in Girl Scouts
  4. Get inspired by peacebuilding
  5. Create a peace pledge

PLAN YOUR MEETING​


Find even more adapted activities in Volunteer Toolkit—just look for the "Virtual" icon! Browse Award and Badge Explorer to see all of the badges, Journeys, and awards that will excite your Brownies!