Helping Girls Plan Ceremonies
Girl Scouting operates on the principal that girls grow, learn and have fun by doing things for themselves.
Ceremonies are opportunities for girls, not adults, to make decisions and express themselves. Girls should have a part in making their own memories. Yes, even Girl Scout Daisies!
Planning tips for beginners of all ages
If girls have never seen a ceremony or have very limited experience in planning and choosing, offer them choices to talk about and decide on:
- “We need to choose a beginning for our ceremony. After Mrs. J. and I welcome your families, should we do a flag ceremony or sing a Girl Scout song to open our ceremony?”
- “The main part of our ceremony is your investiture. That’s when you make the Girl Scout Promise and are invested with your membership pins. Would you like to act out the Brownie Story so you can do ‘Twist me and turn me’ at a make-believe pond? Or would you like to light candles for the different parts of the Girl Scout Promise and Law?”
- “Now we need to choose a closing, or way to end our ceremony. Would you like to sing “Taps” to you families, or ask them to be part of a big friendship circle?”
If you have eight or more girls in your troop, consider having the girls work in smaller groups (3 to 5 girls) to get ready for the ceremony. Use a Kaper Chart to divide the work fairly:
One group could be in charge of the opening part, another the main part and a third the closing. At a campfire, this could include laying and lighting the fire, keeping the fire going, and putting out the fire. Or, one group could decorate the room and welcome guests; one group could be in charge of the actual ceremony; another group could make or buy refreshments, set the table, serve and clear away. By middle school age, girls may prefer to take turns being in charge of the whole ceremony, start to finish and rotate which patrol or committee will be responsible for which ceremony.