As Girl Scouts, we're taught to be grateful for the experiences, friendships, and opportunities that our membership brings. Showing gratitude is a core value of Girl Scouting, and there are numerous activities that troops can engage in to foster and express thankfulness. Here are some thoughtful and engaging thankful activities that your Girl Scout troop can participate in.
Understanding Gratitude in Girl Scouting
Gratitude is more than just saying "thank you." It's about recognizing and appreciating the good things in our lives, both big and small. In Girl Scouting, we encourage girls to develop an attitude of gratitude, which can lead to increased happiness, stronger relationships, and a greater sense of purpose. By incorporating gratitude into our troop activities, we help girls grow into compassionate, resilient, and caring young women.
Gratitude Circle: A Troop Kick-off Activity
Start each troop meeting with a Gratitude Circle. Gather in a circle, and have each girl share one thing she's grateful for since the last meeting. This could be anything from a delicious meal at home to a new friendship made at school. To make it more engaging, you can use a talking piece, such as a special stone or stuffed animal, that is passed around the circle.
Thankful Tree Craft
Create a visual reminder of the things your troop is grateful for with a Thankful Tree craft. You'll need construction paper, scissors, glue, and markers. Draw a large tree on a piece of paper, then cut out leaf shapes from the construction paper. Have each girl write something she's thankful for on a leaf and glue it onto the tree. Display your Thankful Tree in your meeting space as a reminder of the many blessings in your lives.
Variation: Thankful Acorn Craft
For a portable version of the Thankful Tree craft, create Thankful Acorns. Cut acorn shapes out of construction paper, and have girls write what they're grateful for on the top part of the acorn. Glue a small pom-pom to the bottom for the acorn's stem. These can be strung together to make a grateful garland or given as small tokens of appreciation.
Community Service: Giving Back with Gratitude
Girl Scouts are known for their community service, and there are many ways to incorporate gratitude into these activities. For example, your troop could organize a food drive for a local shelter, with each girl bringing in an item she's grateful to have in her own home. Another idea is to create thank-you cards or care packages for first responders, military personnel, or other community helpers, expressing your gratitude for their service.
Gratitude Jar: A Year-long Activity
Start a Gratitude Jar at the beginning of the Girl Scout year, and encourage girls to add to it throughout the year. Whenever something good happens, a girl can write it down on a slip of paper and add it to the jar. At the end of the year, read through the slips of paper together, marveling at all the wonderful things that happened and expressing gratitude for each one.
Gratitude Feast: A Celebration of Abundance
Host a Gratitude Feast, inviting family members and other troops to join in. Ask each girl to bring a dish to share, along with a note about what she's grateful for that inspired her to choose that dish. During the meal, have girls share their notes and express their gratitude for the food, the company, and the many blessings in their lives.
Gratitude in Action: Girl Scout Badges and Journeys
Many Girl Scout badges and journeys incorporate elements of gratitude, such as the "Gratitude" Journey for Girl Scout Juniors. By working on these badges and journeys, girls learn to express their gratitude in meaningful ways and make a positive impact on their communities. Encourage your troop to explore these opportunities and earn badges that align with your troop's values and interests.
Resources for Further Inspiration
For more ideas on incorporating gratitude into your Girl Scout troop activities, check out these resources:
- Girl Scouts and Gratitude - Girl Scouts of the USA
- Girl Scout Gratitude Activities - Pinterest
- Gratitude Activities - Girl Scouts of Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey
By incorporating these thankful activities into your Girl Scout troop, you'll help girls develop a lifelong appreciation for the good things in their lives and foster a sense of gratitude that will serve them well throughout their lives.