Just because summer is coming to an end soon, doesn’t mean we’re hunkering down and staying indoors until spring. Fall and winter here in the Midwest can be absolutely awe-inspiring (those vibrant leaves and silent snowy evenings!).
Getting your girls to experience the outdoors may come naturally and easy to you… or not so much, as one troop leader shared with me, “I never really identified as an outdoor person.” Whatever your feelings on nature, adventure, and outdoor activities (my battle is with bugs, but I’ll grit through the swatting and bites to sleep under the stars), Girl Scouts has all the resources and support to help you introduce your girls to the joys of the great outdoors.
A new collection of online videos from Girl Scouts USA will guide you in planning outdoor adventures with your Daisy, Brownie, or Junior troop. New and experienced volunteers alike will find these handy. Older girls, who may be far along on their outdoor progression or just jumping in now (it’s never too late!), can watch these and learn new skills for working with younger girls too. For a quick reference, this outdoor progression chart can help you ensure the outdoor activities your girls choose are grade-level appropriate. And, be sure to check out River Valleys’ outdoor program events (you don’t have to go it alone!) to join experts and other Girl Scouts in getting comfortable or becoming super skillful in the outdoors.
From taking your Journeys outside to planning your troop’s first campout to cooking outdoors, these videos will have you and your girls breathing the fresh air and finding adventure in marvelous Mother Nature!
Sara Gove – Sara is the communications manager at Girl Scouts River Valleys. She has a background in writing, non-profit communications and development, and photography. She holds a B.A. in communication studies and an M.A. in writing and publishing. Sara loves to write and read quirky fiction, photograph portraits and nature, solve word puzzles, practice yoga, and can’t get enough of hiking and camping in our spectacular northern woods.