1. Out and About
Getting Ready for Camp
Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness
Road Council

2. Course Objectives
 Describe the value of outdoor experience in Girl Scouting
 Taking appropriate progressional steps
 Readiness indicators for girls
 Describe planning aids to organize your camping
experience
The objective of this course is to help walk you
through the steps to begin outdoor
experiences in Girl Scouting.

3. Outdoor Education
Outdoor education in Girl Scouting is designed
to be a gradual learning experience for girls
of all program grade levels. It occurs when
Girl Scout program activities are held
outdoors. These activities provide the
opportunity for girls to grow as individuals.
Outdoor education can improve self-esteem,
enhance how girls relate to others, develop
awareness of conservation and encourage
community service.

4. Outdoor Education in Girl
Scouts
Discover
 Girls discover something new about the world of the
out-of-doors
 Girls improve in at least one outdoor living skill
 Girls learn the joy of preserving simple things
 Girls gain new interests and skills

5. Outdoor Education in Girl
Scouts
Connect
 Girls have opportunities to increase their ability to
relate to others in a new setting
 Girls participate in making decisions as an individual
and by participating in group decisions
 Girls have opportunities for practice in democratic
living

6. Outdoor Education in Girl
Scouts
Take Action
 Girls develop a sense of responsibility for group living
 Girls develop a sense of responsibility for making a
minimal impact
 Girls develop an individual sense of responsibility for
conserving the natural world

7. Readiness
How do you know when girls are ready to camp?
Here’s a list of questions you want to answer before you
plan a trip to camp with girls.
1. Have the girls spent the night away from home and
family before or is this their first trip?
2. How well do you know the girls and how comfortable
are they with you?
3. Are the parents willing to let their daughters go on an
overnight without them?
4. Is each girl able to cope with the new circumstances
that camp will offer?

8. Let’s Look at Each Question in
Detail
1. Have the girls spent the night away from home
and family before or is this their first trip?
Communication with parents is very important in
determining readiness. If girls have never spent
the night away from home then you would need
to do a simple sleep over before planning a big
trip to camp. Keep it simple and close to home
in case you have issues during the night.

9. Let’s Look at Each Question in
Detail
2. How well do you know the girls and how comfortable are
they with you?
If you have just started your troop, you will need to get to
know the girls before you plan an overnight with them.
Girls should have several troop meetings, take some short
day-time trips and then plan a simple sleep over. This
gives the adults in the troop the opportunity to decide if
additional supervision will be needed or what special
issues may arise. This is an opportunity to make sure that
girls know and will obey troop safety rules.
Girls need to know that they can approach you during the
night if needed.

10. Let’s Look at Each Question in
Detail
3. Are the parents willing to let their daughters go
on an overnight without them?
An occasional trip that includes a parent or
guardian for each girl can be a fun experience
your girls and their families. However, one of
the main goals in camping with Girl Scouts is to
build independent living skills. If parents are
unwilling to allow their daughters to go camping
without them, then either the girl may not be
ready or the families may feel that they don’t
know the adults well enough.

11. Let’s Look at Each Question in
Detail
4. Are each of the girls able to cope with the new circumstances
that camping with offer?
Girls should be able to cope with new circumstances such as:
 Meeting new people
 Visiting strange places
 Darkness and strange night noises
 Sleeping in a strange place
 Bugs
 Functioning as a member of a group
 Willingness to sleep, eat, and play with all girls, not just her best
friend
 Being flexible, not always having their own way
 Limited space and managing with little privacy

12. Use Skits!
Skits are a fun and easy way to see if girls know how
to handle themselves in situations. Present the
girls with some scenarios and see what they do.
You will want to look at the following:
 Staying with a buddy (the buddy system)
 Keeping up with their personal belongings
 Working well as a group
 What to do if they get separated from the group
 Talking care of personal hygiene
 Cleaning up after themselves

13. Progression
Troop Meeting
A key concept in girl Short day-time trip
activities is Longer day-time trip
Simple overnight in the community
progression. Girls 1 night in cabin/lodge with complete
should be emotionally facilities
2 nights in cabin/lodge with
and physically ready to complete facilities
1 night in cabin without indoor
take the next steps. A facilities
normal pattern of 2 night in cabin without indoor
facilities
progression with a Tent camping
troop would be: Primitive tent camping
Back packing

14. Progression in Programming
GSUSA has designed the program Example:
materials we use to fit the Your Girl Scout Brownie troop decides
development of girls’ physical, mental to go on a hike.
and behavioral abilities. At a troop meeting, you do activities
exploring nature.
You discuss proper shoes to wear
when hiking.
Then you take a short walk at a
nature trail in your area.
Talk with the girls about the nature
hike. What will they do differently on
a longer hike?
What supplies do they need to carry?
(Snacks, water bottle, etc.)
Then you go hiking.

15. Outdoor Manners
How many times have you been in a park or
forest and seen garbage? Or been disturbed
by noise from other campers or picnickers? As
Girl Scouts, we want to leave a place looking
better than we found it and we don’t want to
disturb other people around us. These things
are considered “Leave No Trace” ethics.

16. 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impact
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate of other visitors

17. Leave No Trace
 Use only established trails
 Use only established campfire circles
 Don’t pick wild flowers or other plants
 When collecting firewood, use wood that is
“dead, down and dinky”
 Don’t disturb wildlife
 Don’t disturb other people

18. Respect Wildlife
 Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow
or approach them.
 Never feed animals.
 Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations
and trash securely.
 When in the out of doors, do not put your hands
where you can’t see.
 Food is the number one thing that attracts
animals to your camp. Never leave food or
garbage where wildlife can find it. NEVER take
food into tents or cabins.

19. Be Safe!
We manage risk in almost every aspect of our
lives. There is risk involved in stepping out of
our homes in the morning, but we go
anyway. There are risks in crossing a street,
catching a bus, taking part in sports, but we
find ways to minimize these risk and
maximize our safety and well-being.

20. Be Safe!
The following slides are a few of the risk you
need to be aware of when camping or hiking.
Make sure that you have a First Aider with your
troop whenever you camp, hike or play in the
out-of-doors.

21. Poisonous Plants
Poison Ivy grows abundantly in Kentucky. Help
girls learn to recognize it or follow the adage:
“Leaves of three, let it be!”
Also be aware of “hairy vines”. Touching poison
ivy vines can also cause a reaction
Poison oak is less common than poison ivy and
grows as a small shrub. The leaves
resemble oak leaves

22. Poisonous Plants
Prevention: Wear protective clothing; tuck pant
legs in socks when hiking. The best preventive is
to recognize the plant and avoid it.
Symptoms: Intense itching, rash with tiny red
bumps that tend to run in lines. The rash usually
begins 24-48 hours after exposure
Care: Wash the skin alcohol, flush with cold water
and wash with soap and water. Rashes can be
treated with cold cloths, oatmeal baths or with
the parent’s permission, calamine lotion.

23. Insects Bites, Stings
When it comes to insects, accept the fact that
there are lots more of them than there are of
us! Reduce the likelihood of being bit or
stung by applying repellents, wearing long
pants tucked into socks. A scarf or hat also
offers some head protection. Here’s some
critters you should be aware of and prepare
for when in the out of doors.

24. Poisonous Spiders
The black widow spider is shy and nocturnal and usually
not aggressive. It is shiny black, usually with a reddish
hourglass shape on the underside.
Prevention: Don’t put hands where you can’t see.
Symptoms: Sweating, nausea and vomiting, stomach
pain and cramps, severe muscle pain and spasms,
breathing might become difficult.
Care: Clean with soap and water. Apply a cool compress
and keep affected limb elevated to about heart level.
See doctor immediately and/or call the Poison Control
Center.

25. Poisonous Spiders
The brown recluse has a well defined dark violin marking.
It is not aggressive and bites only when crushed,
handled or disturbed.
Prevention: Don’t put hands where you can’t see.
Symptoms: Initially the bite might not hurt but within 2-
8 hours there will be pain, redness and swelling at the
wound. An open sore is likely to develop. The victim
might suffer fever, chills, nausea, joint pain and a faint
rash.
Care: Apply ice pack. Try to take spider with you, if
possible, to the doctor for positive identification..

26. Chiggers, Bees & Ticks
Chiggers: Almost invisible, they burrow into skin
pores when they cause small welts and
itching. Try not to scratch. Some relief by
covering bite with hydrocortisone cream or
by dabbing them with clear fingernail polish.

27. Chiggers, Bees & Ticks
Bees, Yellow Jackets, Hornets: Most common of
any of the animals listed are stings from bees.
Scrape away bee stinger with the edge of a knife
blade or even a credit card. Don’t squeeze the
sac attached to the stinger – it might force more
venom into the skin. An ice pack might reduce
pain and swelling. Watch for trouble breathing
or severe swelling. Allergies can develop over
time, so always monitor someone who has been
stung, even if their health history does not
indicate they are allergic to stings.

28. Chiggers, Bees & Ticks
Tick Bites: A bite from a tick can infect you with
one of several diseases. Protect yourself by
wearing long pants tucked in. Encourage all
campers to do a thorough daily tick check of
themselves and each other. If a tick is attached,
grasp it with tweezers close to the skin and
gently pull until it comes out. Wash the area
with soap and water, and apply antibiotic
ointment.
If the tick has been embedded more than 24 hours,
see a physician.

29. Snakes
Snakes are found everywhere, even in your back
yard. Most are harmless and try to avoid
humans. Bites are very rare.
There are two types of poisonous snakes found
in council area:
Copperheads:
Rattlesnakes:

30. Snakes
Prevention: Stay on trails and roadways when in camp.
Do not put your hands where you can not see. Use a
hiking stick to poke among stones and brush ahead of
you when you walk through areas where snakes are
common. Watch where you put your hands as you
collect firewood or climb over rocks and logs.
Care: Try to keep the victim calm. Remove rings and
other jewelry that might cause problems if the area
around the bite swells. Keep the wound lower then
the level of the victim’s heart. Get to victim under
medical care as soon as possible.

31. Bears
Black Bears are beginning to find their way back
into the wooded mountain areas of the state.
Although black bears are generally shy and
avoid contact with humans, it is important to
remember that bears must be respected for
their size and strength. When in areas where
there is a bear population, do everything you
can to prevent close encounters and conflicts
with bears.

32. Bears
 Do not deliberately approach a bear or try to become
chummy with one, especially one that appears
unafraid of you. KEEP YOUR DISTANCE.
 Travel quietly and do not pursue, feed or force
animals to flee. ONE EXCEPTION is in bear country
where it is good to make noise so as not to startle the
bears.
 Do not have food in tents and cabins.
 Keep food in secured containers.
 Do not keep trash in your camp site – dispose of it
each evening.
 Report any bear sightings to the site manager.

33. Dressing for the
Weather
Prepare girls for the out of doors by making sure
that clothing is right for the weather and
what you plan to do. Clothes should protect
individuals from things like poison ivy, thorny
bushes and sunburn.
Check the weather forecast before you go.
Bring clothing for unexpected weather changes.
Second hand stores are great for getting clothes
for camping and getting dirty!

34. Think Layers
Because of the large amount of heat that is lost through
your head be sure to wear a camp or hat to keep
warm. You may even wish to sleep in a cap.
Here’s an example of layering clothing in the winter:
 Underwear
 Long Johns
 Light wear followed by heavy socks, long pants, t-shirt
and a long sleeve shirt
 Add a coat, wind breaker or poncho
 Mittens, warm shoes/boots and hat
 Wool is a good fabric choice for winter

35. Dressing for Summer
When it’s hot outside, you need to dress properly to avoid over
exposure to the sun, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
 Clothing made of cotton is best – it will breathe and absorb moisture
 Light weight long sleeved shirts and long pants to protect from the sun
 Loose fitting clothing so you move more freely
 Bandana or broad brim hat to protect the head
 Sun block
 Sunglasses or visor
 Closed toes and heeled shoes should be worn in camp at all times.
 Poncho for rain

36. Bedtime
At bedtime, have girls change all clothing from
the skin out, including underwear.
Your body puts off moisture even in the coldest
temperatures. When you leave on moist
clothing you are more likely to stay hot when
it’s warm outside and to stay cold when the
temperatures are low.

37. Teaching girls to dress for
the Out of Doors
Clip pictures of a variety of clothing items from
magazines or catalogs. Have the girls choose
those that would be appropriate for a given
activity or weather type. Some examples
are: hot summer day hike, camping in the
fall when overnight temperatures will be
cool, spring cook out, etc. Create collages of
appropriate and/or inappropriate clothing for
various outdoor activities.

38. Personal Gear
Once your girls understand the appropriate clothing to take on
the camping trip, it’s time to make a personal gear list for
each girl.
 Girls should be limited as to the amount of belongings they should
bring to camp. For most weekend trips, girls should be able to put
all their clothing and necessities into a typical backpack or book
pack. The sleeping bag and pillow will be extra.
 All personal gear should be labeled with first initial and last name.
 A girl should be able to carry all her belongings from the vehicle to
the campsite in one trip. She is then available to help with the
troop gear.

39. Personal Gear List
Girls should pack their belongings themselves
with parental supervision. That way each girl
will be able to find the things she needs.
Try making a partial packing list for girls to use
and have them add to the list at a troop
meeting.
They may come up with things that need that
you don’t have on the list!

40. Sleeping Bags
A proper sleeping bag makes a big difference in
your comfort on any camping trip. The
slumber party type bags that many girls own
are not suitable for a camp setting. If girls
don’t have appropriate sleeping bags,
encourage them to bring an extra blanket just
in case they need it.

41. Things Everyone Should
Have
Every girl should have her own personal toiletries
and clothing. In addition, girls should bring the
following things to camp:
 Flashlight
 Water bottle
 Plastic bag for wet and dirty clothing
 Towel, wash cloth, shower supplies
 Shower Shoes
 Mess kit or camp dishes with utensils and a cup

42. What Not to Bring
Girls should understand that the camp
environment is not the ideal setting for
expensive electronics.
Girls should not bring jewelry, money or
valuables.
Parents should understanding that the trip nor
the council is responsible if these items are
brought to camp and they are damaged.

43. Troop Gear
When making a packing list for your troop, think through
all the activities and cooking you’ll be doing. Make a
detailed list of items you will need to bring.
While our camps have equipment both in the lodges,
cabins and tent sites, things sometimes accidently get
packed with troop gear and may be in the process of
making it back to camp. If there is a particularly item
you can’t do without, pack it just in case.
There is a sample packing list for both girl gear and troop
gear in the outdoor training resources on the web site.

44. Special Items
Most girls like to take a “warm fuzzy” to camp to
help them feel secure. You will need to limit the
number and size of stuff animals that decided to
camp with your troop.
Girls should bring their own sunscreen and bug
spray.
Books, journals, board games, etc. are nice
additions during quiet time.
Girls should not bring candy, chewing gum or snack
foods in their personal supplies.

45. Rainy Day Box
One of the things most troops find useful is a
rainy day box.
This may be a small plastic tub filled with
activities that girls can do if it is a rainy day or
if plans need to be changed after arriving at
camp.
Fill the box with craft items, puzzles, small
games, etc.
There are lots of rainy day ideas on line

46. Evaluating with Girls
Part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience is that girls
learn best by doing things.
Part of that is evaluating activities afterwards to see what
could have been done better, what they didn’t like and
what they enjoyed.
Girls should be able to honestly express their feelings
about a camping trip in a way to improve things for the
next trip without criticizing each other.
It takes some practice to teach how to discuss negative
aspects without placing blame.
The more opportunities girls have to practice this skill,
the better they will become.

47. Evaluation Questions
You want to ask girls questions that require more than a
yes or no answer. Here are some questions to get you
started:
Did anything surprise you?
How did you feel when . . . ?
What was the purpose of this event?
What did you like the most?
What did you like the least?
What would you do differently if we do this again?
Take notes on their answers and keep this in a notebook
of camp ideas, recipes, etc. for future use.

48. Girl Scout Camp is a great place
full of fun, adventure, excitement,
friends and memories.