1. Trips with Girl Scouts is Unique!
• Trips has a purpose
in Girl Scouting.
• Girl Planning is what
make the Girl Scout experience unique.
• Progression is very important
in trip planning.
1

2. Is Your Troop Ready?
• For any kind of trip, girls need practice in some
basic lessons
• Girls need certain skills before taking an
overnight trip.
• Are the girls comfortable being away from
home?
• Do the girls know how to practice good
manners?
• Can girls get along for a longer period time?
2

3. Progression for Girl Scout Outings
and Trips
• Daisies (or girls who
have not been on a trip
before) should start
with a short walk away
from the meeting place.
• Follow this progression
when planning Girl Scout outings.
Plan outings that last longer and are further
away from your meetings.
3

4. Suggested Progression of Trips:
• Meeting time trips:
may include traveling
in a car or public
transportation
• Day trips:
same as above but
perhaps adding
lunch in a restaurant;
additional stops for shopping
or site seeing.
4

5. Simple overnight trips:
one or two nights away,
perhaps in a motel,
multiple sites to visit,
restaurants.
Extended overnight trips:
three or more nights
away in the U.S.;
possibly several
modes of
transportation and
multiple lodging sites
5

6. • Destinations: girls
at least 12 years of
travel alone to site
of the event
• International trips:
girls at least 14 years
of age, outside of the
U.S.; usually the troop
has planned for 2-3
years for this trip
6

7. Girl Planning for Girl Scout Outings
and Trips
• Daisies: help choose
where to go
• Brownies: choose where
to go, how much it will
cost, what to wear, what
to bring, safety on the trip
and evaluation
• Juniors: choose where to
go and what to do, set a
budget, schedule
activities, safety and
evaluation
7

8. Girl Planning for Girl Scout Outings
and Trips
• Cadettes: three or more day
trip, budget for the trip,
scheduling activities (may
include advanced skills, i.e.,
white-water rafting, skiing),
evaluation
• Senior/Ambassadors:
• can be international trip,
long term planning and
budgeting, investigate lodging
and reservations, evaluation
8

9. Girl to Adult Ratios
• For activities away from
• the meeting site –
• two adults will be
• needed for each:
• 6 Daisies
• 12 Brownies
• 16 Juniors
• 20 Cadettes
• 24 Seniors/Ambassadors
9

10. . . . If the numbers go up
• You will need an
additional adult for each:
• 4 Daisies
• 6 Brownies
• 8 Juniors
• 10 Cadettes
• 12 Seniors/Ambassadors
10

11. The same girl/adult ratios
apply at Girl Scout camp
overnights, however . . .
A qualified adult with Troop Camp
Certification must be in attendance.
11

12. Let’s Talk About Safety
Before traveling make sure you have
addressed the following topics with your
troop and what to do
 Let girls act out possible scenarios of
things that might happen
(good and bad) on the trip.
 Separated from group
 Buddy system
 How to act in public places
 Basic First aid
 Expected Behavior
12

13. More Travel Safety Hints
• No names on clothing where strangers can see it.
• Dress alike with the same color t-shirts when visiting
crowed areas
• Girls should know the circumstances when it is OK to
talk to strangers (lost, sick, hurt) and when not to talk to
strangers.
• Girls should know how to use a telephone, how to
phone home, and how to phone police or fire.
• If you split up into groups – an adult should be with
each group and you should have a scheduled “meeting
back together” time.
13

14. Responsible Traveling
As Girl Scouts, you and your
girls are representatives of
the largest voluntary organization
for girls in the world.
The name “Girl Scouts” and
your uniform can open many
doors for you. It is the
responsibility of you and
your girls to maintain the
good image of the organization
and to practice good manners.
You are representing the entire
organization when you are out
there as “Girl Scouts”.
14

15. General
• You must have a currently certified first aider
on the trip.
• Know what goes into a first aid kit (Check
Volunteer Essentials for suggestions.)
• Know what to do for dehydration, chapped lips,
insect bites, minor burns, cuts, scrapes, poison
oak, sprains and sunburn.
• Learn about accident prevention for the
activities in which you’ll be engaged
15

16. Accidents Happen
• Contact the girl’s family
• Complete an Accident Report form for any
accident that might require medical attention.
• In case of serious injury, hospitalization or
accidental death, immediately contact the
Council Office.
• For any inquiry regarding Girl Scout activity
insurance, contact the council registrar at 800-
475-2621.
16

17. Planning Trips with Girls
Start with some basic questions – the
five W’s.
These will help girls understand all the
aspects of planning.
17

18. • Can all the girls go?
• Will we include parents?
• Who will help plan our trip?
• Do we know anyone who has been
before?
18

19. • What will we need to bring?
• What notifications do we need to give the
Girl Scout council?
19

20. • Fun?
• Recognitions?
• Service ?
• Fun?
20

21. • How far will we travel?
• Destination directions?
• Is a pre-visit necessary?
21

22. • Are the girls ready for this kind of trip?
• How many drivers will we need?
• Who pays?
• What activities will we do and who plans
them?
22

23. Advanced Planning
• How long to get there/mode of
transportation?
• Restaurant/restroom stops?
• Visiting hours/need reservations?
• Bad weather/back-up plan?
• Schedule seating rotations on trip?
• Special interest/small group plans?
23

24. Travel Readiness
Communication with the Council
Troop Trip Notification Form
• Meeting time trip- 2 weeks prior – to your
service unit manager
• Day trip – 2 weeks prior – to your service unit
manager
• Simple overnight – 4 weeks prior – to your
Membership Specialist
• Troop Camping – 4 weeks prior – to your
Membership Specialist
• Extended overnight (more than 2 nights and 200
miles from meeting place) – 6 weeks prior - to the
Council Program department
• International Trip – 12 months prior – the
Council Program Department
24

25. Travel Readiness
There is sound planning
• Girls, leaders, parents
• support the trip.
• Girls and parents:
– Know how much money is available
– Know how much money is needed
– Know and agree to safety standards and council
policies that govern the trip
– Agree to follow the rules and accept consequences for
inappropriate behavior.
25

26. Travel Readiness
• Travel arrangement are
made in advance.
• Time schedule
• Mileage expected
each day
• Reservations for lodging
and sites
• Itinerary to girls, adults and parents
• Emergency plan
26

27. Girl Scout Leader Tool Kit
• Permission slips/health
history form
• Accident report form
• Emergency contact phone numbers
• Emergency procedures
• Change for tips, toll roads, etc.
• Map of the area you will be traveling
• Paper work for reservations, etc.
• Emergency “fix it” kit with safety pins, needle/thread, scissors, pen
and paper, etc.
• Ideas for travel games & activities to keep girls engaged
• Trash bags
• Any girl’s medications, instructions for dosage and signed
permission to give medications.
27

28. In-Town Contact
• You should designate an in-town contact
person.
• Parents should all know how to contact
his person.
• You may want to develop a plan to check
in regularly with the in-town contact and
let the parents know the check-in
schedule.
28

29. Transportation Contracts
Girl Scout Leaders may not sign contacts for
chartering buses
The council must review and sign contracts
29

30. Private Passenger Vehicles
• Properly registered
• Adequate insurance
• Girls under 12 – if
possible, should NOT
sit in front due to airbags
• It is advised that a driver be
a registered Girl Scout
30

31. Public Transportation
• Advantage – subject
to regulations for
standards,
equipment, personnel
and insurance
– Bus lines
– Ship Lines
– Commercial Airline
– Trains
31

32. For an extended trip lasting 3 nights
or
longer you must purchase
additional Girl Scout Insurance
This must be done at least 3 weeks in
Advance.
Call the Council Registrar for
Information.
32

33. Driver Safety Tips
• Prior to the trip;
discuss driving
safety with girls
and drivers:
• Girls should not
argue while cars
are in motion -
33

34. More Driver Safety Tips
• Slow down in bad
weather
• Pull off road to look at
map or talk on a cell
phone
• Make sure everyone is
buckled up
• Avoid truck blind spots
• Keep your eyes on the road
34

35. Driver Packet Suggestions
• Health form per person
• Permission slip form per girl
• Directions to destination
• Phone number & contact person at
• destination
• Name & phone number of the in-town
contact person
35

36. After Any Trip!
• Pay bills promptly
• Write thank you notes
• Return borrowed or rented equipment
• EVALUATE WITH THE GIRLS
36