Updated April 2021
Girl Scout bridging ceremonies are an important occasion that marks a scouting milestone. Here are ideas for leaders to use from Daisies to Cadettes.
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Why is a Bridging Ceremony Important to Girl Scouts?
Girl Scout leaders have a lot of ground to cover in the spring. Not only are their field trips to take and badges to complete, if your troop is completing the second year of their level, there is a Girl Scout bridging ceremony to plan.Ceremonies have always been an important part of the Girl Scout tradition. Just as parents take note of important educational milestones, scouting wants girls to stop, reflect, and take a look at what they have accomplished. Girl Scouts bridge every two years from Daisies to Brownies and from Brownies to Juniors. When they bridge from Juniors to Cadettes, they spend grades six through eight in that level.
Once a Cadette becomes a Senior, she is at that level for grades nine and ten. The final Girl Scout level, Ambassadors, are for grade eleven and twelve.Each change of levels is a Girl Scout milestone to be honored and noted. These celebrations are called “Bridging Ceremonies”, and they recognize the girls past accomplishments and help push her towards future goals.
There are many resources for Girl Scout ceremonies for leaders to use as they plan their troop’s bridging ceremony. You don’t have to plan it on your own!
Read the Girl Scout Bridging Requirements!
Before you bridge, be sure to check out the official Girl Scouts of the USA website and make sure you are fulfilling the requirements for your level of scouts.
Photo from Pexels and Image Created on Canva
Helpful Bridging Resources
Ultimate 2019 Daisy to Brownie Bridging Guide
Advice on how to have a meaningful and easy to do ceremony.
Daisy to Brownie Bridging Ceremony
This is how my troop bridged a few years ago. It is hard to believe that they are Cadettes!
Brownie to Junior Bridging Ceremony
This is a detailed plan on how my troop bridged from Brownies to Juniors.
(This blog post is how my co-leader and I made the bridge)
Answers from the Barycenter’s Girl Scout Mom forum
Junior to Cadette Bridging Ceremony
Ideas for older girls who can really do so much of the planning themselves.
Cadette to Senior Bridging Ceremony
Senior to Ambassador Bridging Ceremony
My Girl Scout Bridging Pinterest Board
I have dozens of ideas pinned from other leaders and crafty mamas. Everything from bridges, favors for the girls, food to serve and other useful resources are pinned there to guide you make your ceremony memorable.
Planning the Bridging Party
Keep the decorations simple and inexpensive. A few rainbow themed pieces are all that you need to create the perfect atmosphere. Shindigz has tons of rainbow themed party supplies and many are on sale. In addition, there is ALWAYS a coupon code for even more savings! Save yourself a trip to to party store!
Rainbow Table Cover Available on Amazon
Save the Date!
As soon as you have the bridging date, email the parents and tell them to mark their calendars. Parents who are working full-time or want to get child care for younger siblings need advance notice. In your email, ask them to reply “Yes, I marked it down!” so you know it was read.
Daisy to Brownie Bridging Ceremony
The Daisy to Brownie bridging ceremony is the first of hopefully many bridging ceremonies in the lives of the girls in your troop. How should you go about it? Because the girls are first graders, short and sweet is the best. When my girls bridged, the entire ceremony took about ten minutes, and then we got to eat! It is a good idea to spend part of the last two meetings talking about bridging and practicing what you want the girls to do. That way they will not get stage fright or feel nervous about what is expected of them.
If you have a mixed age Daisy troop, and some of the girls are not bridging to Brownies yet, they can still be a part of the ceremony by having you and your co-leader give them their membership pin and a special first year Daisy certificate. Then you can proceed with the bridging of the rest of the troop.
Fun YouTube Bridging Videos
Watch these to get some ideas to borrow and incorporate. There are many more…just search for “Daisy to Brownie Bridging Ceremonies”.
Here is the My Troop’s Bridge from Brownies to Juniors
Photo from Hannah Gold
I designed the bridge and made it with my co-leader
Brownie to Junior Bridging Ceremony
Girls who are bridging to Juniors are at the end of third grade. They are way more independent that when they were bridging to Brownies just two years earlier. Because of this, the girls should be must more involved in the planning aspects of their ceremony. They can choose songs to sing, activities to do, even help make the bridge if they want.
Junior to Cadette Bridging Ceremony
I wrote this blog post just for this special occasion. If your girls are continuing, you have reason to be proud!
Party Planning Checklist
- Sent email to parents with the date
- Asked each parent to bring something for the party
- Had girls make invitations
- Asked parent to buy vest or sash
- Planned the ceremony with co-leader
- Practiced with the girls
- Bought or made decorations and favors
- Made the bridge
- Remember to breathe!
Food to Serve at Your Celebration
Once the ceremony is over, everyone is going to want to eat! Your co-leader and you should have some themed refreshments that you make as your daughter’s contribution. Your girls are old enough to either make it themselves or have you help them a little bit.
Here are some ideas for easy rainbow themed food for your festivities.
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- Fruit Kabobs This is so easy to make, and looks oh, so pretty!
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- Rainbow Cookies These are gorgeous and easy to make!
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- Easy Bridging Cake Make a basic cake and decorate it with rainbow candy or frosting. Simple!
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- Rainbow Desserts All kinds of rainbow cupcakes and cookies are featured here.
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- Rainbow Jello This takes me back to my childhood.
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- Rainbow Cupcakes Learn how to create an easy yet fabulous rainbow colored frosting.
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- Somewhere Over the Rainbow Cake Here is an easy recipe from the Betty Crocker website.
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- Rainbow Cookies What a fun treat to serve!
- Rainbow Frosting Turn ordinary cupcakes into gourmet bridging fare with this neat idea!
Bridging Favors for Your Girls
Your co-leader and you do not have to spend a fortune on bridging gifts. In fact, a gift is an option, not a requirement. Remember that all of the hours you put into running your troop is priceless.
Here are some party favors to make and give at little cost to you both.
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- Use Resources Wisely Favor Use water bottles for this adorable favor.
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- Another “Green” Bridging Favor This adorable favor uses baby food jars and a gift tag.
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- Candy Rainbows This blogger made an adorable rainbow with colored licorice and marshmallows.
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- Good Bags With Meaning This leader gave her troop a few things in a gift bag that had meaning to a Girl Scout.
- Brownie Mix Favor This is an adorable idea and very low cost.
