The December holiday season is upon us. Here are 10 virtual winter crafts and activities for your December Girl Scout meeting that are both fun, and most importantly, inclusive.
If you have walked around any store in the past few weeks, you know that the holidays are all around you. While shopping in my local Walmart this past October, the trifacta of holidays were in full display, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It was like all three just blended into the other.
Whether you are a new Daisy leader or a veteran leader of older Scouts, you have choices to make that will either create a tradition that you may want to continue or create an atmosphere of leaving out some of the girls in the activities that you have planned.
What am I talking about?
I am talking about celebrating Christmas with your troop.
Girl Scouts is Non-Denominational
Girl Scouts is a non-denominational activity. It is not affiliated with any particular religious group. If you start celebrating religious holidays with your troop, it may be an issue to take away your traditions and celebration if a new girl joins your troop and she does not celebrate this December holiday (or may be agnostic or atheist and not celebrate any kind of religious holiday at all).
I am Jewish and do not celebrate Christmas. As the leader, I made the decision during our first year as a troop to not do anything related to this holiday. I also decided not to do a gift exchange of any sort. My personal experience as a child with this was not a positive one, and with my older daughter’s troop, this activity proved to be a dud for some of the girls. The girls in my troop, both Jewish and Christian, received enough gifts and went to plenty of celebrations during the holiday season, so there was no reason to add another one. Instead, my troop always does a community service project in lieu of a party because there are so many others in need.
Silence is Not Approval
Please do not assume that these girls families “won’t mind” you celebrating a holiday with them that they do not celebrate. Many are not like me and do not want to rock the boat and are afraid to have their child seen in an unkind light. They would rather stay silent and be upset at your lack of understanding. They do not want to be “that mom” and forever have you view her as the one who “ruined Christmas for the rest of the troop”.
COVID-19 and the Holiday Season
This year, your meeting is going to be far different from any other December meeting you have planned. Due to the coronavirus, meetings are now virtual in almost all Councils. How can you have a fun and festive celebration without physically being in the same room?
Here are some ideas for you.
Make a Marshmallow Igloo for Your Virtual Girl Scout Meeting
I did this activity with my son’s class many years ago when he was in third grade. It was a hit! This is both easy and inexpensive to do with your girls, and making the kit for them to pick up from your house will not take you a lot of time. Here are the directions on how to make a marshmallow igloo.
Make a Snowflake Picture Frame
Here is an easy winter craft kit that your troop can assemble. Families can provide the picture if this is a gift or you can take a troop picture from the past and give it to each girl to put in her frame. There are 12 in each kit.
Make a Snow Globe Picture Frame
This winter craft kit also comes with 12 ready to assemble snow globe picture frames. These can be personalized as well.
Make a Snowman Thermometer
Here is another craft kit that makes 12. This sowman is 7.5 inches tall and has a glass thermometer to help your girls tell the temperature all winter long.
Rock Painting
Give the girls paint in individual 2 ounce cups and they can paint a winter themed rock or use a mandela stencil to create a masterpiece.
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Marshmallow Challenge-A Fun Game for Your Virtual Girl Scout Meeting
This is both fun and easy! Give each girl one bag of marshmallows and toothpicks. You may even want to give a half bag of mini marshmallows to each girl as well. Include a packet of hot chocolate and two cookies as well.
You can search for the different challenges online and see which ones is good for your girls.
Ask them to reserve some of the marshmallows for their hot chocolate.
Once the girls have finished the challenge, the girls can make their hot chocolate and eat their cookies as they chat or you read a story.
Make Mug Recipes to Eat for Your Virtual Girl Scout Meeting
In the bag your girls will receive, put in a white mug from the Dollar Store and a gold oil based Sharpie. You will also need to research two easy cake mug recipes for the girls to make. Use family friendly ingredients that the parents already have on hand. Some examples are cake in a mug, French toast in a mug and mac and cheese in a mug.
Instruct the girls to make one recipe and when they have all finished, as they eat, you can do a winter Mad Lib with them.
When they finish that treat, have them clean out the mug and make the second one. You can do another Mad Lib or do “Would You Rather” questions.
Play a Winter Bingo Game
Bingo is lots of fun and there are many free printable Bingo games out there. For younger girls, here is a picture Bingo game from Artsy Fartsy Mom.
Play Roll a Snowman Game
Each girl will need one die and this free snowman printable to play this game. Links can be sent to the parents so they can print it for their child.
Play Games
Here is something easy to organize and it requires minimal prep work. Play games with your girls. Some ideas are:
- Simon Says
- Scavenger Hunt (you will need parents to help hide things in their home)
- Charades
- 20 Questions
- Pictionary
- Freeze Dance
What are you planning for your virtual December meeting?
