Simple Ways to Get Outdoors

Plan for outdoor activities with Girl Scout friends! This can be as simple as holding a troop meeting outside or adapting an activity to be outdoors instead of indoors. Get ideas from these places.

• Attend council-hosted badge-earning events. Check the council website for events that work with your troop schedule. Use the Advanced Search function and click the box for “Outdoors”.
• Researching outdoor-focused badges? Use the GSUSA Award & Badge Explorer to search for badges by grade level. Under Topic, filter for “Outdoors” and discover 8-13 badges in each grade level focused on outdoor activity.
• In the Volunteer Toolkit, look for the evergreen tree icon to see adapted badge activity for getting the troop outside. Or, sort for “Outdoors” to find outdoor-focused badges.
• Find links to outdoor activity planning resources on the Get Outdoors pages of the Volunteer Collective.
• Browse the Field Trip and Travel Partners list in the Volunteer Collective to find organizations willing to host Girl Scout troop field trips.

Badge and Journey Categories with Outdoor Activity 

All program grade levels have earned award options in these categories and other outdoor adventure and life skills badges. Find them all in the Volunteer Toolkit.

• Outdoor Journey
• Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey (Outdoor STEM) 
• Eco
• Snow or Climbing Adventure
• Trail Adventure
• Troop Camper
• Outdoor Art

Events to inspire outdoor activity

• March 12 Girl Scout Birthday and Girl Scout Week – Outdoor activity is one of the pillars of the Girl Scout program.
• April 22 Earth Day – Find Earth Day events in your community and join in.
• April 22 Girl Scout Leader Day – Recognize all the volunteers that contribute to your troop. Invite families to a picnic, a hike, or other outdoor activity to celebrate volunteers.
• May is National Bridging Week – Use a real bridge, whether it’s at a playground or in a park. Reference our Bridging Guide for planning help.
• Memorial Day events – In your Girl Scout uniform, walk in parades, honor veterans, or host a flag ceremony to show your patriotic pride.
• May/June Troop Year-end parties – Bring girls and families together for celebrations and ceremonies. 
• June/July/August Girl Scout Summer Camp – Attend camp, including troop camp, day camp, sleepaway camp or wilderness camp. (Registration starts in January.)
• Mid-September’s Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend – Visit any State Park, meet with park rangers and earn a fun patch.
• October 31 Founder’s Day – Host a campfire event with a Scout’s Own ceremony or a scavenger hunt!

There’s a fun patch for that!

Check our Girl Scout council and national websites for more fun patch program ideas, which are great for multi-level troops. No matter which outdoor activity you choose, pick a complimentary fun patch at the Girl Scout shop to help girls remember the day. Find information on the the Climate Challenge fun patch, Girl Scouts Love the Outdoors, Girl Scouts Love State Parks, National Park Service Girl Scout Ranger, and the Girl Scout Tree Promise.