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Updated April 2023
As girls get older, they become more self-conscious as to what others think of them. You can blame it on the media, parents, and society at large, but as a Girl Scout leader, you have the power to make a difference in the lives of your girls. Your meetings are a safe place for your troop to express themselves and to learn how to get along with others.
Earning the Girl Scout Brownie Being Your Best Self badge will help the girls to see the positives within themselves. These activities can help you in future meetings. For example, if a child is not doing the right thing, you can ask, “Are you being your best self?” Or when a guest speaker will be coming or you are going on a field trip, you need to ask the girls beforehand to “be their best selves.”
Materials
- Large white easel paper or whiteboard if you have one
- Markers
- Healthy foods cut up-fruits, vegetables, whole grain crackers or bread, dip made from yogurt or low fat sour cream
- Healthy crunchy snack like a trail mix or granola
- Healthy beverage (almond milk, soy milk, a new kind of juice)
- Plates/napkins/tasting cups and spoons
Step 1 Get to Know Your Body
We are all different-even identical twins have differences that those who know them well can spot a mile away! Ask the girls what makes them special and unique. You may want to keep a chart of eye color, hair color and even favorite foods!
If you want to make this an active activity, ask the girls to go in different corners. For example, “Those who have blue eyes stand by the door. Those who have green eyes stand by the table. Those with green eyes stand in by the board.” Then ask another question and repeat this activity.
You can also ask the girls how their bodies feel when they are sick (without getting into details about what their bodies do when they are sick! Keep it appropriate!)
Step 2 Eat and Play in a Healthy Way
*Be aware of any food allergies/issues for this step!
The children have learned about nutrition at school and hopefully at home as well. We need to feed our bodies healthy foods all the time, with other things as the occasional treat. One cannot live on highly processed foods, fats and sugars and feel healthy and strong!
This is the chance for you to get the girls to taste different kinds of healthy foods. Have familiar fruits and vegetables like carrots and apples, and if they are courageous and strong, have them try ones they may not have had before as well (if the girls are unwilling to try anything new, that is okay). You may have to go to an ethnic specialty market or Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s to find something unique.
Be sure to include a fun, healthy crunch like veggie chips or a dried fruit.
Encourage girls to try something new, but of course, do not force them. They may also not make faces or say”Eww.” I tell my students, "Don't yuck my yum!".
After the tasting party, you may want to do a fun movement game or activity for five minutes and talk about why it is healthy to exercise.
Step 3 Find Out How Your Body Works
Now that you have eaten, food is being digested. How can you illustrate this to second and their graders? There are many short videos for kids that you can show that can help you with this activity.
Step 4 Know What to Do When Something Bugs You
Life happens. People and situations can bother us, preventing us from functioning as our best selves.
One thing to do is keep a journal. You can go to the Dollar Store or craft store and buy these for a dollar, or you can have the girls use a spiral notebook that they can decorate. Use stickers and jewels to make them unique.
We can also talk to a trusted grown up like a parent, teacher or even you, a Girl Scout leader. They can also talk to a friend. The important thing to convey is that they need to talk to someone to help them sort our their feelings.
Image by
Andrea Piacquadio
Step 5 Meet a Health Helper
See if a parent who is in the health industry can come to the meeting to talk about staying healthy.
If you cannot find a guest speaker, have the girls generate a list of questions that you can email on their behalf to the school nurse. Read the responses at the next meeting.
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