Why Outdoor?
 The Value of Outdoor Adventures for Girl Scouts

The value of an outdoor experience in a girl's life is beyond measure. It is a time for creating memories that will last a lifetime. It has been an important component of the Girl Scout experience since the beginning of the organization. The outdoors provides the setting for girls to: stretch their minds and muscles appreciate the uniqueness and beauty of the world in which they live exercise leadership learn a wide variety of new skills be challenged as individuals and as groups working toward a common goal The outdoors offers many opportunities for girls to live in a community of caring adults who nurture girls in an outdoor environment. Girls grow in areas such as self-confidence, independence, leadership, new skills and interests, comradeship, and decision-making ability. They develop lifetime friendships; they live and participate in a community that recognizes differences; they discover the value of being in a safe, supportive environment. The outdoors and camping offer not only adventure and challenge – but they are FUN! They present a perfect setting in which to emphasize Discover – Girls develop a strong sense of self, gain practical and healthy life skills and strengthen their values Connect – Girls form caring relationships, promote cooperation and team building and embrace diversity Take Action – Girls feel empowered to make a difference, identify and solve problems they care about, and advocate for themselves and others Camp and the outdoors are also a good place for reflecting on the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Camping techniques and ethics have changed dramatically since Juliette Low first took girls on an overnight adventure along the Savannah River. In the early days of camping, the wilderness was conquered with little thought about human impact on the natural environment. Things have changed! Later in this training module, you will learn the principles of Leave No Trace Camping – practical conservation techniques designed to minimize impact on the environment. LNT should become an important and integral part of all outdoor activities in Girl Scouting. The Leader's "Secret Agenda" Camping and outdoor activities present a whole new opportunity for learning for girls. Something as seemingly simple as playing a game or roasting marshmallows with friends can help shape a girl's life. As adults in Girl Scouting, we want girls to learn more than just how to tie a knot or pitch a tent. We want our girls to grow with that knowledge, to gain confidence, to work with others, to see how her actions affect others and to make good decisions. That's a lot to expect from simply learning to tie a square knot, isn't it? As a Girl Scout leader, your challenge is to take the activities the girls want to do and direct those activities to meet this "secret agenda" for girl growth. Try it... For instance, your girls want to go wading... while they are wading why not do some fun aquatic activities to learn about protecting the environment? Or your girls want to stay up all night... okay, grit your teeth, prepare for a sleepless night, and play team-building games or tackle a big service project or learn about the night sky and satellites... Can you think of ways these activities help girls grow? Build a fire Go on a hike Roast marshmallows Sleep outside Sing together Catch frogs Pack clothing for the trip Cook over a fire Do "kapers" More fun things to plan The Safety Activity Checkpoints include activity guidelines on swimming, biking, archery, water sports, horseback riding, skating, challenge courses, fishing, and more! Too much adventure? Sometimes we have to rein in our girls' rambunctious ideas, helping them to understand the limits of safety. Girls are not allowed to Use firearms unless 12 years and older and with council permission Hunt Go on high-altitude climbs Ride all-terrain vehicles or motorbikes Operate motorized boats without council permission It is necessary to check with the Girl Scout Council before considering activities that are not listed in Volunteer Essentials, Chapter 4: Safety-Wise, or the Safety Activity Checkpoints or other GSUSA resources Remember that safety information is updated on occasion. The next chapter will guide you to use Volunteer Essentials, Chapter 4: Safety-Wise, and the Safety Activity Checkpoints in planning activities with girls. The course handout has an activity to use with girls to help you learn why THEY want outdoor adventures. Let's Review: Indicate your answers to the following by marking the appropriate answer in the space provided. 1) Camping has been an important part of the Girl Scout experience since the beginning of the organization.      A)  True      B)  False 2) Girl Scout camping today is much like it was when Juliette Low founded the organization.      A)  True      B)  False 3) Girl Scout camping teaches girls more than "hard skills." They also learn self-confidence, team-work, and leadership skills.      A)  True      B)  False

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