If you are a leader who likes to give the girls in her troop a holiday gift, here are some great ideas that will cost you under $3.00 per leader for each girl.
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For even more ideas, please see this more recent blog post, 11 Gifts for Girl Scouts Under $3.00.
It is the most wonderful time of the year, and it is also one of the busiest and most stressful for leaders. In your personal life, you are busy getting ready for the upcoming holiday season. Decorating, shopping, entertaining, going to parties, and gift wrapping are all on your agenda. There is your job, your family, and of course, your Girl Scout troop to think about as well!
Many leaders like to give their girls a holiday gift. If you are one of them, then you are going to want to find a gift that both your co-leader and you can agree on giving. This money is coming out of your pocket and not the troop funds, so agreeing on an item and a price point is very important. You want to be on the same page so you can avoid drama.
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What Kinds of Gifts to Give Your Girl Scouts
In my opinion, any gift you give should not relate to the holiday season. First of all, all of the girls in your troop may not celebrate Christmas, so giving each child a handmade ornament is not ideal. I know this from experience, as my older daughter brought an ornament home one year from her troop leader, and we are Jewish. She lived on our street and our daughters were friends, so it was not an unknown piece of information.
A gift that you think might have some sentimental in the future, in reality, may not. For example, my older daughter’s Girl Scout experience was not warm and fuzzy. When she was in college and needed money, I sold her Girl Scout vests and other “vintage”scouting items on various online platforms to help fund her love of travel.
In addition, gift that can only be used for one month a year may not be what children want to be given.
I have curated gifts according to levels to help you find one that, when split between your co-leader and you, amount to about $3.00 per girl for each of you. Best of all, you can order online and have it delivered to your home or picked up at the store when it is convenient for you.
The All Purpose Girl Scout Gift
If you are not the shopping type, here is a great gift idea for you to give your girls. It is non-denominational and consumable.
Inside the bag you can place all kinds of chocolate, fruit snacks, and hard candy. There are many kinds of candy treats that are not Christmas themed. You can also add a packet of hot chocolate and a chocolate spoon, toss in a few mini marshmallows, and you have a fun gift.
You can also add one flavored Lip Smacker for chapped lips that come with winter. Just buy two sets and break them up.
Gifts for Daisy and Brownie Scouts
Gifts for Daisy and Brownie Scouts are a lot easier to find because the girls are much easier to please at a younger age (and as the mother of two teens and a twenty-something, I speak from experience).
If your girls are into crafts, here are some craft items that you can wrap up and the girls will derive many hours of enjoyment from them.
Mr. Sketch Markers have been a childhood favorite for years. With fresh markers, a scout’s imagination can be unleashed. There are 12 in this package.
Girls can paint and decorate four different butterfly magnets. The kit is ready to use…in fact, the girls can use this to make gifts for others!
This Melissa Doug Scratch Off Pad comes with 125 pages of doodling and note taking and leaving fun.
This Melissa & Doug Wooden Stamp Set comes with Friendship 9 Stamps, 5 Colored Pencils, and 2-Color Stamp Pad is a creative gift to give your Girl Scouts.
American Girl craft kits are another fun item to give your girls. These are all within your budget.
Gifts for Girl Scout Juniors
Ah, the tween years. Not quite a little girl and not quite a teen. Some of your girls may be more mature than others, so this is a challenging age to lead. Your gift for Girl Scout Juniors can be one of the latest trends-scrunchies!
Scrunchies are the hottest trend and you can give each girl in your troop her own cello bag filled with a few of them. I have personally purchased this item and can tell you that these are soft and well made.
Style Me Up – Fashion Design Coloring Book for Girls, Set of Stencils, Pencils and Painting Book is a fun gift to give girls who like to draw.
Shrinky Dinks is a classic gift and one the girls will enjoy making on their own.
Here are some other gift ideas that are not craft kits.
Puka necklaces are also very popular right now.
VSCO Stickers are another bulk item you can buy and add to gift bags.
Gifts for Older Scouts
Middle and high school girls are no longer impressed by all things sparkly and full of glitter. Their interests have changed.
This coin purse is perfect for carrying money.
This whimsical animal coin purse comes in five different styles and is a fun gift to give your older Girl Scouts.
If your girls are traveling, then this coin purse, that comes in different designs, is one you will want to give.
These trendy beaded necklaces are a fun gift to give your older scouts.
Every family has different rules about their daughter’s wearing makeup. This 3 pack lip gloss set helps keep lips from getting chapped and gives a shine to lips without looking like makeup. There are several different flavor sets. This will be very helpful during cookie sales in the winter!
