How to Plan a Troop Program

Games are a great idea for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

You may have recently assumed leadership of a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop, or are looking for ways to jazz up your troop program. In addition to what may be required of your troop by a regional council or multi-troop gatherings, you have a lot of freedom to plan activities for your troop. Planning engaging activities for children over the course of a year takes some foresight and attention to detail, but the results are worth the effort.

Things You'll Need

• Merit Badge Guides (Boy Scouts)
• Badge Book (Girl Scouts)
• Leader Guide Book for the troop age level
• Handbook for the troop age level
• Notebook
• Spreadsheet software (recommended)
• Task-management software (recommended)

Instructions

1. Obtain contact information for the parents of the children in your troop. Ask your scouting troop if there are any badges or patches that they are currently working on or would like to work on. Create a spreadsheet with this information if using. If spreadsheet software is not used, keep information in a notebook.

2. Consult your leader's handbook or regional council to find out what must be done at meetings, planned council events, and what goals your troop might be asked to meet that year. Ask how your troop might contribute to planned council events. Add future goals to your task-management software program, if using, or your notebook if not. Make a checklist of tasks to be done at each troop meeting, and have a written copy at each meeting.

3. If your council's goals call for field trips, book the field trip location and transportation. Make permission slip forms for the field trips.

4. Make a calendar with the dates of all field trips and council events, times, dates and location of regular meetings. Distribute to parents.

5. Read the Leader's Guide Book and Merit Badge Guide or Patch Book chapters for the merit badges and patches your scouts would like to attain. Choose regular activities that will help the scouts reach their merit badge and patch goals, help them prepare for events that will involve parents or other troops, and teach them about Scouting values.

Tips & Warnings

• Inform parents of troop or council events where their involvement is welcomed.

• Distribute permission slips close enough to the event so that scouts and parents don't forget, or send regular reminders.

• Get feedback from your scouts on what activities they might like to try.

• Ask your council leadership for advice on activities that will help teach Scouting values.

• Leader's Guide Books often have games and activities that can be used to fill meeting time if there is an unexpected lull. Better to have too much planned than too little.

References

• BSA Troop 570: Troop Program Planning Chart
• Girl Scout Shop