Girl Scouting operates on the principal that girls grow, learn and have fun by making decisions, doing and discovering for themselves. That is why it is important that the girls do as much of the planning for ceremonies as possible. Ceremonies are opportunities for the girls, not the adults, to express themselves. Girls should have a part in making their own memories.

Planning should include the girls’ ideas and input. As the girls get older, their responsibility for planning should expand. Keep in mind that different levels and/or groups will have different abilities. Be flexible, let the girls make mistakes and learn from them. It is your function to guide the group and provide an environment for creativity.

Here are some questions to ask the girls and also some ways girls at each age level can be involved in ceremony planning:

1. What is the purpose? (recognition? celebration?)
2. What type of ceremony? (Investiture? Scouts Own?)
3. Where will the ceremony take place?
4. What date will it be on?
5. How long will it last?
6. Who will attend?
7. Do we want to make or buy invitations?
8. Will we have refreshments? (what will we have?)
9. What will be the theme?
10. What will we do for an opening?
11. How will we express the theme? (songs? skits? presentations?)
12. What will the sequence of the ceremony be?
13. Who will do each part?
14. Do we memorize or use ‘cue cards’?
15. What equipment, props, etc. do we need?
16. Who will bring the equipment, etc.?
17. How will we set up the room/area?
18. What will we do for the closing?
19. Who will clean up?
20. Have we forgotten anything?

Here are some ways girls at each level can be involved in ceremony planning

Please remember, these are only guidelines, you know the maturity level of your girls better than anyone!