How to Empower Girls to Solve Problems

Girls develop decision-making skills as they learn to identify obstacles, analyze situations, and solve problems that consider the well-being of themselves and others. As this year continues into unprecedented territory, girls will be stretched to make decisions based on both personal safety and societal standards. This may be a new experience for younger girls but one that plays a role in their independence and growth.

Need help? We’ve gathered a handful of activities for girls to practice making their own decisions in a safe, fun environment. Note: These games can easily be adapted to take place in-person or virtually. Be creative with your setup!

Would You Rather: This game is a great way to break the ice and get to know each other! Girls will take turns getting to know more about their own and others’ preferences. The leader can pose one question to the group for each girl to answer or girls can direct questions at others around the room to allow for more girl-led communication. Some ideas of conversation-starters are below. Explore space or the ocean? Live in a cave or treehouse? Go without TV or junk food for the rest of your life? Be able to breathe underwater or fly in the air? Have many good friends or one very best friend? Be an amazing painter or a brilliant mathematician?

This or That: This activity is an easy way to show girls how they are similar or different from others! Girls will run, skip, hop, or jump from one side of the room to the other based on which they prefer. Some ideas of opposites to ask are below. Dog or Cat? Salty or Sweet? Toast or Eggs? Music or Audiobooks? Cake or Pie? Summer or Winter? Green or Pink? Pen or Pencil? Riding a Bike or Hiking?

Adventures to Come: This practice is a great way for girls to explore their personal aspirations! Girls will make a list of everything they want to do, see, accomplish, or try in a set period of time. Variations of this idea include 101 in 1001 or a certain number before they reach a certain age (15 by 15 or 20 by 20). Some ideas of aspirations are below. Send a care package to a friend Learn a new skill Start a journal, photo album, or scrapbook Host an outdoor movie night Plant, tend, and harvest a garden Try a new recipe

Download Your Own Adventures to Come List

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Social and emotional skills are important for success in school and life, and though this year has proven to be full of unexpected obstacles for important milestones, we are working to fill a critical need that has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CASEL defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. As the experts on girls’ leadership and development, Girl Scouts is uniquely poised to help girls boost self-confidence, relationship-building, and decision-making skills.