5 Reasons why Troop Camping is So Awesome

July 05, 2023

By Eisha Alam, Girl Scout Ambassador

What is Troop Camping?

In my troop # 647, troop camping is an annual tradition, sometimes even a 6-month tradition. Troop camping is usually done in the school year as troops begin to have meetings again after the summer break. It is just like any other camp, except the troop organizes everything. The troop gets to choose where and when to go, for how long, and what activities the girls will do. All in all, Troop camping is a unique experience that encompasses the meaning of Girl Scouts – to build Courage, Confidence, and Character in girls – all while having fun!

1. Flexible Dates!

Because the troop is taking the initiative to plan a troop camp, this includes booking a campsite. If you plan early, about 3-4 months before going to camp, you can find multiple dates for campsites on your council’s website. You can then send out polls to your troop and see which dates most of your troop is available. This way, you are not limited to the dates your Girl Scout council offers for camps; you can plan your own according to your troop’s schedule.

2. Leadership Experience

As mentioned in the Introduction, Older Girls, which include Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors, can plan a troop-wide event independently. Leading a camp teaches Girl Scouts numerous skills: time management, organization, out-of-the-box thinking, and teamwork. Additionally, planning any event has some challenges, so planning a 3-day camp has many unseen and spontaneous challenges that Girl Scouts learn while planning their troop’s camp. Not to mention, all these experiences add to the Girl Scout journey of becoming a better leader and can be put on resumes and college applications as the girl prepares for college.

3. Exploring the Outdoors and Role Models

Camp is always an exciting experience for younger Girl Scouts, but Troop Camping is at a different level. Troop Camping allows younger girls to experience similar activities to older girls but on a smaller scale. Getting to pack your bag, sleep in a cabin, and help with food alongside your Girl Scout Troop friends isn’t something younger girls do daily. Most of all, younger girls get to see the older Girl Scouts in their troop lead the camp, which is the most inspiring part of Troop Camping. In my experience, all those years of watching the older girls lead Troop camps and lead confidently gave me the perfect role models to be inspired to do the same.

4. Builds Punctuality and Responsibility

Camp is generally different from what any girl experiences in her day-to-day life, but Troop Camping takes it to a different level. Because the Girl Scouts run the camp, the volunteers take the backseat regarding organization and schedule. It is up to the older girls to help the younger girls stick to the schedule, and that builds responsibility in the older girls. The punctuality comes from the girls knowing that their adult volunteers will not come every five minutes to remind them that it is time for lunch or the next activity. Every Girl will have a schedule, which gives them confidence that they can be responsible for being on time.

5. Make life-long memories

For me, memories are the most valuable part of Troop Camping; I will never forget the spring camp where it started raining badly; we were all drenched and couldn’t even light our campfire. It wasn’t easy, but everything becomes exciting when you are with your Girl Scout friends. You build an aura of fun around your troop when you hold Troop Camps. Plus, when you post about it on social media, more girls from your community will want to be a part of the fun and may want to join your troop!

Bonus Tip: If you want your Troop Camp to be extra spectacular, you can do a themed camp on a famous book or TV franchise. An example: I led a Mulan themed camp where we decorated with red lanterns and had a soldier rank ceremony. Themes just elevate the Troop Camp Experience!

If you want to revamp your troop experience, holding a troop camp is one great way to succeed! There are many more reasons to Troop Camp, but these are my best 5!

Troop Leaders and Volunteers: When you plan to hold a Troop Camp, I advise starting a couple of months in advance with campsite booking and delegating tasks like camp theme and meals to the appropriate individuals. This way, you have plenty of time to iron out transportation details, food, camp theme, etc.

Happy Camping!