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March Patch Point: Healthy Living

Each month, our Patch Point will feature a patch that Girl Scouts can earn at their own pace! Feel free to follow along or to pick and choose which of our patch programs you'd like to complete by browsing all of the opportunities below! Open the drop down to learn how you can earn the Healthy Living patch.

Patch Requirements

Girl Scouts who complete all the activities listed below will earn the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Asthma Awareness Patch. This patch is to help girls and leaders learn about asthma and how to respond to an asthma emergency.

Requirements:

  • Learn about the respiratory system and how people breathe.
  • Learn what asthma is and the causes, or triggers, of an asthma attack.
  • Learn what are some signs and symptoms of an asthma attack.


Learn the procedure how to help someone who is having an asthma attack with the following steps:

  1. Stay calm.
  2. Ask the person if she/he has asthma. If so, help them with their
    medication if they need help.
  3. Notify a parent/guardian immediately.
  4. Call 911 and follow the instructions from the 911 operator if emergency
    help is needed.

Practice this procedure with other members of your troop using toy phones (do not call 911 unless it is a real emergency).

  • Learn lung-smart health tips.
  • Teach other people and Girl Scouts about asthma.
Take the Backyard Challenge! Complete the required number of activities based on your age level as indicated at the bottom of the activities sheet . Have fun exploring your backyard!

Girl Scouts who complete all the activities listed below will earn the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois Bowling Patch.

Requirements:

Learn about Bowling Scorekeeping:

  • What is a strike?
  • What is a spare?
  • What is a split?
  • What is a gutter ball?
  • What is a turkey?
  • How many frames are there in a game of bowling?
  • How many turns do you get to have each frame?
  • In the 10th frame, how do you get to have a 3rd turn?

Learn how to keep score and keep track of your own score during the game.

Learn about Bowling Equipment:

  • Why do you have to wear special bowling shoes?
  • How many holes does a bowling ball have?
  • What is the surface of the lane made of?
  • What is a foul line?

Learn about Bowling Etiquette:

  • Learn 2 bowling etiquette practices.

Learn about Bowling History:

  • When did bowling begin?
  • What is the professional organization a female bowler can belong to?
  • Learn about three famous female bowlers.
  • What are the benefits you receive from bowling?
  • Plan and carry out a session at a local bowling alley.

Gymnastics can be a fun exercise that your troop can participate in together.

Requirements:

  • Plan and carry out a gymnastics session at a local gymnastics studio.
  • Participate in a warm-up exercise before starting your gymnastics session. Learn why this is important.
  • Learn how to do a forward roll, walk on the balance beam, and swing on the uneven bars.
  • Learn about gymnastics.
  • Learn about four different gymnastic events.
  • Learn two safety practices in gymnastics/tumbling.
  • Learn about a famous female gymnast. Why is she famous?

Get healthy and fit this Girl Scout year! Complete 5 of the 9 activities listed below to earn the Healthy Living Patch. All activities are designed to encourage girls to be active, try a new activity or sport, eat healthy, and to have a well-balanced lifestyle. 

Requirements: Complete 5 of the 9 Activities 

  • Participate in a 5K walk/run 
  • Take a 20 minute hike at your local park
  • Attend a cooking class and learn one new healthy recipe 
  • Take a self-defense or tae kwon do class 
  • Take a dance, gymnastics, or aerobics class (including yoga, Zumba, Pilates, etc.) 
  • Participate in a GSofSI outdoor program 
  • Earn the First Aid Badge for your program level (Brownies – Ambassadors) 
  • Earn the Gloria Petal-Respect Myself and Others (Daisies only) 
  • Participate in one of the outdoor camp activities: archery, canoeing, geocaching, rock climbing, swimming, or sailing 

Girl Scouts take pride in their patriotism and sharing their appreciation with the U.S. Military and Veterans who serve to protect our freedom.

Once girls complete two activities from the list below, they will show their pride by receiving an “Honoring our Veterans” patch to wear proudly on their Girl Scout uniforms.   

  • Complete a service project benefitting Veterans
  • Visit a Veterans' Home
  • Lead an activity with Veterans
  • Send cards of appreciation to a Veterans' Home or overseas to active duty service members (an example included below, you can also connect with local organizations): https://amillionthanks.org/letter/
  • Visit a Veterans' Association and learn about challenges that Veterans might face
  • Volunteer at a Veteran-focused program or event taking place at a local American Legion or VFW
  • Participate in an Honor Flight 
  • Place flags in a  cemetery to honor Veterans
  • Interview a Veteran and tell his/her story
  • Volunteer with a therapy dog organization that provides therapy dogs for Veterans

Take a night time adventure the next time you are on a Girl Scout trip!

Requirements:

  • Play an outdoor game at night – flashlight tag, bat and moth, night watchman, wolf pack, etc. Was it more fun playing after dark?
  • Hold a flashlight on a light surface and see how many bugs are attracted to the light. Why do you think this is?
  • Go on a night hike and look for eye shine reflected back at you. (You can use the reflective eyes from the kit or make your own if you don’t think you’ll see any wildlife.) What makes an animal’s eye reflect the light? How does this help them see?
  • Turn your flashlight off, and sit quietly in the dark. Name an animal you hear. What do you think it is doing? What does it do during the day?
  • Check your vision by trying this activity: Pair up and focus on your partner’s face. You will notice your partners’ heads begin to disappear. Simply shift your eyes back and forth to make the head reappear. 
  • Your peripheral vision helps you navigate at night. What would happen if you walked down a trail and only focused ahead?



Try a few owl calls and see if you get a response! Three owls we have in our council are:

  • Great Horned Owl (Whooo’s awake? Meee Toooo)
  • Barred Owl (Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all?)
  • Screech Owl (make a whinny through your nose like a horse)

This is a club that is open to any camper (youth only) who can start a campfire and keep it going for at least 5 minutes with only one match and without the use of fire starters at a Girl Scout function (ie. Day Camp, Council, Troop, or Service Unit Campout/Program). Members will receive a patch to be worn to be worn proudly on the back of their vest or sash.

Requirements:

  • Light a campfire and keep it going for at least 5 minutes using only one match and without the use of fire starters.
  • Have two people witness your talent of lighting a one-match fire, one witness being an adult Girl Scout.
  • You may only receive this award once.
Please visit our Outdoor page to learn more about Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois' Outdoor Patch Progression Requirements !

Girl Scout programming is built on four pillars of experience that help girls thrive: life skills, STEM, outdoors, and entrepreneurship. This strong foundation helps fulfill Girl Scouts’ Mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girls can gain new interests and broaden their skills by exploring activities in each pillar! They are invited to take our Pillar Power challenge to earn a patch and build a strong base that will encourage them to grow.  

To complete the challenge, all you need to do is consult our Pillar Power Chart of Activities and find a way to incorporate something from each pillar into your life. Below is a list of how many activities from each pillar your Girl Scout level must complete:

  • Daisy - Complete 1 activity from each pillar.
  • Brownie - Complete 2 activities from each pillar.
  • Junior - Complete 3 activities from each pillar.
  • Cadette - Complete 4 activities from each pillar.
  • Senior - Complete 5 activites from each pillar.
  • Ambassador - Complete 6 activities from each pillar.

The purpose of the Recycling patch is to encourage girls to think about what happens to the trash that goes in the trash can. It inspires girls to reduce, reuse, and recycle trash and to teach others in the community how easy it is to “Save the Earth” and make the world a better place!

Requirements:

Visit a recycling center, watch a recycling movie, or read some recycling books to find out the answers to the questions below:

  • What happens to the garbage when it leaves your house?
  • What does the term biodegradable mean?
  • What do the “Three Rs” stand for? Which is the most important to you?
  • What do the numbers on the bottom of plastic containers mean?
  • Why is it important to recycle?
  • Can you recycle the same thing over and over?
  • Make something out of recycled materials – a model, a desk organizer, locker accessory, etc. Have a contest in your troop or service unit to pick the most colorful, most useful, most material reused, etc.

 

Complete at least one of the following six activities:

  • Make your own recycled paper from scrap paper that you have lying around.
  • Play a recycling game.
  • Make recycling posters to hang up at your home or school.
  • Do a comparison between a recycled product and a non-recycled product. For example, if you choose recycled paper, does it fold differently or look different when you write on it? Does it rip easier, or is it stronger?
  • Make your own traveling recycler for the next time you do an activity at a place that only has trash cans.
  • Do a trash hike, but sort the garbage into recyclables and non-recyclables (use gloves!), and then take the recyclables to a recycling center.

Roller skating is a fun activity that helps girls stay fit and strong. Troop leaders are asked to adjust the activity for age appropriateness.

Requirements:

  • Plan and carry out a session of roller skating at a local skating rink.
  • Learn about different kinds of skates that are available.
  • Learn about the maintenance of a roller rink. What makes the floor so special?
  • Take a roller skating lesson.
  • Learn how to stop, go, turn, and balance on one skate.
  • Learn two skating etiquette practices.
  • Play a game while on roller skates.
  • Learn about the history of roller skating.
  • Learn some benefits you receive from skating.
  • Learn about some sports that take place on roller skates.

Girl Scout's LOVE State Parks! Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois has five locations your troop can choose to visit and earn the State Park Patch: Giant City State Park, Cache River State Park, Beal Woods State Park, Pere Marquette State Park and Fort Massac State Park. 

To Earn the Patch:

  • Visit one of the State Parks listed 
  • Go to the Visitor's Center and ask to check out a Girl Scout State 
    Park Patch Backpack (for free!) which will include everything you
    need for your adventure
  • Set off around the park and learn about the history, flora and fauna
  • Complete the Patch Guide and return it to the Visitor's Center
    to get a signature
  • You did it! Fill out the patch order form and your new badge
    will be shipped out to you!

 

State Park Patch Program Guides:

Giant City State Park Booklet
Cache River State Park Booklet
Beall Woods State Park Booklet
Pere Marquette State Park Booklet
Fort Massac State Park Booklet

Council's Own Badges