A luau camp is fun and educational for Girl Scouts.
When considering a luau camp for your scout troop, many things must be taken into account. Since the Girl Scout levels range from Daisies at kindergarten and first grade to Ambassadors in the 11th and 12th grades, you will want to arrange activities to be appropriate for the age level of the troop. However, no matter the age level, if you plan appropriately you can create a fun and exciting luau experience that will also allow the scouts opportunities to earn their badges and learn important values.
Activities
Hula hoops and hula dancing are musts for a luau and these activities are appropriate for all ages. If possible, find a counselor who is good at both or who can teach the girls some of the basics. If you can be near a beach or fill some plastic pools with sand, consider a sandcastle building contest. Other fun activities that can span all age groups of girl scouts include volleyball or dodge ball with beach balls and a limbo contest.
Younger scouts can also earn career badges by learning about different careers that involve water, like marine biology and oceanography, or earn sports and games badges by playing water related games such as Marco Polo if you are near a pool. Older girls can earn photography badges by photographing the nearby flowers or nature scenes or earn an Architectural and Environmental Design badge by making kites and learning what keeps them aloft.
Snacks
Fun luau snacks can include tropical fruits, hot dogs, fruit punch to drink and ice cream to help cool off a warm day. Pineapples, oranges, mangoes, bananas and coconuts are just some of the fruits that can provide healthy snacks for scouts, and the luau theme can be further upheld by allowing girls to have little paper umbrellas in their fruit punch. Ice cream, sherbet or Popsicles with fruit flavors can round out the snack options to provide a cool treat.
Crafts
Crafts can also help scouts earn badges, and they should allow the scouts to enjoy themselves while keeping to the luau theme. For instance, scouts can earn an Art to Wear badge by decorating plain T-shirts with inspiring messages in the luau theme. Scouts can also earn a Desktop Publishing badge by designing the menu for the luau and including fun facts about each item. The scouts can also obtain an Artistic Crafts badge by helping make some of the decorations for the luau, such as flower banners or paper flowers and fish to decorate tables and walls.
Decorations
Decorations can either be made, purchased or found. You can hang flower garlands across or between tables or over doorways. Coconuts and shells can be arranged into centerpieces, and shells can also be glued to clear photo frames to make decorative borders. Raffia table skirts can enhance the luau atmosphere and people can be decorated with leis and grass skirts to complete the look.
Tags: luau theme, activities appropriate, allow scouts, also earn, fruit punch