The Badge Archive

2023 DBJ Art Badges

In 2023, GSUSA Retired the specialized art badges in Brownie and Junior levels and then released three new art badges for Daisy, Brownie, and Junior levels.

Daisy never had art specific badges but can now earn three:

Brownies had three badges retire and are replaced by the new three:

Juniors had three badges retire and are replaced by the new three:

GSUSA attempted to create badges that are more open ended for any kind of craft or art skill. While you need to slightly alter the old meeting plans to ensure they fit the new requirements, you can still earn the Brownie Art and Design badge by doing painting. You can still earn the Junior Craft and Tinker badge by doing jewelry making.

The benefit of the open ended, is that now Daisies and Brownies can do Jewelry making. Daisies and Juniors could do Painting while Brownies could switch it up and do Drawing like the Juniors used to. Those that want to learn sewing, crocheting, or knitting could also use the new Art and Craft to earn them using that skill instead. Or any number of arts and crafts that are out there.

While not a hard fast rule, the general rule of thumb is that if it’s a 2D art, you likely want to look at Art and Design. If it’s a 3D art or craft, craft and tinker will likely fit better. Create and Innovate can be link to a craft, but is more for inventing things for a purpose – however, GSUSA left an option to create a gift for someone specific.

Multi Level Meeting Suggestions

When doing them multi level, most of the steps work well with all three. Each level adds just one more aspect, but the basics are the same. Here is an example of one of the badges:

Create and Innovate

Brownie/Daisy goes well together. Junior only add one more project.

The number of possible projects you can make with this badge are endless. Feel free to switch out any project for one that fits the requirements and your needs.

Daisies do not need to explore how to brainstorm like Brownies, but do need to brainstorm ideas to solve a problem. Both need to make one project that is for someone else. Brownies need to make a second project that is useful to them. Both need to sketch how to make a project better, but only Brownies need to share their creation.

<Many troops may want to break this up into two meetings and do one project per meeting, or pick a different gift idea than the Art Magnets. The magnets were chosen only because they are quick and easy when time is limited after making the Art Caddys.>

Do the Paper Bridge experiment and emphasize how there are many ways to make the bridge and some work better than others. (Brownie R1)

Now that they know how to think of things in multiple ways, have a quick brainstorming session on how they can solve the problem of when they want to do art and have too many supplies to fit on the table and still work. (Daisy R1)

Make an Art Caddy, they might be able to use some of their ideas in the creation of their own Art Caddy. (Brownie R3)

Make a set of art magnets for a friend or family member. They need to pick out who they will give it to and make the art special to match who they are giving it to. (Daisy R2 & Brownie R2)

Have a little art gallery or show and tell (depends on the time you have left) to show each other their projects. (Brownie R5)

End the meeting by discussing if either project is one they would want to do again. Ask “What would you do differently if you did it again to make it even better or unique from the first time?” (Daisy R3 & Brownie R4)

Daisy and Brownie levels earned!

Juniors need to brainstorm a problem like the Daisies and make something with a purpose like the Brownies. Juniors have to create something to help a community on top of that, and when they share they are supposed to present it or teach others how to use it – so a show and tell at minimum would be needed.

A minimum of two meetings are recommended to get all three projects in. Three meetings to really enjoy each project is a good idea too!

<Do the first meeting like the Daisy/Brownie Create and Innovate to cover Junior R1, 2, and 4. Make sure you do a show and tell, which covers Junior R5.>

The second meeting to make something for an animal – we actually recommend you do the Daisy/Brownie combo for the Design in Nature badge. The Junior Design in Nature has completely different requirements but the Making of a Birdfeeder fulfills Junior requirement 3 for Create and Innovate.

Meeting Example:

Print out the Tree Rings to learn how to count the rings to tell how old the trees are. Use tally marks to hit the Daisy level requirement too. (Daisy R2 and Brownie R1)

Draw a diagram a hexagon and scale it (the hexagon becomes a stick hexagon on the ground you can stand in). (Brownie R2)

Make bird feed (different seeds to make a mix, or a standard feed you need to fill multiple feeders with) and calculate the ratios (how many of each seed, or how much feed for each feeder). (Daisy R1 and Brownie R4)

Make a feeder to use with the birdseed. (Brownie R3 and Junior R3)

Send home a worksheet for them to make a bar graph from data you get from birds (how much food they eat each day, how many birds you see, or how much food eaten at different locations) or bring some data to make a graph at the meeting. (Brownie R5)

Draw a map (place, neighborhood, place with sounds) and include landmarks and a legend (for sounds or objects) then choose a start and end point, draw lines from start to finish including all the stops. (Daisy R3)

Daisy, Brownie, and Junior levels earned!

Bonus: Daisies and Brownies earn the Design in Nature too!

Tia Kennard