B/J Girl Scout Way Day of the Dead

October 17, 2024

Updated 10/26/2025 – Renamed B/J as Daisies do not have a Girl Scout Way official badge. They can still participate and enjoy, but this plan does only cover an official badge for Brownies and Juniors.

Meeting idea – Most troops will be able to do this in a 90 minute meeting.

NOTE – MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR FACTS ABOUT THE ACTUAL MEXICAN DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION and not just fictional movie facts. Even better if you know someone from a country that celebrates Day of the Dead that can come speak briefly at your meeting before you build an ofrenda.

Meeting Outline

Do your normal troop opening.

If you need a gathering activity, print out some candy skulls to color

Start off with a song one you know or one you can learn real fast, like repeat and answer songs! (Requirement 1)

Welcome them to the Day of the Dead Celebration.

Explain what Day of the Dead is. Watch this video to know what to tell them.
Typically people build ofrendas, visit cemeteries to decorate graves with flowers and candles, attend parades with costumed skeletons, and share stories and memories of the departed while enjoying traditional foods.

Go hands on with a craft. Pick your favorite:

Learn about Juliette Gordon Low (JGL) (Requirement 5)
Explain that Juliette Gordon Low (JGL) was the founder of Girl Scouts of U.S.A. Keep the explanation brief or:

Have them enjoy an Action Story found at the bottom of this website.
Read a short story about JGL if you have time and your troop likes story time

Build JGL’s Ofrenda (Requirements 2)

Before the meeting prepare an Ofrenda, use a table or other surface, or make a shoebox ofrenda
Have a box with a picture of JGL and random objects or cards representing thing you can associate with JGL
Each of the scouts get to pull an object out and guess what it might mean. Tell them if they were right and give the right info if they were not.
You can read more about Ofrendas if you need to on this website.

Play a game that connects them to their Girl Scout Sisters of the past. (Requirement 3)
Some of the games JGL played growing up are:

Pancake Flipping
Kim’s Game
2 Truths and a Lie
- Player gives three statements about themselves and everyone guesses which is the lie.
Truths and Lies
Handstands
- Challenge who can do them, how long, how straight, etc.
Donut on a String

“Leave the place better than when you found it.” before the meeting ends. (Requirement 4)

Remind the scouts that this means we clean up after ourselves, fix anything damaged (whether we caused it or someone before us did), and make the space tidier or more organized than when we arrived.
Scouts all help with take down of the party decorations and clean up from activities before going home.

Meeting End

Daisies do not have a Girl Scout Way badge, but Girls Love Scouting has a Daisy shaped “All About Scouting” badge that can work well. Girls Love Scouting also has an unofficial Scout History or Day of the Dead badge you might want to use for a multi-level troop._{(Girls Love Scouting announced on 05-08-2025 that production of artistry badges were going to be halted due to GSUSA legal actions.)}

Juniors are supposed to celebrate the Girl Scout Birthday in March, while Brownies are supposed to celebrate Juliette Gordon Low’s Birthday in October. Many multi-level troops just allow both levels to do one or the other, as long as they are learning about the history of scouts and celebrating being a part of the GSUSA organization.

Note – This theme goes perfect with a movie night featuring a film like Coco. DO NOT use Coco as a fact reference for Mexican Day of the Dead as the film mixes several cultural traditions into one.

If your troop wants food, try something traditional. (Optional)

Tia Kennard