If your looking for ideas to make your meeting more fun while debating and finding common ground between your girls, you have come to the right place. Using some of these activities below they will learn the strategies to bring people together even if there are differing opinions.
Below are a few ideas to get you started.
Finding Common Ground Activity Booklet
Before jumping into a few ideas, do you want to skip all the planning? If so, use this Activity Booklet with activities, games, and worksheets to allow your girls to take over the meeting.
Girls will work together to find common ground by exploring what they have in common with girls in your troop, learn how to debate, and find ways to persuade others to agree with them, work together in a activity to learn how to compromise on a issue, learn how to find a resolution to a issue with a mediator. The girls will have fun while learning the skills that are used in our government to help citizens with differing opinions find common ground.With a step by step activities, you can’t ask for a easier way to run your meeting. Learn more and get yours today!
Be sure to also checkout these other activities your girls will love:
- Healthy Mood, Mind, And Body: Eating For You Activities
- Learn How To Draw Like A Comic Artist Activities
- Living The Life You Want: Finance Your Dreams Activities
- The Mystery Behind The Smile: Science of Happiness Activities
- It Is Your Turn To Speak: Public Speaker Activities
Other Fun Activities To TryÂ
Rebuttal Tennis – Way to Practice Debating
This game will require the girls to think on their feet and come up with rebuttals quickly. All you will need is a list of topics and split the girls into two pairs and have them face each other. One of the girls will make a statement about the topic such as “schools should not allow us to have phones on us at all” then the other girl must make a rebuttal statement. This should go back and forth offering a rebuttal to each others statement. Each rebuttal shouldn’t be longer than a minute. When a girl can’t think of anything else they loss that round. Set a odd amount of rounds with a new topic each round.
SWITCH SIDES IF.. You will Find Some Common Ground
In this activity draw a line down middle of room, use tape or chairs, cones whatever works in the area you are meeting. Then tell girls to stand on either side of line does not matter to start. Then tell them a statement from list below. Tell the girls Switch sides if… the statement is true for you. In some cases tell girls if they switched tell someone next to them more details about why they switched. Such as if you play a instrument tell someone what kind. This is a great game to help the girls find some common ground with each other.
Here are some of the statements:
- You love to cook
- You prefer fall more than summer
- This is your First year in GS
- You prefer dogs more than cats
- You were born in (the state you live)…if you didn’t switch sides tell someone where
- You prefer spring more than winter
- You have ridden a horse
- You have lived in another state…if you switched sides tell someone where
- You prefer camping over staying in a hotel
- You have 2 or more siblings…if you switched sides tell someone if your oldest,middle, youngest?
- You have a pet… if you switched sides tell someone what pet you have and it’s name
- You prefer morning more than night
- You were named after someone…if you switched sides tell someone who
- You like to sing…if you switched tell someone you favorite song
- You prefer mountains more than beach
- You prefer to read books more than watch movies
- Play an instrument…if you switched sides tell someone what instrument you play
- You like to play sports or have played on any teams
- You prefer swimming more than sledding
- You have traveled out of the country…if you switched sides tell someone where
- You prefer washing dishes more than cleaning your room
The list can go on and on you decide how long you want to keep this activity going.
I hope these ideas help you have the most fun possible while finding common ground with your girls.
If you don’t want to spend the time planning, our Activity Booklet has step-by-step instructions with activities that don’t require any planning other than gathering supplies and printing booklets.
What do we do after your girls complete the activities?
Well of course give them the badge to display proudly on their vest, they earned it!  Additionally If you are like many leaders we want to award our girls when they complete something even beyond just the patch. One great way to show achievement is with a certificate. Don’t worry you don’t have to make them, I found a resource that has done all the work for you and all you have to do is print them and customize the certificates with each girl’s name, badge or award earned, date, and troop leader.  Editable certificates perfect for awarding girls after earning a badge.
More Resources For You Beyond This Site
I get asked a lot what other resources are out there on the internet for Leaders. Â I have done some digging over the years and have used many of the resources myself. I compiled a list of some great companies that sell patches, programs and also other bloggers offering amazing resources that may fit your needs even better than my site did. Â Â Checkout what I found.
Jodi, I have been following you for about two years. I love that you have focused a lot on Cadettes as of recently. Cadettes are so challenging for many as they are hitting such a transition time in their life. I love you have made some of these “boring” (according to the girls) badges more interesting to them and ones that they want to do. I very much appreciate your packets and look forward to seeing more of your ideas.
Katie
Katie, thanks for the kind words. Yes I am trying to focus on the older groups with those boring badges they can be fun its just hard to do – so I spend a lot of time putting together these booklets so they can be fun but still help the girls learn as much about the topic as possible.