Badge: Cooperative Activities

Looking for a way to get together with your scouts over the summer? Have a group of friends you’d like to visit with and do more than talk?

This badge will help you find or create activities for you to enjoy as a group.

Steps

1. Participants.

Before determining activities, start with your participants. You’ll need to take the following into account for your activities — the number of people you are anticipating, age, abilities, money and time available. You want to make sure you can accomplish your activities.

2. Online gathering.

Create a place or process online to keep everyone informed. This might be as simple as an email list. Planning a lot of activities? Try starting a group on Yahoo!, Google or Facebook. It might seem like a lot of work for an activity, but if you have an emergency, need additional items, etc. you’ll be glad this is in place.

Research

3. Start.

For a list of ideas to get everyone thinking more about activities than places, check out the Enrichment Project supplement “Cooperative Activity Ideas.”

4. Local venues.

What places / venues are available locally that you can visit? Research and create a list. If your local venues provide activities as well, add those to your list. For example, going to a restaurant for lunch is different than going to a restaurant and being allowed to go in the back and make your own pizza.

If your participants are old enough, ask them to create a list as well. They may have access to people and places you do not.

5. Special events.

Does your area host an art show? Do they have a special festival you can attend together? Is there a concert with a band you’ve heard is really good? Do you want to go see a baseball game? These special events may give you something that is low-cost or expensive to do. Someone else is doing the planning and all you have to do is attend. Find if there are any special events happening that you’d like to add to your possibilities list.

6. Special trips.

Think beyond local. Is there a museum you’ve wanted to visit? Want to check out a campground? Do it as a special trip. Visiting as a group can make it more fun and you’ll be less likely to “put it off until I have time.” List any special trips you’d like to take.

7. Stay at home.

Sometimes, you’ll want to stay at home. Cookouts, craft days and other activities can be accomplished without going anywhere. Sometimes it’s easier to bring everyone to you than take everything you need elsewhere.

NOTE: If you are doing this as a part of an official group, like Girl Scouts, make sure you have met all requirements of the organization.

8. Do your own thing.

You may find you don’t care for what’s available. Try creating your own cooperative activity from ones you have enjoyed in the past. You also might find one online that you want to try. Don’t be limited by what others are doing.

9. Track.

Track anything you do. From the location to the activities so that you can revisit it again in the future. Also be sure to note any special items like what parts of a venue have free activities and which are pay.

10. Archive.

Archive all your notes, discussions and information you have collected as a result of this project. You never know when you might want to revisit an idea you had previously. It’s great to have a starting point for next time.

Supplements

SUPP_Coop Activities_2in_12up_larajla

Avery 2.5” round label printable, 12 up

SUPP_Coop Activities_Checklist_larajla

Badge checklist

SUPP_Coop Activities List_larajla

List of cooperative activities to get you started

Sites to Explore

Get the infographic here > larajla blog post

Get the PDFs of the badge program / supplements here > Full badge PDFs