Your First Campout
When the troop is ready to sleep outdoors -- here's how to make it a great experience.
When the troop is ready to sleep outdoors -- here's how to make it a great experience.
Outdoor camping is the most ambitious activity most troops will do, and the most rewarding when the timing is right. But timing matters. A troop that camps before they’re ready creates anxiety instead of excitement — for the girls, the parents, and you.
Your troop is probably ready for an outdoor campout when:
The girls have done daytime outdoor activities. They’ve been on hikes, they’ve explored trails, they’re comfortable being outside as a group. If the troop has been through the Look Out through Cook Out progression, they have the foundation. See Your First Outdoor Experience.
The girls have done an indoor overnight. They’ve slept away from home with the troop in a building with climate control and running water. They’ve practiced sleeping in shared spaces, managing bedtime routines, and being away from parents. If the troop has done a museum sleepover or a cabin overnight, they’ve cleared this hurdle. See Your First Overnight.
The Happy Camper has completed outdoor overnight training. This is typically the third or fourth tier of your council’s outdoor training pathway. This training covers campsite setup, tent camping, expanded cooking, sanitation in the outdoors, and overnight safety procedures.
You have enough adults. Camping requires more adults than a day trip or an indoor overnight. You need the standard adult-to-girl ratio for your age group, plus at least one adult with camping certification and one First Aider. Having additional parent chaperones is strongly recommended for a first campout.
If any of these aren’t in place yet, that’s okay — it just means the troop isn’t there yet. Do another round of daytime outdoor activities or another indoor overnight and try camping next season.
TIP: There's no age requirement for camping -- it's about readiness, not grade level. Some Brownie troops are ready to camp; some Junior troops aren't. Follow the girls' comfort level, not a calendar.
Just as the daytime outdoor progression builds from Look Out to Cook Out, the camping progression has its own steps. Each one adds complexity and independence:
Sleep Out — Plan and carry out an overnight in a cabin or backyard. Discuss what to pack. Learn to use and care for camping gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, flashlights). Learn and practice new outdoor skills. Plan a menu with a new cooking skill. Discuss campsite organization. Plan time for fun activities. This is your first night sleeping outdoors or in a minimal-shelter environment, and it can happen in a troop family’s backyard, a Girl Scout cabin, or a council camp property.
Camp Out — Plan and take a 1–2 night camping trip. Girls take more responsibility for planning. Learn and practice new outdoor skills. Learn a new outdoor cooking skill. Plan a food budget, then buy and pack food. Practice campsite setup and teardown. Plan an agenda that includes fun activities. Explore and protect the surrounding environment. This is real, full camping — tents, outdoor cooking, and the full campsite experience.
Adventure Out — Plan and take an outdoor trip for several days. Learn and practice new outdoor skills and cooking skills. Develop first-aid skills and use Safety Activity Checkpoints. Budget, schedule, and make arrangements. Participate in an environmental service project. Teach and inspire others about the outdoors. Imagine new experiences. Practice all Leave No Trace principles. This is the pinnacle of the outdoor progression and is typically appropriate for Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors.
Backyard campouts are a great starter. A troop family’s backyard offers the tent camping experience with the safety net of a house 30 feet away. This is especially good for younger troops or a troop’s very first night in a tent.
Girl Scout camp properties are a great option. Most councils have camp properties available for troop camping, and they’re designed for this: established campsites, fire rings, latrines or restrooms nearby, and staff who are familiar with Girl Scout troops. Contact your council’s camp or property department to see what’s available and how to reserve.
State and county parks work too. Public campgrounds with established sites, restroom facilities, and ranger presence are good alternatives. Look for sites that offer a mix of shelter and open camping — having a pavilion or covered area nearby is invaluable if weather turns.
Meals. Plan meals the girls can help prepare. A simple first-campout menu: hot dogs and s’mores over the fire for dinner, cereal or granola bars for breakfast. You can get more ambitious on future trips. Make a food budget, create a shopping list, and involve the girls in the planning — this is part of the girl-led progression.
Activities. Plan a mix of structured and unstructured time. A nature hike, a campfire activity, stargazing, and a group game are plenty. But also leave time for the girls to just explore, sit by the fire, and talk. Don’t over-schedule. Some of the best camping memories happen in the in-between moments.
Campsite organization. Create a Kaper Chart — a job chart that assigns rotating duties like fire tending, cooking, water gathering, dishwashing, and site cleanup. This teaches responsibility and keeps the work from falling on the adults. Make the chart together with the girls as part of the planning.
Weather backup. Always have a plan for bad weather. Can you move into a pavilion? Do you have tarps? Is there a building you can retreat to? Know the forecast before you go and set a threshold (“if lightning is within X miles, we pack up”) so the decision is made before emotions are running high.
Camping requires more preparation than a day trip or indoor overnight. Here’s the checklist:
Happy Camper training: Your Happy Camper must have completed the full outdoor overnight training tier. This typically covers campsite setup, tent camping, expanded outdoor cooking, sanitation, safety procedures, and the eight basic camping skills. This is non-negotiable — you cannot camp without a trained adult.
First Aider: A First Aider with current CPR/First Aid certification must be present for the entire campout, including overnight. The certification must include adult and pediatric CPR with hands-on skills assessment.
Council-Specific Paperwork: Most councils require paperwork for any overnight, including camping. Submit this at least 2–4 weeks before the trip. Check your council’s forms page for the current version and processing timeline.
Permission slips with camping-specific details: In addition to the standard overnight permission slip, include packing list, meal plan, campsite details, what the sleeping arrangements will be (tents, cabin, etc.), and any specific physical requirements (hiking distance, terrain).
Health History Forms: Bring every girl’s and every adult's Health History Form. You’ll need these for allergy and medication information, especially if you’re cooking meals and managing a longer time away from home.
Emergency Action Plan (EAP): More critical for camping than for any other troop activity. Know where the nearest hospital is. Have a plan for severe weather, injuries, missing persons, and sudden illness. Have a map of the campsite and surrounding area. Make sure the Emergency Contact is on standby with their phone on for the duration.
Insurance considerations: Your council’s activity accident insurance covers registered members during Girl Scout activities. If you’re camping at a non-council property, the campsite should carry their own general liability insurance. Ask to see a certificate of insurance before booking.
Camping Packing List
Let the girls do the work. This is the whole point of camping in Girl Scouts. The girls set up tents (with adult guidance), the girls cook (with adult supervision), the girls clean up. The adults coach, supervise, and ensure safety — but the girls do the doing. This is girl-led programming in its most literal form.
Follow the Kaper Chart. Assign duties and rotate them. Every girl cooks, every girl cleans, every girl gathers firewood (where permitted). Nobody gets to sit out, and nobody gets stuck with the worst job all weekend.
Teach Leave No Trace. Leave No Trace isn’t just a policy; it’s a teaching opportunity. Have the girls inspect the campsite before you leave and pick up every trace that the troop was there. Pack out all trash. Leave the fire ring cleaner than you found it. This is stewardship in action.
Embrace the imperfect moments. The burned hot dog, the tent that collapses at 2am, the girl who sees a spider and screams — these become the stories the troop tells for years. Don’t stress about everything going perfectly. The adventure is in the messiness.
End with a campfire. If conditions and training permit, a campfire on the last evening is the best way to close out a campout. Songs, stories, s’mores, and a few minutes of just watching the fire together. It’s the quintessential Girl Scout experience.
Camping naturally overlaps with some of the best badges in Girl Scouting:
Daisies: Buddy Camper (first camping experience with a parent or older Girl Scout)
Brownies: Cabin Camper
Juniors: Camper, Eco Camper
Cadettes: Primitive Camper, Trailblazing
Seniors / Ambassadors: Adventure Camper, Survival Camper
A weekend campout can potentially cover multiple badge steps across any of these badges. Have the badge booklet on hand during the trip and look for natural moments to check off requirements. But don’t turn the campout into a checklist — let the experience be the priority, and the badges will follow.
Debrief with the girls. At the next meeting, talk about what went well, what was hard, what they want to do differently next time, and what they want to try on the next trip. This reflection is part of the girl-led process and directly shapes future campouts.
Debrief with the adults. Separately, talk with the parent volunteers about what worked logistically, where the gaps were, and what to adjust for next time. What supplies were missing? Was the schedule too packed or too loose? Were there enough adults?
Clean and return gear. Make sure all tents are dried out before being stored (mildew is the enemy), cooking equipment is cleaned and accounted for, and any borrowed gear is returned promptly.
Thank your volunteers. Camping requires more from parent volunteers than any other activity. A sincere thank-you — by name, for specific contributions — goes a long way toward getting them to say yes next time.
Celebrate with the girls. Whether it’s badge patches at the next meeting or just a “we did it!” moment, acknowledge the accomplishment. For many girls
Haven’t done daytime outdoor activities yet? Start with Your First Outdoor Experience for nature walks, hikes, and outdoor cooking.
Haven’t done an indoor overnight yet? Visit Your First Overnight for the step between day trips and camping.
Want the big picture? Visit Girl Progression for how outdoor progression fits into the overall shift from parent-led to girl-led activities.
Need the Happy Camper’s training details? Visit the Happy Camper page under Find My Role.