Pen Pals
All the information you find on this page is the result of trial and error through my first year as a Daisy Leader. I am sharing these idea's and experiences with you in the hopes that you will be more comfortable in your role as a Girl Scout Leader.
 

Girl Scout pen pals can mean a lot of things.  You can choose one troop to write back and fourth to all year or you can choose a different troop each month to write to.  You can send one letter or a dozen letters.  It's up to you!  Daisy's often send colored pages or the leader will make a fill in the blank form for the girls to fill in and color.

What ever you choose, be sure it is what you and your troop can handle and that everyone is having fun.  When it turns to work, the fun goes away.  Last year, we wrote to 27 different troops and it became work for all of us.  So, enjoy!
 

This one you need to be careful with.  If you chose to write to troops outside your council, check them out first, then do it again.  The best way to find pen pal troops, is to join message boards geared toward the age level you are looking for. You can also contact other councils who will in turn, pass your info along.  The best way, is to add your request for pen pals to this site.  We get nearly 70 visitors per day and most all of them are leaders.

At first this was a little tough getting started.  The first thing I did as a Daisy Scout Leader was hit the Internet.  There is a wealth of information online.  But every time I thought I had found the perfect troop to Pen Pal with, it turned out they were now Brownies or even Cadet's. 

So here is how I finally found Pen Pals.
1) I contacted several Girl Scout Council's around the USA
2) I was given contact info in some cases and my email address was given in other cases.
3) I placed an ad on Pen Pal . Com
I finally began getting email responses to both my emails and the Ad.  After talking it over with the leaders of other troops, we were able to establish some links.

Now, the first thing we do with a new Pen Pal is Record their contact info in our Daisy Note Book.  This will enable to keep record of when the last time we sent a letter to them and when we received one from them.  We found that if you are going to pen pal with more then one troop, you need this.  Here is ours.

Very Important!  Once you commit, keep your promise!  The hearts of some very special girls are involved.  Being a pen pal means that you take the time to do something very special for the person you are writing.  DON'T have the girls color a picture and then make copies for other troops.  This becomes very impersonal and is just plan wrong.  Remember, the little girl waiting for the letter to arrive is looking forward to getting to know you. Do Not, under any circumstances share your personal information with strangers.  All troops you have not meet are strangers.  Do not give the children's last names or addresses.  Be careful if giving school info.
 

If you choose to pen pal with more than one troop during the Girl Scout year, it's important that you keep track of what you are doing.  You need a chart with each troop listed, including all the girls by first name.  It would be hurtful if by chance you forgot a letter to Suzy when all the other girls in her troop received one.  See Pen Pal Chart.

Even if you are simply writing back and fourth with one troop, keep a record of when you received a letter and when you responded.  Watch for holidays as well as this is the perfect time to include something special for your pen pal friends.
 

If you have Daisy's or first year Brownies, you may want to use a pre-made pen pal letter.  This will allow your girls to say 'hi' without knowing how to spell and write a lot of words.  With a pen pal form, the girls can fill in the blanks and draw a nice picture on the bottom.  Remember to change the form each time you write as well as creating holiday pen pal forms.  Below is a list of the pre-made pen pal letter forms we currently developing.

If you have an idea about a template, let me know and I will attempt to create one for you.
 

This varies, depending on how many troops you write and how often.  You will need several large envelopes (10X12 or so) to hold construction size paper, without having to fold them.  You will also need postage to cover the cost of the over large envelope as well as the weight.

You will need construction paper for artwork pen pal letters, copy or printer paper for printing form pen pal letters, crayons, colored pencils, felt tip pins, chalk and anything else you can think of that will enable the girls to make cool pen pals for their friends.
 

Remember, Pen Pal buddies are fun and very special.  Make sure you all are having fun (you too, leader).  If it becomes work, the you and the girls will hate it.  Daisy Troop 1503 sends a pen pal message to a new troop each month.  If the girls wish to pen pal during the summer, they use my address.

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