For Girl Scout Cadettes

The following is a list of program activities and their descriptions for the 2022-2023 Girl Scout year. Download the Program Planner and search our Program Activities List and Program | Events Calendar web pages for dates and registration details.

Create your own Program Activities List

Print out your own listing of all available program activities with their program descriptions. Locate the PRINTER ICON BUTTON (small green printer illustration) at the top right-hand corner of the web page under the main photo. Use that button to automatically create and print out pages that include all of the programs PLUS their descriptions for this Girl Scout level. For a complete guide to all of our council's program activities, print out the pages for each level. Then, mark your favorites, search gsEvents for the dates and times that program activity is being offered, and register.

Apollo XIII

Be a NASA engineer for the day during this fun challenge. Your team has just received a failure message from a space ship. The crew onboard has limited resources, and it is up to you to develop and build a prototype ship that will get the astronauts home safely.

Apple Cider Making

Join us to make fresh apple cider using an old-fashioned screw press as you explore the use of simple machines and learn about the history of cider making from colonial times to the present. This program is located at Tenafly Nature Center in Tenafly, NJ. Fee includes a fun patch.

Archery at Jockey Hollow & Lake Rickabear Camps

With a little practice and good hand-eye coordination, you’ll be hitting bullseyes in no time. During this two-hour session, you’ll learn all about archery—the equipment, safety, and shooting on an archery range. Choose between our two camps for your preferred location: at Jockey Hollow Camp in Mendham or Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon.

Archery sessions are available from mid-April through mid-November. Sessions must be reserved at least 30 days prior to desired date. Adults can register to participate, too. For more information or questions, email camping@gsnnj.org.

Register for Archery & Other Activities at Jockey Hollow Camp

Register for Archery & Other Activities at Lake Rickabear Camp

GSNNJ's Camp Activities & Day Visits for Troops/Service Units

Baking with S.T.E.A.M.

Put on your chef’s hat and apron and get ready to combine a little S.T.E.A.M (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) with your baking skills to make cakes, pies, cookies, and bread. Join our professional baker in a restaurant kitchen at the Black Forest Inn in Stanhope, NJ, for a lesson in seasonal baking and take home your yummy creations. Adults are welcome to participate, too. Fee includes program materials and professional instruction. Chaperones who are not participating do not need to register online or pay, but must remain for the duration of the program activity.

Food items may contain or be cross contaminated during manufacture/processing with known food allergens, including but not limited to: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, dyes/coloring.

Become a ROCKstar

Become a ROCKstar during this 1.5 hour program where you will learn proper equipment use, basic climbing techniques, and safety while increasing strength, balance, flexibility, and problem solving skills. Gain confidence, leadership skills, and experience in two different styles of climbing, Top Rope and Bouldering, utilizing innovative climbing structures. Wear sneakers/athletic shoes and comfortable clothing. All necessary equipment is included.

Birthplace Bound

Travel by train to Savannah, Georgia, the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts. Discover what her life was like in the 1880s as we tour historic Savannah and participate in workshops at Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace and Girl Scout First Headquarters. Board a boat and search for dolphins and take a ghost tour at night. We'll enjoy delicious regional food and ice cream by the river.

Trip dates: Nov. 7-12, 2023
Cost: $975, with four participants per hotel room, or $1275, with two participants per room. Registration opens March 9, 2023, when the first payment is due. The second payment is due on May 1, 2023 and the balance is due on July 1, 2023. Fee includes travel, hotel, tours, four dinners, and four breakfasts. Hotel is based on four to a room. Participants must attend a preparatory meeting on Sept. 29, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at the Riverdale Service Center.
Last roster change or withdrawal date is July 1, 2023. Refunds cannot be given after July 1, 2023.
For more information or questions, contact Lorena Kirshner at Lkirschner@gsnnj.org.

Brooklyn Bridge and the Sidewalks of NY

Be a tourist close to home when you join us for a guided walking tour of the sidewalks of New York. We’ll walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and continue through the streets of lower Manhattan where we will visit African Burial Ground National Monument, Trinity Church cemetery, St. Paul’s Chapel, the 9/11 Memorial, and Wall Street. Fee includes coach bus transportation, entrance to all venues, exclusive fun patch, and professional tour guide.

Bus pick-up locations are tentatively Paramus or Riverdale Service Centers, and depend on where the majority of participants live (TBD). Our trip on June 10, 2023 is a special "Me and My Guy" adventure in honor of Father's Day, and our Oct. 9, 2022 and May 7, 2023 dates are for Girl Scouts and their female adult and/or troop leaders.

Cake Decorating I: FUNdamentals

Be creative with icing as you learn from a professional baker how to decorate a cake that you can take home. You’ll earn Part 1 of your Girl Scout Bake Arts Patch as you master the basic skills for turning something tasty into something beautiful, too. Fee includes program materials, professional instruction, and part 1 of a Bake Arts Multilevel patch. Take-home materials also include a practice board, pastry bag, information sheet, four decorating tips, and a small spatula (retail value of $22). Adults can register and participate, too. Chaperones who are not participating do not need to register online or pay. A registered adult must remain for the duration of the program activity.

Note: Food items may contain or be cross contaminated during manufacture/processing with known food allergens, including but not limited to: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, dyes/coloring.

Cake Decorating II: Borders and Basket Weaving/Beyond Basics

Build on the decorating skills you learned in Cake Decorating I, as you work with bakery icing to create ruffled swags and basket weaves on a cake you can take home. You will learn to equally divide a cake to create borders using piping techniques. Cake Decorating I is a prerequisite. Fee includes program materials, professional instruction, and part 2 of a Bake Arts Multilevel patch. Take-home materials also include four decorating tips and practice boards (retail value of $10). Adults can register and participate, too. Chaperones who are not participating do not need to register online or pay. A registered adult must remain for the duration of the program activity.

Note: Food items may contain or be cross contaminated during manufacture/processing with known food allergens, including but not limited to: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, dyes/coloring.

Campfire and Night Hike

Experience the changes that occur in the forest as day turns to night during this short, guided evening hike on the trails of the Tenafly Nature Center. We’ll play games as we listen for animals and test our sensory skills along the way. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy songs, stories, and fun-filled activities while we roast marshmallows around a campfire.

Chemistry of Beauty

Be a chemist for a day with the help of the staff at Bellus Skincare Lab in Pompton Plains, NJ. You’ll learn about the chemistry behind natural beauty products and how they affect your skin, health, and hygiene. Professional lab technicians will explain the science behind your skin as you take a closer look under a microscope and determine the best cleansing products for you. You’ll even create your own personal cleansing product to take home. This program will help girls earn the Girl Scout Junior Product Designer Badge, Girl Scout Ambassador Research & Development Badge, Girl Scout Cadette Science of Happiness Badge (Step 2), and Girl Scout Senior Science of Style Badge (Steps 1, 3 & 5). Adults can register and participate, too.

In-person participants will take home a personal cleansing product, essential oil guide, and Bellus Skincare Labs fun patch.

Clay Creations

Work with clay as potters do to create your own decorative mug, bowl, figurine, or cookie jar (with clay cookies). Fee includes two different types of clay, clay tools, and corn starch.

Continental Cooking

Put on your chef’s hat and apron and join us in a professional restaurant kitchen at the Black Forest Inn in Stanhope, NJ, where you will learn basic cooking skills and create a special meal from a recipe. This program activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Cadette New Cuisines Badge (Steps 1 & 5). A Master Chef of the Black Forest Inn restaurant will facilitate the program.

Note: Food items may contain or be cross contaminated during manufacture/processing with known food allergens, including but not limited to: wheat/gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, dyes/coloring.

Crack the Case

Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes, here's your chance to crack the case with techniques used by real forensic scientists. Learn skills like fingerprint comparison and analyzing ballistics. After your workshop, you'll visit the Jennifer Chaltsy Planetarium (the largest in the Northern Hemisphere), followed by an opportunity to explore three floors of exhibits at the Liberty Science Center. Your fee includes museum admission, private GSNNJ workshop, and the planetarium. Two registered adults per troop are needed to register along with their troop. This activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Junior Detective Badge (Steps 3, 4 & 5) or Girl Scout Cadette Special Agent Badge (Steps 1 & 2).

Dairy Days

Meet the Jersey cows of Fosterfields, and learn how to churn butter! See how ice cream is made the old fashioned way and take a turn churning it yourself. End the session with a sweet treat. This program wil help girl earn the Girl Scout Brownie Snacks Badge (Steps 3 & 5); Girl Scout Junior Playing the Past Badge (Step 3); the Girl Scout Cadette Animal Helpers Badge (Step 1) and New Cuisines Badge (Step 3); and the Girl Scout Senior Voice for Animals Badge (Steps 1 & 3).

FallFest

Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey invites you to attend FallFest Weekend, Saturday, Oct. 22 & Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022, at Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon. Learn more about our 2022-2023 program offerings and meet the staff of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey at FallFest. Come and sample fun and exciting Girl Scout activities, including archery, rock climbing, ziplining, yoga, and more. Food trucks will be on-site for purchasing snacks. Plan out your Girl Scout year. At FallFest, you can sign up early for this year's program activities—before they sell out! Plus, take advantage of special FallFest promotions and earn prizes. Choose a start time on your preferred date when you register. FallFest will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on both days.

Family Fun Days & Family Camping at Lake Rickabear

Bring your family to Lake Rickabear Camp for our Family Fun Days and Family Camping and have an outdoor adventure with us during Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekends! Spend the day or reserve overnight accommodations. Each campsite offers an outdoor cooking grill with picnic table and flush toilets and hot showers are available nearby. Lake Rickabear Camp offers a 40-acre, spring-fed lake with a 700-foot sandy beach, fishing, miniature golf, outdoor bowling, volleyball, tennis, basketball, and more! For more information, email camping@gsnnj.org or visit: www.gsnnj.org/FamilyFun

Family Swim & Picnic at Lake Rickabear

LAKE RICKABEAR CAMP IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR SEASONAL MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENTS. THERE WILL BE NO FAMILY SWIM OR FAMILY CAMPING DURING LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022.

Bring your family for a fun day at Lake Rickabear, a 40-acre, spring-fed lake with a 700-foot sandy beach Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. Camp offers fishing, miniature golf, outdoor bowling, volleyball, tennis, basketball, and more. Charcoal grills and picnic tables are available. Identification bands are issued when you check-in. NO ADVANCE RESERVATION REQUIRED. Family Swim and Picnic is open to Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scout friends and family. For more information, email camping@gsnnj.org or visit: www.gsnnj.org/FamilyFun.

FIRST LEGO League

Build robots and compete with us in FIRST LEGO League, an exciting global robotics program. Under the guidance of a robotics coach and mentors, you’ll be part of a team that will research and solve a real-world problem based on a challenge theme; present your research and solutions; and build an autonomous robot using engineering concepts. GSNNJ sponsors several competition robotics teams that meet at our Riverdale Service Center. This program activity will help girls earn a Girl Scout Robotics Badge. Fee includes robotic equipment, team shirt, pizza dinner every Sunday, team registration, competition, and coaching fees.

Each team will meet EVERY Sunday from Aug. 28, 2022 through the first week of December at the Riverdale Service Center, from 3:00-7:00 p.m.

NOTE: Registering for this event implies that you are registering for the entire season.

Girl Scouts will earn the Cadetes Robotics Badges (Steps 1, 2 & 3).

Floral Botanical Water Lab

Be a scientist for a day with the help of Bellus Skincare Labs staff in Pompton Plains, NJ. You’ll work with organic flowers to create your own floral scented water mist in a lab. Learn about the anatomy of flowers and the role of flowers in healing and beauty products, such as essential oils. This program will help girls earn the Girl Scout Junior Flowers Badge.

In-person participants will take home a personal body mist in an atomizer bottle with a custom label, a floral anatomy guide, and Bellus Skincare Labs fun patch. LINK patch and completed badge can be purchased at the council shops. Adults can register and participate, too.

Gingerbread House Construction 101

Create your own gingerbread house with some imagination and a lot of icing and other edible decorations this virtual program. You’ll learn the best ways to make this fun and festive food item. This program activity helps girls earn the Girl Scout Brownies Snacks Badge (Steps 1 & 3), Girl Scout Brownies Senses Badge (Step 4), Girl Scout Junior Simple Meals Badge (Steps 1 & 4), and Girl Scout Cadette New Cuisines Badge (Step 3). Fee includes a gingerbread house kit and one-hour live virtual class.

Virtual and in-person special arrangements are available for this program. Adults can register and participate, too. Adults who are not participating do not need to register online or pay.

Girls Lead the Way

Join us for Girls Lead the Way, our girl-centric conference for girls (in grades 6-12) and adults, to be held at the Embassy Suites hotel in Parsippany. Participate in age-level appropriate workshops on mental health, dating preparedness, college readiness, anxiety, and stress. Adults will engage in separate discussions about supporting your girls through college processes and finances. Learn self-defense skills in a class that will focus on real world situations. Try your hand at designing and making jewelry.

Participate in our Take Action Fair that will inspire you to think about Girl Scout Silver and Gold Award Leadership Projects. Plus, lifeguards will be on duty, so bring your swim suit and enjoy the hotel pool. Fee includes hotel room, workshops, lectures, and all meals.

Girl Scout aMaze Journey Weekend

During this weekend workshop at Lake Rickabear Camp, you’ll work on your aMAZE Girl Scout Journey to develop skills that will help you find your path and navigate friendships and middle school. We’ll explore ideas for creating peace—for you, your world, and the planet, too. This program is an award helper and does not complete the Journey. The program will complete the Peacemaker Award and the Interact Award, and you’ll leave with a Take Action Plan to follow to complete the Journey. This program activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Cadette aMAZE Journey, Peacemaker Award, and Interact Award. Fee includes lodging, meals, and Journey book. Late arrivals and early departures cannot be accommodated during this program.

Girl Scout Metaverse Hackathon

Welcome to the Girl Scout Metaverse, an innovative virtual learning space, where you and other Girl Scouts will meet for two separate hands-on training sessions and prepare for a future in-person APP development Hackathon. In our Metaverse conference rooms, you’ll acquire the knowledge and APP development skills needed to work in teams and develop the most creative APP to best fit our Hackathon challenge.

Metaverse learning dates are Tuesday, Feb. 28 and Friday, March 3, 2023. Our Hackathon is scheduled for Saturday, March 4, 2023. You must attend both virtual workshops to sufficiently prepare for the Hackathon. A limited number of laptops will be available for the event; however, girls are encouraged to bring their own laptop.

Earn your Girl Scout Cadette Coding for Good APP Development or Girl Scout Senior Coding for Good APP Development badge. Register with your troop or as individual.

Please note mandatory learning dates via ZOOM.
2/28/23 6:00-8:00 p.m.
3/3/23 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Girl Scouts Love State Parks Weekend

Every year, Girl Scouts explore the natural wonders found across our country during the Girl Scouts Love State Parks weekend. This year from Sept. 10-11, New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites celebrates Girl Scouts Love State Parks Weekend with thirty guided programs and countless opportunities for self-guided hikes and activities across the entire state.

The registration link will re-direct you to the NJ State Parks website with a full listing of state-wide programs and information for Girl Scouts, their troops, and their families as well as links to DIY activities, hiking, and picnicking information. Note that the guided interpretive programs and events have capacity limits and require pre-registration (all pre-registration is happening directly through the Park Services, which you will be redirected to when you click on the registration link).

Want patches? Special 2022 Girl Scout Love State patches can be purchased from our council retail store and are available as a fun patch to commemorate any event at a state park throughout year, as well as events during this weekend.

Want to explore parks across the USA and/or download your free Girl Scouts Love State Parks passport? Check out GSUSA's national Girl Scouts Love State Parks website! The passport can be used to explore any state park and participate in our national #PickUpAmerica campaign.

High Tech Hide and Seek

Come join the fun in this popular high tech game of Hide and Seek played a whole new way. Learn how to use a handheld GPS (Global Positioning System) unit. Practice with the units and then in small groups begin your treasure hunting game on camp property using your GPS as your guide. Prizes for everyone when you find the cache! Patch and complete badge can be purchased at the council shops. This activity helps girls earn the Girl Scout Junior Geocacher Badge (steps 1, 2, 4) or Girl Scout Cadette Trailblazing Badge (steps 2, 4)

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us and enjoy unique cultural traditions and cuisines at the Cultural Connections Festival in Dover, Sept. 17, 2022, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Bring the whole family! Learn some traditional dances.

Jockey Hollow Day Camp Open House

You’re invited to tour the beautiful camp facilities at Jockey Hollow Camp in Mendham. Come meet our staff, ask questions, and make S’mores. With a large "L"-shaped swimming pool, Low-Ropes Challenge Course, and Zip Line, beautiful equestrian center, archery range, playing field, and adventurous hiking trails, the fun is endless at our camp. Walk through our luxurious cabins and activity shelters, see our large troop house and spacious pavilion, and more. Stop by anytime between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and bring a friend or two. New or returning campers and their families are invited to attend.

Registration is suggested in case of program cancelation, but not required. Driving directions will be emailed when you register online.

Lake Rickabear Day Camp Open House

Take a tour of our Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon. Meet our camp staff and enjoy refreshments as you discover what makes our summer camp program so desirable. Our beautiful 40-acre, spring-fed lake is perfect for pedal boating, row boating, paddle boarding, and swimming, and has a long stretch of sandy beach. You’ll also see our archery range, low-ropes challenge course, mini golf course, zip line, rock wall, equestrian area, gaga ball pit, and hiking trails. Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts are welcome to register for our camps. Bring along a friend or two! Reservations are requested in case of cancelation due to inclement weather. Driving directions will be emailed post-registration.

Leadership In Action (LIA) Award

Take your Outdoor, Breathe, or Amaze Journey one step further and earn your Leader In Action Award. Team up with other Girl Scout Cadettes to build your leadership skills and spend the night working together to plan a fun program that you will lead Girl Scout Brownies through on April 24, 2023. Using one of your special talents (such as creating and demonstrating a science experiment or craft), teach Girl Scout Brownies something important from their Journey (such as making healthy snacks or getting exercise), and reflect on your experience. This program activity allows Girl Scouts to earn the Girl Scout Cadette Leader In Action Award. The LIA Award is the first step (Step 1) towards earning the Program Aide pin. This activity is open to individual Girl Scouts.

Low Ropes Challenge Course at Jockey Hollow & Lake Rickabear Camps

Build self-confidence, team cooperation, and problem-solving skills, both individually and as a troup, when a trained facilitator guides you through low rope elements and group initiative activities. Your team will work through frustrations and gain confidence as they create a solution for each activity. Each challenge activity will be geared to the participants’ age levels during this 2-hour program. Girls in Grade 4 or older can enjoy a zip line experience.

Choose between our two camps for your preferred location: at Jockey Hollow Camp in Mendham or Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon.Low Ropes Challenge Course sessions are available from mid-April through mid-November. Sessions must be reserved at least 30 days prior to desired date. For more information or questions, email camping@gsnnj.org.

Maple Sugaring

Enjoy a late winter day at Lake Rickabear Camp and discover how maple syrup is made. You’ll be able to experience the maple sugaring process with all your senses. Bring your troop or family. This program activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Cadettes Trees Badge (Steps 1, 2 & 4). Fee includes program supplies and a fun patch for each Girl Scout. Link patch can be purchased at the council shops. Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scout family members are welcome to register and participate. Children under age 3 are free. Program will occur in sunshine, rain, or snow. Come dressed for the weather.

Maple Sugaring : Tapping and Setup

Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors, learn how to make maple syrup and the process that goes into it. Come to Lake Rickabear , on February 19, 2023 between 11:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and tap our maple trees. This facilitator-led program will teach you how to drill into the tree, set up the buckets, and determine the difference between a maple tree and all others.

Be sure to register for part two of our Maple Sugaring Experience and come back to Lake Rickabear to sleep over on March 18 and 19, 2023 to participate and learn about the boiling and cleaning process that gives us all maple syrup. At part two, Girl Scout Cadettes will earn the Girl Scout Trees Badge, Seniors complete their Eco Explorer Badge, and Ambassadors earn their Trail Adventure Badge.

Maple Sugaring: Overnight

Calling all Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors! Come experience a NEW behind the scenes maple sugaring program at Lake Rickabear for the first ever Maple Sugaring Overnight. Learn about the process of tapping trees, boil sap, make maple syrup and learn about the maple suguaring process. We will have a waffle or pancake breakfast the following morning. Cadettes earn the Trees Badge, Seniors complete Eco Explorer Badge, and Ambassadors earn the Trail Adventure Badge.

Me & My Hero

Bring your favorite hero along for a day of outdoor fun at Lake Rickabear Camp in Kinnelon. Explore the trails, enjoy a hotdog cooked on the grill, play miniature golf, try our outdoor bowling alley, and more! Wear your bathing suit and bring a towel for some water fun in the lake. Fee includes all games and activities, hot dog lunch, and fun patch. Heroes do not have to be Girl Scout members.

Media Journey Weekend

Come explore media and the messengers through hands-on activities, video clips, and the web. You’ll leave with an action plan to finish the Girl Scout Journey. This program activity will help girls earn the Monitor, Influence, and Cultivate Awards from the Girl Scout Cadette MEdia Journey. Fee includes all meals, lodging, activities, and MEdia Girl Scout Journey book. Dinner on Friday night is not included. Girls must attend the entire event to earn the awards, and late arrivals and early departures cannot be accommodated. This program is will be offered in January 2023 (arrive at camp on Friday, Jan. 27 and depart Sunday morning).

Morning Chores on the Farm

You’ll feel like a real farmer when you help with the morning chores on a local farm at Fosterfields in Morristown, NJ. Chores may include feeding and watering the animals, sweeping the barn, herding the sheep, and helping our farmers take the animals out to the pasture. This program activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Junior Playing the Past Badge (3) and Girl Scout Cadette Animal Helpers Badge (1). Dress appropriately for working and be prepared to get dirty.

Off the Grid Warrior

Get outdoors and build your survival skills during this badge-earning, Journey-centered program for both girls and adults! Girls Scouts: you’ll participate in workshops that will help you learn to live outside and “off the grid.” Fire building, knot tying, tent pitching, edible plant eating, and outdoor cooking are all part of this weekend. Troop leaders: you can earn your Troop Camper Certification. Overnight accommodation choices include troop houses, platform tents, and rustic bungalows, or pitch your own tent under the stars at Camp Glen Spey. Boating will be available on the lake and the archery range will be open. Fee includes all food, lodging, and instructions. Activities begin Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m., but participants are welcome to check in early on Friday night.

This program activity will help girls earn the Girl Scout Cadette Trail Adventure, Trailblazing, Archery and Night Owl Badges, Girl Scout Senior Trail Adventure and Adventure Camper Badges, and Girl Scout Ambassador Trail Adventure and Survival Camping Badges.

Owls and Hawks and Falcons...Oh My!

Day and night, raptors are flying, hunting, and roosting here in New Jersey. Through the exploration of artifacts and live birds of prey, you'll learn about Flat Rock Brook’s feathered ambassadors, including their behavior, physiology, adaptations, and natural history.

Perfectly Imperfect

Discover how to better focus on what your body can do, than on how it looks. During this program, you’ll explore yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques that will help you ignore the negative body image messaging in advertising, movies, television, and social media. You’ll learn tools that will help you connect with your inner voice, maintain your confidence, and be true to yourself at Body Positive Works in Saddle River, NJ. This program activity helps girls earn the Girl Scout Brownie My Best Self Badge, Girl Scout Junior Staying Fit Badge, and Girl Scout Cadette Science of Happiness Badge. Completed badge can be purchased at the council shop.

Philadelphia: America Starts Here

Tour Philadelphia—America’s most historic city—with your sister Girl Scouts. We’ll visit Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Franklin Court, and much more. Plus, we’ll have the opportunity to experience the multi-media presentation “Freedom Rising” at the National Constitution Center.

Fee includes coach bus transportation, entrance to all venues, exclusive fun patch, and professional guided tour. Lunch may be brought or purchased at the food court.
Bus pick-up locations are tentatively Paramus or Riverdale Service Centers, and depend on where the majority of participants live (TBD).

Program Aide Training

Develop the leader within by becoming a Program Aide. At this training, you will complete Step 2 on your path to earning your Program Aide pin. Receive leadership training, make new friends as you learn to work as a team, and fill your "toolbox" with skills and ideas to share with younger Girl Scouts. Once you have successfully completed the training, you will be prepared to volunteer as a Program Aide working with troops, service units, and council. This program is open to individual Girl Scouts. A number of adult chaperones will be needed based on the number of girls registered. Pins will be awarded upon completion of Step 3. You must complete step 1, LIA: Leader In Action, before attending this training.
This activity helps girls earn the Girl Scout Cadette Program Aide Award (Step 2).

Puppet Creator

Design and make your own moppet style puppet in this very hands-on workshop. Learn from a professional puppet design master whose credits include making puppets big enough to ride! This class will challenge your creativity, and at the end of the session you can take your new puppet home. Fee includes instruction and materials, plus pizza and a snack.

Sewing 1

Create a fun, easy to sew project using a computerized sewing machine. You’ll discover how sewing incorporates technology, art, and math. Plus, you’ll learn the language of sewing and how to choose and pin fabric by creating a one-of-a-kind pillowcase. Fee includes all program materials. Adults can register and participate, too.

Sewing 2

Once you’ve completed Sewing 1, expand your sewing knowledge and skills in this workshop using a computerized sewing machine to make an elastic waistband skirt or halter top. You’ll learn about style, body measurements, and the basics of garment construction, as you explore your personal style and build your confidence in creating your own clothing designs. Fee includes all program materials. Sewing 1 is a prerequisite. Adults can register and participate, too.

Silver Award Workshop

When Girl Scout Cadettes focus on an issue they care about, learn the facts, and take action to make a difference, they gain the confidence and skills that will catapult them to lifelong success. It all adds up to the Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve. For parents and troop leaders who will be supporting girls in earning the Girl Scout Silver Award, this workshop will help you understand the requirements and steps to achieving it. Attendance is optional, but highly recommended.

Silver Quest

At this girls-only program, we will explore the role of the Girl Scout Journeys, the Girl Scout Silver Award project steps, and the approval process. Girls will be empowered to take the lead and Take Action to make a difference in their communities. Adults who would like to learn more about the Silver Award should attend a Silver Award Workshop. One adult per troop/group must be present to supervise their girls.

Snow and Ice Family Fun

Bring your sleds, snow shoes, and ice skates (or borrow a pair of ours) to Lake Rickabear Camp for a family fun day filled with snow and ice adventure. Weather permitting and after an ice thickness test, you and your family can go sledding down the hill and onto our frozen lake. Then, lace up your ice skates and glide onto our cleared lake ice rink. Or, try hiking around the camp grounds in a pair of snow shoes (GSNNJ will have a limited number of those to loan out, too). Bonfires, S'mores making, and hot chocolate will be provided. Don't miss our dog sledding demo!

Summer Camp Information Night

Join us for a virtual Camp Information Night via Zoom to learn about our summer camp progams at Jockey Hollow and Lake Rickabear Day Camps. Meet the Camp Directors, discover the many activities we offer, and have all your questions answered. You don't have to be a Girl Scout to attend our camps. Invite a non-Girl Scout friend along who may want to attend camp with you. Camp information nights are designed for new campers and parents, but returning campers are always welcome. Registration is required to obtain the Zoom link, which will be emailed to all registered participants 1-2 days before the event.

NOTE: Adults only need to register if they are attending the session alone.

Think Like an Engineer Journey Weekend

Earn your Think Like an Engineer Journey when you use your problem-solving skills and creativity to solve challenges as a team during this weekend overnight at Jockey Hollow Camp. Look at problems through the lens of an engineer: Learn, Brainstorm, Create, and Test. This weekend fulfills all but the Take Action plan for the Girl Scout Cadette Engineering Journey. Choose your overnight dates starting on Friday, April 21-22, or on Saturday, April 22-23, 2023. Late arrivals and early departures cannot be accommodated. Fee includes instructor-led activities, breakfast, and lunch, plus troop cabin housing. Please register two GSUSA adults per troop to maintain Safety Activity Checkpoints standards.

Think Like an Engineer Journey Weekend

Earn your Think Like an Engineer Journey at Camp Glen Spey when you use your problem-solving skills to solve challenges and complete hands-on projects as a team during this one-day event. You’ll use power tools and electrical components to discover different engineering disciplines and accomplish all but the Take Action piece of the Journey.

This program activity will help girls complete the Girl Scout Cadette Think Like an Engineer Journey.
Fee includes program supplies, lunch, and snacks. Dinner is not included. LINK patch and completed badge can be purchased at the council shops.
Late arrivals and early departures cannot be accommodated. Troops must register two leaders with current background checks.
Ratio: 2:8
This program is offered in April 2022.

Trailblazers Hiking Group

Outdoor adventure awaits—become an avid hiker as a member of the Trailblazers Hiking Group. Experienced leaders will guide you through a year of scheduled events as you discover hiking, camping, fire building, rock climbing, archery, geocaching, sailing, and more. Participate as your schedule allows. Girls can register on their own, with a parent, or with their troop. A one-time, non-refundable registration fee of $20 per person for the year will give you access to a full calendar of events. Fee includes all hikes and backpacking trips. All other activities require an additional fee.

We'll start the season with an orientation meeting on Oct. 6, 2022, in the Riverdale Service Center. GSNNJ offers a gear loaner program for members of this group.

Turkey Trek

Enjoy a late fall trek around Lake Rickabear Camp’s 1.2 mile trail. Take photos with your with family or troop and the beautiful scenery as your backdrop. Learn about nature through a fun scavenger hunt that supports the Eco Girl Scout badges. Each paid participant will receive a Turkey Trek 2022 pin. Pre-registration is required: http://bit.ly/GSNNJfamilyevent.

Virtual Travel Showcase

Join us for this virtual presentation about our trip and travel benefits for our members. The GSNNJ program team has been planning some exciting events from camping to glamping! Our trips include single (1) night overnights such as one at Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT, an overnight in Washington D.C., and a stay in Philadelphia, as well as five-day (5) trips to Savannah, GA, and beyond. Learn more about our first ever, adult-only, trip to Memphis, TN, and hear about our amazing Girl Scout Destination program. Plus, hear the latest news about our 2023 Girl Scout National Council Session and Convention being held in Orlando, FL.

Washington DC Experience

Join us for an action packed overnight getaway in Washington, D.C., where we'll visit the many museums located on the National Mall, including the Museums of Natural History and American History, National Art Gallery, Air and Space Museum, and others. We'll have dinner, followed by a spectacular nighttime walking tour. An historian will guide us through the National Monuments, including the WWII Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial, among others. On Sunday morning, we'll witness the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Afterwards, we'll visit the National Archives--home of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Fee includes transportation via coach bus, hotel accommodations, tour guide, all admission fees, breakfast and dinner, and a special patch. Bus departs on April 29, 2023, from the Riverdale Service Center.

Wicked Wednesday

Escape to the Land of Oz and discover what happened before Dorothy dropped in. Join us for a performance of Wicked, the Broadway musical, which tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda (the Good Witch), from a different angle. We'll head into New York City via coach bus, have dinner at Bubba Gump's, and then see Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre. Fee includes transportation, dinner, and a ticket for mezzanine level theater seats.

Woodburning Workshop

Learn how to design and create your own woodburning project. You’ll learn and practice proper woodburning techniques and apply them to several pieces that you can take home.