COOKIE SALE TRAINING GAMES

MUSICAL CHAIRS BRAINSTORMING ACTIVITY FOR TROOP GOALS

This activity uses the eight small cookie discs (CD's) provided. (These are about 3-4 inches diameter paper discs, color coded to the box colors and with the cookie name on the front, blank on the back - one for each type of cookie. If you don’t have these, you should be able to make your own or something similar that would work.)

Each girl (or team of girls if there are more than 8) writes her idea for a troop goal on the front of the CD and can cut out pictures from magazines or draw pictures on the front to represent and visualize that goal.

After writing on the CDs and decorating them (optional), attach each disc to the back of a chair (enough for each girl to have a chair and a disc, or if more than 8 girls maybe just enough chairs for each disc - it would be more competitive, and you'd have to try to make sure each girl had a chance to participate). Play music then stop the music, as in musical chairs (since the theme this year is "Swing into Action" with a 40's/50's swing music emphasis, they suggest playing swing music). 

As each girl sits in a chair, she takes the CD attached and writes her own thought to build on the goal. Play at least three rounds or long enough for the girls to come up with a complete goal - for example, a destination, how to get there, what to do there, etc.

After all goals are fleshed out, the girls can discuss them and vote on which will be the primary troop Cookie Sale Activity goal.


COOKIE TWISTER

A twist on the familiar Girl Scout knot game to reinforce knowledge of the cookies. 

Girls form a tight circle and one girl, chosen as the Game Leader, stands outside the circle holding a set of large cookie discs (CD) (these are 7-8 inch diameter paper discs color coded to the cookie boxes and with a picture of the corresponding cookie in the  center. If you plan to use these discs a lot, or want to keep them for next year, it would be a good idea to laminate them.)

Everyone places her hands into the center of the circle, grasping a couple of hands in her own. Make sure that no one is holding both hands of another girl or the hand of a girl right next to them. The idea is to get a tangle of arms in the center. It may take a try or two to get the knot tied properly.

The Game Leader hold up a CD and the first girl name the cookie and describes it's ingredients. If she is correct, she gets to make one attempt at instructing the other girls on how to untangle a section of the knot. Continue with the second CD and a second girl, and so on until the knot is untangled. If the knot is untangled before each girl has a chance to describe a cookie, play another round.


COOKIE CROSSING

To reinforce safety rules and teamwork.

Mark start and finish lines about 8 feet apart on the floor, using masking tape or whatever works. Use the 8 large cookie discs (described in Cookie twister) as stepping stones to cross from start to finish. (This is why it would be a good idea to laminate them.) Use the Safety Rules appropriate to the girls' level. Have the girls line up behind the Start line. Each player has one disc in hand. Each girl shares a safety rule and, if correct, lays down her stepping stone then steps out onto it, with the troop following along behind. If a girl is incorrect, she can go to the back of the line, or the other girls may be allowed to help her. Continue until each girl has given a rule of safe cookie selling. When all the cookie discs are placed and a bridge formed, the girls may safely cross to the other side.


COOKIE GOAL GO-ROUND

Play after the primary troop goal has been chosen to help girls practice saying and sharing those goals.

Girls are seated in a circle. Use the small cookie disc with the troop goal written on it. The first girl begins by holding the CD and saying aloud "With our cookie money, our troop can _____", stating the troop's main goal. She passes the CD to the next girl who then repeats whatever the firs girl did and adds a thought of her own. This continues around the circle, each girl repeating what has already been said and adding her own thought, until everyone has participated. If a girl forgets what has been said, the troop can help.


COOKIE CONCENTRATION	

To reinforce cookie identification, knowledge and corresponding colors.

Reproduce the 8 large cookie discs described in previous games so there are 2 sets. Arrange the 2 sets, scrambled and face down in a grid pattern. Divide the girls into teams. One girl turns over a disc, names the cookie and describes its ingredients before trying to make a match. If she matches, team keeps the pair of CDs and her team gets another turn. Continue until all cookies are matched.

For a more challenging round, players who turn over a disc can state a fun fact she thinks every customer should know about the cookie before trying to make a match.

For example:
GS cookies make great gifts.
GS cookies freeze well.
GS cookies are kosher.
GS cookies can be purchased for a community service project.
Thin Mints are the number one best selling GS cookie.
Samoas are made exclusively for the GS.
Trefoil was the original GS cookie.