My Girl Scout troop enjoys earning Council's Own fun patches, as well as official badges and retired badges. I usually look for a fun patch that they can earn in addition to a badge whenever we're planning a big project or a trip, etc. This list is essentially just my own research written down for easy reference.
This week's category: Science! This includes fun patches on all kinds of scientific topics, as well as fun patches devoted to hands-on activities. There are plenty of environmental stewardship and women's health fun patches, and several fun patches that could build context or add depth to badgework.
It turns out that Girl Scouts REALLY love biology! I could have separated out Biology into its own category and still had a couple of lengthy lists. As it is, there are a LOT of Science fun patches here, so many that I doubt that even the most science-loving Girl Scout troop could ever earn them all.
For this list, I only included fun patch programs that fit the following criteria:
- Girl Scouts can earn this fun patch wherever they are. I did not include any fun patch programs that have site-specific criteria, unless I felt that those criteria would be easy to substitute and still maintain the point of the fun patch program. I also didn't include fun patch programs that require time-specific criteria that have already passed, such as patches programs designed for the 2020 COVID lockdowns. I noted in the description of each patch when substitutions would be required.
- Girl Scouts can obtain the council's requirements to earn this fun patch. I found several instances in which the council still sells a specific fun patch, but has deleted all the requirements from its website. If I couldn't find an easy link to those requirements from another site, I did not include the patch.
- Girl Scouts can obtain the physical fun patch. There were also several instances in which councils still host the requirements for a fun patch program, but no longer sell the patch (or, as in the case of a few GSAK patches, they have fewer than ten remaining). If it is unlikely for a Girl Scout to be able to obtain the fun patch, I did not include it. The link to purchase each fun patch is in the caption for its graphic.
SCIENCE
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| Albuquerque BioPark GSNMT |
Albuquerque BioPark, Girl Scouts of New Mexico Trails. Learn about giraffes, their importance to their ecosystem, and how to conserve them. There are a couple of site-specific activities that you could substitute with a visit to a zoo or conservation park near you.
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| Amphibians and Reptiles GSNCCP |
Amphibians and Reptiles, Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. Younger Girl Scouts complete activities to learn about amphibians and reptiles. This pairs well with any of the Outdoor badges, since you can combine it with a nature walk, hike, or camping trip. A state park nature center should have exhibits or animal encounters to further support this fun patch program.
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| Animals in Winter GSAK |
Animals in Winter, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn how animals survive the winter months.
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| Archaeology GSACPC |
Archaeology, Girl Scouts of Arizona Cactus-Pines Council. Explore archaeology and the native peoples of your location. The guide book references Arizona locations, but it would be easy to substitute research and activities in your own state.
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| Baking Science GSAK |
Baking Science, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Explore STEM topics through baking. This fun patch program pairs well with any of the Cooking badges.
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| Bat's So Awesome GSWO |
Bat's So Awesome, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. Complete activities to learn more about bats.
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| Brain Health GSAK |
Brain Health, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn about the brain while growing emotional resiliency. This fun patch program pairs well with the Junior Independence badge, the Senior Women's Health badge, and the Ambassador On My Own badge.
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| Butterflies GSSEF |
Butterflies, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Learn about butterflies, migration, and the butterfly life cycle. This fun patch program pairs well with the Brownie Bugs badge.
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| Citizen Scientist GSOH |
Citizen Scientist, Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland. Complete a Citizen Science project to earn this fun patch. This would pair well with any of the science-based badges or Journeys, or you could use it for a Girl Scout who participated in the Citizen Science part of a badge or Journey with the troop but didn't complete the rest of the requirements to earn that award.
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| Conservation Champions GSWCF |
Conservation Champions, Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. Complete science activities to explore issues in conservation. This fun patch pairs well with any of the Eco badges. Some activities are Florida-specific, but the guide book is so meaty that it shouldn't be a problem choosing different activities. This is a great fun patch program for troops with a high interest in science, or to give Girl Scouts more context for future Citizen Science TAPs.
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| Crazy for Chemistry GSC |
Crazy for Chemistry, Girl Scouts of Citrus. Explore the field of chemistry through a variety of activities.
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| Dairy Fun GSOSW |
Dairy Fun, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Visit a dairy farm and learn about dairy production and nutrition. This fun patch program pairs well with any of the Cooking badges.
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| Dark Skies GSCTX |
Dark Skies, Girl Scouts of Central Texas. Learn about the issue of light pollution and how it can be prevented. This fun patch pairs well with any of the Space Science badges. It would also be a good patch program to earn with a troop that's preparing to earn Journeys or Higher Awards and trying to understand the concept of a "problem that needs solving" or "underlying problem," etc.
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| Dolphins GSAK |
Dolphins, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Explore simple activities to learn more about dolphins. This easy little patch program would be a good fit for a younger troop preparing for a field trip to an aquarium.
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| Endangered and Extinct Animals GSAK |
Endangered and Extinct Animals, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to learn more about extinct and endangered animals from all over the world.
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| Flipping for Dolphins GSDH |
Flipping for Dolphins, Girl Scouts of Dakota Horizons. Learn more about dolphins and their biology.
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| Florida Manatee GSWCF |
Florida Manatee, Girl Scouts of West Central Florida. Learn about manatees and how to protect them in the wild. This fun patch program pairs well with the Senior Voice for Animals badge and the Ambassador Water badge.
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| Fly Like an Eagle GSEIWI |
Fly Like an Eagle, Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Learn fun facts about bald eagles.
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| Fungus Among Us GSAK |
Fungus Among Us, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn about mushrooms and other fungi.
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| Generation Rx GSOH |
Generation Rx, Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland. Learn how to safely handle and properly dispose of prescription medications. This fun patch program pairs well with the Junior Independence badge and Senior Women's Health badge, and could be the basis for a community service project.
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| Geology GSSS |
Geology, Girl Scouts of Silver Sage. Learn about geology through hands-on activities.
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| Girls Go to Mars GSNorCal |
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| Girl Scouts Love Sea Turtles GSSEF |
Girl Scouts Love Sea Turtles, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. Learn about sea turtles and their importance to the ocean. This fun patch program pairs well with the Ambassador Eco Advocate badge.
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| Habitat Detective GSC |
Habitat Detective, Girl Scouts of Citrus. Learn about habitats and what types of creatures live where.
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| Hurricane Awareness GSTF |
Hurricane Awareness, Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida. Learn about hurricane prediction and tracking, and emergency preparedness. Depending on how many activities your troop wants to do, you might have to sub out a couple of the activities that would require living in a hurricane-prone area, but most troops should be able to do most activities as-is. This would be a great fun patch program to complete during hurricane season, when your troop can track and log live hurricanes.
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| Koalas GSAK |
Koalas, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to learn more about koalas. This fun patch program pairs well with a field trip to a zoo where Girl Scouts can see koalas.
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| Leaping Lemurs GSAK |
Leaping Lemurs, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn about lemurs through this fun patch program. This patch program would pair well with a field trip to the zoo.
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| Maine Lobster GSME |
Maine Lobster, Girl Scouts of Maine. Learn about the Maine lobster and how to conserve its habitat. You'll have to substitute for some site-specific activities, but I think this fun patch can still work as one that can be completed anywhere. It pairs well with the Senior Voice for Animals badge and Locavore badge.
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| Monarch Propagator GSH |
Monarch Propagator, Girl Scouts of Hawaii. Learn entomology, environmental science, and sustainability while raising and releasing monarchs.
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| Monk Seal GSAK |
Monk Seal, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to learn about the monk seal. This fun patch program pairs well with a field trip to a place where Girl Scouts can see monk seals.
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| The Night Sky GSAK |
The Night Sky, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn more about the Aurora Borealis and the locations where it can be seen. This fun patch program pairs well with any of the Space Science badges and the Cadette Night Owl badge.
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| Paper Scientist GSME |
Paper Scientist, Girl Scouts of Maine. Covers activities on topics related to paper, from trees to paper manufacture to recycling. This would pair well with the Cadette Book Artist badge or with a fun field trip opportunity. If you don't have a paper manufacturing plant in driving distance, you probably DO have a recycling facility!
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| Penguin Patch GSAK |
Penguin Patch, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to learn about penguins. This fun patch program pairs well with a field trip to a place where Girl Scouts can see penguins.
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| Out of This World GSNCA |
Out of This World, Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama. Learn about various space missions and the history of NASA. This would pair well with any of the Space Science badges. It would be especially fun to theme this fun patch program to a specific upcoming space launch or mission, so that you can follow it in real time!
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| Pollinators GSCTX |
Pollinators, Girl Scouts of Central Texas. Complete activities to learn about pollinators and their place in the ecosystem. This fun patch pairs well with the Brownie Bugs badge and any of the Eco badges.
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| Quake Safe GSOC |
Quake Safe, Girl Scouts of Orange County. Learn the science of earthquakes, research historically-significant earthquakes, and learn disaster preparedness and first aid.
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| Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones GSAK |
Rocks, Minerals, and Gemstones, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Explore activities related to the science and identification of rocks, minerals, and gemstones.
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| Save a Bee GSCSA |
Save a Bee, Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians. Learn about bees and their role in the ecosystem. The requirements for this fun patch are few, so it's a good one to pair with a field trip to a honey farm, or to add onto one of the Eco badges.
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| Science GSNETX |
Science, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas. Try science activities and learn about careers in science.
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| Sea Turtles GSNCCP |
Sea Turtles, Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. Younger Girl Scouts learn about sea turtles and why they need protection. This badge relies on games and meeting-based activities, so is quite doable even if you can't introduce your Girl Scout troop to a real, live sea turtle!
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| Sound Science GSAK |
Sound Science, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to experiment with sound.
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| Star Gazer GSNCA |
Star Gazer, Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama. Explore activities related to astronomy. This pairs well with any of the Space Science badges at any level.
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| Summer Solstice GSAK |
Summer Solstice, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Complete activities to learn about and celebrate the Summer Solstice. This would make a good troop meeting on or around the Summer Solstice, or Girl Scouts could earn it independently over the summer.
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| Sustainability GSCTX |
Sustainability, Girl Scouts of Central Texas. Try out different types of environmental science activities to earn this patch. Most of the activities are fairly quick and/or easy, so this fun patch program could make a good single-meeting plan to build context within one of the science-themed badges.
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| Think Pink GSNCCP |
Think Pink, Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines. Learn about breast health, breast cancer, and women's health advocacy. This fun patch program pairs well with the Senior Women's Health badge, or for activities related to Juliette Low, who died of breast cancer.
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| Ultimate Ungulates GSAK |
Ultimate Ungulates, Girl Scouts of Alaska. Learn more about the ungulates category of animals. This fun patch program pairs well with the Junior Horseback Riding badge or a field trip to see ungulates.
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| GSSJC Urban Forestry |
Urban Forestry, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto County. Explore forestry, tree science, and land management. This fun patch program pairs well with the Cadette Trees badge and any of the Eco badges.
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| What's the Buzz About Bees GSSN |
What's the Buzz about Bees, Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada. Complete this patch program to learn about bees and their place in the ecosystem.
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| Wild Horses and Burros GSSN |
Wild Horses and Burros, Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada. Learn about feral horses and burros, their history, and their role in the ecosystem.
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| Wonder Why with Water GSLE |
Wonder Why with Water, Girl Scouts of Louisiana East. Practice conservation while learning about water.
Here's a look at my complete fun patch series:
- Arts and Crafts
- Culture, Diversity, and Equity
- Games and Sports
- Geography/History
- Outdoors
- Practical Life Skills
- Reading and Writing
- Science
- Service Learning
- Social-Emotional Skills
- Technology, Engineering, and Math
Follow my Craft Knife Facebook page for more Girl Scout resources as I exhaustively compile them!