A weekend residential trip is one of the best ways for Girl Guides to develop new skills, grow in confidence, and, most importantly, earn a variety of badges. Whether it’s through adventurous outdoor activities, teamwork challenges, or personal achievements, a short trip away offers plenty of opportunities to tick off badge requirements in a fun and engaging way.
From watersports and teamwork skills to communication and leadership, the activities available on a PGL residential align perfectly with many Girl Guide badges. In this guide, we’ll explore the badges that can be earned during a weekend trip, why they’re important, and how leaders can help Guides make the most of the experience.
What is A Girl Guide Badge and What Do They Represent?
Girl Guide badges are a key part of the Guiding experience, allowing young women to develop important life skills, build confidence, and work towards personal goals. Each badge represents an achievement in a particular area, whether it’s mastering a new activity, demonstrating leadership, or learning practical skills like first aid or communication.
Earning badges isn’t just about ticking off requirements, it’s about encouraging personal growth, teamwork, and resilience. They give Girl Guides the motivation to step outside their comfort zones, take on new challenges, and develop a sense of independence. Many badges also help build skills that are valuable for future education and careers, from problem-solving and creativity to outdoor survival and teamwork.
Weekend trips provide the perfect environment to work towards multiple badges at once, thanks to the variety of activities available. Whether it’s watersports, camping, or leadership challenges, a residential stay is a great opportunity for Girl Guides to put their skills into practice and achieve their goals in a fun and supportive setting.
Why A Weekend Trip Is A Perfect Way To Earn Girl Guide Badges
A weekend residential trip is an exciting and immersive way for Girl Guides to earn badges while taking part in a wide range of activities. Unlike weekly meetings, where time and resources can be limited, a weekend away offers the perfect balance of adventure, structure, and hands-on learning, making it easier to meet badge requirements in a short space of time.
One of the biggest advantages of a residential trip is the variety of activities on offer. From watersports and climbing to team challenges and problem-solving tasks, Girl Guides can develop multiple skills in just a few days. Many of these activities naturally align with badge criteria, helping Guides work towards their goals without it feeling like a checklist.
Beyond earning badges, a weekend trip also helps Girl Guides grow in confidence and independence. Being away from home encourages them to step outside their comfort zone, work as a team, and develop leadership skills. Whether it’s setting up camp, communicating effectively during a group challenge, or pushing themselves to try something new, every experience contributes to their personal growth.
By combining adventure with skill-building, a weekend residential creates a fun and supportive environment where Girl Guides can achieve their goals, form strong friendships, and leave with a real sense of accomplishment.
How To Earn Girl Guide Badges on A PGL Trip
A PGL weekend trip is the perfect opportunity for Girl Guides to take on new challenges, develop key skills, and work towards earning a variety of badges. Whether they’re learning about different cultures, mastering outdoor survival techniques, or embracing teamwork through activities, our range of exciting activities helps Guides meet badge requirements in a fun and adventurous way.
With expert instructors, structured activities, and an environment that encourages learning through experience, a Girlguiding trip brings the badge journey to life. Below, we’ll explore just some of the badges your Girl Guides can work towards during their stay.
Holiday Badges
Girl Guides can earn a variety of holiday badges that celebrate cultural diversity and global traditions. These badges focus on understanding the significance of different celebrations, such as Lunar New Year, Easter, Eid, Diwali, and Hanukkah, helping Girl Guides gain insight into how people across the world mark special occasions.
If you and your Girl Guides are visiting PGL during one of these holidays, our teams at centre can aim to facilitate themed activities to learn about traditions, customs, and the meaning behind each celebration. Whether it’s crafting decorations, or engaging in cultural storytelling, they’ll experience a hands-on approach to learning about global festivities.
Camper Badges
A PGL trip is the ideal setting for Girl Guides to develop their outdoor skills and work towards camping-related badges. At our locations, Guides can take on bushcraft challenges, learn essential survival techniques, and embrace the great outdoors through practical experiences.
For Girl Guides, this includes:
- Camp Stage 3-5: Progress through different levels of camping expertise, from setting up tents to mastering campfire cooking.
- Whittling: Develop carving skills and understand how to safely use knives for crafting.
Our Bushcraft sessions are designed to build confidence, independence, and resilience, all essential skills for any keen camper!
Height Adventure Badge
The Height Adventure badge at PGL offers a fantastic opportunity to step outside your comfort zone through a range of exciting activities high above the ground. It’s all about facing those fears head-on and building the kind of courage and self-belief that will help Girl Guides soar in any challenge.
For Girl Guides, this includes:
- High Ropes: Navigate aerial obstacles, testing your balance and determination.
- Climbing: Scale new heights, developing problem-solving skills and physical strength.
- Zipwire: Experience the exhilarating rush of flying through the air.
Through team-building exercises, role-playing, and problem-solving tasks, Guides will leave with stronger communication skills that will benefit them in school, social settings, and future leadership roles.
Sports Badges
With a huge range of sporting activities on offer, outdoor Girlguiding trips are the perfect place for Girl Guides to work towards their Sport badge. Whether they’re taking part in traditional team sports or trying something completely new, they’ll develop physical skills, teamwork, and a love for staying active.
To earn a Sports badge, Girl Guides must take part in an organised sporting activity involving equipment, a game structure, and set rules. Our PGL activities can help girls work towards their Sport badge, for example:
- Axe Throwing
- Archery
- Climbing
- Fencing
With guidance from our instructors and an emphasis on fun and participation, Girl Guides will have plenty of opportunities to challenge themselves and improve their sporting abilities.
Watersports Badge
For those who love the water, a PGL trip provides the ideal setting to work towards a Watersports badge. Our lakes, rivers, and coastal locations offer a variety of thrilling water-based activities that will give Guides the confidence to take on aquatic adventures.
To earn their badge, Guides need to participate in a water activity that involves getting wet, which won’t be a problem at PGL! Activities include:
- Canoeing
- Canyoning
- Dragon Boating
- Improvised Rafting
- Stand-up Paddleboarding
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Inflatable Obstacle Courses
These activities encourage teamwork, coordination, and resilience while ensuring plenty of fun in the process!
Tips for Leaders to Help Guides Earn Their Badges
As a unit leader, you play a key role in helping your group work towards their badges, ensuring they get the most out of their PGL trip. By offering guidance, encouragement, and structure, you can make the experience both fun and rewarding. Here are some top tips to help your Guides stay on track and achieve their goals:
- Plan Ahead
Before your trip, take some time to review the badge requirements and identify which ones your Girl Guides can work towards during your stay at PGL. Share this information with your group so they know what to focus on and what activities will contribute towards earning their badges.
- Encourage Participation
Some Girl Guides may be more confident than others when it comes to trying new activities. Encourage everyone to get involved, reminding them that every challenge they take on is an opportunity to develop a new skill and move closer to earning their badge.
- Keep Track of Progress
Bring along a checklist or notebook to track each girl’s progress throughout the trip. This will help you ensure that everyone is completing the necessary tasks and allow you to provide feedback on what they’ve achieved.
- Connect Activities to Badge Requirements
PGL offers a wide range of activities that naturally align with badge criteria. As your Girl Guides take part in different experiences, remind them how the skills they’re learning—whether it’s teamwork, communication, problem-solving, or physical activity—link to their badges.
- Encourage Reflection
At the end of each day, take some time to discuss what your Girl Guides have learned and how their experiences contribute to their badge goals. This helps reinforce their achievements and keeps them motivated.
- Support Teamwork and Leadership
Many badge requirements involve working with others, whether it’s leading a group challenge, demonstrating communication skills, or supporting fellow Girl Guides. Encourage teamwork and leadership opportunities throughout the trip to help them fulfil these elements.
- Make it Fun!
While earning badges is a great achievement, the journey should be just as enjoyable as the end result. Keep the focus on having fun, embracing adventure, and celebrating each girl’sprogress—big or small.
- Follow Up After the Trip
Once you’re back home, hold a meeting where your unit can share their experiences, reflect on what they’ve learned, and complete any final steps needed to officially earn their badges. This helps reinforce their accomplishments and keeps them engaged in their Girl Guiding journey.
By providing the right level of support and encouragement, you can help your Guides get the most out of their PGL experience, building confidence, developing new skills, and achieving well-earned badges along the way.
Book your group residential with PGL!
Now you know how to earn Girl Guide badges at PGL,why not bring your unit to one of our locations and experience a trip to remember? If you’re not already heading on a Girlguiding residential trip with PGL, then take a look at what we have to offer. We have a range of group residential trips to choose from, including Youth Club & Trust residentials, Scout residentials, Other Uniform residentials and many more!
If you have any questions, get in touch with our friendly and experienced team today. They’ll be more than happy to help!
