Design a care plan for an animal

Activity Overview

Girl Scouts learn to take care of an animal by designing a care plan. 

1. Talk about the importance of routines and how animals need to follow one every day to feel secure.
2. Break Girl Scouts into groups and have them create a routine for their animal.
3. Have Girl Scouts share their animals’ routines with the larger group.

Leader Guidance

Say:

• A routine is something you do over and over again, usually in the same order. It helps your day feel organized and easier to manage.
• Do you follow a daily routine? Maybe you to wake up to your alarm, shower, have breakfast, go to school, come back home, do homework, have dinner, and spend time with your family.
• Just like you have a routine, so do animals!
• Some tame animals, like pets, depend on humans to get them through their day. Their routine may involve baths, meals, walks, playtimes, etc.
• Other animals, especially those in the wild, have their own routines; they must hunt, eat, play, and sleep. They don’t depend on humans to remind them of their routines!
• If you had the chance to design your own animal care plan, which animal would you choose, and what activities would you add to their routine?
• Let’s start this activity and make sure we can create the best care plan for our animal.

Split Girl Scouts into small groups. Give each group an animal (or let them choose one). Ask them to create a routine for their animal, including activities like eating, sleeping, playing, and exploring. Using the Care Plan handout, encourage Girl Scouts to write down their animal’s routine. After, have them come back together and share their plans with the larger group if they’d like.

Say:

• What time does your animal wake up?
• What does it eat, and when?
• Does it rest during the day, or at night?
• What activities help it stay healthy and happy?

Multi-level Tips

This activity is suitable for all Girl Scout levels. Girl Scouts can do the activity together, or split into groups and create a routine for their animal. Older Girl Scouts can also help younger ones, if needed.