Girl Scout SWAPS 101

Today let's talk about Girl Scouts SWAPS! This time honored tradition connects girls from different troops, while also engaging the girls in your troop to work as a team and get creative. But what exactly are Girl Scout SWAPS, how do you make SWAPS and what do Girl Scouts do with SWAPS? Let's find out! Affiliate shopping links are used in this article.

What Are Girl Scout SWAPS?

Depending on who you ask, SWAPS stands for “Special Whatchmacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere” or “Share With A Pal.”

I kind of think of them like pins instead of friendship bracelets that you make before an event, and trade with other scouts. You can see an example of some SWAPS our troop made for a Brownie Bash.

A SWAP is a small craft that one troop makes to share with girls from other troops. Usually your troop will spend time at a meeting or at home making multiple of the same small craft, which includes a safety pin, so that when they hand one out to another scout it can be pinned on.

Now that we know what SWAPS are, let's answer some other Frequently Asked SWAPS Questions!

What Do Girl Scouts Do With SWAPS?

SWAPS can be made and exchanged by any scout level: Daisy, Brownie, Junior, Cadette, Senior or Ambassador.

A common way to use SWAPS is to arrange to meet up with one or more other troops to share SWAPS between troops. This can be all the same level troops, or all the troops in your town regardless of level, etc.

SWAPS Common Courtesy

There is some common courtesy around SWAPS. If you think of any tips I'm missing please add them in the comments.

For large events like a Girl Scout Convention, SWAPS are more like friendship bracelets at a Taylor Swift concert- a fun thing to make and give out to whoever you would like to trade with. Make as many or as few as you like.
For events within your town or specific SWAP events, it is usually nice to agree ahead of time whether or not everyone is bringing SWAPS. Be sure to find out how many other girls will be at your event to know how many SWAPS your troop should make.
SWAPS should be fairly small since you often get many over the years. Think, small keychain size.
Do not include any food on your SWAPS. They are intended to be kept on their SWAPS holder for years. It may sound fun to include a snack or even glue on a food item but it's best to find another idea.
Consider the skill level of your troop. Plan a SWAP that the girls can make many of, with little assistance, and will be proud of the result. Older scouts obviously can make more intricate designs but for younger scouts, start simple to keep it fun.
Know your girls and know your families. Would your girls like to take them home and work on them, or would it be better to make all of them at meetings? If they are making them at home, do they have enough parental assistance to get it done?
Some troops like to add something to the SWAP that says their troop number but it is not required.

What Do You Pin SWAPS To?

Troops or troop leaders will often choose an item for their first “SWAP-ortunity” (I love a good word smash!) that their girls can use for SWAPS in an ongoing way, through the years. You can make your own or purchase an item to use.

Thanks to our Sister Scout Leaders in Illinois for these SWAP Keeper Photos! Heather Abril shared the top photo of her Daisy Girl Scout wearing a SWAP Lanyard- so cute! Jennifer Stood-Paape shared the bottom photo of the SWAP Banner made using a clothes hanger, such a cool idea and it holds so many SWAPS!

Consider that you might be adding quite a number of swaps over time, so there should be enough room on whatever you choose to pin lots of SWAPS!

Here are some SWAPS Keeper ideas to choose from. I'm including links to DIY options and store bought options that your girl can decorate or use as-is.

Lanyards or Ribbon Necklaces – Lanyards can be a fun, easy way to wear your SWAPS. (See photo above.) It is fun to personalize them by letting the girls design a name badge for the clear pouch on the lanyard. The safety pins of each SWAP can be pinned onto the lanyard, or the safety pin can go around is so they slide to the bottom like a necklace. Make a Duct Tape SWAPS Lanyard. Buy Bulk Customizable Lanyards, Bulk Rainbow Lanyards, or the Official Girl Scouts Swap Lanyard.
SWAPS Hangers – These are small banners that the girls carry around at SWAPS events, and can hang on the wall at home. (See photo above.) You can use a clothes hanger (see photo above) or a dowel rod, and glue a length of felt hanging from it. The girls could decorate them with their names. Here is a great example of a SWAPS banner. This tutorial for a simple, felt hanging banner is perfect to use for a SWAPS Hanger. Buy banners for SWAPS hangers.
Hats – I've seen bucket hats, white woven “Easter hats”, and baseball caps. Make a bucket hat. Buy bulk white bucket hats, or bulk white baseball hats,
Vests – Having a designated Swap vest is a fun way to wear them! Make a simple, felt vest (No hemming or edges to finish!). Buy personalized vests or plain colored vests.
Sashes – If your girls all wear vests, then sashes would be perfect to wear over them at SWAPS events. They are also a great project to have the girls try a sewing machine for the first time- with supervision. Felt vests would not need to have the edges finished, and could be pre-cut, and sewn together with one or two seams. Make a simple felt sash (using felt means you do not have to finish the edges! This tutorial also shows a no-sew option using a hot glue gun.). Buy a pack of sashes.
Tote Bags – These are handy because the girls can carry their SWAPS around in the bag, and then as they receive SWAPS they pin right on the outside. Make a simple DIY tote bag. Buy a pack of blank tote bags to decorate (see the reviews for ideas- tie dye, hand stitch, crikut machines, etc!).
Backpacks – Another option that allows your scouts to carry their items inside, and display collected items on the outside. Make a Simple DIY drawstring Backpacks. Buy bulk drawstring backpacks.

When Do You Use SWAPS?

Some Common Events Where Scouts Can Trade SWAPS:

Troop Meetings – I'm not saying do SWAPS for every meeting. I mean, for your first SWAP experience, you could practice your SWAP making skills on a smaller scale by making them AND exchanging them at your Daisy Badge Meetings. Your Vi Petal or Zinni Petal meeting would be a decent time to make a friendly craft like this. Bring pipe cleaners, beads and safety pins to the meeting for these Easy SWAPS, perfect for young scouts.
World Thinking Day – This Girl Scout Holiday is the perfect opportunity to bring your SWAPS. According to the WAGGS website, “Celebrated since 1926, World Thinking Day is a day of international friendship. It is an opportunity to celebrate the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement speak out on issues that affect young women and fundraise for 10.8 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 153 countries.” A lot of councils hold events where each troop chooses a country to represent. If your troop is doing this, you can make a swap using the country's flag or other themed item that applies to your country. Here are some examples of a Greece Themed SWAP , a France Landscapes SWAP, and and International Trading Card SWAP.
A Girl Scout SWAP Swap – An event specifically held to trade SWAPS. You could make one for everyone, or specify that it is not required to make one for everyone, and each girl hands out however many she wants.
Girl Scout's Birthday – Girl Scouting was founded on March 12, 1912. Mark this annual event with just your troop, or you can invite other troops to join the fun. The latter is a perfect time to bring birthday themed SWAPS. This can be paired with other birthday related service events, like creating Birthday Bags for local food pantries, or making a stock of birthday cards for the staff to give out at Senior Centers or Veterans Housing.
Daisy Day – Daisy troops from the local area meet up and celebrate Girl Scout's Founder Juliette Gordon Low, AKA “Daisy” with age appropriate activities and games. One of the activities is usually to trade SWAPS.
Brownie Bash, Junior Jam, Junior Jamboree, Cadette Campout, Senior Sleepover, etc – These are events where you invite troops of the same level to celebrate together. Each troop can plan a game or activity, you can do a service project together or even campout. These are perfect events to bring your SWAPS.
Scout Holiday Get Togethers – If troops in your area get together for a specific holiday, it would be really fund to do SWAPS with the holiday theme!

Now that you know all about Girl Scout SWAPS it's time to get crafting! One troop put together a MASSIVE LIST OF EASY TO MAKE SWAPS. I highly recommend giving it a look to get your creative juices going.

But you are not limited to the crafts on that list. You can use materials from your craft stash, recycled materials or even just paper to make your SWAPS.

Girl Scout SWAPS 101 – New to SWAPS? Start Here!

What Are Girl Scout SWAPS?