How to Make a Kaper Chart for Any Size Girl Scout Troop

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Most Girl Scout kaper chart templates and printables you’ll find come with a set number of jobs, but your troop probably doesn’t match that number exactly. Here’s how to build a kaper chart that fits your troop exactly, whether you have 6 scouts or 20, using materials you probably already have.

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Jump to: What Is a Kaper Chart · Sizing It to Your Troop · Format Options · Job Name Ideas · FAQ

What Is a Kaper Chart?

A kaper chart is a chart used at Girl Scout Meetings, which assigns each scout a job or task for that day’s meeting. For example: snack helper, cleanup crew, flag holder, and so on. You can choose whether you want to assign roles for the month, year or rotate every meeting. It is nice to give each girl opportunities to try each role.

Sizing It to Your Troop

The trick is matching your job count to your scout count, not the other way around:

• Fewer scouts than jobs? You can combine roles to cover all the tasks. The snack helper and cleanup crew can be one job, for example. 
• More scouts than jobs? Pair scouts up on the same job, or rotate a “waiting list” so everyone gets a turn across a few meetings.
• Working in groups? You can also sort girls into patrols (or small groups) and have each patrol rotate through tasks. For this option, there can be an Opening & Closing Ceremony task, where one patrol handles the flag, pledge, promise, law and friendship squeeze as a group. It is important that they are capable of delegating and sharing roles if you go this route. 
• Jobs change as your troop grows. Start simple as Daisies, and add roles as you figure out what your meetings actually need. Don’t try to fill every possible job on day one.

Make a list of every task your meeting actually needs done (attendance, snack, cleanup, leading the pledge, etc.), count your scouts, and match one to the other before you pick a format.

Format Options

Here are the most common options you see for DIY Kaper Charts. 

Clothespin/clip charts: Cute, and easy for girls to move their own name around. However, if your troop packs up your supplies and carries them in the car each week, know that pieces can get lost. We tried this type first, with laminated leaves and flower-shaped name clips, and by the end of the year we’d lost enough clothespins and flowers that half the chart was gone. 

• Here is a version from Leader Connecting Leaders to make using a plastic cup Kaper Chart, which is super handle because the clips can be stored inside between meetings.
• Here is a simple one page kaper chart that you can DIY and laminate. 

Check your local council’s Volunteer Toolkit for printable versions like this:

Job wheel: A simple pie chart with jobs around the edge and a spinner or brad in the center. This is what we switched to for our second year, made with free tools like Canva, and it held up much better — portable, durable, and nothing to lose. 

Here is a hand written version of a job wheel from Friendly Willow Day Camp:

 

Tri-fold poster board: If your troop has dedicated meeting space and won’t be hauling the chart around each week, a big, decorated tri-fold board gives you the most room to get creative. You can purchase a tri-fold poster board at many big box and dollar stores. You can make spots for each job, and separate pieces for each scout. They can stock to the board using magnets, velcro or craft sticks stuck into library pockets. 

• Here is a fun flower theme kaper chart. 
• Here is a simple craft stick tri-fold kaper chart.

Job cards, lanyards or badges: Simple printed cards added to multi color lanyards or  wearable clip-on badges assigned each week are low-fuss, and easy to laminate and reuse. I love the idea to use these simple colorful  coil wrist bands with tags. 

• Here is how to use the wrist band for a kaper chart. 
• Here is an example of a lanyard or badge style Kaper Card.

 

Whichever format you pick, keep it simple enough that you’ll actually use it every week. A chart that’s a hassle to set up gets abandoned by week three.

Job Name Ideas

Here are some common jobs, which you can mix, rename, or combine to fit your troop:

• Kaper Keeper holds the chart and tells everyone their job
• Pledge Pal leads the pledge
• Flag Friend holds the flag during the pledge
• Promise Pal leads the Girl Scout Promise
• Attendance Attendant takes attendance
• Snack Chick (or Snack Helper) hands out the snack
• Queen of Clean leads snack cleanup
• Craft Critter helps set up the craft or activity
• Squeeze Starter starts the Friendship Circle squeeze at the end of the meeting
• Leader’s Helper extra helper/substitute if someone’s absent

FAQ

How many jobs should a kaper chart have?
As many as makes sense for your meeting routine — most troops land somewhere between 6 and 12. Start with the tasks your meeting actually needs done, not a fixed number.

What if I have more scouts than jobs?
Pair scouts up on the same job, or rotate who’s “off” each week so everyone gets a turn over time.

Do older troops (Juniors and up) still use kaper charts?
Yes, many do, though jobs often shift toward more responsibility — planning parts of the meeting, leading activities — rather than just snack and cleanup duty.

What’s the easiest kaper chart to make with no craft skills?
A simple printed job wheel or a set of job cards — no cutting, sewing, or elaborate assembly required.

What is your favorite style of Kaper Chart? Let’s hear it in the comments!

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