The Basics

Safety Activity Checkpoints offers a framework to evaluate and manage safety during Girl Scout activities. They guide your planning, help ensure that you feel confident and prepared, and highlight the rules and standards Girl Scouts expects you to follow.

Become familiar with Girl Scouts’ other resources, found on your council website or at girlscouts.org. Since states’ rules vary, most documents are provided by your council. Look for:

Permission forms, council approval processes, health histories, and other paperwork
Meeting space safety expectations
Hosted activities and events, such as camps and program weekends

Risk, Prevention, Response

Keep in mind that safety management involves three key questions:

Risk: What can go wrong? Are there any dangers or hazards associated with this activity?
Prevention: What can we do to reduce or eliminate risk scenarios?
Response: If something happens despite our precautions, how will we handle it

Build a culture of safety by guiding your group to think through and plan the activities you share together. Here’s a simple example, with horseback riding as the activity:

Risk: Riders could fall and get injured.
Prevention: Choosing a clean, well-run facility with positive reviews, well-trained instructors, and horses matched to children and/or beginners, for example, will increase the likelihood of a safe (and fun) experience. Wearing helmets and the right footwear can reduce the chance of severe injury in case of an accident. Each SAC activity section provides guidance on prevention.
Response: Be prepared with first aid training, a stocked first aid kit, parental contacts, and a way to quickly contact emergency medical assistance. Notify your council immediately with details of the incident, including names and contact information of those who were involved or who witnessed the incident.

How to Use Safety Activity Checkpoints

The Safety Activity Checkpoints resource is for the volunteers and staff who oversee youth and contains:

Safety Standards, with guidelines that apply to all outings and activities (adult supervision requirements, transportation information, etc.).
Activity-specific checkpoints, with guidelines for specific adventures your Girl Scouts might choose. The activity chapters will guide you through three phases:
- Decision-making
- Planning and preparation
- Day-of implementation
- Plus: Special situations and gear guidance are included when relevant.

Use the check boxes to tick off specific steps as you complete them. Ensure that you have considered or completed each sub-bulleted item before checking off a main task.

Safety Activity Checkpoints is your roadmap for planning adventures with safety in mind, even for new activities you may not have explored yet. With clear guidance and practical resources, you can confidently explore new experiences with your group while giving Girl Scouts the chance to learn and lead right alongside you.

Most checkpoints are designed primarily for beginner experiences. When your group is ready for advanced adventures, seek expert guidance and consult your council if your plans extend beyond the scope of the checkpoints.

Note: Good judgment is just as important as any resource, especially when guidelines don’t precisely fit your situation. Since checkpoints are written for a national audience and “typical” activities, adjustments may be needed for beginner or advanced participation.

Some safety standards may not apply universally.
Consider local conditions, participants’ skill levels, and unique circumstances.
Get expert and council staff input as you evaluate deviations from the checkpoints.

Involve your Girl Scouts whenever possible to help them develop the valuable lifelong skill of managing their own safety.

Activities That Require Prior Council Approval

Some activities must be cleared with your Girl Scout council before confirming plans. These often involve added safety measures, specialized instruction, or council-approved providers. Approval helps ensure everyone is prepared and protected.

Check with your council if you’re planning:

Overnight trips (e.g., backpacking, camping, travel/trips)
Target sports (e.g., archery, knife, hatchet/ax throwing, and all firearms)
Aquatics (e.g., swimming, boating, or other water activities)
Horseback riding
International travel
Chartered aircraft tours or recreational flying
Chartered buses or ground transportation

Always follow your local council’s pre-approval process. Procedures can vary slightly in different areas of the country. Learn more about approval in Planning for Adventures.

Activities That Are Not Permitted

The purpose of not permitting certain activities is first and foremost to protect Girl Scout members, but also to safeguard the financial and reputational well-being of your council and the Girl Scout organization.

Girl Scouts has analyzed insurance data and industry accident trends to identify activities that are not permitted or approved in Girl Scouts.

Each activity listed below has been evaluated based on a variety of safety factors including council feedback and historical experience, industry loss history, and insurability. This list is reviewed annually to reflect current risk considerations.

Activities that are not permitted are those that generally entail extensive prior experience (for instructors and participants), involve a high risk of bodily injury (especially for minors), or necessitate a driver’s license by youth.

Accordingly, GSUSA does not approve, endorse, or provide safety checkpoints for activities that are listed as not permitted.

Activities Not Permitted in Girl Scouts
Bungee jumping	Riding electric scooters
Flying in privately owned planes, helicopters, or blimps	Riding jet skis
Hang gliding	Riding motorbikes (gas or electric bikes)
Hunting	Skydiving or parachuting
Outdoor/home trampoline use	Snowmobiling
Paintball tagging (shooting at other people)	Stunt skiing or snowboarding
Parasailing	Untethered hot air ballooning
Riding all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)	Zorbing

Activities That Are Not Listed

In a hands-on, learn-by-doing environment like Girl Scouts, it’s natural for members to want to participate in new and exciting activities not specifically addressed in Safety Activity Checkpoints. If SACs are not available for a specific activity, the first step is to contact your Girl Scout council to ensure the activity is eligible for approval. Follow the guidelines in Planning for Adventures and consider these factors:

Compare with similar activities. Is the activity like another for which SACs are written? Can you easily adapt and/or apply the guidelines?
Expert supervision. Does the activity require specialized supervision, equipment, or instructor certification?
Evaluate quality and outcomes. Think about how the activity aligns with the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, ensuring it provides positive long-term benefits for participants.

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