About Girl Scouts

Signs, Songs, Handshake, and More!

Over time, any organization is going to develop a few common signals that everyone understands. Such is the case with Girl Scouts, who have developed a few unique ways to greet, acknowledge, and communicate, some of which are listed here.

Girl Scout Sign

The sign is formed with the right hand, by using the thumb to hold down the pinky, leaving the three middle fingers extended to represent the three parts of the Promise.

Girls give the sign when they:

Say the Promise or Law.

Are welcomed into Girl Scouts at an investiture ceremony that welcomes new members or when they receive an award, patch, pin, or other recognition.

Greet other Girl Scouts and Girl Guides.

Girl Scout Handshake

Another form of greeting between Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is the Girl Scout handshake. Girls raise their right hand in the Girl Scout sign and shake using their left hand, denoting friendliness and loyalty.

Quiet Sign

The quiet sign can be extremely useful to you as a volunteer, so teach it to girls during your first meeting. Raise your right hand high with an open palm, this refers to the original 5th law of Girl Scouting: A Girl Scout is courteous. As girls in the group see the sign, they stop talking and also raise their hands. Once everyone is silent, the meeting can begin.

Girl Scout Slogan and Motto

The Girl Scout slogan is, “Do a good turn daily.” The Girl Scout motto is, “Be prepared.”

Songs

Whether singing around a campfire or joining a chorus of voices at the Mall in Washington, D.C., Girl Scouts have always enjoyed the fun and fellowship of music. In fact, the first Girl Scout Song Book, a collection of songs put together by girl members, was published in 1925.

Songs can be used to open or close meetings, enhance ceremonies, lighten a load while hiking, or share a special moment with other Girl Scouts. Check out Girl Scouts of Western Ohio’s online songbook and videos here.

My Promise, My Faith Pin

The Girl Scout Law includes many of the principles and values common to most faiths. And even though Girl Scouts is a secular organization, we’ve always encouraged girls to explore spirituality via their own faiths. Girls of all grade levels can now earn the My Promise, My Faith pin. By carefully examining the Girl Scout Law and directly tying it to tenets of her faith, a girl can earn the pin once a year. You can find more about the requirements for this pin in The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting.