Girl Scout SWAP GuideAnimal & Insect SWAPS

Girl Scout Troop 2702Volume 1, Issue 1

GSTROOP2702.WEBS.COMLindsay Foster & Rachelle Whiteman, Co-Leaders

Table of Contents

• The Purpose of SWAPs• What is a SWAP?• SWAP Etiquette • SWAP Tips• Animals and Insects SWAPs

The Purpose of SWAPS

SWAPs should tell something about the givers or their group (girls may include their address or email information so others can write to them) and represent the givers' country, community, or local Girl Scout council.

What is a SWAP?• There are several meanings for the term,

but these are some of the most common ones:

– Special Whatchamacallit Affectionately Pinned

– Shared With A Pal– Sharing With a Purpose

• It is likely that the idea for Swaps came from the potlatch ceremonies of the Native American Tribes of the Northwest coast. Potlatch ceremonies involved the trading of colored feathers as a sign of friendship. The ceremony is said to have developed in remembrance of two Native American girls who gave colored feathers plucked from a magic bird to colorless birds, thus ensuring all birds would have colored

• feathers.

Potlatch ceremonies commemorated their gift and were held in conjunction with other family and tribal celebrations, such as births and marriages. The traditional invitation to a potlatch ceremony was the arrival of a messenger bearing the news and a bundle of sticks, one stick for each participant expected to attend.

• It is believed that the very first SWAP was exchanged by Lord Baden Powell at a Jamboree in 1924.

“Girl Scouts began trading SWAPS at the National

Roundups.”

SWAP Etiquette• Never refuse to swap with another person.• Swap face-to-face, especially if exchanging

addresses or email information.• Avoid using glass and sharp objects in swaps.• Follow all Safety-Wise guidelines.• Avoid using food products, unless they are

individually wrapped.• Do not include your entire name on your SWAP.

Instead use first name/last initial, a Troop number, or first initial/last name.

SWAP Tips• Think about the kind of swap

you would like to receive from someone else.

• Try not to spend a lot of money. Consider making something from donated or recycled material.

• Be creative, and take time to make hand-crafted swaps. (Include directions for making the swap if it is a craft project that can be replicated.)

• Try to have one swap for each event participant and staff member. Plan ahead so there's time to make the swaps.

• Make swaps that can be worn, used, or displayed.

• Ask your Troop, group or service unit for help, if needed, in putting swaps together.

• Make swaps portable. Remember: Swaps must be carried or shipped ahead to the event, where other girls will be carrying them away

• Note: Do not use food materials that will disintegrate or attract insects or animals. Also do not use liquids in SWAPs.

Author’s Note:This presentation is not meant to

be comprehensive as a guide to SWAPs making.

Please use your imagination and adapt the ideas to your personal

tastes.

Bugs, Beetles, and Creepy Crawlies

Fire Ant SWAPMaterials: 2 small black crystal beads 1 large black crystal bead 1 large red crystal bead Black wire Wiggle eyes Hot glue Safety pinInstructions:Bend a 3" piece of wire in half.  Feed it through the

safety pin hole.  Next, feed the red bead on both wires all the way down to the safety pin.  Bend a 2" piece of wire around the "body" wire, and add a small black bead.  Bend another 2" piece of wire around the "body" wire, and add another small black bead.  Bend the last piece of 2" wire around the "body" wire, and add the large black bead.  Bend the "body" wire up and curl the ends with needle-nosed pliers.  Curl all of the ends of 2" pieces you attached to the "body." Hot glue all the wire into place, making sure the "legs" are down, and the "antennae" are up.  Glue the wiggle eyes on.

Chigger SWAPMaterials: • Small, red pompom• Wiggle eyes• Tag• Safety pinInstructions:Glue the wiggle eyes onto the pompom.  Glue the

pompom to the tag, and attach a safety pin.Tag:Chigger Song

(Tune: Polly Wolly Doodle)There was a little chiggerAnd he wasn’t any biggerThan the head of a very small pinBut the bump that he raisesJust itches like the blazesAnd that’s where the rub comes in.CHORUS: Comes in, comes in and that’s where the rub comes in.Cause the bump that he raises just itches like the blazesAnd that’s where the rub comes in.

Bat SWAP Materials: • Large pom-poms• Black felt • Craft glue • Wiggle eyes • Scissors • Safety pinInstructions:Cut out sets of bat wings from the black felt. The

wings should be roughly 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, depending on the size of your pom-poms. Glue the pom-pom to the wings. This is the bat's head and body. Glue the wiggle eyes to the bat's face. After glue dries, attach safety pin to the wing.

Binder Bat SWAPMaterials: • Black craft foam• Standard size binder clip• Craft glue • Wiggle eyes • Scissors • Safety pinInstructions:Cut out sets of bat wings from the black craft

foam. Cut out circle shape head. Glue wings onto the “wings” of the binder clip. Glue head onto the back of the binder clip. Glue wiggle eyes onto the head. Attach pin.

Bird’s Nest SWAPMaterials: • Brown Yarn • Tacky Glue • Scissors • Low Temp Glue Gun • Poster Board • Packing pellets or white pony beadsInstructions:Cut poster board into circles about the size of a

quarter. Cut yarn into 1/4" pieces. For each bird nest you will need about 1 heaping tablespoon of cut up yarn. Mix in about 1/2 teaspoon of tacky glue. Roll yarn and glue mixture together to form a ball. Add more glue if necessary. Flatten ball a little. Press thumbs into the middle to make the nest shape. Set on top of a circle of poster board. Let dry overnight. Glue in packing pellets or white pony beads for eggs.

Brown Recluse/Fiddleback Spider SWAP

Materials: • 1 brown wooden bead• 2 brown chenille stem• Sharpie• Safety pinInstructions:Cut the chenille stem into 4 equal parts, and

feed them through the wooden bead.  Draw eyes on the bead.  Feed a "leg" through the safety pin.

Grasshopper SWAPMaterials: • Small clothespins • Green paint and brush • Green craft wire • Wire with hot glue on end (antenna)• Tacky glue • 5mm wiggle eyes Instructions:Paint a small clothespin green. Let dry. Cut a 6"

piece of craft wire. Bend it into shape for the legs as shown. Glue to the clothespin. Glue on wiggle eyes. Dab ends of green craft wire with hot glue. Then poke a hole in front of the clothespin using a pin. Insert “antenna” and glue into hole.

Lobster SWAPMaterials: • Repurposed tops from plastic drink bottles

(Kool-Aid or other drinks)• Red spray paint• Wiggle eyes• Glue• Safety pinInstructions:Spray paint the twist top of an individual plastic

Kool-Aid drink bottle. Allow to dry. Glue the wiggle eyes on the main stem of the drink cap. (The wings are the lobster claws.) Attach safety pin.

Note: Great for a "Daisy Scout First S.W.A.P."