The Spider Web of Friendship

Traditions are an important way to build connection with a group of people or an organization. In college, I was an Alpha Phi -- our traditions included ceremonies, songs, and handshakes. To this day, when I see my sorority sisters, we reminisce about the traditions we shared that only we knew about.

I wanted to share a tradition of my Girl Scout Troop 31621. (reposted for the Friendship Book).

SPIDER WEB of FRIENDSHIP

SUPPLIES: a ball of yarn

Have group sit in a circle.

• Leader begins.
• Hold onto the end of the yarn and unravel enough yarn so you can throw the ball across the circle to another girl.
• Each girl passes the ball of yarn to another girl across the circle while holding on, creating a big spider web.
  
• Create a theme so as each girl passes the ball the to the next girl, they need to say something positive. For example:
  --What I admire most about you is....
  --What I learned about you this weekend is...
  --Why I enjoy being with you is....
  --The leadership quality you most posess & why is....
  --You are the example of a good Girl Scout because....
  --Have them pass to someone they don't know and say, "I'd like to get to know you better because...."
• As the girls get older, I set rules that they can't say "nice" or "pretty" as a comment. They need to try harder.
  
• When everyone has passed the ball, hold on for a few minutes and reflect. Reflect on you day's activities together. Tell the girls that in order for the spider web to be strong, everyone must hold tight. If one girl lets go, it will crumble. This is why we need a strong troop with strong participation (we don't want a crumbling web...). Give the girls an opportunity to reflect as well.
• To unravel, everyone can drop the web gently -- then roll up the ball. OR, take it as an opportunity to pass the ball in reverse, winding it as you go and giving opportunity for the girls to comment back to those who passed them the ball.

I started the Spider Web tradition as Daisies after a meeting. Then we introduced it in First Grade during our first campout before lights out. Now, the girls ask for it every year! It's been very special and I hope they will always remember it!