Activity Description: Youths decorate a paper calculator, then practice selling cookies and making change using calculators for help.
Items Needed:
- Play money (enough for each small group)
- (Optional) Print and cut out enough $1 and $5 fake money from the Pretend Shopping (at DS Brownie Girl Scouts) file for each small group
- Paper or Calculator Decoration Template for each youth
- Coloring tools
- Calculators (one for each small group)
- (Optional) Cookie packages or pictures of cookie packages
Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 20–30 min):
- Draw a cookie calculator. (4–5 min)
- Youth use a blank paper to draw buttons they see on a basic calculator, including numbers 0–9 and other useful buttons, or they use the Paper or Calculator Decoration Template and decorate the calculator to be fun to use during the cookie sale.
- (Optional) Discuss calculator use. (3–4 min)
- Youth talk about when they would use addition during a cookie sale and when they would use subtraction to make change.
- Form small groups. (2–3 min)
- Provide each group with at least one real calculator and play money.
- Make sure each youth know the cost of each package of cookies for practice.
- Practice one package sale. (10–15 min)
- On chosen youth pretends to sell one package of cookies. Another youth pretends to be the customer and pays with a really big amount. The seller uses the calculator to give change.
- Youth rotate roles and repeat the activity with two and three packages of cookies. Sellers use calculators to check totals and make change.
- Rotate roles. (3–4 min)
- Youth continue to take turns being both sellers and customers, with different cookie package amounts and different large payments.
- (Optional) Customers ask questions about cookie costs or troop goals, and sellers answer.
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Click Here -> See what GSUSA Requirements could be met in Facts Category
Leaders – please be aware of double dipping and make your own informed choice.
Info Needed for Cookie Facts: Learn the flavors and how much a box costs.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Daisy My First Cookie Business badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Brownie My Cookie Customers badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Brownie Cookie Decision Maker badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Junior My Cookie Team badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Junior Cookie Collaborator badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Cadette My Cookie Venture badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Cadette Cookie Innovator badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Senior My Cookie Network badge requirements.
- Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Senior Cookie Boss badge requirements.
Info Needed for Money Facts: Practice making change.
- Fulfills Step 4 of GSUSA Brownie My Cookie Customers badge requirements.
This activity does not meet any Scouting America Requirements
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For More Fun Ideas and Plans
Join the Girl Scout Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Leader Help Facebook Group
(Not an official GSUSA Group)
Join the Girl Scout Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Leader Help Facebook Group
(Not an official GSUSA Group)
See other Recommended Facebook Groups for some Scouting Organizations
(No official Groups)
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Click Here -> To see information References:
Disclaimer: The information published on Youth Activity Archive and The Badge Archive is built from the references listed below. These sources demonstrate that our content is grounded in facts and research, not opinion or speculation. Readers may consult them directly when looking for additional material.
- Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. “Volunteer Toolkit Explore.” Girlscouts.org, my.girlscouts.org/content/girlscouts-vtk/en/vtk.explore.html. Accessed 25 Nov. 2025.
- Find out how you can support The Badge Archive!
- Return to the Cookie Facts Category
- Return to the Money Facts Category
- Return to the G.S. Cookies Category
