While Girl Scouts have always earned badges, from 1980 to 2011, the term “badge” was reserved for just the Junior level.
Current Badges
The current era of Junior badges was developed in 2011. GSUSA is actively working on updating its programming, but below are the current badges.
Retired Badges
In 1963, the new Junior badges program was launched. There were no changes in the design or requirements of the badges during this time. The only change was in the fabric and backing of the badges. Some of the designs were carried over from the old Intermediate Girl Scout program, but other badge designs were brand new.
Junior badges were designated with a green border.
Early badges had a lightweight cotton backing that had been treated with starch. After several trips through the washer, these badges became flexible.
In the mid-70’s, a thermoplastic coating was added, as well as a change in fabric, which has a slightly lighter green shade.
In 1978, badges were on a new “vivid-green twill” with thermoplastic backing. This was the first time a fabric that wasn’t also being used to make uniforms was tried.
Also, introduced during this era were Sign badges, which replaced the Second Class Award. The Sign of the Arrow and the Sign of the Star badges were the first introduced. The requirements for a sign are different from those for a badge. A badge is about one area of interest, while a sign includes several different activities important to every scout. Like badges they had activities to help you get started. There were two ways to earn these: the “traditional way” and the “new way”. Most girls earned the Sign of the Arrow first.
The Sign of the Arrow was a symbol of direction and discovery. It gave Juniors the chance to find and follow many paths to fun, learning, and adventure. Girl s who earned it gained news skills and could set new directions for themselves.
The Sign of the Star was focused on girls looking at themselves, other people, and the world in a new way. Girls acted on their new discoveries to help the world and become a better person.
In 1977, the Worlds to Explore” program was released, which consisted of 5 “worlds” for girls to explore, which were designated by color-coded borders:
- World of Arts (Purple)
- World of Outdoors (Yellow)
- World of People (Blue)
- World of Today and Tomorrow (Orange)
- World of Well-Being ( Red)
Retired Junior badges require six steps to complete, as opposed to the five necessary today. However, they generally have more than 6 suggestions to select from.
In 1980, 76 badges were introduced in the Girl Scout Badges and Signs book. Several of the designs had hardly changed since their 1963 introduction. After that, additional badges were issued until there was a total of 115-badges at the Junior level. Wowza! That’s a lot of badges to choose from.
Also, changed were the Signs badges in 1980. The initial two were replaced with the Sign of the Rainbow, Sign of the Sun, and Sign of the Satellite. Most girls earned the Sign of the Rainbow first.
Over the years a few badges had their requirements updated, name changed, or design changed. A few were even retired over the subsequent years.
In 1990, the Sign of the World was added, and the Sign of the Satellite was renamed the Sign of the Star.
The four signs were based on the four program goals of Girl Scouts. The program goals described how girls will grow and develop by doing Girl Scout activities. The Sign of the Star is about becoming your best. The Sign of the Rainbow is about building friendships. The Sign of the Sun is about values. The Sign of the World is about making your world a better place.
Observant scouts will have noted that the backgrounds on some of these older badges varied. Backgrounds were used to denote the different skill levels required.
- White Background-Group-oriented badges. These were launched in the 1986 handbook, and had a dark blue border. Nine were introduced in 1986, and 5 more in 1994.
- 1986- Careers, Communication, Healthy Living, Leadership, Looking Your Best, Discovering Technology, You and Your Community, Your Outdoor Surroundings, Wider Opportunities
- 1994-Talk, Consumer Power, Girls are Great, Arts and Media, Science and Discovery
- Green Background– For Junior Girl Scouts with an interest in the subject, but little experience (except Our Own Troop Badge).
- Tan Background-For Junior with a great interest, and some knowledge of the subject. These were considered “advanced” badges.
In 1998, the Worlds to Explore program was axed. 1999-2000 was a 2-year transitional period. Badges were dropped, and the names and designs of some badges were changed. The color-coded borders of badges slowly reverted to green as the Worlds program was phased out. As color-coded border badges sold out, the green border badges replaced them.
Beginning in 1980, Brownies who were in the 3rd grade or 8 years old AND working on the Bridge to Juniors arch could earn one of the Junior Dabbler badges as part of the program. There was a Dabbler badge for each world. These badges sampled activities from several badges in that category, and featured the logo of each world. By 2000, the Dabbler badges had unique names: Dabbler Person, Dabbler Grid, Dabbler Rainbow, Dabbler Dove, and Dabbler Pedestal. In 2001, all the dabbler badges were retired.
In 2001, new badges were introduced, some with a new blue twill background. In 2002, eight formerly dropped badges reappeared with green borders and requirements online: Do It Yourself, Family Living Skills, Foods, Fiber and Farming, Now & Then, Stories from Around the World, Science in Action, The World in my Community, Women’s Studies, and Ready for Tomorrow. This was to allow girls to complete and receive any earned badges from the old program.
In 2002, a new badge was introduced in response to 9/11: United We Stand. In 2004, the Cookie Biz badge was introduced. In 2006, four new badges had their requirements made available online: Cookie Bize, Cookie Connection, Cyber Girl Scout, and United We Stand.
In 2011, GSUSA overhauled the badge programs for all levels. Below is the list of Junior badges that retired. The 2001 Junior Badgebook lists 104 in it, and 11 more were released as online only badges.
| Across Generations | Cookie Connection, The | Global Awareness | My Community | Small Craft |
| Adventure Sports | Court Sports | Globe-Trotting | My Heritage | Sports Sampler |
| Aerospace | Creative Solutions | Healthier You, A | Now & Then | Stress Less |
| Architecture | Cyber Girl Scouts | Healthy Relationships | Oil Up | Swimming |
| Art in 3-D | Dance | High on Life | On My Way | Theater |
| Art in the Home | Discovering Technology | Highway to Health | Our Own Council’s* | Toymaker |
| Art To Wear | Doing Hobbies | Hiker | Our Own Troop’s* | Traveler |
| Becoming a Teen | Do-It Yourself | Horse Fan | Outdoor Cook | United We Stand |
| Being My Best | Drawing and Painting | Horse Rider | Outdoor Creativity | Visual Arts |
| Books | Earth Connections | Humans and Habitats | Outdoor Fun | Walking for Fitness |
| Business-Wise | Eco-Action | It’s Important to Me | Outdoors In The City | Water Fun |
| Camera Shots | Environmental Health | Jeweler | Pet Care | Water Wonders |
| Camp Together | Family Living Skills | Lead-On | Plants and Animals | Weather Watch |
| Car Care | Field Sports | Let’s Get Cooking | Prints and Graphics | Wildlife |
| Careers | Finding Your Way | Local Lore | Puzzlers | Winter Sports |
| Caring for Children | First Aid | Looking Your Best | Ready for Tomorrow | Women’s Stories |
| Celebrating People | Folk Arts | Making Hobbies | Rocks Rock | World in My Community, The |
| Ceramics and Clay | Food, Fibers & Farming | Making It Matter | Safety First! | Write All About It |
| Choice Is Yours, The | Food Power | Making Music | Science Discovery | World Neighbors |
| Collecting Hobbies | Frosty Fun | Math Whiz | Science in Action | Yarn and Fabric Arts |
| Communication | Fun and Fit | Model Citizen | Science in Everyday Life | Your Outdoor Surroundings |
| Computer Fun | Girl Scouting Around the World | Money Sense | Science Sleuth | |
| Consumer Power | Girl Scouting in My Future | Ms. Fix-It | Sew Simple | |
| Cookie Biz | Girl Scouting in the USA | Music Fan | Sky Search |
What about the Junior badges that were retired or had their designs changed before 2011, you ask? What were these badges, and what did they look like? We have you covered.
Discontinued
Discontinued 1986
1990-1993 only
Design Changed
The top image is the old design, while the bottom is the new design.
| Healthy living | Girl Scouting Around the World | Local Lore | Aerospace | Food Fibers Farming |
 |  |  |  |  |
 -1990 |  -1990 |  -1990 |  -1990 |  -1990 |
| Math Whiz | Jeweler | Visual Arts | Outdoor Cook | Outdoor Fun |
 |  -seen in 1990 magazine but never produced with a tan backing |  |  |  |
 -1990 |  |  -1990 |  -1990 |  -1990 |
| Troop Camper | Communication Arts/Communication | Oil Up | Global Awareness | |
 |   |  |  | |
 -1990 |  -1990, this design was initially listed as Communication Arts, but by the time it retired it was called Communication(the name of another badge with a different design) |  -2004 |  -Not offered in the GS catalogs, but has been seen |
Starting in 2021, GSUSA revamped its badge program again. Badges were discontinued and replaced with new badges, as they worked on updating their Cookie Business, Financial Literacy, Arts, and Body Appreciation-themed badges.
In 2021, the Customer Insights and Cookie CEO badges were discontinued, and replaced by the Cookie Collaborator and My Cookie Team badges.
In 2022, the Savvy Shopper and Business Owner badges were discontinued, and replaced by the Budget Maker and My Money Plan badges.
In 2023, the Drawing, Jeweler, and Product Designer badges were discontinued, and replaced by the Art and Design, Craft and Tinker, and Create and Innovate badges.
In 2025, the Staying Fit badge was discontinued and replaced by the Uniquely Us badge.
For a while, girls were able to make their own badges and share them with other girls. Girls would develop the badge requirements, and then upload the design to a GS website to have the badge created. It was a way for troops to create “Our Own Troop’s Badges” and for Councils to create “Council’s Own Badges”. It helped bridge the gap that girls and leaders saw in program material. Like all good things, this program has since been discontinued, as GSUSUA has moved to streamline badges.