Girl Scouts - Brownies

Girl Scout Brownies Programs at the Challenger Learning Center of Maine

The Challenger Learning Center of Maine is excited to partner with local Girl Scout troops to bring STEM learning to life through engaging, hands-on badge experiences. Our programs are designed to help girls explore science, technology, engineering, and space while working toward badge requirements in a fun, supportive, and interactive environment.

From inventing solutions to real-world problems and designing robots to conducting science experiments and exploring the wonders of space, girls are encouraged to think creatively, ask questions, and discover what they're capable of. Each program combines age appropriate STEM activities with the excitement of exploration, helping girls build confidence while learning new skills.

Plan Your Adventure

We work with troop leaders to create experiences that fit your group's goals, schedule, and badge interests. Whether you're planning a single badge workshop or looking for a larger STEM outing, our team is ready to help make your visit both educational and memorable.

Ready to bring your scouts to Challenger? Contact us today to start planning your program!

Inventor

Badge

Think Like an Inventor

Every invention starts with a problem waiting to be solved. The Inventor Badge encourages Brownies to use creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking to design solutions that can help people, animals, or the planet.

At the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, girls experience the invention process firsthand as they identify challenges, brainstorm ideas, build prototypes, test solutions, and share their creations. Through hands on STEM activities, Brownies learn that innovation isn't just about having a great idea, it's about turning that idea into something that makes a difference.

How We Help

During the Inventor Badge program, participants may:

  • Discover how inventors solve problems

  • Learn about famous inventors and innovations

  • Practice creative thinking and brainstorming

  • Identify real-world needs and challenges

  • Design and build prototypes

  • Test and improve their inventions

  • Explore how products are developed and shared with others

Activity Options We Can Facilitate

Brownies will work through an age-appropriate version of the engineering design process by:

  • Exploring everyday inventions

  • Identifying problems that need solutions

  • Brainstorming multiple ideas

  • Building a prototype

  • Testing and improving their design

  • Sharing their invention with others

Along the way, girls develop problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills that extend far beyond the badge itself.

Share Your Creation

Every inventor has a story to tell. Brownies will have opportunities to present their ideas, explain how their invention works, and discuss how it helps solve a problem in the world around them.

Ready to Start Inventing?

Contact the Challenger Learning Center of Maine to learn more about Inventor Badge programs and inspire your girls to become the next generation of innovators.

Robotics

Badges

Design, Build, and Program Like an Engineer

Robots help us explore space, assist in medicine, perform dangerous jobs, and solve problems every day. Through the Brownie Robotics badges, girls discover how robots work while developing creativity, teamwork, and engineering skills.

The Challenger Learning Center of Maine provides an exciting hands-on environment where Brownies can explore robotics through building challenges, coding activities, and real-world engineering concepts.

How We Help

Participants may explore:

  • What makes a robot a robot

  • How robots help people and animals

  • Robot safety and responsible operation

  • Robot parts, sensors, and movement

  • The basics of programming and coding

  • Testing and improving robotic designs

  • Robotics careers and future technologies

Activity Options We Can Facilitate

Design a Robot:

Girls learn how engineers use observation and creativity to solve problems. Through design challenges, Brownies may:

  • Explore biomimicry and nature-inspired designs

  • Sketch robot ideas

  • Build robot prototypes

  • Test how their creations perform

Program a Robot

Robots only work when given clear instructions. Brownies will discover how coding works through age-appropriate programming activities that introduce sequencing, logic, and problem-solving.

Showcase Your Robot

At the end of the experience, girls share their creations and explain how their robots solve a problem or help others. This celebration of innovation encourages confidence, communication, and creativity.

Ready to Meet the Robots?

Contact the Challenger Learning Center of Maine to learn how your troop can explore robotics through hands-on STEM experiences designed specifically for Brownie Girl Scouts.

Home Scientist

Badge

Discover the Science All Around You

Science isn't limited to laboratories, it can be found in kitchens, living rooms, backyards, and even inside a simple glass of water. The Home Scientist Badge encourages Brownies to investigate everyday science through exciting experiments and hands-on discovery.

At the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, girls become scientists as they explore chemistry, physics, and engineering concepts through safe, engaging activities designed to spark curiosity and build confidence.

What Brownies Will Explore

Participants may investigate:

  • Chemical reactions

  • Static electricity

  • Density and buoyancy

  • States of matter

  • Everyday materials and their properties

  • Scientific observation and experimentation

Experiment Like a Scientist

Through guided activities, Brownies may:

  • Create ice cream while learning about freezing points

  • Explore static electricity and electrical charges

  • Build density towers and test floating objects

  • Observe chemical reactions that create bubbles and gases

  • Design and test fun science creations

Every activity encourages girls to ask questions, make observations, and think like scientists.

Learning Through Discovery

The Home Scientist Badge helps girls understand that science is not just something found in textbooks, it's happening all around them. By investigating familiar materials and everyday phenomena, Brownies develop critical thinking skills and a deeper appreciation for the world around them.

Ready to Get Curious?

Contact the Challenger Learning Center of Maine to learn how your troop can explore the Home Scientist Badge through fun, hands-on STEM activities.

Space Science

Badge

Explore the Wonders of Space

Have you ever wondered why the Moon changes shape, how astronauts navigate through space, or what lies beyond our Solar System? The Space Science Adventurer Badge invites Brownies to become explorers of the universe as they discover the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, and satellites that make up our cosmic neighborhood.

At the Challenger Learning Center of Maine, girls can experience space science through hands-on activities, creative projects, and interactive STEM experiences designed to spark curiosity and inspire future explorers.

What Brownies Will Learn

During the Space Science Adventurer program, participants may explore:

  • The planets of our Solar System

  • The Moon and its phases

  • Constellations and star patterns

  • Telescopes and observing tools

  • Satellites and how they help us every day

  • NASA missions and current space discoveries

  • Stories and cultures connected to the night sky

Meet Our Solar System Neighbors

Brownies will discover the planets that orbit our Sun and learn what makes each one unique. Through activities and demonstrations, girls may:

  • Create a model of the Solar System

  • Compare the sizes of planets

  • Learn how far apart the planets really are

  • Explore how scientists study distant worlds

Become a Space Observer

Astronomers use tools to help them see farther into space, and Brownies will learn how these tools work through hands-on exploration.

Activities may include:

  • Building a simple viewing tool

  • Learning how telescopes help us study space

  • Exploring images captured by powerful observatories

  • Investigating how scientists collect information about distant objects

Discover the Moon

The Moon has fascinated people throughout history. Brownies will learn about:

  • The phases of the Moon

  • Why the Moon appears different throughout the month

  • Lunar surface features such as craters and maria

  • How astronauts have explored the Moon

Girls may also create Moon observations, artwork, or Moon journals as they track changes over time.

Be a Stargazer

The night sky is filled with stories waiting to be discovered. Brownies will learn how to:

  • Recognize constellations

  • Observe patterns in the night sky

  • Explore stories connected to the stars

  • Record and share their observations

When possible, outdoor observing activities can help girls connect classroom learning to the real sky above them.

Satellites, Space Exploration, and NASA

As Maine's premier space-themed STEM education center, the Challenger Learning Center offers Brownies a unique opportunity to learn how space science connects to the technology they use every day.

Girls may discover:

  • How satellites help us communicate and navigate

  • How weather satellites observe Earth

  • How scientists explore space using spacecraft and robotic missions

  • What it takes to work in the space industry

Celebrate and Share

Every great explorer shares what they discover. Brownies will have opportunities to present what they've learned through creative projects, discussions, artwork, or group activities that celebrate their journey through space science.

An Adventure That's Out of This World

The Space Science Adventurer Badge combines creativity, exploration, and hands on STEM learning to help girls better understand our place in the universe. Whether they're building a model Solar System, investigating the Moon, or learning about satellites, Brownies will leave with a greater appreciation for the wonders of space and the exciting possibilities that science can unlock.

Ready to Explore the Cosmos?

Contact the Challenger Learning Center of Maine to learn more about Space Science Adventurer Badge opportunities and give your troop an unforgettable journey through the universe.