New Girlguiding badges to spark summer of reading amid national decline

To celebrate World Book Day (6 March), Girlguiding, the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls has revealed a first look at three brand new badges to inspire girls’ love of reading.

The reading badges are just a handful of newly co-designed and tested badges set to be launched in the summer after Girlguiding’s programme review, with girls and volunteers leading a resounding call for more book related badges.

The new badges come at a time when the number of children said to enjoy reading in their free time continues to decline across the UK. According to The National Literacy Trust, just 1 in 3 (34.6%) children and young people said they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2024, a sharp decline from previous years where reading levels have stayed relatively stable at around 50% since 2005¹.

Book Reviewer for Brownies (girls aged 7-10); Bookworm for Guides (aged 10-14); and Booktivist for Rangers (aged 14-17) will join the current Book Lover badge for Rainbows (aged 4-7) under the ‘Be Well’ and ‘Know Myself’ themes of the Girlguiding programme enabling girls to grow their love for reading through each of the sections.

Created in collaboration with expert partner, The Children’s Book Project, the Bookworm badge activities will encourage Guides to make their perfect book nook to relax and unwind. To complete the badge girls will book-travel across different genres and create unique reading goals.

The Book Reviewer for Brownies will teach girls to become expert critics, encouraging them to compare and review different books in an exciting way. With arts and crafts being the most popular type of activity for Brownies, girls completing this badge will also be encouraged to get creative and design new book cover art.

Rangers will take their reading habits to the next level with the Booktivist badge, by exploring what empowers them through books. They’ll read things they want to learn more about like feminism, stories by Black British authors or the environment as part of the ‘Know Myself’ theme. According to the National Literacy Trust, learning more about the issues and causes they care about was one of the top motivations for reading among children in 2024, with a quarter (24.1%) citing that as a reason they read².

Katie, 10, from 85^th Hull Guide unit said: “Doing badges is fun because people get to discover hidden talents that they didn’t know they had. I love reading and I’d like to get the ‘Bookworm’ badge.”

Author and former Guide Philippa Leathley surprised a group of Guides with a visit ahead of World Book Day, where they got a sneak peek of the badge. She said: “I loved being a Guide, so it was a huge honour to return as an author and hopefully inspire a new generation about the benefits of reading. The new book badges are a fantastic opportunity to nurture a love of reading for pleasure in young people!”

Gemma Benton, Head of Girl Experience at Girlguiding said: “Girlguiding interest badges are one of our most well-known programme elements, and we are very excited to be doubling our interest badges by adding 72 more. Working with the Children’s Book Project has been a delight and they have provided us with expertise and assurance that our incoming Bookworm badge, alongside the other book-related badges will broaden girls horizons, expand their imaginations and remind them about the joy of reading, as a means to relax and unwind, and have fun.”

Liberty Venn, CEO of the Children's Book Project said: "We are thrilled to be the expert partner for the wonderful new ‘Bookworm’ badge, which encourages girls to explore the joy of reading in exciting and meaningful ways. From discovering new genres and sharing recommendations to creating their own book nook, drawing their own illustrations and a reading competition, this badge helps develop a lifelong love of reading. We know that engaging with a variety of books builds young people's identity as a reader, and we’re proud to support Girlguiding in inspiring the next generation of passionate readers."

Girlguiding's programme provides young girls and women with the opportunity to learn invaluable skills in the welcoming fun and supportive environment Girlguiding provides. All girls in Girlguiding are encouraged, and empowered to know they can do anything and become future leaders and change-makers in their communities

For more information about how to get involved with Girlguiding, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk.