What's World Thinking Day?

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts have been marking this special day since 1926.

World Thinking Day is a celebration of 10 million girls worldwide that has taken place on every 22 February since 1926. It remains a day for all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to think of each other and celebrate their sisters all around the world. 

How did World Thinking Day begin?

In 1926, delegates from Guide and Girl Scout organisations across the world met in the USA for the 4th world conference. They decided to create a day for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts to think about others around the world and celebrate being part of an international movement.  

The 22 February was chosen as the date because it was the joint birthday of Robert and his wife Olave Baden-Powell, who were both instrumental in establishing Girlguiding and shaping its formative years. Olave was the first ever chief guide. And so, 'thinking day' was born. 

At the 7th world conference in 1932, a Belgian delegate highlighted that birthdays typically involved gifts, and perhaps girls could show their thanks on Thinking Day by raising funds for the organisation. In response, Olave Baden-Powell wrote a letter to all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts asking them to donate just a penny – enough to buy a loaf of bread in those days – to help fund guiding around the world. This is now known as the World Thinking Day Fund. 

The name of the day was changed to 'World Thinking Day' at the 30th world conference in Dublin in 1999. Delegates wanted a new name to reflect the truly global nature of the celebration.

How do we celebrate today?

World Thinking Day remains one of the most important dates in the guiding calendar, and every year there’s a different theme to encourage members to think about the big issues affecting us and our global community. The theme for 2026 is Our Friendship. Previous World Thinking Days have tackled the subjects of poverty, gender inequality, environmental sustainability and access to education. 

You might also go along to a World Thinking Day event in your local area, or country or region. And remember to pick up your World Thinking Day 2026 badge - available to buy on our online shop now. 

UMA activities for 2026

If you’re a volunteer looking to engage girls in your unit about World Thinking Day and what it means to them, why not try out some of the activities?

Try our UMA activities for World Thinking Day 2026:

• Rainbows- penny for your thoughts: explore World Thinking Day by decorating a giant penny with kind thoughts, inspired by Olave Baden-Powell’s tradition of donating a penny to the Thinking Day fund.
• Brownies - world centre wonders: discover World Thinking Day through fun games from each world centre, exploring global similarities and differences in how girls around the world play.
• Guides - Trefoil challenges: find out about World Thinking Day and explore the meaning of the Trefoil on the World Badge by building a giant version from memory and reflecting on what it represents.
• Rangers - made to share: celebrate World Thinking Day by designing a personalised World Thinking Day themed activity gift for another guiding group, connecting through creativity and kindness.

You can download WAGGGS’ activity pack (PDF, 2.6MB) to do with your unit too.