What can you make with five recycled pallets and a bunch of screws?

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Laurie kemps Brownie troop set out to answer that question by building a Little Free Beach Toy Library! Inspired by the popular little free book libraries, this community sharing box gives a second life to gently used beach toys and ensures that every child visiting the shore has a shovel and bucket ready for the perfect sandcastle.

Here is how her girls took this service project from a pile of pallets to a beachside success.

Step 1: Gathering Materials & Preparation

The project kicked off with a lesson in recycling and community outreach.

The Toys: To fill the library, the girls helped source a mountain of gently used beach toys, buckets, shovels, and molds, many of which were generously donated by neighbors through Facebook Marketplace.

The Pallets: They managed to get five wooden pallets donated by a local business.

Step 2: Fabrication

With lots of enthusiastic parental help and a bunch of energetic Brownies, the troop assembled the main structure of the library.

To make sure the Brownies were hands-on for the most creative part, they fully assembled the structure to ensure it was sturdy, and then completely disassembled it. This allowed the girls to easily and safely paint every board with weather resistant paint without awkward angles getting in the way!

Troop Tip: Before lifting a hammer, we made sure to obtain official permission from the local beach authorities. They were incredibly excited about the idea and welcomed us with open arms!

Step 3: Installation at Fairport Harbor Beach

Once the paint was dry, we packed up the pieces and headed up to Fairport Harbor Beach on Lake Erie.

On-site, they reassembled the library, anchored it safely, and added permanent custom signs that identified the purpose of the library and proudly acknowledged our troop’s hard work. The troop then stocked the shelves to the brim with the collected toys.

Step 4: Celebration and Instant Impact

After the hard work was done, they wrapped up the day with an annual End-of-Year Party right there on the shore.

The absolute best part of the project? Before our celebratory hotdogs were even finished cooking, Laurie and her girls got to watch local families and kids walk up, smile, and start grabbing toys to play in the sand. Seeing the immediate impact of their hard work was the perfect reward for the girls!

Taking the Project to the Community

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While working on this project, the troop noticed a need for Little Libraries in their local community and they set out to fill that need.

Thanks to this hardworking troop, Honey Bee Boba Tea Shop and the Salvation Army in Eastern Missouri now have their own Little Libraries.

Great job girls!

3 Methods for Making Your Own Free Libraries

Depending on your woodworking comfort level and how much time you want to spend, here are three excellent, highly detailed plans you can use:

1. The Standard “Cedar Roof Basic” Library

If you want the classic, iconic look of a miniature wooden house with a pitched roof, this blueprint is the standard go-to. You can download the official, community-tested layout via the Little Free Library Standard Plans (PDF).

2. The “Lazy Little Library” (Pocket-Hole Method)

You need a pocket-hole jig (like a Kreg tool) but this method creates incredibly strong, hidden joints that keep the exterior looking completely clean and seamless.

Step-by-step assembly diagrams can be found on the Kreg Tool Lazy Little Library Plans.

3. The “Cabinet Hack” (Easiest & Most Sustainable)

If you want to skip building a complex box from scratch, you can upcycle old furniture. And use resources wisely!

Look on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for a small, solid-wood kitchen upper cabinet or a wall-mounted curio cabinet that already features glass doors.

Follow the guide on Live Free Creative Co
to see how to add a pitched roof framing directly onto the top of a cabinet. You just screw a simple triangular frame to the top, overlay it with leftover plywood, and cap it with shingles.

Official Registration: If you want your library to show up on the global map so neighbors can find it, you can grab an official charter sign through the Little Free Library Organization.

Find a Little Free Library by You

Want to find Little Free Libraries near you? Get the Little Free Library mobile app! Get it in the App Store for iOS devices or the Google Play Store for Android devices.

The Little Free Library app makes it easy to find little library locations near you. You can get directions, save your favorites, track the libraries you visit, and even earn badges! If you’re a Little Free Library steward, there’s a section of the app just for you where you can edit your library’s details.

How It All Started

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Before even breaking ground, the troop did their homework. They surveyed 230 local students and uncovered some deeply moving statistics:

• 82% of students had been significantly affected by the loss of a pet.
• 67% stated that having a dedicated space to mourn would genuinely help them heal.

When they pitched the idea to the Reno City Council, Mayor Hillary Schieve was floored, telling the girls, “You knocked my socks off.”

Met with an Act of Cruelty

The girls spent months working on the project. But just two weeks after completing the vibrant paint job—and right before they could add the final finishing touches—the project was targeted by vandals. Someone poured white paint completely over the rainbow-colored tribute.

But instead of letting a cruel act ruin their hard work, Troop 508 proved exactly how resilient they are.

Rolling Up Their Sleeves

Undeterred by the destruction, the troop didn’t skip a beat. Backed by the Reno Parks Department, the girls rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their brushes, and repainted every single stripe.

“The city described the finished bridge as ‘a beautiful and peaceful place to mourn the loss of our beloved four-legged family members who have crossed the rainbow bridge into the great beyond’—and called the girls’ response ‘inspiring.'”

Thanks to their determination, the official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on December 7 right on schedule. The Reno Police Department filed a report and is currently investigating the incident.

Ultimately, the act of malice failed. The bridge stands proud, the ribbon has been cut, and a determined group of young girls showed their entire community that unity and compassion will always outlast hate.

For books that celebrate the special role that animal companions play in our lives, visit A Mighty Girl “Her Best Friend: 60 Books About Mighty Girls and Their Pets” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11577

0:00 – 0:10 | Arrival & Opening Circle

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As the girls arrived, I had them practice a “Responsibility Task”—everyone was assigned a specific spot to put their coat and bag neatly to keep our space clear.

• The Girl Scout Promise: We stood in our Daisy Circle and said the promise with our hands over our hearts.
• The Law: We focused on the orange line: “I will do my best to be… responsible for what I say and do.”
• Check-in: I asked each girl to share one “big kid” job they do at home, like putting their own shoes away or helping feed a pet.

0:10 – 0:25 | Story Time: Mari’s Big Lesson

I read the story of Mari the Marigold, who learns that being responsible means doing what you say you’re going to do.

• Interactive Element: I told the girls that every time Mari made a good choice, they should clap twice. Every time she had to fix a mistake, they had to “dust off” their shoulders.
• Discussion: We talked about how “what we say” can be like a superpower—we can use our words to be kind or to be responsible leaders.

0:25 – 0:45 | Practice: The “Petal Promise” Seeds

• To show them what it looks like to be responsible over time, we started a mini-gardening project.
• The Activity: Each girl decorated a small cup and planted a seed.
• The Lesson: I explained that this seed is now their responsibility. If they don’t “do” what they are supposed to (water it and give it sun), it won’t grow.
• Reflecting on Words: While we planted, we practiced “Responsible Phrases,” like “I’m sorry,” “I can help with that,” and “I will finish my work.”

0:45 – 0:55 | Responsibility Game: “The Choice Train”

We played a game where I called out different scenarios (e.g., “You accidentally knocked over a friend’s block tower”).

• The girls had to move to the “Responsible Side” of the room if the choice was to tell the truth and help fix it, or the “Think Again” side if the choice was to hide or blame someone else.
• The Lesson: We practiced how to say “I did that, let me help fix it.” It was so cool to see them realize that fixing a mistake is actually a very “strong” thing to do!

0:55 – 1:00 | Clean-up & Closing Circle

Clean-up: This was the ultimate test! I didn’t give directions—I just asked, “Who can show me they are responsible for their own mess?” They cleared the table in record time!
Friendship Circle: We formed our circle and joined hands.
Friendship Squeeze: I started the squeeze, and when it finished, we all said, “I am responsible for me!” before heading to our parents.

Leader Note: If your troop wants to take their “caring and responsible” skills to the next level, you might want to look into some DIY to Donate projects for your next service opportunity!

0:00 – 0:10 | Arrival & Opening Circle

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As the girls arrived, I had them sit in pairs with someone they don’t usually sit with. I gave them “Getting to Know You” prompts, like “What is your favorite dessert?”

• The Girl Scout Promise: We stood in our Daisy Circle and recited the promise, focusing on how we say it just like millions of other girls do.
• The Law: We recited the final petal line: “I will do my best to be… a sister to every Girl Scout.”
• Check-in: I asked the girls if they’ve ever seen someone else wearing a Girl Scout vest or uniform at the grocery store or park.

0:10 – 0:25 | Story Time: Vi’s Global Friends

• I read the story of Vi the Violet, focusing on how she welcomes a new flower to the garden who looks a little different than her.
• Interactive Element: I showed the girls a map of the world and pointed out where different “Girl Guides” live (like in England or Japan). Every time I named a new country, the girls had to wave and say “Hello!” in their friendliest voice.
• Discussion: We talked about how even if a “sister” Scout speaks a different language or lives far away, we both promised to follow the same Girl Scout Law.

0:25 – 0:45 | Practice: The Art of Swapping

To practice being a “sister,” we learned about the tradition of SWAPS (Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere).

• The Activity: We made simple friendship pins using beads and safety pins.
• The Lesson: I explained that Girl Scouts trade these to remember the new sisters they meet. We practiced the “proper” way to swap: looking our sister Scout in the eye, smiling, and saying, “Would you like to swap with me?”
• Sisterhood in Action: We discussed how DIY to Donate projects are a way to be a sister to girls in our community who might be going through a hard time.

0:45 – 0:55 | Sisterhood Game: “The Inclusion Web”

We stood in a circle and played a game where no one could be “out.”

• The Rules: We tried to keep a balloon in the air using only our hands. If it touched the floor, we didn’t start over—we just helped the person closest to it toss it back up.
• The Lesson: In our troop, we make sure everyone is included. If a sister is struggling, we reach out and help her stay in the game!

0:55 – 1:00 | Clean-up & Closing Circle

• Clean-up: We did a “Buddy Clean-up.” Every girl had to find a partner and help them tidy their area before they could tidy their own.
• Friendship Circle: We formed our circle, crossed our arms, and joined hands.
• Friendship Squeeze: I started the squeeze, and when it made its way back to me, we all said together, “Sisterhood forever!”

Leader Note: If you want to see what our “sisters” in other countries are doing, check out the Thinking Day resources for some amazing international inspiration!

Do you have any older troops in your area that could come visit as “big sisters” for this meeting? The Daisies always look up to them so much!

Our Facebook leaders gave their advice

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Cara shared:
The Brownie badges easily tie into the petals, in fact the downloaded packets for Brownie badge and Daisy petals on MakingFriends®.com lists the Daisy Petal earned with each badge. Troop meetings can be easily combined with the Brownie badge and Daisy petal downloads!

Rebecca replied:
I have had mixed troop for years, it is more work but worth it. There are a couple of ways to organize your year. First, get a leader to run activities for each set of girls and then do opening, closing and snack together. Second, look at badges and augment things a bit for each meeting to meet requirements for each age group so that everyone is doing things together but earning age appropriate badge. Third, everyone does stuff together but you alternate which group is working on a badge and others are just along for the fun.

Melissa suggested:
I usually had the Daisies follow along with the appropriate portions of the Brownies’ work and they earned the petals that way. We weren’t blessed with a second leader that stuck to helping but it worked out okay.

Laurel also has a multi level troop: Our troop of 17 is split as well and our amazing troop leader created a curriculum for the whole year. We always start and end together. Every other meeting (or so) we earn a fun patch. Alternating meetings, we work on journeys separately. With 17 girls you have to have 3 troop leaders, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Stay organized. It’s a lot, but so is any troop with 17!

Jackie’s advice:
It’s actually quite easy to combine the meetings. The petals are pretty vague and can tie easily into a Brownie badge theme. Had to do this for a few years. Once they redid the program it made having split levels much easier.

Libby explained what her troop did:
We had more than one leader. Each leader met with a level. Multilevel is nice when needing to meet bridging requirements. We combined when we could.

Rita replied:
Yes, managing a multilevel Daisy Brownie troop can be done. We did openings together and endings together and split the groups into 2 and worked on badges for their level in the middle. I would do one group and the other co-leader did the other group. This worked very well until the girls got to be Brownies and Juniors.

Nancy’s approach:
Our Daisy’s didn’t have much to do the second year anyway. We just had them earn the brownie badges