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Original poster

Is 7 too young for a Brownies residential trip?

57 replies

Greenwriter76 · 22/04/2026 14:40

My DD turned 7 in March and moved up from Rainbows to Brownies. 2 sessions so far and she’s enjoying it. Had an email from Brownies today saying there will be a residential trip 2 days / 3 nights at an activity centre roughly an hour away.
DD has only ever stayed at grandparents overnight without me / us. I feel like she’s too young to stay away alone.
Thoughts?

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BuckwheatBlini · 22/04/2026 14:42

Only you know your daughter. It’s not compulsory. Will she enjoy it? My 7 year old will go away with school for 2 nights this term so not that unusual for the age IMO.

dozer222 · 22/04/2026 14:43

I wouldn’t. I’d just decline.

Mischance · 22/04/2026 14:44

What does she want to do? It sounds OK to me and if she is keen to go I wpuld let her.

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teaandtoastwithmarmite · 22/04/2026 14:45

Hi! I’m a brownie leader and only you know your DD but I would like to think she would not be too young. We have a sleepover every year and the older girls will help the younger girls settle. We have lovely activities and would even do some reading or colour with the little ones if they’re struggling. We’ve had a few in the past with a few tears and missing their mum or dad but usually go back to sleep and will be really happy the next morning that they stayed. We will always call the mum if it’s too
Much after all of that. I’ve never had a girl go home from it.

TeenToTwenties · 22/04/2026 14:45

Ask her? She won't be alone, she'll be with her pack.

OttersOnAPlane · 22/04/2026 14:45

To young for some, plenty old enough for others.

Mine loved sleepovers and camps from 6 or 7 and went on every single one. Some of their friends never went.

MiddleAgedDread · 22/04/2026 14:46

IMO no, this is exactly the sort of thing Brownies is for!

FallenNight · 22/04/2026 14:46

Mine did overnight brownies trips at that age. But not more than one night as they were not offered. After the first one night one we would have allowed longer.

DemonsandMosquitoes · 22/04/2026 16:00

Mine went away with cubs at that age. They were fine.

Original poster
Greenwriter76 · 22/04/2026 16:02

Thanks for all your replies - & good to hear from a Brownies leader too 😊
I’ve just rechecked & the trip isn’t until September.
But I’ve asked DD and she is currently saying she doesn’t want to go - which I’m quite surprised at. She may just be tired or something, but has until next week to change her mind lol… your replies & the fact she’ll be a few months older by Sept have made me feel a bit better about it if she does!

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OneTimeThingToday · 22/04/2026 16:06

When is the latest you have to decide? At the moment Brownies is very new, she wont kniw the other girls tbat well, it might all seem overwhelming. But in a few weeks, she might be excited by the idea.

But she might not. Some of my Cubs (8-10) dont do camps as they dont want to. Or they dont the first year... but are excited by the second year. They enjoy it more when they want to be there.

ShouldIJustKeepQuiet · 22/04/2026 16:17

My DD went on a one night sleepover with rainbows so she must have been 5 or 6. I know my DS went to Disneyland Paris age 8 with cubs. I would just ask your child and not make a big deal about it either way. So many parents pass their own anxieties about these things onto their children.

Bitzee · 22/04/2026 16:40

DD had a 2 night and 1 night trip with Brownies when she was 7. Her school also have a Y3 residential which every single child attended. So I don’t think too young at all. Of course though it’s not mandatory so fine to skip it if not keen. Just ask her if she wants to sign up and go from there.

GrueyTwoey · 22/04/2026 16:45

Hell no, their safeguarding is non existent.

Clefable · 22/04/2026 16:52

We’ve had 7yos on our Brownie PGL weekends etc and they’ve always done really well. It’s a really good first adventure without parents.

Original poster
Greenwriter76 · 22/04/2026 16:58

ShouldIJustKeepQuiet · 22/04/2026 16:17

My DD went on a one night sleepover with rainbows so she must have been 5 or 6. I know my DS went to Disneyland Paris age 8 with cubs. I would just ask your child and not make a big deal about it either way. So many parents pass their own anxieties about these things onto their children.

Ah yes - no I’m not a particularly anxious parent so wouldn’t make a big deal. And DD is generally confident and not phased by things. Whether she wants to go or not is her choice - it’s just the first opportunity of this kind for us so a new thing for me 🙂

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Original poster
Greenwriter76 · 22/04/2026 16:59

OneTimeThingToday · 22/04/2026 16:06

When is the latest you have to decide? At the moment Brownies is very new, she wont kniw the other girls tbat well, it might all seem overwhelming. But in a few weeks, she might be excited by the idea.

But she might not. Some of my Cubs (8-10) dont do camps as they dont want to. Or they dont the first year... but are excited by the second year. They enjoy it more when they want to be there.

May 4th…
Very true, thankyou.

OP posts:
AnxiousSquid · 22/04/2026 16:59

She’s not inherently too young to stay away from
home, but it depends on her individual personality whether she’d want to. I know kids who just don’t ever like sleepovers, even when they’re much older.

Our squirrels group lets them do one night sleepovers/camps from age 5, so a step up to a short residential at 7 doesn’t sound inappropriate.

harrietm87 · 22/04/2026 17:00

I didn’t let my year 2 child (young in year so he was 6 but many were 7) go on either the beavers residential or the school
sleepover - I felt he was too young even though he was keen for it - and just that it wasn’t necessary. He will however be going on the school residential for 2 nights this summer at just turned 8, because I think he is ready for it.

It’s a fine line and very child dependent but ultimately there is no need for them to be away from parents/family at primary age - they will have plenty of opportunities to practice independence at secondary.

flightless55 · 22/04/2026 17:01

My 7 year old is going on a 2night trip in September with brownies - definitely depends on the kid / family but my DD is very excited (2 of her class mates aren’t going due to parents being tad anxious)

BertieBotts · 22/04/2026 17:04

Speak to the Brown Owl (are they still called that?) and see if she has any helpful advice? It's difficult with the deadline being so close but the actual trip being further away and her being new to the pack as by September the rest of them might be hyping it up and she might be disappointed if she can't go.

It might be that if you're unsure, it's OK to sign up and cancel later (though you might lose some money) or it might be she can not sign up for now but go onto a reserve list in case someone cancels later on.

I remember going to these things as a child, I was a very easily homesick child and did get upset but overall I enjoyed myself and was glad that I went.

hahabahbag · 22/04/2026 17:07

My DD’s went to choir camp when dd2 was just 7 and dd1 was 9, dd2 was fine, dd1 is who I worry about though i did have them share. Only you know your child, everyone is different

shelbybears · 22/04/2026 17:14

My eldest daughter wld have been ok with this at 7. I wouldn’t be ok with it though, it’s far too young in my opinion, especially as it’s not just one night but 3. My youngest is 6 and there’s no way she wld cope even in a year’s time, probably not even in 2 or 3 lol.

Shes said she doesn’t want to, she’s only been a couple of sessions. Just say maybe next time and see if she makes friends and settles in over the next few months. I assume you pay for it Andy don’t want to be out of pocket if she doesn’t want to go.

MissisBee · 22/04/2026 17:19

I'm a Guide leader and was a Brownie leader a long time ago (long enough that one of my former brownies, that I took on residential age 7, is now a leader with us and we were at Guide camp at the weekend!) We've had 7 year olds raring to go, we've had 12 year olds who wouldn't. It can be harder decision when they've only just joined and are settling in. Leaders are experts at managing nerves and homesickness and we always put first timers with older sensible girls who help look after them.

problembottom · 22/04/2026 17:19

I also have a 7 year old DD and a Brownies sleepover upcoming in Sept. DD doesn't want to go but she says that to all new things and then has a whale of a time so I'm going to sign her up. My friend meanwhile thinks it's too young for safety reasons and isn't letting her DD go even though she's super keen. I don't think either of us are wrong.