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Bill's Unofficial Cub Scout Roundtable
A compendium of Ideas For Cubmasters, Den Leaders and those who help them.
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U. S. Scouting Service Project
ENJOY THE SEASONSCub Scouting in the outdoors happens all year long, as you can see from these examples: Winter is a fine time for bird-watching. Follow and identify bird tracks, look for nests, set out bird feeders. It's a time to identify trees without their leaves. And in some parts of the country it's a time to play in the snow; to build snow people, forts, and igloos; to go ice-skating, sledding, and sleigh riding; and to help others by shoveling sidewalks. The above paragraph was taken from the Cub Scout Leader Book. More Enjoy the Seasons ideas can be found in the Cub Scout Leader Book for sale at your Council office. |
San Francisco Bay Area Council
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Tiger Cubs, Wolf and Bear Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts have the opportunity to earn the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award. Boys may earn the award in each of the program years as long as the requirements are completed each year. The first time the award is earned, the boy will receive the pocket flap award, which is to be worn on the right pocket flap of the uniform shirt. Each successive time the award is earned, a wolf track pin may be added to the flap. Leaders should encourage boys to build on skills and experiences from previous years when working on the award for a successive year. |
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Requirements:
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Outdoor Activities:With your den, pack, or family:
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When a boy and his family join Cub Scouting, they are joining an organization that values the fun and excitement of experiencing the outdoors. Each Cub Scout pack is encouraged to provide its youth members with enriching, positive outdoor experiences. An event may be a youth member's first organized outdoor activity. Good planning using Cub Scouting guidelines should ensure a positive experience.
Last Frontier Council
The best Cub Packs I have seen over the years have been those that regularly schedule outdoors activities. These are packs that attract and keep kids as members, packs that always seem to have lots of leaders. A common characteristic of these good packs is that they are always doing things. They have activities beyond the usual pack and den meetings. A month rarely goes by when they are not out on a tour, a service project, a hike or a campout.
What do they do? Here is a sampling of activities I found on the web site schedules of just a handful of packs across the country:
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Memorial Day flag Decorating
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Winter Fun Day
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Cub Scouting in the outdoors happens all year long, as you can see from these examples:
Going outdoors is one of the most exciting parts of Scouting. Cub Scouts enjoy many outdoor experiences as they participate in the variety of activities that can be held outside, such as field trips, hikes, nature and conservation experiences service projects, and camping experiences.
The outdoors is an ideal environment for boys to be able to develop positive qualities such as resourcefulness, ingenuity, self-reliance, team spirit, and an awareness of and appreciation for the natural world around us.
The study of nature in its natural surroundings is an ideal way to encourage boys to appreciate beauty and enhance their capacity to enjoy simple pleasures and respect all living things.
In addition, apply these Cub Scouting program-specific criteria:
Pack 720 of Lambertville, MI tells us:
Pack outings usually occur once per month at other area locations and are fun events designed to be enjoyable for the whole family. Previous events include: hayrides, bowling, ice skating, sledding, hikes, Putt Putt Golf, Petting Zoo, and family camping. See Pack Outings for the latest calendar.
A Cub Scout should wear his uniform to Den Meetings, Pack Nights, and all Scout outings.
The Annual Pack Planning Meeting
When your leaders gather to plan your 2005-06 pack year, remember to sprinkle in lots of fun filled outings. These outings do not happen by accident. They will only occur when you put them on your calendar, recruit the leadership, make all the arrangements (like tour permits, etc.) and promote them. Remember, they will strengthen your pack.
Baloo's Bugle
Two important points. Make it something that can compete with the other stuff going on (i.e. fun) and make it something that can involve parents.
Roy Fisher, Scouts-L
Our Pack Meeting is a 5 event "Olympics" scheduled for tonight:
The boys will compete by rank. First 4 events will run simultaneously Tigers at one event, Wolves at another, Bears at the third and Webelos (4th and 5th grades together) at the 4th.
Each event should take 15 to 20 minutes to run. Then We rotate the ranks between the events. Final event is the 440/600 with all boys on hand to watch the others race. Each boy is given a place in each event 1 through 15 for the bears. The last event is the "Pentathlon" which is the total place rank for the 5 events. Low score wins.
We have "I'm a winner" Ribbons for the first three in each event for each Rank. We have small medals for the first three places in the Pentathlon for each rank. "I did my Best" ribbons for anyone not getting an I'm a winner ribbon.
CT-Rob Blau, Springfield, New Jersey
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If you have never taken your den fishing, you are missing one of the great joy’s of Cub Scouting. Marty & Dan posted advice for Den Leaders on Cub-Scout-Talk |
I have done this a few times and would enjoy doing it again.
First thing, find out which boys have never caught a fish before and keep your eye on them and their helpers. Next, make sure you have a camera along. I had a boy in Webelos that caught his first fish on an outing and nobody had a camera. I went straight to the nearest store and bought a disposable camera. It doesn't matter how big or how small a fish is, the first fish can be an important memory. I had another boy who had his mother helping him. He finally hooked a fish and she told me it was his first fish just as she was about to help him reel it in. I quickly had her stay back so he had to reel it in alone, this way it really is his fish, caught all by himself. I later got a nice card from that boy at a den meeting that said, "Thanks for helping me catch my first fish".
Make sure you have plenty of adult help. Check ahead of time to determine which of the adults are experienced with fishing and which are experienced with fishing with kids. There is a difference. Most of the boys will need help with baiting a hook, casting, etc., but as much as possible, they need to be allowed to do it themselves. The adults should be prepared with lots of patience, and not expect to do much fishing themselves. There will be many lines crossed, and more snags than you can count. Again, as much as possible, let the boys do it themselves as much as possible. But don't let them get frustrated, step in before that point so they can have a positive experience.
Find out what can be most easily caught at the location. Usually it's small pan fish or catfish. Keep the rigging simple, a baited hook and sinker, a float or bobber if needed. Try to get them to bait their own hooks. Some boys don't want to touch the worms, but it seems like after a while they all wind up playing with them. If using prepared catfish bait, have at least a couple kinds along so they can choose. I have found that the boys prefer the bait that says "Blood" on the label and if the name sounds gross, that’s the one they want to use. Avoid artificial lures, most of the boys are just learning to cast and you don't really want the multiple hooks on most artificial lures to be flying around.
Determine what you will do with any fish that are caught. It would be a good chance to teach them about catch and release unless you are planning to do some cooking. If you consider cooking fish, don't plan it as a meal but as a snack to share, so everyone gets a taste.
Now for the less fun part. Make sure you have first aid kit handy, most injuries are in the small cut/scrape area but they do happen. Set the rules ahead of time about no horseplay, no playing in the water, fishing 10'-20'(?) apart, etc. and stick to them. If they don't follow the rules, they must leave the water area or whatever your rule is, and stick to them. There are enough dangers with sharp hooks, knives or clippers, and being around water. Watch out for the rocks, sticks, and stumps near the water.
When they hook a fish, make sure to let them reel the fish in by themselves, no matter what. Just keep others back and talk them through any instructions. Make sure you get pictures (if they hold the fish out in front of them the fish look a little bigger) and that the kids have fun.
CT-Marty Linn. Cubmaster, Pack 1878
Polaris District, Sam Houston Area Council
To anyone contemplating doing this I say "GO FOR IT!" It's a blast to take any bunch of kids fishing, especially when you have a place where they might actually catch some fish.
As for poor experiences in this activity, most are tied to a lack of preparation and planning. You can come up with your own checklist of stuff to bring, but be ready to have a "short" period of instruction. Bring along plenty of patience. Plan to have at least two boys tangle their lines. If she had only two boys tangle their lines, the boys did really well!!
Plan to do the entire activity for the boys. Don't plan or expect to get any real fishing done yourself. Your fun will come from helping the boys have fun fishing. Plan to have adequate food and drinks to keep everyone happy. More than just what you have for the picnic. Plan to have all other activities fall apart once you start fishing. Everyone will want to be where the fishing is. Plan to have fishing fall apart if there are no fish to be caught. The boys won't sit still for long when there's nothing going on. Have some other activities in your hip-pocket in case fishing becomes no fun.
Plan to have fun and be sure to take your camera. Fishing parties make for great memories.
CT-Daniel D. Hammond, Sr., CM Pack 225
Black Hills District Committee, Olympia, WA
Local PLACES TO GO
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Leaders of tours must have, and must have read the Guide to Safe Scouting. |
Trapper Trails Council
If the pack's trip destination is a popular tourist attraction, the committee must check in advance to make arrangements for tickets, parking, etc. The committee must also consider costs and transportation.
Submit your Local Tour Permit Application to the local council well in advance of the trip. Also, check the following ahead of time to make sure leaders and parents are prepared:
Chartering a bus is a good way to make a pack trip because it promotes esprit de corps. But a bus can be bedlam if you have not planned any activities to keep the boys occupied.
Bring along some copies of the Cub Scout Songbook--one for each two boys and parents. Have your song leader stand at the front of the bus and lead some pack favorites.
Intersperse the songs with some sit-down games that can be played in large groups. Try the following from the Cub Scout Leader How-To Book: Buzz-Fizz, page 2-27; Do This, Do That, using only above-waist movements, page 2-30; and Think Fast, page 2-28. For other games, see "Travel Games" on these pages.
Immediately upon arrival at your destination, gather boys and parents and:
When the pack returns home, ask the denners to write thank-you notes to your host. At a minimum, the pack secretary should write a letter of appreciation
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Bike decoration contest ....
-- Jim Newman 
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Try to get the local police department involved...
Alexandra |
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My Pack does a bike rodeo every year. The favs with the boys are "HOW FAST CAN YOU GO?" AND "HOW SLOW CAN YOU GO?" We used outdoor basketball area and had the boys go the length of that. We also had the boys see how many papers they could throw in a basket in a minute while riding their bike, and a obstacle course. Refer to your How To Book, there are ideas in there. We had small prizes, such as reflectors, horns etc. And ask your Police Dept even though it's small they may still be able to send someone out for 30 minutes to an hour to at least talk about bike safety and license the boys bikes. Becky Pack 127 |
COASTING RACE
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I ran a bike rodeo in the fall. In many of the stations we used cones and in others ribbons or rope. In the newspaper throw tires were used and a Pack made a picture of a pond , a tree and a mailbox out of cardboard and plywood, to use as the targets. terry |
Bike Rodeos are wonderful pack activities. Some suggestions
from the internet:
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Have them practice entering the street from the driveway - stopping, looking both directions before going onto the street. Show them how to test their brakes, both front and rear, individually.
Work on Bear achievement 14, have them bring their bikes to the meeting. Have a bike inspection and help them "tune them up" then do a obstacle type course . Then ask then to ride and demonstrate the rules. Maybe they can earn the bicycling belt loop as well!
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BALANCE EVENTOn a hard surface, mark off a lane 30 feet long and 4 inches wide with chalk or string.Mark 15- and 20-foot points along the lane. The rider tries to ride the course without touching either line. |
DIMINISHING CLEARANCELay out a course with two 30-foot lines angled from 18 inches apart at the start to 4 inches apart at the end. Set tin cans or paper cups along the outside edge of each line about 6 feet apart. |
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CHANGE OF BALANCEMark a figure 8 with a 2-foot wide lane on a hard surface. Each bowl of the “8” should be about 16 feet in diameter. |
MANEUVERING EVENTThe course is seven tin cans or paper cups 10 feet apart along a straight line. The rider tries to weave through the course passing on alternate sides of the markers without touching them or puts a foot on the ground. |
Divide den into two teams. Each team has a "space shuttle" (bicycle). On the ground or driveway about 10 yards in front of each team is a "space station" a coffee can holding 5 to 10 marbles or other small objects.
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Ten yards beyond that is the "moons" another coffee can marked by a small flag. On signal, the first player on each team mounts the bicycle, drives to the space station, and dismounts. He picks up one marble, remounts, drives to the moon, drops the marble in the can, and drives back to his team. |
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If his marble misses the can, he must dismount, pick it up, and try again.
The relay continues until all have made a space shuttle flight. The last player on the team picks up the moon flag and drives back to his team. First team finished wins.
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We are fortunate to have a several parks and nature centers, some with visitors centers that cater to youth groups. Another highlight of these hikes includes traversing a trail down into a wooded ravine that was sculpted as an Eagle project! Any trip through a wooded area offers so many opportunities to teach Cub Scouts:
Adapted from Pack 114's Library |
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MORE HIKES The Cub Scout Leader How-To Book has more hikes like:
....with games and more fun stuff, in Capter 4. If you don't have this book, you ought to get one. |
I would like to share with the group a successful activity. I just had a successful den meeting for our Wolf Den. My assistant and I just had a Search and Rescue Hike.
We hid a teddy bear in the woods. My assistant (very creative) made up clues in the form of a riddle. She took pictures of the teddy bear in various poses : with apple juice (when they got juice boxes after finding the clue), on a log, on a swing etc. One clue led them to get trail mix.
The kids had a blast finding the clues - then figuring out where the next clue would be.
We held the hike on Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning it was freezing rain, early afternoon it switched to a steady rain, hard at times. I decided that we would meet at the starting point and determine if we would cancel. We decided to go ahead with the hike. The kids didn't care about the rain. The adults did. But we had a great time. We also taught them that if they get lost they should stay put and let us find them.
The first thing we did was to walk the hike and look around and get ideas. We tried to use landmarks, trees, rocks, fences and things that were on the hike. I then walked it again and took notes - referencing these landmarks. I passed the notes onto to my assistant - Evelyn who came up with all the clues.
The morning of the hike, we planted all the clues, the trail mix, the juice, put the teddy bear in a plastic bag and hid that along with the reward candy. This wasn't a long hike. It took about an hour and 15 minutes. They had plenty of time to look around, skip rocks at the small pond, throw ice on the pond, eat the trail mix, drink the juice etc.
Most likely these clues really can't be used without modification. They are specific to our hike and location. I would recommend that you scout out your hike and then tailor the clues to your location.
Note from Bear at beginning of Trail:
I like to play hide and seek, but in this game I'll
let you peek.
I will give you clues that will come in handy
And when you find me you'll be rewarded with Candy.
Good Luck!!
And here is your first set of instructions:
From the log across the path. go about 70 paces.
Look for bent tree and sign on ground.
take right.
First Clue: (located at Log)
Here is my picture and I hope to see you soon
But first you must find the red and blue balloon.
Second Clue: (located somewhere near balloons)
You're on the right track, so at your next stop
I'll give you a little snack.
A hint: Name something you walk on and can eat
(More direction to continue hike:
Look for tree that has fallen on another.
Curve left and go up hill.
Cross between two trees that are on the ground.)
1st Checkpoint : near summit, one rock high off ground. Two trees next to rock. Hide clue behind rock. Hide Trail Mix and next clue
iNext Clue:
I hope you enjoy my trail mix dish for your next clue,
go to my pet rock I call him "fish". (here's a hint...)
Go to your right, then take a left now walk on the pebbles
if you know how.
Over the hill and under the line you'll never know
what you'll find
Through the lot and into the woods again, it almost
looks like where you began
you'll see the same balloons up to the left, only this
time you find me, where you have crept.
End of Trail:
Teddy bear with candy:
The game is over Hooray, you have found me,
The candy is yours, What a reward, it must be!
I hope you had fun, I know I did too
We can do this again It's all up to you!
CT ChipGuthrie
Wolf Den Leader, Pack 197 Lexington MA
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We call that the "Hug a Tree" philosophy. Teach your boys that if they get lost, find a tree they like, make friends with it, hug it and talk to it. That will give them a "friend" to be with while they wait for you to find them. Judy Yeager |
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Saturday, May 8, 2010 Scouts Walking Together World Wide Jamboree On The Trail is an annual day for the World Scout Movement to hike together. All Scouts, whatever their age and wherever they may be in the world, are invited to participate in whatever way they can. |
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Cubs and younger Scouting sections could visit a local nature trail as part of a weekend camp. A Scout Troop might check out a hiking trail while working on badge requirements. Venturers might make a Service Project out of restoring or maintaining a hiking trail. In their own way, everyone will be hiking the same direction: towards a better future through Scouting. |
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Our Roundtable Staff was a fountain of great program ideas. Here are three games they taught us when i was the commissioner. |
Material: A large tarpaulin or other fabric large enough so that all participants can stand along its perimeter. Perri used a parachute canopy obtained at a teacher's store.
An Active Game, best played outdoors on grass.
Participants:
Swimmers: stand holding the the fabric in both hands about waist high, flipping the edge up and down to simulate waves. This is the sea.
Shark: One participant is designated the Shark who hides under the sea and tries to grab a swimmer and pull him under.
Life Guard: Another participant is designated the Life Guard who is free to run around the perimeter and attempt to rescue swimmers attacked by the shark.
The Game: Only the Life Guard can assist a swimmer. If a swimmer is pulled under the sea, he immediately becomes another shark and can attack other swimmers (or the two sharks can attack the same swimmer.) Eventually there are more sharks than swimmers and the game can restart with a new Shark and Life Guard.
Perri Parker, (who sometimes masquerades
as an Assistant District Commissioner)
This is a great parking lot game - like when you're waiting for transportation. It can also be played in a gym or other open space.
Arrangement: Four directions are designated:
When the leader calls out a direction, participants must run that way. Anyone who runs the wrong way or hesitates is called out.
Other Commands:
Captain On Board - Stand at attention and salute.
Man Overboard - Stop and leap sideways (as if jumping off
the ship)
Climb the Rigging - Stop and pretend to climb a rope.
Dirty Water - Stop and pretend to barf (kids love that one.)
Swab the Deck - Pretend to mop the deck.
Bombs Away - Duck and cover.
You can make up your own set of commands and actions.
The leader calls out the commands and directions in any order, calling out any participants who hesitate or make a mistake. Last one in is the winner.
Julie Ballard - WDL, Pack 122
Julie, husband Sean and family spent some time in Ireland
where they joined and helped lead a local Cub Pack.
This is one of the games they learned there.
This game needs a couple of kids and a ball (both a football or a baseball are common).
One person is the thrower, and everyone else clusters about throwing distance away from the thrower. The thrower toss the ball in the air towards everyone else and announces a number between 50 and 500, like so: "I've got 200 up for grabs". If a kid catches it they get as many points as the thrower yelled. If someone drops it though, they lose the same number of points (negative score are possible).
The first person to get 500 points wins and become the thrower for the next game.
The baseball was batted and there was a set number of points for each type of hit. A "grounder" was 25, a line drive on the fly was 50 and anything of the order of a pop fly was 100.
Contributed by Chuck Miller
One person is the thrower, and everyone else clusters about throwing distance away from the thrower. The ball is then thrown (or kicked) towards the group. If caught on the fly, it is worth 100 points; after the first bounce: 75, second bounce: 50, and after the third bounce: 25.
First person to 500 becomes the thrower (or kicker) for the next round.
Contributed by Brian McClendon
www.usscouts.org
A cooperative Den Game.
Material: several balls, preferably different sizes and weights.
Boys stand in a circle facing inwards, about arms length apart. The leader stands outside the circle and throws a ball to one of the boys who then throws it to another in the circle. When the ball is being passed back and forth across the circle, the leader throws in a second ball, then a third and so on. The object is to see how many balls the group can handle without it degenerating into utter chaos.
Balls should be chosen to accommodate the abilities of the den. Tigers or Wolves may do better with something like bean-bags. With Webelos II, you may want to try an occasional football or frisbee. Outdoors in the summer screams for a water balloon.
Craig Kerschen, An ASM for Troop 124
but still comes back to help out with Tigers.
Object is for two teams of Cubs to follow colored arrows over a course around the neighborhood. Before boys arrive, mark two paths, one with white and one with blue chalk. The first arrows should be right outside your front door; the others should appear about every ten feet. It's more fun if you put some on the sidewalk, some high on a telephone pole, some on a rock, etc.
Though difficult to find, they should always be in plain view of a child standing on the ground. It doesn't matter if the paths cross and recross, but try to make both the same length and have both finish close to your house. The first team back to the den wins the game.
BB, Denver Area Council
One of our favorites is what we call "tractor" races but could also be called caterpilars, bulldozers, etc. All you do is get a few large corrugated cardboard boxes and remove the tops and bottoms so you only have a tube. Lay the box on it's side and get inside. You will have cardboard above and below and the sides will be open. Crawl inside the box and make it move like the treads on a bulldozer. Put two kids in boxes side by side and race. They will have a ball. If your box is large enough, you can team up parent/Cub inside one box and do teamwork. i This is a real hoot.
CT-Judy Yeager
JELLY FISH FLOATIn waist deep water, take a deep breath, bend down and grasp ankles. Body will bob on surface. TURTLE FLOATSame as Jelly Fish Float, except that floater holds knees. |
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PRONE FLOATAfter doing the Turtle Float, extend the arms and legs. Next step is to add a swimming kick to move through the water. |
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Game is to be played in a swimming pool.
Object of the Game: Not to get caught by "Marco" (the person who is "it")
Rules: One person is chosen to be "it" he/she closes his/her eyes and gets on one end of the swimming pool. He/she counts to 10 and shouts "Marco" and all the others in the pool shout "Polo". The one that shouts "Marco" has to try and catch one of the persons who shouts "Polo". It can be shouted as much as possible. Once he/she catches a person, then that person is now "it" and so on.....
Contributed by Kelly
We played with one additional rule to add to your list. Everybody EXCEPT the "Marco" (or 'it') was allowed to get out of the pool AS LONG AS they had one body part in the water. For instance, I may have just my big toe in the pool. I still have to answer your "Marco" with my "polo" so it pays to keep moving, but I have to keep something in the water. This rule lends itself to a lot of jumping in and out of the pool as well as jumping over some heads.
Contributed by Aleaza, www.usscouts.org
Most of these are a bit too much for Cub Scouts, but when your
boys become teen-agers, they might want to try a few of these.
bill.
Here is a selection of ideas for hot summer nights. Some are suggestions for a whole night's activity, others can be combined to make a varied programme. Some could be combined to make a theme night, e,g. a mini-Olympics with barbecue and sundae competition.
A Programme Supplement to "New Zealand Scout News" - March 1992
