Put the Out in Scout!
This is my favorite phrase: put the Out in Scout! Cub Scouts really enjoy the outside activities that they can only do in Scouts: hiking and camping. Spring is around the corner, so my challenge to you is to find lots of outside activities for your Scouts.
Take them on a nature hike at a local park, or even around the school building if that’s where you meet. Plan a treasure hunt and give them a map – you can work in some compass skills and earn a belt loop at the same time! Plant a tree or pick up trash for your conservation award. Go on a bike ride. Learn how to built rockets and launch them off the soccer field. Or just play games outside. These are the kind of things that boys really enjoy and will make happy memories of their time in Scouts.
http://www.pack002.com/how_to_water_rocket.php Learn to build a water rocket.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/rocket.shtml Learn from NASA: build a bubble powered rocket.
http://www.estesrockets.com/categories.php?cat=1 Estes makes rockets you can find in any hobby shop. Look for “Skill Level 1″ for a rocket that can be built quickly. Some even snap together so you don’t need glue.
Webelo Tan?
Do the Webelos in your pack switch to a tan “Boy Scout” uniform? It’s traditional in our pack to make the switch at Blue and Gold. The thinking is that by 4th grade everyone has outgrown their shirt anyway. Unless you’ve got a kid like mine who’s in his 3rd shirt! Plus, the tan shirt can be carried over into Boy Scouts.
Our Den Leader sent out a note saying that everyone should get a tan shirt who hasn’t yet. Caused a bit of a stink.
Oh, yeah, did you notice that? I’m not the den leader. Don’t let that fool you, I’m a the co-committee chair, newsletter editor and keeper of the pack website. I used to be a den leader too, but we merged dens and didn’t need three leaders! I still help when its needed at the den level.
Mike Rowe on Becoming An Eagle Scout
Check out this cool letter from Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel) about becoming an Eagle Scout. I think I might save this for later, when my Webelo needs some encouragement.
Thanks, Latter-Day Scout!
http://latterdayscout.blogspot.com/2009/01/mike-rowe-on-becoming-eagle-scout.html
