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Pack meetings, den adventures, pinewood derbies and blue and gold banquets. Den leaders and Cubmasters swapped ideas for keeping younger Scouts busy, happy and learning.
2,128 posts · 2006–2020
A reading list that spans blogs and years.
This is the fifth of a five-part series, Part one Understanding Cubs Part two Understanding Meetings Part three – Understanding Volunteering Part four – Blessed are the Den leaders I've been a Cubmaster, and a den leader for Wolf, Bear,and Webelos dens.
BSA offers supplemental pack program ideas for each month. One of the Cub Scout themes for the May core value of The May Pack Meeting Tips from BSA remind us "Cub Scouts will learn that it is important and easy to eat a healthy diet and how a fitness program can be part of their…
When I was first approached, by Rod Goldhahn , to take over as the Voyageur District Chairman for the Webelos to Scout Transitions program, I had many initial misgivings. No one had been doing that job for almost 20 yrs. Webelos Woods was no longer a part of the Voyageur District program and worse yet was…
Well I guess before I get too carried away with "Why Scout Camp Is Important" posts I should probably move beyond that subject. So for Summer Camp so far we have introduced the planning process of arranging the details for Scout Camp but we really only focused on when we should start planning and how…
The season for Blue & Gold Banquets is upon us. The Blue & Gold tradition is to celebrate the birthday of Scouting in the United States. It was on February 8, 1910, that the Boy Scouts of America was established, and the first Scout troops formed that year.
(This is a follow-up to my previous post on Arrow of Light / Cub Scout Career Arrows, found here .) So they’re done. Finally! And they look pretty sweet! Probably because after doing the design, I had NOTHING to do with them after.
Our Blue and Gold Banquet is next week, and that has me thinking about the Webelos to Scout transition. There is quite a bit of difference between the Cub Scout program and the Boy Scout program (or at least there should be) and often Scouts struggle with the the change as they leave Cub Scouting…
Hello fellow Scouters, This is part 3 in my take on Webelos to Scout transition, this time dealing with the patrol method of scouting. In Boy Scouts, the patrol method is used to teach the boys to work as a team, sharing responsibilities to help achieve success for the patrol.
Jeremy Zweiacker is a KISMIF.org guest blogger from Oklahoma. He is a Tiger Cub Den Leader, an Eagle Scout, and a long time Scouter. Winter time is a great time to do Scouting activities with your own children. Today (as I write this on January 29), I am at home with my children because the…
The Cub Scouts and families of Melrose Pack 68 held their annual Blue and Gold Banquet on Monday, February 15th at the Melrose American Legion. Sixteen of the eighteen Cub Scouts attended the event. I was quite happy with the turnout.
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It’s Pinewood Derby season! This year’s favorite Cub Scout event will look different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve shared how to host a virtual or socially distant event here . To help you make sure everyone can prepare for your pack or den’s big day, Champ Camp workshops will be online.
fizkes/Getty Images Whenever a Cub Scout meeting reaches what we like to call “maximum fidget,” seasoned leaders know it’s time for a game, song or cheer. As we enter day 15,000 of the pandemic, you’re no doubt looking for new games that might enliven your next virtual Cub Scout den or pack meeting.
A lot of things have been cancelled, pared down and changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but your pack’s Pinewood Derby season can totally still happen. There are a couple of ways to make this favorite Cub Scout event happen.
Bridget Schlossberg won’t let anything — not even a worldwide pandemic — stop her from fulfilling the Scout Slogan’s charge to “Do a Good Turn Daily.” The 11-year-old, who goes by the nickname Gidget, has been helping her best friend’s brother cope with the stresses of the pandemic in a genuinely generous way.
Grab your FREE Pinewood Derby printable activities! These are perfect for keeping Cub Scouts (and siblings) entertained during your race.
A couple of years ago, graphic artist Rita Thurman’s company offered its employees five paid days to creatively pursue a passion. She and her friend decided to try blacksmithing, something she had always wanted to do. So, they visited a local living history museum to learn.
The 2020 Beagle Scout ornament, “Portaging Pals.” Image courtesy of Hallmark Cards Inc. The artist Tracy Larsen. In 2011, Snoopy and Woodstock sold “Beagle Scout Christmas Trees” at a fundraiser. In 2015, Snoopy’s little feathered friends were Pinewood Derby passengers as they sped down the track atop red, green and blue cars.
The first time taking your Cub Scout camping can be a little scary, especially if you are a little (or a lot) inexperienced. Here’s the best news: You are not alone! And you’re part of an organization that specializes in teaching kids (and their adults, by default!)
Scout Law games are a versatile way to help teach and reinforce the points of the Law to Cub Scouts. They’re great for gathering activities! I love it when we can use everyday items for super fun Cub Scout activities !
The fantastic five in May 2013 (above), and the group reenacting that same photo in January 2020. From left: Tyler Bush, Lane Schaddelee, Colin Brown, Remy Reed and Jeffery Graan. Ask five Eagle Scouts what they’ll take from their Scouting experience, and you’ll get five uniquely inspiring answers: Overcoming hailstorms and wrong turns at Philmont…
On a television set with celebrities like Josh Duhamel, Rob Riggle and Jon Lovitz, how can an information technology professional get noticed? He just has to put on a Scout uniform. Gerritt Beatty, a volunteer and Scouting dad from the BSA’s Ventura County Council in California, competed on an episode of ABC’s Holey Moley this…
Andrew Stokes didn’t set out to earn every one of the BSA’s top awards for youth. He just enjoyed the journey of Scouting and discovered that advancing in rank and completing award requirements came naturally. It started when Andrew earned his first BSA award at age 8.
Cub Scouts, start your engines! You can enter your Pinewood Derby car to compete in the National Pinewood Derby 500 at Texas Motor Speedway ! The big race will be Sept. 12, and you can watch it online as part of the BSA’s second installment of Family Fun Fest .
Winter coats marked down all summer long! Halloween costumes on sale beginning Nov. 1! Some sales seem timed to meet the interests of the company, not the needs of the customer. But every now and then, the right sale comes at exactly the right time.
Figuring out how to create a fun den meeting in a virtual setting can feel overwhelming. That’s why the National Council and 50 councils across the country worked together to produce these Cub Scout Adventures video resources to help den leaders.
Faced with the challenge of keeping their pack active and running without the benefit of in-person meetings, Cub Scout Pack 145 from Christiansburg, Va., did what so many dedicated Scout leaders have had to do during these tough times: They got creative.
Scouting doesn’t stop, even after you move on from a unit. In 1988, a group of Scouters whose sons were no longer part of Troop 172 of Westfield, N.J., wanted to stay involved in the program that had shaped their families’ lives.
“You were never a Boy Scout,” one character tells another as they prepare to face a villainous vampire. “I, however, always come prepared.” This line, found in Stephen King’s 1975 dark novel Salem’s Lot , is one of dozens of Scouting references in the master storyteller’s works.
Get ready this Saturday for the most fun event you and your Scouting family can attend from home. Introducing Family Fun Fest – where you get to join Scouts across the nation in building a Pinewood Derby car, putting together a model rocket, learning how to draw something new, listening to some really cool guest speakers…
From the awe-inspiring to the aww!-inspiring, the BSA’s Family Fun Fest is shaping up to be the summer’s biggest event. On Aug. 8, you’ll hear from NASCAR driver Joey Logano, discover the secrets of spacewalks from a barrier-breaking NASA astronaut and score expert advice for crafting the fastest, best-looking Pinewood Derby car ever built.
A couple of years ago, Mitch Lynch, Cubmaster of Pack 2010 in Aldie, Va., sang his version of Irving Berlin’s “ Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army ” at the pack’s blue and gold banquet. He got the idea while planning the banquet’s program over Christmastime.
If you want to learn how to fold Cub Scout neckerchiefs, check out this post. You'll find out the easiest way ever to fold or roll it.
The Boy Scouts of America today announced a voluntary recall of Cub Scout Outdoor Activity pins that depict a gold animal paw painted on a blue background sold between April 2016 and January 2020. The pins were sold at local Scout Shops, authorized BSA distributors and online at scoutshop.org .
If you don’t know an octave from a treble clef, you might be a little intimidated by sheet music. Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could hear how a song goes? Now you can listen to your favorite tunes featured in the revised Cub Scout Songbook .
This summer, the adventure continues. Families in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA and Venturing can participate in one (or more!) virtual summer camp experiences. With so many typical summer activities on hold or canceled, families are looking for ways to keep their Scouts engaged in fun, rewarding and ( shhh!
It’s not about the patch or the medal or even that epic cake at the ceremony . It’s about all the incredible Scouting adventures that preceded them. Scouting awards — from the very first Cub Scout adventure loop to that final Eagle Palm and beyond — are physical representations of the Scouting journey.
Waving American flags, holding up congratulatory signs and honking, drivers filed past Blake Kenney’s home, honoring the new Eagle Scout. The 15-year-old of Troop 908 in Pleasanton, Calif., watched the parade of cars, filled with family members, friends, teachers, coaches and Scouting families.
A family from Troop 599 works together to assemble face coverings. When Ryan Spellecy heard about the need for face coverings to help slow the spread of the coronavirus in Milwaukee, he knew just what to do. Spellecy, who is commissioner of the Southern Shores District in the Milwaukee-based Three Harbors Council, had heard about…
Turn off the TV — there are plenty of cool activities you can do at home. With the help of some of these Cub Scout activity kits, you can keep the Scouting momentum (and fun) going. Birdhouse woodworking kit: This one fits in with the “My Tiger Jungle” required adventure for Tiger Scouts (Requirement No.
Main image: An artist's rendering of the Perseverance rover on Mars. Inset: Alex and his dad, David, at a January 2020 court of honor. Here’s the plan: Alexander Mather will get a NASA internship, graduate with an engineering degree and then land a job at NASA.
This is Unsung Heroes , a Bryan on Scouting blog series celebrating under-reported acts of Scouting heroism. These are stories that don’t make national headlines — but should. That’s doubly true in this world that can always use more good news. Read the latest story below, and find instructions for sharing your own Unsung Heroes story at…
The Cub Scout Nova award Swing! is a great STEM activity for kids. Learn about requirement 2, and find links to all the other requirements.
James Dus, a member of Cub Scout Pack 350 in Evansville, Indiana, has always been a fan of Thor , the Marvel Comics character who has shot into the public consciousness with his appearance in the most recent series of Marvel movies.
The BSA has a message to young people concerned that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will prevent them from completing Eagle Scout rank requirements before their 18th birthday: Don’t worry; we’ve got your back. During this unprecedented interruption to Scouting nationwide, the BSA has released new guidance on advancement during COVID-19 .
The worldwide health crisis has changed and is changing the way of life. It’s no surprise that it has touched Scouting and affected it in ways we could not have imagined. Even the “any old thing” that Baden-Powell suggested we Be Prepared for probably didn’t anticipate what we’re going through.
Take the 30 day Cub Scout challenge! Work on both required and elective adventures from your home. Get calendars for Lions, Wolves, Bears, and Webelos and Arrows of Light.
It turns out you, loyal Scouting volunteer, have quite a bit in common with MacGyver — and I don’t just mean your ability to solve problems in creative ways. A recent episode of the CBS action series MacGyver confirms what I’ve long hoped : the problem-solving, day-saving hero is a Scouting volunteer.
Update, Feb. 29 : Meet the delegates in the video below! Next week’s big news out of Washington likely won’t be covered on cable news. But for those of us who care about the BSA, this will be the top story.
Thomas and Henry Leskiw look at old reports written by their grandfather, Frank J. Panza, with Investigator Donald Ginnane. At right, Thomas sits in a squad car. While working on the Paws for Action Adventure, Bear Scout Thomas Leskiw could’ve visited a local police station, but his mother, Barbara, had another idea.
From the community-shaking feats of Eagle Scouts to the creativity of Cub Scouts, any parent or volunteer who’s seen Scouts in action will tell you: Never underestimate them. The same is true when you marvel at the designs and speed of the Pinewood Derby creations cropping up all over your social media feeds this time…
A seven-day pass to Yellowstone National Park is normally $35 per vehicle. But on five days each year, that fee drops to $0. (Photo by W. Garth Dowling) There’s only one thing better than taking your Cub Scout pack, Scouts BSA troop, Venturing crew or Sea Scout ship to a national park.
The first rule of Pack 1855’s Hiking Club: Don’t forget the snacks. But a few months after launching their new plan to take a hike every month, Pack 1855 leaders realized something amazing. They saw their Cub Scouts weren’t begging for the next snack break.
Let’s go racing, Cub Scouts! It’s Pinewood Derby time, when Scouts turn blocks of wood into fierce and fun race cars. It’s a tradition that dates back to 1953 , and today, it’s a very popular Cub Scout activity. Be sure to check out what’s new at the Scout Shop .
The season for Blue & Gold Banquets is upon us. The Blue & Gold tradition is to celebrate the birthday of Scouting in the United States. It was on February 8, 1910, that the Boy Scouts of America was established, and the first Scout troops formed that year.
A 10-year-old Webelos Scout from Pennsylvania is one of nine finalists in NASA’s contest to name the 2020 Mars rover, and your vote can help send the young man’s name to the red planet. Eamon Reilly, a member of Pack 67 from Dover, Pa., (New Birth of Freedom Council) was one of 28,000 students who…
Looking for a list of tasks that will get you and your pack up to speed on hosting a Pinewood Derby? Well, look no further: we have compiled a list of to-do’s. All you have to do is check everything off the list, and you will be ready and set to race into the perfect…
By now, you’ve probably caught word of Scoutbook’s Den Leader Experience , the free web app that makes it easier than ever for den leaders to prepare for and lead meetings, track advancement and attendance, and more (if not, just check out the video at the end of this post).
Imagine if those weekly meetings at your office had a “good conduct candle.” Blake’s texting and missed a question from the boss? Candle goes out. Rhonda brought her breakfast? Bye-bye, flame. Peter forgot the PowerPoint? Poof. But if the candle burns all the way down, it’s reward time.
As we move forward into 2020, the Boy Scouts of America’s advancement team is out with a few reminders and new advice on the ongoing quest for one of our most visible methods – advancement. The evolution of Scoutbook brings us new opportunities to manage our programs.
The Pinewood Derby can seem like a maze of tasks that make up a million-piece, very complicated puzzle, but it is time to simplify things a bit and make this all about fun for everyone. These steps should guarantee that you throw a successful and well-run race day event, whether it’s your pack’s first time…
