(I try to avoid posting because I probably have more opinions and thoughts than I have knowledge and experience. LOL...)
The one thing that took me years to understand is something that's pretty obvious. Don't forget the fun. Games. Songs. Skits. Jokes. Teach the adults to plan in lots and lots of fun.
If I were teaching BALOO, I'd add
- plan in the fun to every event
- include games to burn energy
- include the parents (for cub scouts) in the games and the songs
- (if the parents are playing too) take the parents aside before games to warn them...
--- #1 Don't get too competitive. We're trying to raise the pride, self-confidence the spirit of our kids.
--- #2 Help the kids in small subtal ways.
--- #3 Don't get too physical. These kids weigh 100 to 200 pounds less than us.
--- #4 Don't make it obvious ... but we want the kids to win.
If I were teaching BALOO, I'd teach like Woodbadge in that I'd run the BALOO class like a cub scout event. Start the class with a 10 minute game of kickball as a gathering game and to get to know each other. As people arrive, don't stop the game but put them in the game immediately. It breaks the ice to let them know it's okay to spend scouting time playing games. Laughing and having fun. When the majority of the formal class objectives are done, do another game. Burn some energy. Then resume with the remaining class elements.
My 4th grade son started protesting den meetings. His den leader and I discussed this and now we're working in at least one game into each meeting. The last meeting had a twenty minute parents-vs-kids kickball game. We've done mushroom ball and others too. It made a huge difference. Kids want to go to their den meetings. Plus friendships are built by doing fun things together.
