Activity Badge Ideas

[kassie428]

I'm having trouble comming up with challanging ideas for the badge requirements. I've tried atteding Roundtables in my district but they do not offer any badge ideas, it's mostly Boy Scout stuff. I'm a First year Webelos leader. Also, how do I get the parents of the boys in the den not to sign off on their requirements. One parent has told me her son finished the requirements for his Webelos badge but when I quizzed him on it he didn't know most of the requirements. I'd appreciate any help I can get.

[SR540Beaver]

Kassie,

 

I've had some confusion on this topic. My son is a Webelos 1. I realize that there is supposed to be a transition in Webelos of getting away from parents signing off and letting the den leader do it. It has been explained to me that this is not a requirement and the leader can allow for parents to sign when they feel it is appropriate. For instance, my son got his Handyman by doing many of the activites at home. They were things like fixing a flat on a bike, washing a car and helping with the yard work. It was kind of a "six of one, half a dozen of the other" type thing. Should I sign them or have him tell the den leader he did them and let her sign? She has no way of knowing whether he did them or not. Our rules are kind of loose. I think the leader would prefer to sign off, but will allow the parent to do it too.

[Twocubdad]

Some of the requirements should be completed with a parent -- like for Fitness. Some, as a practical matter, are difficult to do over at a den meeting unless you are set up to do it as a den activity -- like the Handyman requirements you mentioned.

For those requirement which should be signed-off by the Webelos leader (that is, most of them), you just need to tell the boy you're sorry, but he has to complete the requirements with you for them to count. Nothing says the boy can't complete an activity pin on his own, but as a rule, most of the requirements need to be completed for the den leader.

 

 

As for ideas, we just completed the Engineer pin with our den. One meeting we had the boys do experiments with levers and pulleys. The next meeting, we talked about different types of bridges and let the boys build a bridge out of popsicle sticks. The last meeting we built catapults with plastic spoons and rubberbands (that was a blast!). To complete the five requirements, the boys had to write a list of 10 things engineers do.

 

Last month, we did a similar program for Scientist, breaking the requirements down into several meetings.

 

The Webelos Leaders book is a good source plans and activities. It breaks each activity pin down into different meetings with activities for each. Remember that you're not supposed to do all these yourself. Ideally, different parents should take responsibility for different programs. The idea is that the boys should have to react with different adults, not just their den leader, similar to how they will have to work with merit badge counselors as Boy Scouts.

[acco40]

You ask for badge ideas (i.e. Webelos badge) but do you mean ideas for the various (20) activity pins? Look at your council resources, i.e. program helps come to mind.

 

I think many of you are confusing "signing" a requirement and "doing" a requirement. Only the Webelos den leader can sign off on a requirement. However, if a parent wants to tell the den leader (preferably, the scout should inform the den leader) that the Webelos Cub Scout has completed a requirement (i.e. I fixed a flat tire on my bicycle) the den leader can choose to sign-off on that requirement, no questions asked, or the den leader may choose to ask the scout about the repair in an attempt to determine if the requirement has been met.

 

The Webelos program is NOT a transition from parents to den leaders signing off. It is an abrupt change. Only the den leader may sign off. Previously, for Cubs (Bobcat, Tiger, Wolf, Bear) an Akela could sign off on requirements (i.e. parent, teacher, minister, grandparent, den leader, etc.). The Webelos program does help to transition the Webelos Cub Scout into the Boy Scout program.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[ScoutNut]

What we did in Webelos (and also with our Girl Scouts) was that for any badges/requirements that were completed at home or on their own, the scout had to write up what was done, how it was done and where it was done. They then brought in their journal, and anything else related, to the next meeting (or the meeting designated for "homework"). The leader then went over what was done and either signed off on it or returned it with suggestions. This works well, especially if you have 1 leader who is JUST checking off "homework" and 1 who is working with the scouts on current stuff.

 

The boys should be starting to work independantly, but the leader has the final approval. Maybe you should consider having a parents meeting and laying out the new rules to both the boys and their parents. Webelos is a big change from what they have been used to!

[sctmom]

Kassie, You need a copy of the Webelos Leader Handbook. It lays out every meeting for each of the activity badges for Webelos. There are also many sources online. Look at www.cubmaster.org for Baloo's Bugle (monthly newsletter with a section dedicated to Webelos). Also, look at the Pow Wow books on www.macscouter.com.

 

Be careful of things like requiring the boys to write in a journal what they did. That is adding to the requirements --- a no-no. I have heard of people saying have someone take a picture of the boy doing the requirement. Makes a great way for the boy to show the den leader and the rest of the den (maybe will inspire others). Also, the picture can go in a scrapbook for the boy.

 

Just explain to the parents that you must sign off on the requirements. The parents should be helping the boys with things like learning the promise, etc. but you have final say.

 

[ScoutNut]

Having the boys write up what they did is not adding to the requirements any more than having them take a picture of what they are doing is. If you are going to allow the boys to work on requirements on their own you have to have some means of verifing what they did. I have found that writing it down keeps it fresh in their minds. Then they are able to show their leader without a lot of "Gee I'm not sure what I did but I know I did it because my dad signed it off for me" stuff.

 

The boys notes and any things he has made for the requirements can then be displayed at the Pack meeting. His notes can also be kept in a scrapbook of his Webelos years if he has one.

[ScoutNut]

For activity ideas -

 

Check out local Nature Centers and State and County park systems. Many have programs for scouts or are willing to put together a customized program for your scouts if you give them the requirements. Local museums also might have programs for scouts or youths. Colleges and High Schools are another place to check out for help or programs. Home improvement stores like Home Depot have woodworking classes for youths. Craft stores also have classes your boys can take.

 

But first of all, you should find out what skills your parents have that they can share with the boys. Parents who either are in a profession or just have an interest/expertise in certain areas can be wonderful advisors.

[sctmom]

Scoutnut,

If the requirements say "show" then that is all the boy has to do. If they must keep a journal you just added a requirement. This falls into the same discussions in Boy Scouts about retesting for things done at summer camp or making a boy tie a knot 5 times. Unless the requirement says "write", you can't MAKE him do it.

 

Apparently you have run across the boys who can't write well at that age. My son struggles with writing and will quit anything if someone says he must write a lot. I also had a boy in my Webelos den that was on a first grade level when it came to school work. I'm not sure he could write a complete sentence without a lot of help and a lot of time.

 

[ScoutNut]

Sctmom - Then the same reasoning would apply to having someone take a picture of them doing things. You are adding a requirement. The same would apply to them telling you what they have done. If it does not say "tell" or "show" in the requirement then you cannot "add" that to the requirements.

 

How then do you approve things that your boys have done on their own? Do you just take their word for it? Or the word of their parents? Or do you not allow them to do any independent activities other than the ones that SPECIFICALLY say they must be done with their families?

[insanescouter]

I am the webmaster of InsaneScouter.com and Webelos.org we have a vast collection of resources to help you put on an outstanding program check out http://insanescouter.com/t276/webelos'>http://insanescouter.com/t276/webelos then click on activity pages. Hope this helps.

 

InsaneScouter

http://insanescouter.com

webmaster@insanescouter.org

[sctmom]

Scoutnut, I not only allowed my Webelos to work on things at home, but highly encouraged them. None of them did it. None of the parents tried to say they did it. If they were to build something I encouraged them to bring it in. I was willing to take their parent's word that it was done. I never have had to deal with the parents who pencil whipped everything. This is my 3rd year as a Cub Scout leader, with my second den. This time I have parents who are involved with their sons but are just becoming aware of what fun stuff is in the Bear Cub Scout book.

 

My plan for the transition to Webelos is to talk to the parents and boys in the spring about how the Webelos program works. Reminding them throughout the Webelos program how it works. Pointing out the activity badges that are best done at home --- Fitness and Family Member especially. Discussing over and over with the parents the importance of having the boy meet the requirements. If they take swimming lessons, having the instructor sign off on the book. Discussing with the parents the importance of the boys learning to work with other adults, how this helps them in Boy Scouts.

 

The parents I have in the den now, I think will understand. I'm fortunate to have a good set of parents this time. Parents who really want their children to learn and have fun. I also plan on having each parent sign up as activity badge counselors.

 

Having someone take a picture of me doing an activity is not that hard. Mention the word "journal" around some kids and they run in the other direction. How do you deal with the kid who will not/can not write? Do you allow the parents to do the actual writing?

 

[ScoutNut]

SCMOM-

 

My point was that easy or not, according to your take on not adding to requirements, picture taking should not be allowed either.

 

Personaly I do NOT feel it is adding to requirements to have the boys tell you, in some form or another, how they completed the things they want you to give them credit for. My Webelos parents were great and I would have had no problem believing them. But I felt it was necessary for the BOY to be able to tell what he did. The "journal" did not have to be a 10 page research paper or even a 5 paragraph essay. It could have been a few notes jotted down on a piece of paper or even right in his Webelos book. If you have a boy in 4th or 5th grade who can not write then you have a special needs child who should be dealt with as such. If my boys could remember well enough without any notes, then I let them just tell me about what they did. Pictures, visual aids, whatever the boys brought in worked for me. It is important for the boys to know what they did to earn an award. It makes them very proud of themselves to know all of the things they accomplished to earn it.

 

I never had tons of activity badges earned independently, but we did have a few. One boy worked on one of the outdoor badges during the summer between 4th and 5th grade. He got a big kick out of telling the den all about it in the Fall. I had 1 or 2 others who did some work on their own also.