ideas for first time camp scoutmaster

[gtwnmassage]

Myself and another mom have volunteered to go to summer camp. I personally have never been to a summer camp, so I have no experience to draw from. I have taken lots of ideas from the forum so far, but am looking for ideas to keep those boys that need to be busy during their down time. Someone told me there was a book available about fun things to do with scouting skills. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[evmori]

gtwnmassage,

Welcome to the campfire! Pull up a log and join in!

 

I have been going to summer camp as a leader for over 15 years & the down time for some Scouts can be tough. These are usually the 1st year Scouts and this is usually the 1st time they have been away from home for a long period of time. What to do with them during the down time may depend on the camp you attend. Some have program available all the time. Others don't. If your doesn't I would suggest having their PL or Troop Guide work with them on their rank requirements during the down time. Also, have some of the more summer camp seasoned Scout take them for a walk around camp. They could show them some of the "cool" areas of camp.

 

Hope this helps. Enjoy camp. It's a great time.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[dsteele]

I'm about to give some of my personal philosophy, and not a standard BSA professional's answer -- although I'm not sure it makes a difference.

 

I also welcome you to this electronic campfire. Come on in, the water's fine!

 

I think that as a summer camp Scoutmaster your job is to make sure that you return from camp with the same boys you left with. It's not your job to make sure they earn badges or that every minute of their time is occupied with Scouting stuff. They are Boy Scouts and should be responsible for their own time at summer camp. Sure, if the camp has a schedule of classes, you may want to nudge them to make sure they go, but if they don't it's on their heads, not yours.

 

I think it's just fine if the kid wants to pitter and plink his week away. But I always made sure it was the kid who had to answer when his parents wondered why he didn't earn any badges (or very few) during the week. Then I would try to catch the parent alone and point out that the week wasn't about earning badges . . . it was about being a Scout and that their son learned a lot.

 

DS

[SagerScout]

Only been to BSA summer camp twice as an ASM, but in neither case was "down" time a problem. Our more severe difficulty was getting in everything we wanted to do. I've taken girls camping for 5 years and we've never had a problem either.

 

Any kid with a totin' chip, a knife, and twine has plenty to do at camp. Assuming a supply of available wood, you can make walking sticks and hangars for your shirts, a trash holder, a neckerchief slide, a wooden spoon....whatever....

 

The camp store probably has plastic lacing and hooks, so you can do lanyards if you want. Notice, I said "YOU" can do lanyards and that is exactly what I meant. If the boys start looking bored to you, and you feel you need to do something... start yourself a project. If and when they express interest you can help them start theirs too.

 

And Mr. Steele is absolutely right - it's the boy's choice, not yours.

 

[Eagledad]

Hi all

 

Dsteeles words are golden, read his post several times. I like summer camp for new scouts because it is really their first experience learning independence. The only rules that I asked our SPL to strickly enforce were to always have a buddy and let your PL know where you are at. Other than that, this is your place to learn, play, adventure and grow.

 

Let me ask, why are you worried about down time? What do you think down time is? One persons passion to fish is another to watch the clouds. Encourage the older scouts to work with the younger ones on advancment, but as dsteele points out, if they aren't in the mood, allow them to learn the responsibilities of expectations.

 

I have watched troops with new adults at summer camp. Prepare yourself to NOT:

 

Lead the troop anywhere. Not to meals, campfires, health inspection. No anywhere. The SPL is the boss, allow him to be the boss.

 

Don't watch the performance of your scouts in classes. Don't go with them to classes, either get there before them, or afterr them, but give them a chance to walk to class themselves. Eventally you can walk because you are going the same way or you heard neat things about class. But they must feel you trust them to get there.

 

If you don't plan to help the instructor, then don't go to class the first couples days. At some time in our sons life, we have to let them go, even if it's for an hour. Isn't this the time?

 

Don't check on their performance as a check to see if they are doing there work. As Dsteele kind of points out, someone at home will point that out. Instead listen to what they learned. Offer to help if they need someone else, but not as the adult concerned about performance of the badge, but as the adult who wants to help them if the need a resource.

 

Don't make up the cheers and yells for your scouts. I just love to hear a patrol do a cheer only a 40 year old would understand. Emcourage them to be creative.

 

Finally our troop has a reputation for having fun at summer camp. What do we do that many don't. We take a few games they can play between their classes like wiffle ball, foot ball and anything that is fun to throw. We take checkers, chess, cards and other games those who want to just sit and have fun or on rainy days. I have a camp gaget competition that they get three days to build. Lots of points for knots, lots of knots. I have one for best skit where we usually do our own campfire the night before the Camps Campfire. I usually carry penny candy and fireballs that I hand out when I see a good turn. We do jokes and usually I pick a theme. If some scout does a good joke, he gets a reward. Last year was elephant jokes. The year before was bear jokes. One night we sleep outside under the stars. I carry a few plastic spiders for adult tents. Onc year I had a plastic snake. Oh the humanity.

 

But mostly we let the boys be boys, as long as they live by the Scout Law and Oath. Once they step beyound those bounds, well the SPL and generally the older scouts had a meeting with the SM. A disapointed scoutmaster.

 

As for the adults, take a good book, fishing pole, or even a good camera. Some of the shots will be priceless. Assume the best, prepare for the unexpected. Summer camp is a wonderland for the all. It's one of my favorite Scouts places.

 

Barry

[SagerScout]

Eagledad is so right. Don't plan to lead or do anything. But you might check to make sure that the patrols have the patrol equipment list from the camp materials. And if there are SM meetings, show up, sit in front, stay awake, and take notes. About 4 times my husband mis-remembered times but I took the notes.

 

At the camp we attended, Wednesday night dinners were foil packs cooked in camp (dining hall rest of the time). It said so in the handout before camp. The kitchen issued the food, foil, and upon request, plasticware packs with salt and pepper. They told us in the morning meeting that you could request other seasonings too, and we did.

 

Come Thursday, a female leader of another troop (about 15 boys there) raised her hand to complain that, since she hadn't read the booklet, they didn't know anything about needing to cook. They didn't get plasticware packs because they didn't ask for them, and didn't have any seasonings because they didn't ask for those either. She didn't hear the announcement that you could get those items on request, I don't know why not as she was in the meeting every morning.

 

So this pitiful troop leader had to DRIVE TO TOWN to get matches and buy a knife to cut up the vegetables. The looks flashed around the meeting were priceless. Someone gently said "Didn't any of your boys have a pocketknife?" and she looked stunned - "I didn't think to ask, I guess that would have worked." And of course, my troop was next to theirs and we had plenty of matches and two pocketknifes and a filet knife between 5 people, we would gladly have loaned her what she needed if she'd asked, and I'm sure other troops would have done the same. (I think every scout has goofed at least once on a packing job - I got to a training weekend without a sleeping bag once, talk about embarassing! )

 

Now, I could wax on about how she was clearly cooking for the boys when they could have been doing so themselves, but I gotta give her a bye on that one since the timeframe between the last class and Vespers that night was so tight as to make some pre-cutting and getting the fire lit for the boys almost necessary. Still, how she could say in the same sentence "I didn't read the pre-camp booklet" and then WHINE about not knowing what was in it.

 

You'll forget something, just deal with it. The camp commissioners will help you if you ask them, make friends with them right away.

[Bob White]

DS and Sager read my mind (lucky for them it's a quick read, with lots of pictures and big type). I would always have a table in the shade where I had a few lengths of rope, plastic craft, some neckerchief slide kits, nature ID books, and Leather stamping tools. We never even mention to the boys what's there, we let them discover it on there own.

 

Sometimes we would have a leader go over and start working on something as bait to draw the curious scout over. If only one or two scouts came over it becomes a nice chat fest even an opportunity to sneak in a SM conference. If a number of boys come over we quietly back away and let them socialize together.

 

I'm with the camp that says finishing merit badges is great but it's not the purpose or goal of summer camp. Camp should be a place to discover and practice the ideals of scouting.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[NWScouter]

Another thing to do is be alert to the behavior of the scouts. For you maybe able to turn them around to positive outcomes. Idle hands can be the devils workshop.

If you are a swimmer, qualify, the new scout(s) that is mopping around the campsite may respond to an invite to a swim. As a swimmer you can bring those non-swimmers, beginners out in a rowboat. A trip the archery or rifle range can make a week for young scout. It also can take down a peg a cocky SPL. He thought he could out shoot me. He had the bench rest and I did prone, wasnt even close. I never did get the ice cream bar I won from him.

You as the Scouter in camp should move around camp, just to keep an eye on whats going on. Check the clipboards in Scoutmasters lounge. Not to browbeat the scouts to finish their merit badges but to help them to know where they stand. Nothing worse than on Saturday morning finding out that Johnny thought he had finished rifle shooting but he still needs his last target.

Some camps have opportunities for you as a Scouter in camp to help out. Many first year programs need help with the mass of new scouts, and need you to instruct a skill. A few need a extra adult in the ski boat or one camp offered golf merit badge they needed a adult or two to play a round at the end of week both tough duty.

Then theres that time between end of evening program and lights out. Time to teach cribbage or help the scouts put together a cobbler. It maybe time to become an English teacher and proofread the Environmental Science essay. Or just listen to their adventures of the day.

If a scout and his buddy isnt doing advancement but fishing at the lake, sitting under a shade tree whittling, chasing grasshoppers in the field, bugging their favorite staffer theyll have plenty of memories and that will stay with them.

Remember you're there to have fun also. Store up those good memories.(This message has been edited by NWScouter)

[gtwnmassage]

I am so thrilled with all the ideas and sage advice. My concern is the idle hands becoming the devil's playground. Our SPL will not be arriving until Wed, we do have others who can step into leadership - which I will mention to them. There are a few who will try to see which rules they can successfully "bend" when they have idle moments. Those are the ones I wanted to keep active, I liked the idea of having an area set up for them to come to on their own. I also feel "relieved" that I do not have to be a mother to them. Keep sharing your advice, I leave on the 27th. Thanks Sue

[Fat Old Guy]

Lot's of good advice here so far.

 

Forget that you are a mom and tell your buddy the same thing. Let the boys be boys. Don't fuss over brushed teeth or showers. Don't fuss over lights out and bedtime, some nights the guys will want to sit up and talk, other nights they'll want to go to bed early.

 

Allow them to build fires and cook marshmallows. Allow them to tell scarey stories.

 

Most boys will come prepared for leisure time. There are always a few chess sets, sets of Magic cards, etc.

 

Try not to intrude on the boys' space.

 

Show enthusiam for their handicrafts. Well, most of the time. If someone is showing pride in their workmanship, praise their piece. If someone is putting no effort into their work, maybe this is a teachable moment.

 

We confiscate video games and CD players and bury them. This encourages the boys to socialize.

 

 

[buffalo2]

Got to be the Old Guy in camp this year; lots of talent chasing the special interest groups and just made a vacation out of it. And tried something new; sat and filled out the boys' Merit Badge Blue Cards during the day instead of staying up into the wee small hours. Didn't take long to figure out that prime time to do that was just before meals when the boys were drifting back into Camp... Had more good discussions with these guys in this casual and non-threatening setting than I would have thought possible; and well worth throwing all those extra Blue Cards away every night! What fun...

[Rooster7]

I agree with most of the advice offered with a few minor exceptions.

 

Even at camp, there needs to be some boundaries. I would highly recommend that a lights out time be established, followed, and enforced by your PLC (and his PLs). Otherwise, the lack of sleep will encourage home sickness and bad attitudes, especially with the younger boys. Second, I would not allow the game playing (Magic, cards, etc.) until after the last merit badge session. While camp is not about getting merit badges, one way to kill participation in MB classes is to stack it up against something the boys already love (such as Magic).

 

Ideas

 

1) Have a meeting before you go to camp. Ask the adult leaders (SM, ASMs), SPL, and all ASPLs to attend. Discuss (as equals) and decide what boundaries will be set, what incentives will be provided, what strategies will be employed, etc.

 

2) After this meeting, ask your SPL to conduct a PLC. Have them discuss these ideas.

 

At our meetings, we jointly agreed to the following:

 

No sodas after 9 PM

Lights out at 11 PM

NO magic cards or other games until your last merit badge session is completed

At camp wide games, we will split our teams evenly (so that each team might be competitive and have fun)

We will provide an incentive to the best patrol (cleanliness of site, attending merit badge sessions, getting to bed on time, good behavior, etc.). Specifically, this patrol will be treated to pizza and/or ice cream on Thursday night.

The SPL, ASPLs, and the adult leaders will have a nightly meeting to discuss the days activities (lessons learned, problems, etc.)

The SPL will conduct a brief PLC after our meeting.

We will not be wearing our full uniform to every morning and evening flag ceremony. We will wear our full uniform to the opening/closing ceremonies and campfires. However, at our local site, for morning and evening flag ceremonies, we will wear a Class B T-Shirt (I knowno such thing. Thats another thread).

SPL will talk to the PLs about monitoring the behavior of the younger Scouts. Specifically, they were asked to watch for, and report any signs of home sickness or harassment.

 

3) If you have plenty of adults, give each a responsibility

 

Medicine Man (keeper of kids meds, distributes meds per parents instructions)

Bank Man (keeper of kids money, distributes funds per parents instructions)

Brown Sea (First Year Scout Program) Leaders

If theres multiple meetings going on, send an adult to take minutes at the meeting you cannot attend.

 

[Eagledad]

>>Second, I would not allow the game playing (Magic, cards, etc.) until after the last merit badge session.

[Rooster7]

It has been our experience as a troop that games such as Magic and other card games can dominate the day over all other activities if constraints are not in place. I don't think football or chess has ever been a problem. The problem with Magic and other card games is that they become addictive to everyones determent. Has anyone out there, as an adult or child, found themselves playing cards to 3 AM? If you have, you're not alone. This is pretty typical for a lot folks who like to play cards and board games. The problem at camp is...a lot of kids, if not most, tend to get caught up into the game playing and decide to skip MB sessions and other activities. As a result of our experience in this area, we've decided to put the breaks on these types of games until after the last MB session of the day.

[Eagledad]

Ah! That makes since Rooster. Still, isn't our job to help them through their struggles. I'm one to not hide tempation, but help them develope the disapline to deal with it.

 

I don't disagree with your approach, we all have our own styles of doing this scouting stuff.

 

Thanks for the explination. One other question, I think I've seen our scouts with them, but what are these magic cards?

 

Scouting Cheers

 

Barry