? @ Academic and Sport belt loops

[kittle]

I am very new to scouting and have a million questions. Here is my first.

 

My son, a Bear and first year scouting, has earned his Bobcat. I was wondering if he could also earn the academic belt loops before he has earned his Bear badge. There are a couple of the academic and sport sections that he is very involved in and thought it would encourage his enthusiasm if he could see immediate results.

 

He has already started working on the Bear requirements, but I have been sick and we haven't had a lot of time just yet.

 

I'll save my other questions for another post.

 

Thanks,

Katrina

[sctmom]

Yes he can earn the Academic and Sport belt loops and pins before he earns his Bear. He can work on Bear electives now also. He just can't receive the arrow points until he has received his Bear badge.

 

Don't try to rush through everything. It's still early in the scouting year to earn Bear. Main points are to have him do his best and to have fun. Same with the belt loops and pins.

 

Oh, make sure you have the latest copy of the belt loop requirements -- the book has a red cover. It just changed over the past month or so.

 

[CubsRgr8]

Yes, a Bear can earn beltloops for activities in which they participate after they became a Bear (in your son's case, the day he registered). I strongly encourage my Bears to earn beltloops. It can be a long time before a Wolf or Bear earns his rank, and earning beltloops gives him a chance for recognition during pack meetings until then. You can find the beltloop requirements online at http://www.geocities.com/~pack215/home.html. Another great resource for Bears is found at http://www.pack1421.org/ranks/bears/.

[LauraMO]

By all means, let him earn some extra fun awards while he's chipping away at his Bear badge. It'll be a while before he earns his badge, so it is especially fun for a Cub to go home after a Pack Meeting with a new award in hand. I agree with sctmom, don't feel pressured to do everything all at once.

 

One thing you & your son may want to keep in mind, is that there are opportunities to fulfill multiple requirements with a single activity. By example, Bear Arrow Point 9b & Art Pin Req. #1 require the Cub to visit an art museum & discuss some of the exhibits. Bear Arrow Point #19d & Swimming Belt Loop Req. #1 require the Cub to discuss the buddy system & basic swim rules.

 

Congratulations to you & your son on joining the Scouting Family!

 

[kittle]

I had found the updated requirements online which is what made me ask the question. He is playing soccoer right now and is also really into chess. I thought these would be a good place to start.

 

I also wanted to know as my husband and I are the den leaders for our son's group and neither of us have a clue what is going on. It is easier for me to post a question here that I am unsure about than it is to try and get in touch with someone else who can help me. That is one of the things that I love about the internet: if you look long enough you will find a group of people that care

 

Thanks for your input,

Katrina

[sctmom]

Katrina,

 

Welcome to the club of Cub Scout leaders. We all learn from each other and lean on each other.

 

Sounds like your son should be doing the Soccer & Chess belt loops and pins. He has to do the requirements to the best of his ability for his age. In other words, to know the rules does not mean he has to be a professional referee, but he needs to know them as most 3rd graders would.

 

Some of them you will find fit in with school work. If he does a poster for school, check the books to see if he gets credits somewhere else. I like to also try to use the program to introduce them to rules they may not know --- like the rules for marbles or ultimate.

 

As a Bear leader this year, I plan on using Marbles as a gathering activity at some meetings.

 

[kittle]

Sctmom,

 

My son is homeschooled, so we were planning on using his Scout Book for several of our activities. It is amazing how much it has already increased his interest in do "school work". He finds something in his book that he wants to do, then I figure out how we can work it into his lessons.

 

What kind of activities do you do with Bears at a meeting? We hae the next one figured out, but I am at a loss as what to do. I want something that will interest most of the boys (luckily we only have 8), but don't know where to start. Is there any book that is especially helpful?

 

Katrina

[sctmom]

Oh, you need "Program Helps" It is a little booklet that costs $3.35 at the Scout store or council office. It has every den meeting and pack meeting planned out for Tigers, Wolves and Bears. Each month there is a theme. October is "Jungle Fun". A lot of what you do is NOT achievements, but some of it is. Program helps has games, songs, crafts, and other things to do at den meetings. It has suggestions of related activities for parents to do at home. It is wonderful!

 

Also, look www.cubmaster.org for "Baloo's Bugle". This is a monthly newsletter that has stuff to do at den and pack meetings related to the theme. You don't have to do the theme if you don't want. Baloo's Bugle goes back a few years. Browse through there and you will find hundreds of ideas!

 

You may also be able to find old copies of Program helps from previous years. Sometimes the stores have the ones that didn't sell. These also are helpful for meetings.