Singing Ah One and Ah Two ...

[MomToEli]

This sounds like a really dumb question (at least as I type it), but ...

 

How do you go about getting your Pack singing when they haven't done so for a long time and the adult leader entusiasm for same is, shall we say, lacking?

 

The first opportunity we (myself and my new Cubmaster hubby) have will be at our Spring Campout, as I'm the Camping Committee person. The CC has told me about 10 times now that he does NOT like to sing ... which explains why we don't. DH wants to having singing at Pack meetings, too, since we hear it is supposed to be a big part of the Cubscout experience.

 

I don't mind bucking the wind, but I haven't a clue how to go about this. I have the Cubscout Songbook on CD. That's it.

[LongHaul]

Could be wrong here but as far as I know the CM is in charge of program. SO if the CM says we sing we sing. You can start with songs they already know, like row row row your boat. After each verse you drop one word. So the second time through you would sing "....life is but a" then "life is but" till you get to "Row".

You could pass out words and have them join in. Cubs like action songs. Or try looking at these sites.

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/songs.asp

 

http://www.macscouter.com/Songs/index.html

 

http://www.geocities.com/rickram.geo/songbook/songbook.html

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~jmak/Music/Lyrics.html

 

http://www.macscouter.com/CubScouts/Music/index.html

 

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/songs.htm

 

LongHaul

[ScoutNut]

Hey, I've been bucking that same wind for many years now! Our Cubmaster, although a wonderful fellow, with a VERY dry sense of humor, he is not exactly the poster boy for Sparklers, if you know what I mean.

 

So, I finally decided why wait for others to do something & donned the hat of Pack Sparkler Nut (oops!), I mean Chair, Sparkler Chair! I will hit the various song & Pow Wow sites before our Pack meetings & find a few songs, an audience participation, & a few run-ons that match our theme. Then when there is a pause in the proceedings I will step up & fill in with a Sparkler.

 

For the songs I will have written copies that are handed to everyone as they walk in. Pick songs that have a recognizable tune that is easy to learn. I had a great spaceship song for our April, Space themed, cardboard box relay race, Pack meeting that went to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean".

 

Action songs are always a hit. The monkey version of "If You're Happy & You Know it", with the actions being scratch your side, jump up & down, say ooh-ooh, do all 3, was well received by all. Our boys also like "The Grand Old Duke of York", especially if their parents are having a hard time with the up & down parts. Then there is the classic "I've Got That Cub Scout Feeling".

 

BTW, inform your CC that HE does not have to sing. He can simply stand there looking like a grump while everyone else has fun!

 

Don't worry, some folks just think they have to be very staid & businesslike & adult, & have a REAL hard time reaching their inner 7 year old! They don't get the idea that it really is OK to be silly, & have fun, in front of all of the boys & their families.

 

 

[scottteng]

Do the ravioli song even adults are amused by it. Then go from there. Don't forget to teach the boys the obnoxious announcements song too, just make sure its the g-rated version.

[Beagle Scout]

Do your dens do songs and skits at your pack meetings? In our pack, each den is encouraged to do some sort of presentation. Here is what our Tiger den has done this year:

 

November (Cubs in Shining Armor)

During the month of November, the boys and I made knight helmets (from the Cleveland Museum of Art website http://www.clevelandart.org/kids/art/haveago/armor.html) using different colored poster board. At the pack meeting, each of us introduced ourselves using the color of our helmets and one of the core values, such as "I am the Blue Knight, Sir David the Helpful." After all the introductions, we sang "We Are Knights" (from Baloo's Bugle).

 

February (Aloha Cub Scouting)

For our Blue and Gold banquet in February, the boys and I wore Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses and sang "Superwavehawaiiansurfer" (from Baloo's Bugle).

 

March (Baloo Skies)

During the month of March, the boys worked on earning their Weather belt loops. Before the pack meeting, I handed out index cards to several people in the audience with the beginnings of weather-related jokes on them. During the pack meeting, I explained to the audience that the boys were now weather experts and would demonstrate their knowledge by answering weather-related questions from the audience. I then called on the people I had previously given the cards to, they read their cards, and the boys delivered the punchlines.

 

April (Cub Cafe)

During the month of April, the boys made chef hats (from the FamilyFun.com website http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10587) and learned three songs:

- Gopher Guts (from Baloo's Bugle)

- Roadkill Stew (from the Boy Scout Trail website http://www.boyscouttrail.com/content/song/song-1323.asp)

- Chicken Lips and Lizard Hips (aka Mamas Soup Surprise from Baloo's Bugle)

For the pack meeting, I pretended to be a TV reporter interviewing a group of Cub Scout chefs who had just opened a new restaurant. I asked the boys questions and they responded by singing one of the gross food songs. After each question and song response, I pretended to be more and more disgusted until finally I ended the interview.

 

May (Cubs & Bugs Galore)

During the month of May, the boys will be making bug puppets from paper bags, and at the pack meeting, the boys will do a puppet show with the puppets telling bug jokes to each other.

 

[MomToEli]

What great ideas! And thanks for the links!

 

As for what we do at the Pack meetings -- well, I can relate to the guy who has the nice, but all grown up CM. Honestly, we've been on the dry and boring side. Personally, I think that has more to do with lacking attendance than sports, but hey -- I'm the greenie here.

 

Our Dens are currently rotating duties, with sharing being one of those duties. That means one Den shares. I've yet to see a skit. Our Wolf Den is going to change that in May, though. With me being the Camping Chair I get to do the advertising for the campout, so my Den is doing a skit. Hope it goes over well. And, I'm also planning the campfire program, so there WILL be singing. This is going to be an interesting year, I think. Hopefully most folks won't resent change. The CC will be a good sport about it all. He's getting used to me

 

Again, thanks for all of ideas and links! Off to check them out right now.

[Cubmaster Mike]

We had the same situation in our pack Mom. Previous CM did not sing at all. As the current CM I say we sing so we sing! Every pack meeting, every campout, every derby. We even have dens leading fun songs now! Some tips to get them started-

 

Introduce that we are ALL going to sing. Tell them that if they have a voice like a frog.... then sing like a frog!

 

We meet in the school cafeteria. Have the boys sit in dens and the parents on the benches directly behind them. The further away, the less involved they get.

 

Start off with fun repeat after me songs. Some boys can read music, some can't. One line at a time is easy to handle.

 

Sing your verse as loud as you can. After the first verse, scold the boys and the parents in a light amusing tone that you can sing louder than them. Challenge them to sing louder and tell the boys "that it's okay to raise their hand and point if they see their parent not singing." (Said with a wink and a smile on the face!)

 

Don't stand in one place. Move about. Action! If you have den chiefs get them up there with you leading the song. Keep smiling! If you look like you're having fun, the others will get into it!

 

Cheer like crazy after the song is over.

 

Gee, this kind of makes me want to sing.....

 

CMM

 

 

[mtm25653]

Anyone can lead songs - it doesn't have to be the Cubmaster. My song book is my fallback activity - I've lead songs for an hour, twice, at campouts during thunderstorms, and once when the forest service (Smokey the Bear) was late.

 

Some suggestions -

- you can't sing sitting down - everyone (including parents) has to stand up

- since you're already standing, do an action song (like Grand Old Duke of York)

- try a call and response song (so you don't need songsheets), like The Bear Song (the other day...I met a bear..)

- ask a den to sing a song instead of doing a skit - they can practice/learn the words at the den meeting (again, don't need song sheets)

- try gross songs - a past favorite is "Oh Tom the Toad, why did you run into the road"

- sing cub scout vespers (or boy scout vespers) at the end of the meeting

- sing a patriotic song they've learned at school (like America) as part of the flag ceremony

[Tami the Mom]

We never sang as much as we do now. I love to sing. I do it badly, but I enjoy it immensely. So we sing. Repeat-after-me songs, especially gross ones, get everyone going. It's ok if some don't sing. The kids will. And the more you do it, the more they will participate. The biggest thing I can suggest is for YOU to learn the song completely, so you don't have to rely on songsheets. It can really kill the flow if you misread a word or lose your place and have to restart.