Cubs, Fires and Den Meetings

[Scoutfish]

Okay, this may be a dumb question, but hey, it won't be my first one , right? LOL!

 

Okay, looking in my Cub Scout Leader Book, and looking in the online version of G2SS, I cannot find anything specifically talking about Cubs (specifically Wolves) and campfire participation.

 

Now, I did see that it's not recommended? Allowed? by this GUIDLINES chart: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/ageguides.pdf

 

But now, I wasn't planning on handing out chunks of wood and handing out lighters either.

 

I was just thinking that maybe ..during a nice cool ( not cold) night or maybe an early fall/ late spring den meeting, it could be held around a small campfire. Maybe in my yard, maybe at the fire pit at the CO where we meet.

 

My thought was that each cub could stack a piece of wood into a pile, but after that, it would be totally and completely hands off. All lighting, extinguishing and control (poking & stirring) would be by me or another adult.

 

The purpose of the den meeting would NOT BE ABOUT the fire, but the den meeting would just happen to be around or by the fire.

Just as an asthetic effect to up the "cool factor" .

 

So I know (by the Guidlines chart) that the cubs couldn't build, light and maintain the fire, but could they just stack the wood and watch a fire?

 

Or maybe better yet, no hands on, just hold a den meeting around/near the fire?

 

I'm only asking because the guidline as I understand it, does not even closely cover that scenario.

 

Not saying I have serious plans, but I'm thinking about things that might be cool or fun at future meetings.

 

Thanks - Scoutfish

[Lisabob]

I do not think there are any prohibitions regarding cub dens sitting around a campfire and enjoying themselves. Snacks, silly songs, stories, etc. are all more fun around the fire. We used to do a pack camp fire night, always a very enjoyable evening. When we combined it with a recruiting event, it went over very well.

 

With young fellows, of course there's fire safety issues to pay attention to. (and hey, that's true of older fellows, too! I know some adult pyros who need close supervision...they get a little carried away sometimes.) And teaching **little** kids how to start/build fires is, as you say, probably not the best move (I think this is what is referred to in the age appropriate guidelines). But sitting around a well-tended, safe fire? I hope you enjoy yourselves!

 

By the way Scoutfish, I seem to remember fire safety rules being covered in ??BALOO?? training (it was a few years ago now, I am not 100% certain it was BALOO but I think so). If you haven't already done BALOO, it probably would be useful for you.

 

(This message has been edited by lisabob)

[dg98adams]

If you are asking "Fire Building" then that comes in at Webelos.

 

Otherwise Cubs love participating in anything around a campfire. Den meetings, Pack meetings, campouts are all special with a campfire. You need to follow the flames. If you don't know what that means then you need campfire planning. A BALOO course is a great way to get it.

 

You do need to be firm about not throwing anything into the fire, and controlling the

flaming marshmallow.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

The Age Appropriate Guidelines are for cooking outdoors and fire building only. Both of those activities are recommended for Webelos and above.

 

You stated you could not find anything in the Cub Scout Leader Book on campfires. I would suggest you look again. There are segments on campfire safety and campfire programs.

 

Not knowing specifically what you are planning on doing, I would say that if all you are doing is sitting around a fire, you should be fine.

 

Campfires are a fun part of the Cub Scout Outdoor program. However, following BSA policies on fire safety, and using common sense, is a must.

 

[SSScout]

We had many a Cub "meeting", both Den and Pack, around the camp fire. In the BackYard, at the Nature Center, at the county Park Picnic area.. Made sure all safety things were in place, (water, shovels, clear area 10' around,fire wood a distance away, etc.) and got local Boy Scouts to set and ignite and tend the fire. The Cubs did Cub things, and we also talked about and finger pointed about fire science and safety. And knife and axe. Plan ahead, keep it reasonable size (Cubs and BoyS like to add wood TOO FAST...), and keep cozy in the cold weather. But keep control! Watch and head off any little fingers that want to "help" the BScouts. Sing and Skit away...Tell indian stories about the Great Bear and how he lost his tail, where the Turtle got his shell... Go to it.

[Scoutfish]

Thanks everybody!

 

I haven't taken BALOO yet, butI am onschedual to take it soon. I was sidetracked with a Dr the last time it was offered.

 

Scoutnut, I found stuff about campfires in the leader's book and G2SS (on line) but not specifically about having scouits build the stackbut not the fire. That makes sense? I'm thinking about maybe letting them stack te original wood ( 1 piece each) and then that would be it. Everything I sw in either book was overall safety or wether cubs could light (firebuilding) or not.

 

I felt my possible situation might be in between the two.

 

[Basementdweller]

I have an electric fire pit I use all the time at Pack meetings. Orange, purple and blue lights and a fan.....looks cool. The boys love it

 

We have fires all the time. We put a barrier, custom expanded metal in a frame, around the fire to keep the boys out of it. They can still get to the fire with their hot dog and marshmallow sticks.

 

The boys have nothing to do with the fire other than enjoy it.

[Scoutfish]

The Webelos have fires during their den meetings in the spring and fall.

 

We have a big(ger-ish) fire at our family pack campouts.

 

 

I just wasn't sure about at the den level. I already misunderstood BB guns because of the way wording is.

 

Personally, the idea of marshmellows makes me cringe. Or at least as an adult. Seen toomany burnt globs flung far and away from the group, only to show up on the bottom of somebody's shoe 3 days later. AFTER they walked through the CO's carpeted hallways and sanctuary!

 

But fire makes things more...not sure of the right word....Intense? Deeper? More sureal?

 

I don't know, but I do remember alot of moments as a teenager(18 or 19) doing things with groups of other teenagers that our parents frowned on. Usually a radio, beer and a bonfire ( yeah, I know, not a good combo).

 

But of all the things that really stick with me detail wise...Is the fires. They always made us seem tighter as a group. More mellow and we listened to esach other more.

 

I guess camraderi is the word I'm looking for!

[Brian85]

I built an artificial fire pit. It is an all-weather indoor/outdoor never fail to entertain device. The only 'stoking' that occurs is the volume adjustment on the fire sounds cd. It uses a small computer fan, 6 LEDs, some colored plastic, that silky craft cloth(in four shades: red, yellow, orange, and a blue), and a self-contained homemade digital sound system. I tried to operate on batteries, but I could never get it to last more than about 10 minutes with sound, so I wired it all for 110 and ran a cord. In the dark, from a distance, it is nearly impossible to tell the difference.

Not including the logs, it fits inside a shoebox, and has lasted about three years. I am always tweaking it just a bit, and still have not found the 'perfect' sound, but it still works great. My total investment is about $40-50, and most of that was the cost for the cloth and LEDs. Everything else was completely recycled from an old desktop computer.

Did I mention that the Cubs love it?

[SSScout]

Brian: Could you put some plans/instructions together and get it posted on "BALOO'S BUGLE" or MAKE magazine ( www.makezine.com )?