Webelos Activity Badges - Please share

[CPAMom]

I'm working with my husband with Webelos 1 this year. We typically have 2 den meetings a month. We focus on activity badge requirements at those meetings. However, we don't necessarily try to complete enough requirements to earn the badge at meetings. We have plenty of absences. Also, we'd rather have kids do things like posters at home and bring them in.

 

We've recently been successful in recruiting parents to help with badge requirements at meetings. We're happy about this. However, we don't have an assistant Webelos leader.

 

Do Webelos dens typically meet over the summer and work on badges?

 

At what point do your Webelos typically complete earning AOL and cross over into Boy Scouts? Our pack typically has carried them on thru the end of May at crossover. We plan to finish up by B&G next February.

 

 

[Eagle92]

Welcome to the forums!

 

As far as Webelos dens go, I haven't been there yet as a WDL, but I seen all sorts of things done. I see packs that follow a full 2 years with graduations done in May of the 5th grade. Mostly I see graduations done February/March of the 5th grade year. In one case I saw the bulk of the 5th grade Webelos, basically all those who had been together since at least 4th grade if not earlier, crossover in NOV so that they could be Scouts in DEC. Found out that DEC is the earliest SCOUTNET will allow Webelos to Crossover who are not 11. Since my pack runs a year round program with great participation at CSDC and Res Camp, our Cubs do ALOT!

 

Now I know of a few instances where a Webelos crossed over on his own. Those 3-4 cases were those Webelos who had late birthdays and the school system would not register with others born in the same year. SO as soon as they turned 11, they crossed over. All had earned the AOL by that point. My middle child will probably fall into that category.

 

 

[Snow_White]

In our pack, the Webelos do not usually meet over the summer. Scouts who are interested in working on advancement can work on the activity badges that would typically be done more at home than with the den (Traveler, Family Member come to mind, also Aquanaut is usually done over the summer). The den leader will make suggestions as to which badges the scouts can work on outside of den meetings.

 

However, I would be in favor of the den getting together to work on badges over the summer if the rest of den was interested in doing it - especially some of the requirements that need to be done outside.

 

They usually earn their AoL and crossover by February or early March. Our AoL ceremony and crossover for this year's Web II group is tomorrow. We are doing it as a separate event from the B&G this year.

[Mom2Scouts06]

In our pack in the summer Webelos go to our local council Webelos Resident Camp. Webelos I scouts work on 6-8 activity pins and usually complete most if not all the requirements while at camp. The Webelos II scouts do more Scout skills at their summer camp.

 

We finish our pack year in May, boys go to camp in July and we start den meetings back in August (we have year round schools).

 

Our Webelos II scouts are ready for the Arrow of Light now but we are waiting on our pack trip to the USS Yorktown that we have had planned for over a yr and they have already paid to attend. They will be crossing over the first of March.

 

we also have 3 den meetings a month!

[Mom2Scouts06]

One more thing to add..the boys that chose to attend both years of Summer Camp will be crossing over with all 20 activity pins completed!

[beardad]

I am the WDL for my son's web2 den. My pack doesn't meet over the summer except for the 4th of july parade, and maybe one other event. My son did summer day camp both web years.

 

My boys will be getting there AOL at B&G, and will cross over on March 10th. We were going to cross over at the march pack meeting, but they scheduled the FOS presentation for that meeting and no way in heck am I inviting people to a cross over event, and make them sit in for a pitch for money.

[Greaves]

I'm WDL for the 4th grade Webelos, and will continue with them until AOL.

 

I've been using FastTracks/Cub Scouts 2010 lesson plans with my cubmaster's approval (and some modifications, naturally.)

 

We also attended Webelos Resident Camp during the summer, and a Webeloree in the fall. Boys who attended both earned Aquanaut, Outdoorsman, & Forester, as well as some work on Traveler, Geologist, Naturalist, Readyman, Scientist & Citizen. The uncompleted pieces of activity badges were my first priority for our den meetings.

 

We won't have den meetings over the summer, but we are planning to attend a outdoor (free) performance in June of A Comedy of Errors for Showman.

 

Our graduation goal is next March. Sometimes the fifth graders cross over later--as late as May--and this year's group was ready in February.

[GKlose]

CPAMom -- I might also suggest that you take a look at the Webelos den leader manual. In it there are several different "programs" -- that is, ways to program your den earning various badges and marching through requirements. I can't easily explain them here, but there's a one-year plan, an 18-month plan, etc. With or without summer meetings. That kind of thing.

 

My two sons went through the program in completely different ways: one did a full September through June, and then the following September through June. He was more than 11-1/2 by the time he joined Boy Scouts.

 

My younger son quickly lost interest in Cub Scouts, but I convinced him that he could accomplish the Webelos Badge and Arrow of Light (and crossover) from one September through to the next April. At that point, he was old enough to join Boy Scouts (10-1/2).

 

Guy

[BadenP]

CPA Mom

 

As a WL for two years when it was still a one year program, I can tell you personally have at least one or two summer activities with your den to keep them interested and active in the program. Some good ideas have been mentioned by others, I also had one activity with a boy scout troop in the summer to excite them about moving on in scouting, check with your local troops. Of the fourteen webelos in my den over the two years, twelve became Eagle scouts, it is all a matter of keeping them excited and motivated.

[lrsap]

First, all dens are different. Some are made up of boys that get their new Webelos HB, and are gung-ho about getting all 20 pins. Some are like mine, who are crossing in one week and were really chomping at the bit to be Boy Scouts since Bears. No good or bad, right or wrong, just different.

 

As far as meeting in the summer, the first person to ask is you CM to see if there is any issue (meeting place, etc) that could prevent it. If not, gauge your feelings about attendance during summer den meetings. If you feel the summer months will leave you with half-filled meetings, it probably isn't worth it. You will start the new year with more mis-matched Webelos advancement than would be productive to deal with.

 

What you do want is to do SOMETHING each month. Start trying to set dates in March with your parents, because family summer plans can be quite tricky. Then, if you see a Saturday or Sunday that can be fully attended, jump on it. Saturday afternoon at a den family's back yard with a pool? Den cookout and Aquanaut Day. Spare Sunday afternoon? Take a 3 mile hike on a nature trail. If you're lucky, you can work on most of your Naturalist, and knock out an AOL requirement. Maybe even throw in a thing or two from Outdoorsman.

 

Last but not least, one of the biggest reasons to cut down your Summer meetings to one per month is you need and deserve a break. Starting in September, your Den Leader world will be focused on an arrow and a bridge, and everything you need to get your boys there. Take the Summer to enjoy a few fun outings with the boys, but also to recharge the batteries and do some long-range planning for the last 6-8 months of your Cub Scout career.

 

I know I'm dragging on, but one more thing. It's not so much when they cross as opposed to when they select their troop. Have a goal of at least 3 troop visits by December school break, and the boys deciding their troops by mid-January. This way, even if you don;t cross until as late as May, the boys can go on outings with their future troops and gain some much needed experience before summer.

[CPAMom]

Thanks, everyone.

 

lrsap, we had a pack hike last summer where only 2 other scouts attended. Very discouraging. Only 1 parent let us know that they were out of town. So, it is discouraging to even think about organizing something. However, in years past, we always had a pack swim party that was well attended. Did not do that this year due to low funds.

[lrsap]

CPAMom,

 

That's the hard part. You plan and notify, then plan and notify some more, then the occasional let downs do happen. The good thing is, it always seems when you need it most one of those great meetings or events where everyone shows up and has a good time happens. Then you say, "Oh yeah, that's why I do this."

 

It reminds me of my Webelos 3 miles at a nature center. On the way with my son and wife in the car, my lovely wife mentions something about how a lot of the den parents don't listen, can't make it on time, etc. But this time, we had 100%, all assembled and ready to go. This immediately led to my son to say, in a not so quiet voice, "Mom, they are all here. I thought you said they never listen to what Dad says and never make it on time?" Aren't kids great.

[CPAMom]

On motivation - At the Cub level, I'm not sure that scouts aren't motivated. I think parents aren't motivated! We have one scout that lives 45 minutes away. He's in the pack because he attends the school we meet at, which is where his mother teaches. She has a minimalist approach to attending scouting things.

[IM_Kathy]

living in snowy Iowa when my son's den became webelos we did meet once a month in the summer to do outdoor activities. One was the art one where they made frames from nature and painted scenes from the neighborhood park.

 

that first summer they went to summer camp as a den (I told them I would go once. the next year was up to the individual families) We also went with the Webelos II to work on our Natrualist pin at a nearby wildlife refuge.

 

once school started we started working on activities for the webelos badge - our pack goal was November/February for that. We then continued to work on different pins.

 

over the next summer we did go with the new Web I's at the same location to do their forester pin. The rest of the summer we met once a month to work on more of the outdoor type of pins

 

Our goal as the boys chose was to have each earn Webelos and AOL... and for the boys that were dedicated and didn't miss a lot (or made up when they missed) would earn all 20. 2 of the 4 boys earned all 20

 

for us the meeting during the summer was a must because of our weather conditions here. It was also helpful that during the summer I didn't work back then so we had those meetings at my house and one other parent wasn't working and she would help with shuttling when we had more scouts and stay for 2-deep. We also threw some fun in there by having one day where they brought their swim trunks and had a water war game towards the end of the meeting.