Cub Scout Craft Projects

[kari_cardi]

I think there is a learning curve when it comes to cub scout activities. I see new leaders, male and female, choosing projects that are too complicated or hazardous for the age group and the time allotted. It takes experience and confidence to present an open-ended project that brings together multiple skills and satisfaction to a scout. It's easier to buy those pre-cut foam kits at the craft store. I personally hate them, but I don't judge the leaders who use them. I am grateful that they volunteer and do their best.

 

Some updated projects in the handbooks and the How-To book would help.

[jc2008]

I try to make every craft project we do have a purpose. IE, the rock craft project I wrote about above was done on a December pack meeting date and it was suppose to be a christmas gift for their father. We also made bracelets that day out of foam and pony beads with a pipe cleaner as a gift for mom. (all of our cubs were in two parent households).

 

So we didn't just craft for crafting's sake

 

Oh a fun food Thanksgiving craft we did was :

http://hostedmedia.reimanpub.com/TOH/Images/Photos/37/exps9412_QC10014C41C.jpg

Those turkeys are 'glued' together with chocolate icing. I just made the rice krispie balls ahead of time and the kids took the Oreos/candy corn/rice krispie ball and glues it together with the icing. We had them work on paper plates and use popsicle sticks as their icing spreader. Just remember to get candy corn during/right after Halloween. I had a time trying to find some candy corn at thanksgiving lol.

 

 

For Christmas we also made rainmakers and i got some dowel sticks and we drilled holes in them and attached pipe cleaners with bells to them. We then sang jingle bells at the pack meeting using the rainmaker for the "Dashing through the snow...." and the bell stick for the "jingle bells chorus". (music belt loop)

 

And of course I made salt-dough ornaments for the kids to paint with my fleur de lis cookie cutter

 

(This message has been edited by jc2008)(This message has been edited by jc2008)(This message has been edited by jc2008)

[KISMIF_Works]

sasha wrote: "I think there is a learning curve when it comes to cub scout activities. I see new leaders, male and female, choosing projects that are too complicated or hazardous for the age group and the time allotted."

 

Completely agree. I always complete a craft or construction project myself at home before the meeting, and time how long it takes. I believe this has a few benefits. First, it provides the scouts/parents with a sample of the finished project to help them visualize what we are doing. Next, it helps me determine how much time to budget for the project (adjusting my time for scout time). Finally, it helps me evaluate what steps may be too time-consuming or frustrating for the age group of my scouts. I may find a way to prep those steps in advance, or I can at least be aware of them to invite parent assistance during the project.

[Miki]

Have you checked out the tools you recommend using against the "Age Guidelines for Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations"

 

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/healthsafety/pdf/680-028.pdf

 

Just saying, maybe us "Lady Leaders" are playing by the rules better than you Pioneers.

[SeattlePioneer]

We've done a craft project at each of our Cub meetings this fall:

 

 

September 12th Recruiting night:

 

Cub Scouts and new boys and the parents made model rockets out of a sheet of paper and then launched them by stomping on a soda pop bottle rocket launcher

 

September 17th-- firsat Tiger Cub Den meeting:

 

New Tiger Cubs and their parents worked together to make a hot dog roasting stick, using small diameter steel wire cut to length using bolt cutters and making a wooden handle cut from a tree limb using a lopper.

 

The handle was drilled with a hole that the wire fit in, and the wire was then glued into the handle. A separate plug of wood was drilled to form a guard for the end of the wire.

 

We did a hike September 22nd and a hot dog roast using the new sticks at the end of the hike.

 

October 1st the new Tiger Cubs made family albums that can also serve as scrapbooks for Cub Scout memorabilia.

 

In each case parents worked with their Tiger Cub in making the project. Often Tiger Cubs needed at least some help in completing the project, but I figure that's what a Tiger Cub Partner is for.

 

Hard to say how many times the parents just took over making the project, leaving the Tiger Cub with little to do but watch. I try to discourage that.

[Brewmeister]

Survival bracelets. Marshmallow shooters made out of PVC pipe. mini marshmallow catapults made out of mouse traps. Bows and arrows made out of PVC pipe and Dowling. we try to focus on projects that are either practical or encourage continued playing and activity.

[Brewmeister]

Survival bracelets. Marshmallow shooters made out of PVC pipe. mini marshmallow catapults made out of mouse traps. Bows and arrows made out of PVC pipe and Dowling. we try to focus on projects that are either practical or encourage continued playing and activity.

[Brewmeister]

Survival bracelets. Marshmallow shooters made out of PVC pipe. mini marshmallow catapults made out of mouse traps. Bows and arrows made out of PVC pipe and Dowling. we try to focus on projects that are either practical or encourage continued playing and activity.

[Brewmeister]

Survival bracelets. Marshmallow shooters made out of PVC pipe. mini marshmallow catapults made out of mouse traps. Bows and arrows made out of PVC pipe and Dowling. we try to focus on projects that are either practical or encourage continued playing and activity.

[Deaf Scouter]

And this lady Scouter says, huh? to SeattlePioneers' comment of:

"Often I have a bone to pick with craft projects selected by lady leaders. Usually they are rather artsy but with little practical value, while I favor practical practical projects that boys can customize or decorate if they wish.

 

In my experience, men tend to choose that kind of practical project, and boys are usually more interested in that kind of project.

 

Also, Cub Scout love to use new tools and equipment, and love to make some kind of practical gear they can use. "

 

 

Obviously you've never been to ANY of my meetings. I was very much hands on with projects that lasted a lifetime. All my boys kept coming BACK for more and the parents even enjoyed it. I even added in Boy Scouts at the Cub level.

 

Watch your generalization SeattlePioneer or you'll end up on top of the Pioneering tower with no way down when we try our hand at Peoneering MB... *grins

 

 

[IM_Kathy]

what is the reason for the label of female leaders???

 

my cubbies over the year made bird houses, tool boxes (boys still have them and even see them carry their tools when helping at eagle projects), catapults, displays for their pinewood derby cars, mail holders, recipe holders, and my memory is forgetting a bunch of others I'm sure...

 

and probably the most "female" was actually one of their favorites to do - they made stuff bags/laundry bags using sewing machine. they thought it was really cool. got to pick out their own fabric and did all their own sewing - was just watched over for safety

[SeattlePioneer]

I am delighted to hear that Deaf Scouter and IM Kathy frequently used craft projects using trade type skills and projects with practical results.

 

 

As I noted earlier, that's a lot less common among female Scout leaders than among male Scout leaders in my experience.

 

Males and females often tend to have different interests and skills. If that seems hard to believe, compare the number of boys and girls attending ballet classes as children.

 

And furthermore, from what I observe, all too often fathers are comparatively isolated from raising their sons compared with the roles mothers play --- even leaving aside the single parent mother raising children.

 

In the four years I've spent rebuilding a Cub Pack, every Den Leader, Assistant Den Leader and Cubmaster has been male. I think Dads have seen other men leading the program and figured they have "permission" to use Scouting as a way to interact with their sons and other boys as well.

 

I've certainly heard a number of Moms comment that they would like to have men as role models for their fatherless boys.

 

 

Deny those realities all you wish under the theory that men and women are the same. Just isn't true in my experience.

[Momleader]

We make a den flag every year. I've also made bat houses with the boys. Trying to keep the crafts tied to a particular pin or achievement. Most of my boys ave been able to use these as credit for homework projects too. Just ask teacher for the assignment paper. And parents are happy too

[ScoutNut]

No, men and women are not "the same".

 

However, generalizing that all women are the same, and all men are the same, is just as wrong, and narrow minded.

 

Perhaps you need to get out more, and broaden your "experience".

[5yearscouter]

"No, men and women are not "the same".

 

However, generalizing that all women are the same, and all men are the same, is just as wrong, and narrow minded.

 

Perhaps you need to get out more, and broaden your "experience".

 

YUP!

 

Sure "everyone" wants their son to join scouts to get a male role model. But that doesn't work when most everyone who joins comes from a single mom houshold, now does it?

or when dad is working 2 jobs and isn't around enough to come to meetings.

 

Over the years, hmm...almost 8 of them now, I've seen a lot of moms as Tiger leaders, and some moms as Wolf leaders, a few moms as Bear leaders, and some kick-butt Webelos moms as Webelos leaders, not afraid to take the boys camping.

Heck I build a darned better campfire than my husband does, and I put up the tent faster, and I can drive a hammer and saw better than he can. I grew up with a wood fire for warmth, I follow directions when putting up tents and I grew up building houses.

 

And I've taught tons of moms over the years how to use a coping saw to cut out a pinewood derby car, so they could help their son. loaned them tools and they go home and make their own derby car.

 

Learning a new skill and pushing the limits is not just something boys do in scouting. I've seen adults grow and thrive, trying new challenges and growing.

 

But honestly, with the number of SCHOOLS that don't allow kindergarteners and 1st graders to glue, cut and make crafts anymore, or it's relegated to a little bit of free time-- there is MUCH to be learned by having cub scouts in the younger years glue cut and color. They used to get that in school in spades, nowadays not so much.

 

Boys develop the eye hand coordination necessary to tie the knots and make the leather working things and build birdhouses by starting out small. It's a progression. If all they've ever done is use their thumbs to play a video game and text, stringing up beads on a cous necklace is darned difficult and tying it off when done is nigh on impossible. spend a little time in the classrooms and talk to the parents, young people today aren't getting those basic skills elsewhere. It fits naturally into cub scouting to do "crafts" often without a big huge purpose behind it. sometmes you make something even as a guy that is just pretty.