Fun stuff for Webelos at a campout

[mashmaster]

Our Webelos are camping out again and I wanted to have a fun activity for them that is fun and cool for Webelos as compared to the lower ranks. Any suggestions? Is Pioneering fun? I've never done it.

 

The place we are camping rents 2 person kayaks and paddle boats but the GTSS says we can only do that at disctrict or council events.

[Eagle94-A1]

Will Boy Scouts be there or just Webelos? If Boy Scouts are there, see my post over at

 

http://www.scouter.com/forum/cub-scouts/415707-webelos-troop-combined-camp-out/page2

 

If it's just Webelos try a Readyman Hike. Basically you prearrange stations along a hike in which people will have "Accidents" that use the Readyman skills. We do this with Webelos at day camp and they love it.

[mashmaster]

Just Webelos. I might try the Readyman hike.

[JasonG172]

Tree Identification, animal tracks. FUN FUN FUN

[Renax127]

For the first den camping trip with my Webelos I scheduled nothing. Pack camping is always so structured with little down time, so I decided the only thing I wanted them to do all weekend was run around in the woods and be kids. I did plan the cooking of meals but that was it.

 

They did work on building a fire because they asked if they could, other than that they played in the mud. the consensus was it was the most fun they had had camping.

 

[JasonG172]

What was the "Purpose"

[Cambridgeskip]

Any suggestions? Is Pioneering fun? I've never done it.

 

From my experience with cubs and younger scouts this side of the pond Webelos are probably just at the point where they can start doing this. For younger cubs it requires that little bit too much concentration. Keep it quite basic so that they can do it quickly and not have to learn more than a couple of knots. Something like Sedan chair. Aiming for things like bridges or catapults will most likely tax their concentration too much. They won't complete it so won't get to see what the work was all for.

 

 

Am element of just running round the woods is always good but a few more structured things will get them more interested in being scouts. If you are looking for animal tracks take some plaster of paris with you and take casts of any that you find. How many have you got going? It might be possible to do enough so that everyone gets to take a cast home as a souvenier.

[Stosh]

What was the "Purpose"

 

Have fun! That always works for me.

 

Stosh

[mattman578]

For my First Weboles only camping trip I am going to work on team building skills trust falls playing light as a feather stiff as a board with a different name I want them to start working together as a team and those games are always fun. We are even going to do Cross the Alligator river they kids have to build and a frame out of sticks and ropes then get there friend across but also let them play in the mud that is always fun

[Eagledad]

As a SM, I was not so concerned with the skills of new scouts as I was their confidience to camp their first overnight without an adult in the tent. I agree with Stosh, have fun. You want enough structure so that scouts aren't sitting around bored, but not so much structure that, well that they are bored. I beleive the GTSS allows scouts to boat with their parents. At least that was how we interpreted it 20 years ago. There is also fishing, hiking, biking, whiffle ball, fire building and on and on. Call the park service and ask them if there is any service project they could do. Our Webelos built owl houses with material provided by the park service and then had to hike in the woods to hang them up. But the thing about nature is that some kids get so little of it, just being there can take a boy to all sorts of adventures. I remember our Webs having great fun playing in the stream chasing crawdads. So much fun to do, so little time. If you want to insure that the trip has a scouting flavor, do a small Flag ceremony in the morning and evening. I love this scouting stuff. Barry

[Renax127]

 

What was the "Purpose"

 

Honestly I didn't really care about the "purpose" too much (adult) purpose turn an otherwise fun time into a school project. If the boys aren't having fun they won't stay in the program.

 

But a bunch of boys running around in the woods on their own sounds like a great boy lead leadership opportunity to me.

 

[mashmaster]

All of this sounds like great suggestions. decisions decisons :-)

[Cambridgeskip]

As a SM' date=' I was not so concerned with the skills of new scouts as I was their confidience to camp their first overnight without an adult in the tent. [/quote']

 

Daft question, but don't your cubs generally camp without an adult in a tent?? Or do they only do that in webelos or when they move up to scouts?

 

[Eagle94-A1]

Skip,

 

Not a daft question at all. Cubs Scouts is considered "family camping," and essentially everyone goes. It's usually Webelos (ages 9 and 10) that they stay with buddies for the first time.

 

Believe it or not, it's been only within the last 15-20 years than an emphasis on Cub Scouts camping has taken place. And we still have a lot of folks, some who should know better, that have the attitude that, "Cubs don't need to camp."

 

In my neck of the woods, it's only been in the past 6 years that anything like Kingsdown ISC's "Cub Hub" has taken place.

 

And there are lots of rules and regs that have to be followed. For example, Cubs can climb, but they cannot abseil (or repel as we call it on this side of the pond), Cubs cannot do moving water boat trips (no raft building and racing in the Channel allowed here), etc.

 

For got to add, some packs do not camp at all. The Latter Day Saints do not allow their Cubs to go camping at all, and I know of at least one pack who's Cubmaster has been around so long, she believes :"Cubs don't need to camp."

 

Gonna get real interesting June 1st when the new changes, which I am told incorporate a lot more outdoor activities, goes into effect

[Stosh]

I no longer work on the Cub Scout level due to the changes in the program. What used to be a opportunity for young men to grow and develop a sense of independence and maturity, it is now a family bonding program that seems to work counter to the original focus of scouting. Young Men's Christian Association did the same thing and lost it's original identify along the way. Seems as if BSA is doggedly following that course as well.

 

Stosh